Transmission component set having an output bearing and a harmonic drive transmission which can be mounted thereon

A transmission component set has a bearing ring (1) and a strain wave gear mounted thereon. Said strain wave gear comprises an input or drive component (2), a flexible or resilient transmission component (4) having external teeth (3), and a gear (6) having an internal teeth (5). The transmission component (4) is fitted onto the drive component (2) and thereby is elliptically deformable such that the external teeth (3) of the transmission component (4) engage with the internal teeth (5) of the gear (6) in opposing areas of a major axis of the ellipse, wherein the gear (6) or the transmission component (4), via its bearing surface (7), can be mounted on a bearing surface (9) of the bearing ring (1) by means of rolling elements (8). The gear (6) or the transmission component (4) and the bearing ring (1) are each provided with at least one indentation or receptacle (10, 11). When the two indentations or receptacles (10, 11) are lined up in a corresponding position relative to each other, the rolling elements (8) are inserted into an anti-friction bearing between the bearing surface (7) of the gear (6) or transmission component (4) and the bearing surface (9) of the bearing ring (1).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national stage application (under 35 USC § 371) of PCT/EP2016/055946, filed Mar. 18, 2016, which claims benefit of German application No. 10 2015 104 308.4, filed Mar. 23, 2015, the contents of each of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical Field and State of the Art

The invention relates to a gear component set with an output bearing and a strain wave gear that can be mounted thereon.

Such gear component sets have multi-faceted applications in many realms of technology. In particular, such gear component sets are gaining widespread use in robotics as well as in prosthetics. For instance, reference can be made here to the Harmonic Drive® gear, which belongs to the group of strain wave gear systems and whose mode of operation is described by way of an example in https://harmonicdrive.de/de/technologie/harmonic-drive-wellgetriebe/ (in English: https://harmonicdrive.de/en/technology/harmonic-drive-strain-wave-gears/). The Harmonic Drive® gear can be configured with a conventional design as well as with a so-called flat design.

In the conventional design, the input component, which is configured there as an elliptical wave generator, uses a ball bearing to deform the transmission component, which is configured as an externally toothed flexspline that, in the opposing areas of the major axis of the ellipse, engages with the internally toothed gear wheel configured as a circular spline. As the wave generator rotates, the major axis of the ellipse shifts its position and so does the engagement area of the teeth. Since the flexspline of the Harmonic Drive® gear has two fewer teeth than the circular spline, the flexspline moves relative to the circular spline by one tooth during a half rotation of the wave generator and by two teeth during a full rotation. In the case of a fixed circular spline, the flexspline, as the output element, rotates counter to the input. In this context, the circular spline can be arranged so that it can be affixed to a bearing ring.

In the case of a flat design, the flexspline is configured as a thin-walled, elastically deformable ring that assumes an elliptical shape due to the wave generator. The external teeth engage with the internal teeth of the circular spline as well with the internal teeth of an additionally provided dynamic spline. The dynamic spline is an internally toothed ring gear having the same number of teeth as the flexspline. It rotates in the same rotational direction and at the same rotational speed as the flexspline and it is employed as the output element during speed-reduction operation.

It is particularly advantageous that Harmonic Drive® gears do not exhibit any increase in play in the teeth over the course of their entire service life and they display an outstanding positioning precision of less than one angular minute and a repeat precision of just a few angular seconds. Moreover, Harmonic Drive® gears are considerably more compact and more lightweight than conventional gears so that they are tailor-made for use in robotics, prosthetics and similar technical fields in which rotational movements have to be executed within extremely small spaces. Since the force transmission takes place over a large tooth engagement range, Harmonic Drive® gears can transmit higher torques than conventional gears can. With just three components, speed-reduction ratios of 30:1 to 320:1 are achieved in one stage. In the rated range, efficiencies of up to 85% are attained. Harmonic Drive® gears are not self-locking and do not exhibit any stick-slip behavior. Moreover, Harmonic Drive® gears have a high torsional stiffness over the entire torque range, displaying a virtually linear characteristic curve. Moreover, Harmonic Drive® gears offer the possibility to have a central hollow shaft. Thus, cables, shafts, laser beams, etc. can easily pass through the hollow shaft. Harmonic Drive® gears stand out for their high degree of reliability and long service life.

