US 12,313,146 B1
Cycloid gear assembly with alternating contact between transfer members and pins and related technology
Kevin Sweeney, Albany, OR (US); and Jonathan Hurst, Albany, OR (US)
Assigned to Agility Robotics, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Filed by Agility Robotics, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Filed on Apr. 3, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/625,694.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/569,683, filed on Mar. 25, 2024.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/554,680, filed on Feb. 16, 2024.
Int. Cl. F16H 1/32 (2006.01)
CPC F16H 1/32 (2013.01) [F16H 2001/323 (2013.01); F16H 2001/325 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
causing first and second transfer members of a gear assembly to move out-of-phase with one another about an axis;
transferring force between the first transfer member and first pins of the gear assembly without transferring force between the first transfer member and second pins of the gear assembly while the first and second transfer members move out-of-phase with one another about the axis throughout a complete rotational cycle of the gear assembly; and
transferring force between the second transfer member and the second pins without transferring force between the second transfer member and the first pins while the first and second transfer members move out-of-phase with one another about the axis throughout the complete rotational cycle of the gear assembly,
wherein, during the method:
the first and second pins are circumferentially interspersed around the axis,
the gear assembly includes:
a first support extending circumferentially around the axis in a first plane intersecting the axis, and
a second support extending circumferentially around the axis in a second plane intersecting the axis,
the first and second planes are spaced apart from one another along the axis, and
the individual first and second pins fully span a gap between the first and second planes.