JP2923731B2 - Power transmission mechanism using electrorheological fluid - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a power transmission mechanism for transmitting power between two opposing members. Such a power transmission mechanism can be used in a technical field that requires switching or controlling the state of power transmission, such as a transport machine such as an automobile, an industrial machine, an OA device, a home electric appliance, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In transportation machines such as automobiles and industrial machines,
It is necessary to switch or control the power transmission,
A transmission mechanism, a torque converter, a clutch, and the like are used to switch and control the state of such power transmission. As a conventional technique of such a power transmission mechanism, there is a traction drive that transmits rotational power by bringing rollers into contact with each other, and a fluid torque converter is an example using a fluid. The fluid torque converter consists of a pump impeller, a turbine impeller and a stator.
It is composed of various types of impellers, and converts the torque between the pump impeller and the turbine impeller by imparting torque to the stator.

[0003]

However, in the case of a traction drive, in order to obtain a quiet driving state,
Although the contact surfaces require high precision finishing, the life of high precision equipment is relatively short as the contacting surfaces wear out over time of the traction drive. Further, in the fluid torque converter, only a small transmission torque can be controlled by a mechanical mechanism. For this reason, the power transmission mechanism has a simple mechanism, has no damage such as wear, can be downsized, consumes a small amount of energy for control, and can continuously control power transmission. The development of is desired.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has a simple mechanism, has no damage such as abrasion, can be reduced in size, and has an energy required for control. It is an object of the present invention to provide a power transmission mechanism that consumes a small amount and can continuously control power transmission.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems] In response to this object, a power transmission mechanism using the electrorheological fluid of this invention, transmission of power opposing two members to be the transmission of power therebetween
While maintaining the gap of the surface to be the arranged to be relatively displaceable, before
The gap may be different depending on the location in the direction of the relative displacement.
The distance between the surfaces is configured to be different, and the entire surface of the surface
Be characterized by a composed of a conductive material, and filled with electrorheological fluid apparent viscosity by the voltage applied to some or all of the gap is changed, comprises an electrical circuit capable of applying different voltages between the surface I have.

[0006]

A structure for retaining an electrorheological fluid between two opposing members is provided, and the opposing surfaces of the two members are used as conductors, which are connected to a power source as electrodes to apply a voltage, and to apply a voltage between the surfaces of the electrodes. The apparent viscous change corresponding to the voltage is caused in the electrorheological fluid, and the transmission of power between the two members is arbitrarily and simply controlled by controlling the voltage.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to drawings showing one embodiment. [Embodiment 1] FIG. 1 shows an example in which the power transmission mechanism of the present invention is applied to a rotation transmission mechanism. In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a rotation transmission mechanism, and this rotation transmission mechanism 1 is to transmit rotation from a rotation shaft 2 to a rotation shaft 3. In the rotation transmitting mechanism 1, a disk 4 and a cylinder 5 which are two members facing each other are opposed to each other. The outer surface 6 of the disk 4 is made of a conductive metal to form an electrode 7. This electrode 7 is electrically connected to the conductive rotating shaft 2. On the other hand, the cylinder 5 is attached to the rotating shaft 3 so as to cover the disk 4, and the inner peripheral surface 8 of the cylinder 5 is
Is relative to. The cylinder 5 is fixed to the conductive rotating shaft 3, and the inner peripheral surface 8 of the cylinder 5 faces the outer peripheral surface 6 of the disk 4, but the rotating shaft 2 and the rotating shaft 3 are eccentric. Since they are arranged in parallel, the gap 11 differs between the outer peripheral surface of the disk 4 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 5 depending on the circumferential position. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
The gap 11a between the outer peripheral surface 6 of the cylinder and the inner peripheral surface 8 of the cylinder 5 is minimized. A ring electrode 12 is formed on the inner peripheral surface 8 of the cylinder 5.
It is conducting.

The gap 11a is filled with an electrorheological fluid 13. Electrorheological fluid 13 in the fluid viscosity of the above when only multiplied seen of the fluid applying an electric field to the fluid changes, as such electrorheological fluid is a colloidal solution or a liquid crystal. Examples of the particles contained in the colloid solution include silica gel, cellulose, starch, aluminum oxide, ion exchange resins, and the like.
The “apparent viscosity” here means that the fluid originally has
Viscosity obtained by adding additional viscosity to existing viscosity,
(The same in this specification). Electrode 7 of disk 4
And the ring electrode 12 of the cylinder 5 is a DC or AC power source 1
4 is connected. The power source 14 includes the contact 15 and the contact 1
6 to the electrically conductive rotating shafts 2 and 3 and thus
A circuit including the power supply 14, the electrode 7, and the ring electrode 12 is configured.

In such a configuration, the control of power transmission from the rotating shaft 2 to the rotating shaft 3 is performed as follows. When a voltage is applied between the electrode 7 and the ring electrode 12 by the power source 14, the viscosity of the upper digits multiplied seen electrorheological fluid 13 between the electrodes changes according to the voltage. The apparent of the electro-rheological fluid
The transmission power is controlled by changing the viscosity of the cliff.

(Experimental Example 1) The rotational speed of the rotary shaft 2 whose motion transmission was controlled under the following conditions was set to 12 rpm and 24 rpm.
m, the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 3 could be changed from 0 rpm to 24 rpm.

