A NEW CYCLOID DRIVE WITH CERAMIC BALLS AS ITS GEAR TEETH

摘要

A cycloid drive using balls as its gear teeth is introduced in this paper. The new drive is composed of two plates with epicycloidal/hypocycloidal grooves and a series of balls. An eccentric shaft drive one of the plate and the groove in this plate engages another groove through the balls, thus reduced the input speed as a pin-cycloid speed reducer. The drive is able to transfer precisely rotation movement with no backlash. Ceramic balls as the transmitting elements are studied in the newly designed reducer. Its working principles, advantages and design issues are discussed. Design guideline for the reducer is discussed. Promising results from prototype testing are presented.