Wave generator for strain wave gearing

Abstract

In a wave generator for a strain wave gearing, a plug outer peripheral surface of a rigid wave plug has a non-circular profile and is fixed to an inner-race inner peripheral surface of a wave bearing by press-fitting and using an adhesive. The plug outer peripheral surface is a groove formation surface in which microgrooves are formed as adhesive-retaining grooves that can retain the adhesive. When the wave plug is press-fitted into the wave bearing, the amount of adhesive that is scraped out from therebetween is reduced and the bonding strength therebetween can be increased while also preventing unevenness of the bonding strength.

Claims

1. A wave generator for a strain wave gearing, the wave generator comprising a rigid wave plug and a wave bearing, an inner-race inner peripheral surface of the wave bearing being secured by press-fitting and an adhesive to a non-circularly contoured plug external peripheral surface of the wave plug; and one of the plug external peripheral surface and the inner-race inner peripheral surface having a first groove formation surface in which adhesive-retaining grooves capable of retaining the adhesive are formed, and the other thereof having a second groove formation surface in which the adhesive-retaining grooves capable of retaining the adhesive are formed; wherein adhesive-retaining grooves are microgrooves being of no greater than micrometer-order width and depth; each of the first and second groove formation surfaces is formed with an arrangement pattern having a plurality of the microgrooves; and wherein the arrangement pattern is: a first-direction arrangement pattern, in which microgrooves extend in straight lines or curved lines in a first direction at a fixed pitch; a second-direction arrangement pattern, in which microgrooves extend in straight lines or curved lines in a second direction at a fixed pitch, the second direction being different from the first direction; or an intersecting arrangement pattern, in which the first-direction arrangement pattern and the second-direction arrangement pattern are formed in an intersecting state.

2. The wave generator for the strain wave gearing according to claim 1, wherein the first groove formation surface is formed with the first direction arrangement pattern; and the second groove formation surface is formed with the second-direction arrangement pattern, and wherein each of the first and second direction is: a circumferential direction of the first and second groove formation surfaces; an axial direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction; or an oblique direction inclined relative to the circumferential direction and the axial direction.

3. The wave generator for a strain wave gearing according to claim 1, wherein the plug outer peripheral surface has an ellipsoidal shape; and in the groove formation surface, a depth of the microgrooves formed in portions where a long axis of the ellipsoidal shape is positioned is shallower than a depth of the microgrooves formed in portions where a shot axis of the ellipsoidal shape is positioned.

4. A strain wave gearing comprising: a rigid internally toothed gear; a flexible externally toothed gear; and the wave generator as set forth in claim 1.

5. A wave generator for a strain wave gearing, the wave generator comprising: a rigid wave plug and a wave bearing, an inner-race inner peripheral surface of the wave bearing being secured by press-fitting and an adhesive to a non-circularly contoured plug external peripheral surface of the wave plug; and one of the plug external peripheral surface and the inner-race inner peripheral surface having a groove formation surface in which adhesive-retaining grooves capable of retaining the adhesive are formed; wherein adhesive-retaining grooves are microgrooves being of no greater than micrometer-order width and depth; the groove formation surface is formed with an arrangement pattern having a plurality of the microgrooves; and wherein the arrangement pattern is: a first-direction arrangement pattern, in which microgrooves extend in straight lines or curved lines in a first direction at a fixed pitch; a second-direction arrangement pattern, in which microgrooves extend in straight lines or curved lines in a second direction at a fixed pitch, the second direction being different from the first direction; or an intersecting arrangement pattern, in which the first-direction arrangement pattern and the second-direction arrangement pattern are formed in an intersecting state, and wherein the plug outer peripheral surface has an ellipsoidal shape; and in the groove formation surface, a depth of the microgrooves formed in portions where a long axis of the ellipsoidal shape is positioned is shallower than a depth of the microgrooves formed in portions where a short axis of the ellipsoidal shape is positioned.

6. The wave generator for the strain wave gearing according to claim 5, wherein the groove formation surface is formed with the first-direction arrangement pattern, and the first direction is: a circumferential direction of the groove formation surface; an axial direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction; or an oblique direction inclined relative to the circumferential direction and the axial direction.

7. The wave generator for the strain wave gearing according to claim 5, wherein the groove formation surface is formed with the intersecting arrangement pattern, and each of the first and second directions is: a circumferential direction of the groove formation surface; an axial direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction; or an oblique direction inclined relative to the circumferential direction and the axial direction.