For purposes of executing a rotational movement between two components, such strain wave gears are placed onto a bearing ring, where they are mounted so as to be rotatable. Here, on the one hand, the gear wheel of the strain wave gear can be arranged non-rotatably relative to the bearing ring, whereby rolling elements are then arranged between bearing surfaces of the bearing ring and of the transmission component, as a result of which the rotatability of the strain wave gear relative to the bearing ring is ensured. On the other hand, the transmission component of the strain wave gear can also be arranged non-rotatably relative to the bearing ring, whereby rolling elements are then arranged between bearing surfaces of the bearing ring and of the gear wheel, as a result of which the rotatability of the strain wave gear relative to the bearing ring is likewise ensured.

Due to the conventional design of such gear component sets, robots, prostheses and other devices that employ such strain wave gears to execute rotational movements can be dimensioned relatively small. However, for some applications, these conventional gear component sets are still too large in terms of their axial dimensions and, furthermore, their mounting with a separate bearing ring is too laborious, so that they tend to be financially and technically unsuitable for such applications.

Japanese patent application JP 2010-127452 A discloses a harmonic drive for a robot application in which an anti-friction bearing is screwed to the gear wheel of the harmonic drive by means of bolts. The anti-friction bearing itself has an axial length that matches the axial length of the harmonic drive itself, so that this arrangement is unsuitable for the above-mentioned purposes.

German patent application DE 24 07 477 A1 discloses an anti-friction bearing as well as a method for its production. This publication describes rolling elements with end faces, in other words, rollers, and thus an anti-friction bearing that can be loaded radially. For the production of this anti-friction bearing, closure pieces are cut off from the flanges after the bearing rings have been completely machined, so that, without the need for any finishing work, they fit very precisely into filling openings created for the anti-friction bearings by the cutting procedure.

German patent DE 196 81 201 D4 discloses a torque detecting device for a flexible meshing-type gear.

German patent application DE 10 2007 025 353 A1 discloses a reduction gear unit with a rotational position sensor.

International patent application WO 2014/203295 A1 discloses a harmonic drive in which the gear wheel is mounted opposite from a bearing ring. In actual practice with such gears, a cross roller bearing is provided here in which rolling elements in the form of rollers are inserted into the raceway alternatingly in a perpendicular orientation with respect to each other. For this purpose, a filling opening that extends radially is provided through which the rollers are inserted manually in actual practice, so that they are arranged in the correct orientation in the raceway.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,155 discloses a Harmonic Drive® gear in which a separate anti-friction bearing is arranged on the gear wheel and screwed to it. Here, too, the arrangement of the separate anti-friction bearing increases the axial length of the entire gear unit.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,905,326 B2 discloses a rotating table device in which a strain wave gear transmits the rotational movement from a drive unit to the rotating table itself. Here, the externally toothed gear is non-rotatably joined to the rotating table. The rotating table, in turn, is mounted relative to the fixed gear wheel by means of a bearing mechanism, whereby the bearing mechanism is situated between the rotating table and the gear wheel but separately from both.

U.S. Pat. Appln. No. 2005/0135720 A1 discloses a cross roller bearing in which the rolling elements in the form of rollers are mounted crosswise in a raceway. As already described in conjunction with international patent application WO 2014/203295 A1, a filling opening that extends radially is provided for the rolling elements, said opening being radially closed with a plug once the rolling elements have been filled in.

German patent application DE 10 2009 005 020 T5 discloses a non-circular bearing for a harmonic generator of a harmonic drive, whereby a ball filling opening is configured on the outer circumferential rim of a stiff cam plate in an area above the minor axis of the oval where essentially no load occurs. It is from here that the balls are inserted into the race, after which the opening is sealed by a closure.

