The design of a novel mechanical transmission for speed reduction

The design of a novel transmission for speed reduction is reported in this paper. The transmission is based on the layout of pure-rolling indexing cam mechanisms, for it is intended to eliminate backlash and friction, which are the main drawbacks of gear transmissions. The design relies on a unified methodology for indexing cam mechanisms, whereby the same procedure is used to design planar, spherical, and spatial mechanisms. Two versions of the speed reducer, that we term Speed-o-Cam, are described here, namely, planar, to couple shafts of parallel axes, and spherical, to couple shafts of intersecting axes. By means of a cascade of two planar versions of Speed-o-Cam, moreover, coaxial shafts can be coupled. Moreover, contrary to other alternatives to gear transmissions, such as harmonic drives or epicyclic transmissions, Speed-o-Cam caters to shafts with either parallel or intersecting axes; in the latter case, moreover; the angle at which the axes intersect can vary from 0 degrees to 180 degrees continuously. The design with shaft axes at 0 degrees leads to an internal cam, i.e., one with its axis external to the axes of the follower and the roller in contact; for shaft axes at 180 degrees the design leads to an external cam, i.e., one with its axis lying between those of the follower and the roller in contact.