8. A strain wave gearing comprising: a rigid internally toothed gear; a flexible externally toothed gear; and the wave generator as set forth in claim 5.

9. The wave generator for the strain wave gearing according to claim 5, wherein: both of the plug external peripheral surface and the inner-race inner peripheral surface having a groove formation surface in which adhesive-retaining grooves capable of retaining the adhesive are formed; and each of the groove formation surfaces is formed with an arrangement pattern having a plurality of the microgrooves.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1(a) to 1(b) show a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view and a schematic end surface view of one example of a strain wave gearing to which the present invention is applied;

(2) FIGS. 2(a) to 2(b) show an illustrative representation and a schematic end surface view of a wave plug and a wave bearing of a wave generator;

(3) FIGS. 3(a) to 3(g) show illustrative representations of arrangement patterns of microgrooves in a groove formation surface;

(4) FIGS. 4(a) to 4(c) show illustrative representations of arrangement patterns of microgrooves in first and second groove formation surfaces; and

(5) FIG. 5 is an illustrative representation of depths of microgrooves formed in portions where the long axis of an ellipsoidal shape is positioned and portions where the short axis is positioned in a groove formation surface.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(6) An embodiment of a wave generator for a strain wave gearing to which the present invention is applied is described below with reference to the drawings. The description below is an example in which the present invention is applied to a wave generator for a top-hat-type strain wave gearing. The present invention can be similarly applied to a wave generator for a cup-type strain wave gearing or a flat-type strain wave gearing.

(7) FIG. 1(a) is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an overall configuration of a top-hat-type strain wave gearing (referred to below simply as a “strain wave gearing”), and FIG. 1(b) is a schematic end surface view of the same. A strain wave gearing 1 is configured from an annular rigid internally toothed gear 2, a top-hat-shaped flexible externally toothed gear 3 coaxially disposed on an inner surface thereof, and an ellipsoidally contoured wave generator 4 fitted into an inner side of the externally toothed gear 3.

(8) The externally toothed gear 3 is provided with a barrel part 31, a diaphragm 32, and a boss 33, and overall has the shape of a top hat. The barrel part 31 has a cylindrical shape and is capable of flexing radially. One end of the barrel part 31 is an open end 34, and external teeth 35 are formed in an external peripheral surface portion of the barrel part in the side having the open end 34. The diaphragm 32 widens outward in the radial direction in continuation from the other end of the barrel part 31. The annular boss 33, which has a rectangular cross-section, is formed in continuation from an external peripheral edge of the diaphragm 32. The boss 33 is a rigid portion for attaching the externally toothed gear 3 to another member (not shown). The internally toothed gear 2 is disposed in a state of encircling the external teeth 35 of the externally toothed gear 3. The external teeth 35 are able to mesh with internal teeth 21 formed in an inner peripheral surface of the internally toothed gear 2.

(9) The wave generator 4 is configured from a hollow hub 41, an ellipsoidal rigid wave plug 42 fitted on an external periphery thereof, and a wave bearing 44 fitted on an ellipsoidal plug external peripheral surface 43 of the wave plug 42. A portion in the barrel part 31 of the externally toothed gear 3 where the external teeth 35 are formed is caused by the wave generator 4 to flex from the initial perfectly circular shape to an ellipsoidal shape. The external teeth 35 mesh with the internal teeth 21 of the internally toothed gear 2 in positions at both ends of a long axis L.sub.max of the ellipsoidal shape.

(10) When the wave generator 4 rotates about a center axis 1a, the meshing positions of the gears 2, 3 rotate in the circumferential direction. Due to this rotation, relative rotation occurs between the externally toothed gear 3 and the internally toothed gear 2 in accordance with the difference between the number of external teeth 35 and the number of internal teeth 21. For example, if the internally toothed gear 2 is fixed and the wave generator 4 is a high-speed rotating input element, the externally toothed gear 3 is a reduced-speed rotation output element and reduced rotational output is achieved in accordance with the difference in the number of teeth between the gears 2, 3.

(11) FIG. 2(a) is an illustrative representation of the wave plug 42 and the wave bearing 44 of the wave generator 4, and FIG. 2(b) is a schematic end surface view of the same. The ellipsoidally contoured plug external peripheral surface 43 of the wave plug 42 is fixed to an inner-race inner peripheral surface 45 of the wave bearing 44 by press-fitting and using an adhesive. The plug external peripheral surface 43 and/or the inner-race inner peripheral surface 45 have/has a groove formation surface in which adhesive-retaining grooves capable of retaining an adhesive are formed.