The mounting of such harmonic drives is altogether laborious, whereby the harmonic drives are large in size. For this reason, the prior-art gear component sets, which are equipped with a bearing ring and a strain wave gear that can be mounted on said ring, cannot be used to create robots and prostheses or other devices in which the rotational movements can be executed, even in extremely small installation spaces, in a manner that is financially and technically satisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Before this backdrop, it is an objective of the invention to refine a gear component set of the above-mentioned type in such a way that the axial length of the gear component set can be minimized, so that such gear component sets can be used even if only very little installation space is available in the axial direction for this purpose. It should also be ensured that the mounting of the gear component set is simple.

In this context, the gear component set has a bearing ring and a strain wave gear that can be mounted on said bearing ring. The strain wave gear consists essentially of an input component, a flexible transmission component provided with external teeth and a gear wheel provided with internal teeth. In the case of a gear component set having a flat design, a so-called dynamic spline is provided as the output component, which is configured as an internally toothed ring gear having the same number of teeth as the transmission component. Here, the external teeth engage simultaneously with the internal teeth of the gear wheel and with the internal teeth of the output component, so that a rotation of the transmission component caused by the engagement with the internally toothed gear wheel simultaneously brings about a rotational movement of the output component that is arranged coaxially to the gear wheel.

The transmission component can be placed onto the input component, whereby the transmission component can be elliptically deformed by the input component in such a way that the external teeth of the transmission component can be made to engage with the internal teeth of the gear wheel in opposing areas of a major axis of the ellipse. In this context, via its bearing surface, the gear wheel or the transmission component can be mounted by means of rolling elements on a bearing surface of the bearing ring. In this context, it is provided that the gear wheel or transmission component or else the bearing ring itself has the appropriate bearing surface, that is to say, the bearing surface is created in or formed onto the appertaining component. The invention is characterized in that the gear wheel or transmission component and the bearing ring are each provided with at least one indentation through which, when the two indentations are lined up in a corresponding position relative to each other, rolling elements can be inserted into an anti-friction bearing between the bearing surface of the gear wheel or transmission component and the bearing surface of the bearing ring. With a flat design, the bearing ring can be configured in one piece with the output component, so that in such a case, one of the two indentations can be provided on the bearing ring that is connected in one piece to the output component, in other words, on the output component itself.

The inventive configuration of the gear component set is able to provide a very compact and extremely flat design of such a gear component set that especially can be employed in miniaturized robotics and prosthetics, where there is normally only limited space to execute rotational movements. In this context, the rolling elements, whose primary function is to support the gear wheel on the bearing ring, can be easily placed—also in an automated process—into the anti-friction bearing between the bearing surface of the gear wheel or transmission component and the bearing surface of the bearing ring during the mounting of the gear component set. Towards this end, the two indentations of the gear wheel or transmission component and of the bearing ring are aligned relative to each other in such a way that they allow rolling elements to be inserted into the anti-friction bearing between the bearing surface of the gear wheel or transmission component and the bearing surface of the bearing ring via an axial end face of the gear component set. After the gear component set has been mounted, it can be placed between two components that are to be rotated counter to each other, for instance, two robot arms.

In this context, it has proven to be advantageous for the gear wheel or transmission component to have races for the rolling elements on its bearing surface and for the bearing ring to have races for the rolling elements on its bearing surface. Thanks to such races, the rolling elements can very suitably bring about a support between the bearing ring and the gear wheel or transmission component, whereby only very low friction forces occur between the bearing ring and the gear wheel or transmission component.

According to the invention, the rolling elements are configured here as balls which roll with very little friction on such raceways. Anti-friction bearings configured with such rolling elements and raceways can be very easily adapted to the specific applications in terms of their geometric size and shape. In particular, even very small balls and thus also very small indentations in the gear wheel or transmission component and in the bearing ring can be used here, and these balls roll on the races of the bearing ring and of the gear wheel or transmission component. Consequently, the use of small balls and indentations can already considerably reduce the axial dimensions of the bearing ring and of the gear wheel and hence of the entire gear component set.

In a refinement of the present invention, it can be provided that the shapes of the bearing surfaces or of the rolling elements are configured so as to build up a pre-tensioning of the bearing. In this context, the bearing is formed by the opposing bearing surfaces and by the rolling elements that run between them. In order to achieve an adaptation to different load states, a pre-tensioning is built up in the bearing, thereby improving the friction and wear behavior of the gear component set. For this purpose, the shape of the rolling elements and/or of the races, for example, the ball diameter, can be adapted in such a way that the bearing is pre-tensioned when it is in the mounted state.

In another embodiment of the gear component set according to the invention, it is provided that the indentations of the gear wheel or transmission component and of the bearing ring can be placed in a position of the transmission component relative to the gear wheel in such a way that the rolling elements are kept disengaged from the indentations in the races so as to prevent the balls from falling out. If the input component is used to drive the transmission component when the mounted gear component set is in such a position, then a movement of the transmission component also occurs here relative to the gear wheel since the rolling elements can roll on the races of the gear wheel or transmission component and of the bearing ring. If the race for the rolling elements is arranged on the transmission component, then the gear wheel is held non-rotatably relative to the bearing ring. However, if the race for the rolling elements is arranged on the gear wheel, then the transmission component is held non-rotatably relative to the bearing ring.

In a special embodiment of the invention, at least one closure element, preferably a plug, is provided with which at least one of the indentations of the gear wheel or transmission component or of the bearing ring can be closed. As a result, the indentations of the gear wheel or transmission component and/or of the bearing ring can be aligned with respect to each other so as to form a feed passage through which the anti-friction bearing can be filled with rolling elements between the gear wheel or transmission component and the bearing ring. After the anti-friction bearing has been filled, the indentations of the gear wheel or transmission component and/or of the bearing ring and thus the feed passage can be closed by such a closure element. In this manner, once the rolling elements have been filled in, they can be undetachably held in the anti-friction bearing arranged between the bearing surfaces of the gear wheel or transmission component and of the bearing ring.

The closure elements here are advantageously shaped in such a way that they precisely seal off one indentation so that the gear wheel or transmission component can be rotated relative to the bearing ring, thereby retaining the function of the wave strain gear. Such closure elements are inserted into and close off the indentations of the gear wheel or transmission component and of the bearing ring, said indentations being configured as feed passages for the rolling elements of the anti-friction bearing.

According to a special embodiment of the invention, the feed passages are configured so as to be parallel. In this context, the term “parallel” means that a center longitudinal axis of the appertaining feed passage runs parallel to the center longitudinal axis of the gear component set. On the other hand, these feed passages can also be configured in such a way that their center longitudinal axes intersect the center longitudinal axis of the gear component set. Another advantageous embodiment is conceivable in which the parallel center longitudinal axis of the feed passage is tilted tangentially.

Preferably, it can be provided that the transmission component or the gear wheel has an output component or is joined thereto, and it can be arranged non-rotatably relative to the bearing ring. In this manner, the speed-reduced rotational movement of the gear component set can be transmitted to the components situated downstream from it.

Preferably, it can be provided that the output component engages non-rotatably with the gear wheel or transmission component or else with the bearing ring. Such an engagement, which is preferably configured with a positive fit, makes it possible to transmit the rotational movement to the components situated downstream from it in a very simple manner.

Preferably, the output component has a toothing system extending in the axial direction which engages with a corresponding toothing system in the bearing ring. This makes it possible to very easily create the geometrical component structure which is needed for the engagement that has a positive fit.

Preferably, the output component can be arranged in the axial direction in the bearing ring, at least partially. This permits the design in terms of the axial length of the gear component set to be particularly compact.

In a preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the bearing ring is configured in one piece with the output component. This embodiment is especially well-suited for the so-called flat design of the Harmonic Drive® gear, in which a single component serves as the output component and, at the same time, assumes the function of the bearing ring.

