Friday, January 9, 2009

Harmonic Linear Drive

Has anybody seen this before? This is a really neat, neat, neat, neat speed reducer!

http://www.oemdynamics.com/hld_animation/hld_intro.html
http://www.oemdynamics.com/

Unfortunately Animatics products are generally quite expensive. They say they have patent applications for this drive in 30 countries, I can't find the patent. It sure would be neat to be able to use it on the reprap.

Let me know what you think.

1 comment:

  1. I do believe these guys who "invented" the HLD are going to be disapointed by the discovery of "prior-art". THe chinese ( and other immigrants to Australia ) were known to use a winder/handle/rope system on their gold-mine and opan-mine wells during the early years of australia ( 1800's -ish). The chinese "well handle" used a single horizontal axle with 1/2 of it having a small diameter, and 1/2 having a large diameter. the rope was tied and wound around one section then went down the well, through the pulley on the bucket, and back up the well to be wound up on the other section. winding the handle caused rope to simultaneously unspool at one side of the axle, and wind in on hte other, with the difference in diameter causing the bucket to rise or lower. It was famous because if you got tired, and let go of the handle, the bucked would not drop down the mine-shaft, even if full. (ie it had an anti-backlash system). Sound familiar? yes, it does. they've just tied two of these things together back to back, so you can pull items UP as well as down. big deal. it's kinda cute though.

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