QUIET SPEED REDUCER

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TWO-STAGE ORBIDRIVER* IS PROPOSED TO ACHIEVE A HIGH RELIABILITY, LOW NOISE TORPEDO DRIVE SPEED REDUCER. ORBIDRIVE IS A GEARLESS, CONCENTRIC SPEED REDUCER WHICH UTILIZES THE CYCLOIDAL MOTION OF A DUAL-FACED, MULTI-LOBED CAM NUTATING ON AN ECCENTRIC SHAFT TO EFFECT DESIRED SPEED REDUCTION. THE ECCENTRIC INPUT SHAFT FORCES THE CAM LOBES TO ENGAGE RESPECTIVE SETS OF ROLLERS, EACH OF WHICH CONTAINS ONE MORE ROLLER THAN THE NUMBER OF MATING CAM LOBES, SUCH THAT THE CAM IS ADVANCED EXACTLY ONE LOBE PER INPUT SHAFT ROTATION WHILE THE OUTPUT SHAFT IS RETARDED EXACTLY ONE LOBE PER CAM ROTATION. TORQUE TRANSMISSION IS THUS ACCOMPLISHED VIA A ROLLING MOTION IN CONTRAST TO THE SLIDING AND GRINDING OF THE MATED GEAR TEETH OF CONVENTIONAL GEAR BOXES. THE KINEMATICS OF THE ORBIDRIVE ARE SHOWN TO AFFORD INHERENTLY LOWER NOISE, HIGHER TORQUE, HIGHER EFFICIENCY AND LOWER FAILURE RATES AT LESS WEIGHT, SIZE AND COST THAN CONVENTIONAL COUNTERPARTS. *ORBIDRIVE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF COMPUDRIVE CORPORATION.