In an embodiment of the invention, it can also be provided that the output component has internal teeth, especially with the same number of teeth as the transmission component, and preferably, the internal teeth engage with the external teeth of the transmission component. This makes it easily possible to reduce the axial length of the gear component set.

In a refinement of the invention, it can be provided that the bearing ring and the gear wheel or the transmission component, with their bearing surfaces and the rolling elements arranged therein, form a ball bearing, especially a radial ball bearing, that can preferably be stressed axially in opposite directions. In this manner, the gear component set can be dimensioned very specifically for different load states and it functions like a four-point bearing.

It can be preferably provided that the gear component set can be rotated during use by an angle <360°, preferably <270′, especially ≤140°. Such an embodiment is particularly advantageous for applications in which rotational angles are desired that are less than one full rotation on the output side of the gear component set. This is especially advantageous when the gear component set according to the invention is used in the realms of robotics, microrobotics or prosthetics. The use of the gear component set with rotational angles amounting to less than one full rotation on the output side ensures that the rolling elements can no longer fall out of the bearing surface of their own accord after being mounted since the indentations do not line up with each other during operation and consequently no feed passage is created.

According to a particularly advantageous idea of the invention, the axial length of the gear component set or of the input component, of the transmission component or of the gear wheel is smaller than or equal to the axial length of the component having the greatest axial length. In this specific geometrical configuration, the axial length of the gear component set according to the invention is defined by the axial length of the component having the greatest axial length. All of the other components of the gear component set can then be arranged in such a way that none of the components of the gear component set projects beyond the axial length of the largest component.

Preferably, the transmission component is the component with the greatest length, especially in the case of a one-piece configuration with an output component formed thereon.

In order to achieve a very effective and precise movement of the transmission component relative to the gear wheel, it has proven advantageous for the geometry of the indentations of the gear wheel and of the bearing ring to correspond to the geometry of the rolling elements. Consequently, the rolling elements can be inserted without any play into the indentations of the gear wheel and of the bearing ring so that only the rolling elements intended for this purpose can be inserted into the anti-friction bearing between the bearing surfaces of the gear wheel or transmission component and of the bearing ring. If the rolling elements are spherical, the geometry of the bearing surfaces can preferably be round, especially in the form of segments of a circle.

Moreover, the strain wave gear of the gear component set according to the invention can be equipped with sensor units which can detect, for instance, the position or location of the individual elements of the strain wave gear or which can determine forces or torques and the like. For this purpose, it can especially be provided that the gear component set according to a variant of the above-mentioned description is characterized in that at least one sensor unit is provided which can detect the position or location of individual elements of the strain wave gear and/or which can determine forces or torques and the like.

Additional objectives, advantages, features and application possibilities of the present invention ensue from the description below of embodiments with reference to the figures. In this context, all of the described and/or depicted features, either on their own or in any meaningful combination, constitute the subject matter of the present invention, also irrespective of their compilation in the claims or the claims to which they refer back.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows an embodiment of the gear component set according to the invention, in its mounted state, in a top view along a center longitudinal axis of the gear component set. In this context, a transmission component4configured as a flexspline is placed onto an input component2that is configured as an elliptical wave generator that is mounted on a hollow shaft14, whereby the transmission component4is likewise elliptically deformed by the elliptical input component2. In the opposing areas of the major axis of the ellipse, the external teeth3of the elliptically deformed transmission component4engage with the internal teeth5of a gear wheel6configured as a circular spline. The gear wheel6is mounted on a bearing ring1by means of a bearing ring that is not specifically designated here. In the top view ofFIG. 1, the gear component set according to the invention does not differ essentially from the gear component sets known from the state of the art.

FIGS. 2 and 3show a robot18with robot arms19and20which are held so that they can pivot with respect to each other and between which a gear component set according to the invention can be inserted. In this context,FIG. 2shows the robot18in an overall view, whereasFIG. 3shows a section of the robot18with the area between the first and second robot arms19and20, respectively, where the gear component set according to the invention is employed. Of course, it is also possible to provide all of the articulations of the robot with such a gear component set, so that the robot can also execute rotations in all of the other robot axes by using a gear component set according to the invention.