(12) For example, the plug external peripheral surface 43 of the wave plug 42 is a groove formation surface, and formed therein as adhesive-retaining grooves are microgrooves 46 being of no greater than micrometer-order width and depth. The microgrooves 46 can be formed by, for example, laser processing using a femtosecond laser. The microgrooves 46 of the present example are formed in the plug external peripheral surface 43 such that arrangement patterns 47 of the microgrooves 46 are formed at fixed intervals in a plug circumferential direction and a plug width direction (the direction of the center axis 1a). In each individual arrangement pattern 47, microgrooves 46 extending linearly in the plug width direction (the direction of the center axis 1a) are arranged at a fixed pitch in the plug circumferential direction.

(13) In the wave generator 4 of the strain wave gearing 1 of the present example, the ellipsoidal plug external peripheral surface 43 of the wave plug 42 is a groove formation surface in which microgrooves 46 functioning as adhesive-retaining grooves are formed. After the wave plug 42 has been press-fitted into the wave bearing 44, the amount of the adhesive retained therebetween can be increased. During press-fitting, some of the adhesive flows along the microgrooves 46 and the amount scraped out to the exterior decreases. Consequently, unevenness in the force with which the wave plug 42 is pulled out can be reduced, and the lower limit value of the pull-out force can be increased.

(14) (Various forms of Groove Formation Surface)

(15) FIGS. 3(a) to 3(g) show illustrative representations of examples of arrangement patterns of microgrooves formed in the groove formation surface. The groove formation surface in which the microgrooves 46 are formed can be the plug external peripheral surface 43 of the wave plug 42, the inner-race inner peripheral surface 45 of the wave bearing 44, or both surfaces 43, 45.

(16) In the groove formation surface, the microgrooves 46 are formed in a predetermined pitch and a predetermined direction, in arrangement patterns extending in straight lines or curved lines. For example, in the groove formation surface as shown in FIG. 3(a), the microgrooves 46 can form, at a fixed pitch, arrangement patterns extending in straight lines in a circumferential direction of the groove formation surface (in a circumferential direction of the plug external peripheral surface 43 or the inner-race inner peripheral surface 45). Additionally, in the groove formation surface as shown in FIG. 3(b), the microgrooves 46 can form, at a fixed pitch, arrangement patterns extending in undulations in the circumferential direction.

(17) In the groove formation surface as shown in FIG. 3(c), the microgrooves 46 can form, at a fixed pitch, arrangement patterns extending in straight lines in the axial direction (the width direction of the plug external peripheral surface 43 or the inner-race inner peripheral surface 45) orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the groove formation surface. In the groove formation surface as shown in FIG. 3(d), the microgrooves 46 can form, at a fixed pitch, arrangement patterns extending in undulations in the axial direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the groove formation surface. Additionally, in the groove formation surface as shown in FIG. 3(e), the microgrooves 46 can form, at a fixed pitch, inclined arrangement patterns extending in straight lines in an oblique direction inclined relative to the circumferential and axial directions of the groove formation surface.

(18) In the same groove formation surface as shown in FIGS. 3(f) and (g), the microgrooves 46 can form intersecting arrangement patterns, which are intersections of first-direction arrangement patterns extending in a first direction and arranged at a fixed pitch, and second-direction arrangement pattern grooves extending in a second direction different from the first direction and arranged at a fixed pitch. In the intersecting arrangement patterns shown in FIG. 3(f), the first-direction arrangement patterns are composed of microgrooves 46 extending in straight lines in the circumferential direction, and the second-direction arrangement patterns are composed of microgrooves 46 extending in straight lines in the axial direction. In the intersecting arrangement patterns shown in FIG. 3(g), the first-direction arrangement patterns are inclined arrangement patterns formed from linear microgrooves 46 extending in a direction inclined 45 degrees relative to the circumferential direction and the axial direction, and the second-direction arrangement patterns are inclined arrangement patterns formed from linear microgrooves 46 extending in a direction inclined 45 degrees in an inverse direction relative to the circumferential direction and the axial direction. Furthermore, intersecting arrangement patterns that are an overlapping of the arrangement patterns shown in FIG. 3(a) and the arrangement patterns shown in FIG. 3(b) can also be formed in the groove formation surface.

(19) FIGS. 4(a) to 4(c) show illustrative representations of examples in which the plug external peripheral surface 43 of the wave plug 42 is a first groove formation surface and the inner-race inner peripheral surface 45 is a second groove formation surface. In these cases as well, the adhesive-retaining grooves formed in the first and second groove formation surfaces can be microgrooves being of no greater than micrometer-order width and depth. Microgrooves can be formed in the same patterns as those shown in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(g) in both the first groove formation surface and the second groove formation surface.

