US 12,222,029 B2
Method of manufacturing flexible gear, method of manufacturing flexible gear unit, and gear
Yuichi Aki, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to SONY CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/051,845
Filed by SONY CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Mar. 25, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/012293
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 30, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/216039, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 14, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-090247 (JP), filed on May 8, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0231207 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. F16H 55/06 (2006.01); C25D 1/10 (2006.01); F16H 49/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16H 55/06 (2013.01) [C25D 1/10 (2013.01); F16H 49/001 (2013.01); F16H 2055/065 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a flexible gear, the method comprising:
preparing a matrix with a shape of the flexible gear, wherein the matrix includes:
an annular gear portion having internal teeth; and
a cylindrical body portion continuous with the annular gear portion;
forming, by an electroforming method using the matrix, the flexible gear with a determined thickness on an inside of the matrix, wherein
the flexible gear includes a gear part and a body part, and
the formation of the flexible gear comprises:
depositing an electroforming material on the annular gear portion and the cylindrical body portion of the matrix; and
increasing a film thickness of the deposited electroforming material on the annular gear portion until an inner diameter of the gear part of the flexible gear is same as an inner diameter of the body part of the flexible gear; and
releasing the flexible gear shape from the matrix.