The difference from the gear component sets known from the state of the art becomes quite evident when the gear component set according to the invention is shown in a side view perpendicular to a center longitudinal axis15of the gear component set, as is shown by way of an example inFIGS. 4 and 5.

Especially inFIG. 5, it can be seen that the transmission component4shown there with the output component13formed onto it exhibits the greatest axial extension of all of the components of the gear component set. However, the gear component set can also be configured in such a way that the gear wheel6has the greatest axial extension of all of the components. In the embodiment being described here, the input component2is configured as an elliptical wave generator. The flexible transmission component4configured as a flexspline is placed onto this input component2via a ball bearing16containing several balls17. Owing to the flexibility in the area of the external teeth3of this transmission component4, the latter is likewise elliptically deformed due to the elliptical shape of the input component2.

Since the flexible transmission component4has external teeth3and is elliptically deformed, in the area of the major axis of the ellipse, these external teeth3engage with the internal teeth5of a gear wheel6configured as a circular spline. This gear wheel6has an inner surface configured as a bearing surface9which corresponds to an outer surface of a bearing ring1configured as a bearing surface7. Here, an anti-friction bearing with a plurality of rolling elements8is arranged between these two bearing surfaces7and9of the gear wheel6and of the bearing ring1, whereby the bearing surfaces7and9of the gear wheel6and of the bearing ring1are configured as races12for the rolling elements8of the anti-friction bearing. The rolling elements8are configured as balls in the present embodiment. In order to impart the bearing with a pre-tension, the shape of the rolling elements8, especially their diameter, has to be adapted in such a way that the round bearing surfaces7,9essentially correspond to said shape.

The rolling elements8are preferably in contact with the race at four points so as to functionally form a four-point bearing that can absorb axial loads in both directions as well as radial loads and tilting moments.

In order to implement the very narrow and compact design of the gear component set, an indentation10is made in the bearing surface7of the gear wheel6, and an indentation11is made in the bearing surface9of the bearing ring1. Both indentations10,11correspond in such a way that, when they are appropriately oriented relative to each other, as shown, for example, inFIG. 5, they form a feed passage24and are thus suitable to accommodate a rolling element8with a positive fit. Since a rolling element8is accommodated with a positive fit, the anti-friction bearing between the gear wheel6and the bearing ring1can be filled with rolling elements8via the feed passage24, so that the gear wheel6can be mounted particularly without play relative to the bearing ring1, and the bearing ring1and the gear wheel6can be rotated counter to each other. In this position, the transmission component4configured as a flexspline can now be driven by means of an input component2that is configured as a wave generator, so that the gear wheel6can move relative to the transmission component2.

Due to the fixation of the transmission component4to the bearing ring1by means of an output component13, the gear wheel6rotates relative to the transmission component4in the present embodiment. The transmission component4in the present embodiment is non-rotatably joined to the bearing ring1by tooth engagement with a positive fit. In the present embodiment, the output component13is formed in one piece onto the transmission component4.

The output component13arranged on the transmission component4can transmit the rotational movement of the transmission component4to other components which are situated within the device in which the gear component set is to be employed.

In the present embodiment, the races12created in the gear wheel6or in the bearing ring1are configured in such a way that the bearing can absorb radially active forces as well as axial loads along the center longitudinal axis15in both directions.

In the axial direction, the output component13is arranged at least partially inside the bearing ring1and, due to its radial tooth engagement with the bearing ring1along the circumference, it has a very space-saving design. The tooth engagement is effectuated via a toothing system28on the output component13which engages with a toothing system29located on the bearing ring1.

It can also be clearly seen inFIG. 5that the components of the gear component set, namely, the bearing ring1, the input component2, the output component4and the gear wheel6, are arranged coaxially to a center longitudinal axis15of the gear component set.