Electrode part Diameter 100 mm, 130 m Width 10 mm Electrode distance 0.2 mm Electro-rheological fluid Colloidal solution of paraffin oil and starch Mixing ratio 90:10 and 80:20 (wt%) Oil amount 20 cm ³ Temperature Room temperature (about 22 degrees) ) Pressurized voltage 100V to 1000V (DC) Current 0.01mV or less Load torque Approx. 25gf-cm Rotation speed Rotation shaft 2: 12rpm, 24rpm Rotation shaft 3: 0rpm to 24rpm Relationship between applied voltage and rotation speed of rotation shaft 3 As shown in FIG.

[Embodiment 2] FIGS. 4 and 5 show an example in which the power transmission mechanism of the present invention is applied to a rotary motion-linear motion conversion mechanism. In FIGS. 4 and 5, reference numeral 1b denotes a rotary motion-linear motion conversion mechanism. The rotary motion-linear motion conversion mechanism 1b attempts to transmit a motion from the rotation shaft 2b to the linear motion body 3b. In the rotary motion-linear motion conversion mechanism 1b, a disk 4b as two opposing members and a linear moving body 3b are opposed to each other. The outer surface 6b of the disk 4b is made of a conductive metal to form an electrode 7b. The electrode 7b is electrically connected to the conductive rotating shaft 2b. On the other hand, the upper surface 8b of the linear moving body 3b is
Is opposed to the outer peripheral surface 6b. There is a gap 11b between the outer peripheral surface 6b of the disk 4b and the upper surface 8b of the linear motion body 3b.

The flat plate electrode 1 is provided on the upper surface 8b of the linear moving body 3b.
2b is formed, and the plate electrode 12b is
An electrorheological fluid 13 is provided in the gap 11b facing the electrode 7b.
Is satisfied. The container 7 is filled with the electrorheological fluid 13, and the electrode 7 b and the plate electrode 12 b are
3, the gap 11 b is filled with the electrorheological fluid 13. The electrode 7b of the disk 4b and the plate electrode 12b of the linear moving body 3b are connected to a power source 14b. Power supply 14b
Conducts to the electrode 7b and the plate electrode 12b, and thus forms a circuit including the power source 14b, the electrode 7b, and the plate electrode 12b.

In such a configuration, the power transmission from the disk 4b to the linear moving body 3b is controlled as follows. When a DC voltage is applied between the electrode 7b and the flat electrode 12b by the power supply 14b, the electrorheological fluid 13
Apparent only on the viscosity varies depending on the voltage of. Controlling the transmission power by a change in viscosity above only multiplied seen in the ER fluid.

(Experimental Example 2) The rotational speed of the rotary shaft 2 whose motion transmission was controlled under the following conditions was set to 12 rpm and 24 rpm.
m, the driving force changed from 1.4 gf to 6.5 g
f.

Electrode part Diameter 100 mm Width 10 mm Distance between electrodes 0.2 mm Electrorheological fluid Colloidal solution of paraffin oil and starch Mixing ratio 90:10 and 80:20 (wt%) Oil amount 8 cm ³ Temperature Room temperature (about 22 degrees) Pressure voltage 100 V to 1000 V (DC) Current 0.01 mV or less Rotation speed Rotation axis 2: 12 rpm, 24 rpm Driving force 1.4 gf to 6.5 gf As an electrorheological fluid, a colloid solution of paraffin oil P and starch C (P: C = 90:10 (wt%)) to 8 cm ³
The relationship between the applied voltage (V) and the obtained driving force (gf) when the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 2c was set to 12 rpm was as shown in FIG.

[0017]

[0018]

[0019]

[0020]

[0021]

As described above, since the power transmission mechanism of the present invention can electrically control the motion transmission,
The structure of the power transmission mechanism is simplified, and the two members that transmit motion to each other are not in contact with each other. Therefore, there is no damage such as wear of the two members, and a long-life device can be obtained. A shape mechanism can be obtained. Moreover,
It operates when the current required for motion control is less than about several milliamps, and the energy consumption required for control is extremely small. Further, continuous control of the transmission amount is possible only by changing the voltage.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of a rotation transmission mechanism.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory longitudinal sectional view of a rotation transmission mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a relationship between a change in an applied voltage and a change in the number of rotations of an output rotation shaft in the rotation transmission mechanism.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory perspective view of a rotary motion-linear motion conversion mechanism.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory longitudinal sectional view of a rotary motion-linear motion conversion mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a relationship between a change in applied voltage and a change in driving force in a rotary motion-linear motion conversion mechanism.

[Description of Signs] 1 Rotation transmission mechanism 1b Rotational motion-linear motion conversion mechanism 2, 2b Rotary axis 3 Rotary axis 3b Linear motion body 4, 4b Disk 5 Cylinder 6, 6b Outer surface 7, 7b Electrode 8 Inner surface 8b Top surface 11, 11b gap 12 ring electrode 12b plate electrode 13 electrorheological fluid 14, 14b power supply 15 contact 16 contact

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) F16D 35/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A power transmitting surface of two opposing members for transmitting power between them is disposed so as to be relatively displaceable with a gap therebetween, and the gap is located in the direction of the relative displacement.
The distance between the two surfaces is different
An electric circuit which is formed of a conductor over the entire surface and is filled with an electrorheological fluid whose apparent viscosity changes by a voltage applied to part or all of the gap, and can apply different voltages between the surfaces; A power transmission mechanism using an electrorheological fluid, comprising: