Innovative design of non-backlash worm gear drives

In this paper the authors present the newest designs of worm gear drives which allow to adjust or decrease the amount of backlash. This effect is achieved with innovative designs of worms and worm wheels. The designed drives are aimed to find their application in systems for precise positioning of measurement assemblies, precise drives of technological instrumentation, as well as in micro-mechanisms. Many of the presented designs allow backlash adjustment without removing of the worm gear drive. The described solutions present a good alternative to conventional high-gear precision drives as well as harmonic drives used at speeds typical to positioning mechanisms. This paper presents the results of numerical research performed with the MES finite element method and also the results of experimental research on the innovative worm gear drive with an axially adaptive worm. The results analysis has led to the conclusion, that the described solutions allow reduction of backlash to 5-15%, and even greater reduction of its standard deviation - that is 5-10% - of their initial values. (C) 2018 Politechnika Wroclawska. Published by Elsevier Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.