Thanks to the embodiment of a rolling element8with a positive fit as described above as well as the indentations10and11in the gear wheel6and the bearing ring1, it is now possible to provide a gear component set that is very compact and narrow in the axial direction and that is especially well-suited for use when there is only very little space available for executing rotational movements, as is particularly the case in many applications in the realms of robotics and prosthetics, whereby the gear component set is easy to mount.

FIG. 4once again shows the gear component set ofFIG. 5, although in a state where it has already been installed in a robot18. It can be clearly seen that the axial installation space for the gear component set is very limited so that the gear component set according to the invention is especially suitable for applications in which there is only very little space available for executing rotational movements. Here, the output component13of the transmission component4is non-rotatably held on a first arm19of the robot18by means of screwed connections21, together with the bearing ring1, whereas the gear wheel6is non-rotatably joined to a second arm20of the robot18.

FIGS. 6 and 7show two different positions of the indentations10and11of the gear wheel6and of the bearing ring1.

The view shown inFIG. 6depicts the indentations10and11of the gear wheel6and of the bearing ring1positioned in such a way relative to each other that they are not aligned with each other. Even if a rolling element8assumes a position that corresponds to the indentation10in the bearing surface7of the gear wheel6, as is shown inFIG. 6, the rolling element8cannot enter this indentation10of the gear wheel6since, due to the absence of a corresponding indentation in the bearing surface9of the bearing ring1, said rolling element8is forced to remain in the race12for the rolling elements8. In this position, the gear wheel and the bearing ring can execute a movement relative to each other, so that a movement of the gear wheel6relative to the transmission component4occurs when the input component2is driven or rotated.

In contrast to this, in the view according toFIG. 7, the indentations10and11of the gear wheel6and of the bearing ring1are positioned with respect to each other in such a way that a rolling element8can be accommodated, at least partially. In this context, the indentations10and11of the gear wheel6and of the bearing ring1are configured in such a way that the rolling element8is accommodated with a positive fit, so that the bearing ring1and the gear wheel6can be affixed with respect to each other without any play. Another depiction of this positioning of the indentations10and11of the gear wheel6and of the bearing ring1is shown inFIG. 8.

Here inFIG. 8, it can be clearly seen that, with this positioning of the indentations10and11, the rolling element8can enter these indentations, whereby the bearing ring1and the gear wheel6are affixed with respect to each other without any play.

Closure elements22,23can be provided in order to undetachably hold the rolling elements8that have been inserted through the feed passage24formed by indentations10and11of the gear wheel6and of the bearing ring1into the anti-friction bearing between the gear wheel6and the bearing ring. Such closure elements22,23can be configured, for instance, as plugs22,23that can be inserted into the feed passages24formed by the indentations10and11. The feed passages24, as shown inFIG. 8, are arranged in such a way that their center longitudinal axis runs parallel to the center longitudinal axis15of the gear component set. These plugs can only become necessary if rotational angles larger than or equal to 360° will be traversed on the output side of the gear component set. The plugs22,23can be dispensed with in case of rotations of less than 360°, also because the indentations10and11do not line up with each other during operation so that the rolling elements8remain captured between the bearing surfaces7,9.

FIG. 9shows an embodiment of a gear wheel6of a gear component set according to the invention, in a perspective partial view. Here, the inner surface of the gear wheel6is provided with a bearing surface7configured as a race12for rolling elements8(not shown here) of an anti-friction bearing arranged between the gear wheel6and a bearing ring1. Moreover, the gear wheel6has an indentation10that can be closed by means of a closure element22configured as a plug22. The cross sections of the plug22and of the indentation10have the same semicircular shape.

Analogously to this,FIG. 10shows an embodiment of a bearing ring1of a gear component set according to the invention, in a perspective partial view. Here, the outside of the bearing ring1is provided with a bearing surface9configured as a race12for rolling elements8(not shown here) of an anti-friction bearing arranged between the gear wheel6and the bearing ring1. Moreover, the bearing ring1has an indentation11that can be closed by means of a closure element23configured as a plug23. The cross sections of the plug23and of the indentation11have the same semicircular shape and thus they match the shape of the plug22and of the indentation10of the gear wheel6shown inFIG. 9.