(20) For example, in the example shown in FIG. 4(a), arrangement patterns in which microgrooves 48 extend in straight lines in the circumferential direction at a fixed pitch are formed in a first groove formation surface 43A. Arrangement patterns in which microgrooves 49 extend in straight lines in the axial direction at a fixed pitch are formed in a second groove formation surface 45A. When the first groove formation surface 43A has been press-fitted to the second groove formation surface 45A in an overlapping state, intersecting arrangement patterns are formed by the microgrooves 48, 49.

(21) In the example shown in FIG. 4(b), inclined arrangement patterns in which microgrooves 48 extend in straight lines in a slanted direction inclined 45 degrees in relation to the circumferential direction and the axial direction at a fixed pitch are formed in the first groove formation surface 43A. Inclined arrangement patterns in which microgrooves 49 extend in straight lines in a slanted direction inclined 45 degrees in an inverse orientation in relation to the circumferential direction and the axial direction at a fixed pitch are formed in the second groove formation surface 45A. Intersecting arrangement patterns are formed by the microgrooves 48, 49, with the first and second groove formation surfaces 43A, 45A in an overlapping state.

(22) Similarly, in the example shown in FIG. 4(c), arrangement patterns in which microgrooves 48 extend in straight lines in the circumferential direction at a fixed pitch are formed in the first groove formation surface 43A. Arrangement patterns in which microgrooves 49 extend in undulations in the circumferential direction at a fixed pitch are formed in the second groove formation surface 45A. Intersecting arrangement patterns of the microgrooves 48, 49 are formed by the microgrooves 48, 49, with the first groove formation surface 43A and the second groove formation surface 45A in an overlapping state.

(23) (Groove Depth at Long-Axis Positions and Short-Axis Positions of Ellipsoidal Shape)

(24) As was previously described, in the strain wave gearing 1, the wave generator 4 is provided with the wave plug 42 in which the ellipsoidally contoured plug external peripheral surface 43 is formed, and the flexible externally toothed gear 3 is caused to flex into an ellipsoidal shape. The externally toothed gear 3 meshes with the rigid internally toothed gear 2 at the portions where the long axis L.sub.max of the ellipsoidal shape is positioned. In the meshing portions of the gears 2, 3 formed at the portions where the long axis L.sub.max of the ellipsoidal shape is positioned, force is transmitted between the gears 2, 3. Therefore, in the wave generator 4, which retains the externally toothed gear 3 in an ellipsoidally flexed state, considerable surface pressure bears on the portions where the long axis L.sub.max of the ellipsoidal shape is positioned, and little surface pressure bears on portions where a short axis L.sub.min is positioned.

(25) Consequently, in a groove formation surface, the microgrooves formed in the portions where the long axis L.sub.max of the ellipsoidal shape is positioned can be made shallower, these portions being where considerable surface pressure bears, and the microgrooves formed in the portions where the short axis L.sub.min of the ellipsoidal shape is positioned, these portions being where little surface pressure bears, can be deepened so as to be able to retain a greater amount of adhesive. For example, in a case in which the plug external peripheral surface 43 is a groove formation surface and microgrooves 46 extending in a straight line in the circumferential direction are formed (the case shown in FIG. 3(a)), the groove depth of the microgrooves 46 is established as shown in, for example, the illustrative representation in FIG. 5. The depth of the microgrooves 46 is exaggerated in this representation. Along the circumferential direction in the plug external peripheral surface 43 of the wave plug 42 as shown in representation, the microgrooves 46 have a maximum depth h.sub.1 in the portions where the short axis L.sub.min of the ellipsoidal shape is positioned and a minimum depth h.sub.2 in the portions where the long axis L.sub.max is positioned. Additionally, the groove depth gradually decreases from the maximum depth h.sub.1 to the minimum depth h.sub.2 along the circumferential direction.

Other Embodiments

(26) In the example described above, microgrooves are formed as adhesive-retaining grooves by laser processing. The adhesive-retaining grooves can be formed via other methods such as machining, etching, and sandblasting. Depending on the circumstances, millimeter-order adhesive-retaining grooves can also be formed. Furthermore, no particular mention was made of the cross-sectional shape of the adhesive-retaining grooves, but grooves of various cross-sectional shapes can be used, such as rectangular cross-section grooves, semicircular cross-section grooves, and V grooves.