FIG. 11shows the gear wheel6ofFIG. 9and the bearing ring1ofFIG. 10in a first mounted position while the anti-friction bearing situated between the gear wheel6and the bearing ring1is being filled with roller bearings8. The positioning of the semicircular indentations10and11of the gear wheel6and of the bearing ring1with respect to each other can be clearly seen here, whereby they are not closed off with the plugs22and23and they form a feed passage for the rolling elements8of the anti-friction bearing situated between the gear wheel6and the bearing ring. In this context, the bearing ring1and the gear wheel6are configured such that their bearing surfaces7and9, which are configured as races12, allow the rolling elements8to roll without any play. In the depiction ofFIG. 11, a rolling element8has already been inserted into the anti-friction bearing situated between the gear wheel6and the bearing ring1, whereas another rolling element8shown in a cross-sectional view in this depiction is approaching the feed passage24formed by the indentations10and11.

In the depiction ofFIG. 12, the gear wheel6ofFIG. 9and the bearing ring1ofFIG. 10are shown in a second mounted position while the anti-friction bearing situated between the gear wheel6and the bearing ring1is being filled, whereby the rolling element8shown in a cross-sectional view has now already been inserted into the feed passage24formed by the indentations10and11.

In the depiction ofFIG. 13, the gear wheel6ofFIG. 9and the bearing ring1ofFIG. 10are shown in a third mounted position while the anti-friction bearing situated between the gear wheel6and the bearing ring1is being filled, whereby the rolling element8shown in a cross-sectional view has now already completely passed the feed passage24formed by the indentations10and11and is now positioned in the anti-friction bearing between the races12of the bearing surfaces7and9of the gear wheel6and of the bearing ring1.

FIG. 14shows a second embodiment of a gear wheel6and a bearing ring1of a gear component set according to the invention in a detailed cross-sectional view. This embodiment corresponds essentially to that ofFIGS. 9 to 13whereby, however, the feed passage24for the rolling elements8has been created so as to be slanted in the bearing ring1and in the gear wheel6. As a result, when the rolling elements8are being filled into the race12, they can utilize their own kinetic energy in order to distribute themselves in the race12, which is delimited by the bearing surfaces7and9of the gear wheel6and of the bearing ring1.

FIG. 15shows another embodiment of a gear component set according to the invention, in a flat design. In terms of its mode of operation, this gear component set essentially corresponds to the previously described embodiments. However, the component that corresponds to the transmission component13is configured here as a dynamic spline25. This dynamic spline25has internal teeth26which, like the internal teeth5of the gear wheel6, mesh with the external teeth3of the transmission component4, which is configured as a flexspline.

A bearing surface9is formed on the dynamic spline25in which the rolling elements8can run in order to support the dynamic spline25on the gear wheel6. The rolling elements8run on the gear wheel in a bearing surface7opposite to the bearing surface9. The bearing surface7is shaped into the gear wheel6. As a result, the function as well as the indentation11of the bearing ring1are integrated with the dynamic spline25, thus also forming the output component27that corresponds to the transmission component4when the gear component set has a flat design.

In this embodiment, the axial length of the transmission component4extends beyond the axial extension of the internal teeth5of the gear wheel6as well as beyond the axial extension of the internal teeth26of the dynamic spline25, whereby the external teeth3of the transmission component4each simultaneously engage with the internal teeth5of the gear wheel6as well as with the internal teeth26of the dynamic spline25, so that the speed-reduced rotational movement caused by the input component2on the transmission component4is transmitted to the output component27, and this, in turn, takes place because the external teeth3engage with the internal teeth26with a positive fit.

In the present embodiment, the gear wheel6is the component of the gear component set that displays the greatest axial extension.

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