[11 TECHNICAL FIELD

[2| The present invention relates to worm drives and to worm drives configured as mechanical torque multipliers for imparting high torques to a load.

[3} BACKGROUND

[4| Any references to methods, apparatus or documents of the prior art are not to be taken as constituting any evidence or admission that they formed, or form part of the common general knowledge.

[53 Worm and gear mechanisms have been known for centuries for use in speed reduction, torque multiplication and general applications where a rotational-to-rotationa! transmission is required.

[63 The most basic worm and gear mechanism includes a worm of constant pitch thread that meshes with the teeth of a gear or "worm wheel", in such a mechanism only one of the teeth is forced by the worm at any one time. That is, the gear and worm contact is restricted to one sweet point of contact that is a sliding contact between each main component Only at the exact perpendicular point between the gear and the worm is contact made and that point carries ali the torque driving force in sliding contact.

[73 More comple worms, which are capable, of imparting force along a longer arc between the gear and worm are known and these may be referred to as "helical" _s "hourglass" or "globoid" worms. For example, US Patent No. 2,338,367 to Trbojevich describes a truncated, tapering globoid worm which is designed to drive its gear either forwardly or backwardly. [8| A problem that may arise in such a worm drive is that of undue wear occurring between the teeth of the gear and the worm.

[9] One approach to addressing the problem of wear is described in European Patent Application No. EP2251564A1 to eko Seiki inc. in which the worm gear includes penpherai magnets, each of which hold a bail to a respective socket formed in the wheel. The bails mesh with the thread of the helical worm so that there is a roiling contact between the worm and the gear wheel, it will be realized however that manufacturing a gear wheel with precisely located peripherai magnets is a complex endeavor. Furthermore, the magnets are at risk of becoming demagnetized in which case the bails are no longer held in place, in addition, the balls are subject to considerable shear forces which is undesirable.

[10] Another approach to providing rolling contact between a worm and a gear is set forth in US Patent Publication No. US20060156845 to long, wherein the bails circulate along a helical track of the worm and are recirculated through a tunnel formed therethrough. However, the worm drive described in Tong may not be able to transmit high torques from the worm to the gear as would be desirable in a torque multiplier for use as a wrench or a winch.

[11] It is an object of the invention to provide an improved worm drive that is capable of operating at high ieve!s of torque. [12] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[13] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a worm drive including a worm and a worm wheel including:

a. meshing assemblies formed about the worm wheel each comprising a bail an a cup receiving a portion of the ball, each cup orientated at an acute angle relative to a periphery of said wheel

b. wherein the worm presents a concavely tapering side profile complementing a peripheral portion of the worm wheel,

c. whereby portions of the balls mesh with the worm and are free to rotate thereby reducing shear forces between the worm and the worm wheel in use,

[14] Preferably the worm comprises at least one helical thread defining a track for the ball, the track being concave in profile.

[15] The worm drive may be configured as a torque multiplier wherein a complete rotation of the worm causes a partial rotation of the worm drive about an axis thereof.

[16] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the worm meshes with at least three meshing assemblies.

[17] Preferably the worm includes a formatio for ready coupling to a driving member. For example, the formation may comprise a hex socket.

[18] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the worm drive is configured as a socket wrench wherein the worm wheel includes a socket to receive a head of a bolt. [19] Preferably the worm drive includes a housing for the worm and worm wheel which retains the worm and worm wheel in mutual engagement

[20] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[21] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention.

[22] The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

[23] Figure 1 is cross section through a worm drive according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[24] Figure 1A is an exploded view of a worm wheel of the worm drive of Figure 1.

[25] Figure 2 is a side vie of a worm of the worm drive of Figure 1.

[26] Figure 3 is an isometric view of th worm drive of Figure 1 with housing removed.

[27] Figure 4 is a detail of a cross sectional view of a meshing assembly of the worm drive of Figure 1.

[28] Figure 5 is a side view of the worm drive of Figure 1 with housing removed.

[29] Figure 8 is a detail view of a portion of a worm drive according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [30] DETAILED DESCRIPTIO OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[31] Referring now to Figure 1 there is depicted a cross section of a worm drive 1 according to preferred embodiment of the present invention. The worm drive 1 is comprised of a worm 3 that meshes with a worm wheel 5, the worm and worm wheel being mutually held in mesh by housing 7. Figures 2 and 3 of the drive are respectively side and isometric views of the worm drive 1 with housing 7 removed for clarity.

[32] It will be observed that meshing assemblies 9a,..., 9n of the worm wheel 5 are each comprised of integraliy formed supports in the form of cups 11a,.,.,11n. The cups each receive a ball 1 ^' 3a ..,l3n. in the presently described preferred embodiment each ball 13a,...,13n is free to rotate in its respective cup. Figure 1A is an exploded view of the worm wheel showing the balls outside of their respective cups.

[33] Each ball 13a _i ...,13n has a surface area portion that faces outwardly from its respective cup 11a,...,1n so as to present a sphericai face to the worm 3.

[34] As best seen in Figure 2 the worm 3 is formed with first and second threads 15, 17 which each proceed from a shank end (15a, 17a) adjacent shank 4 to a tip end (15n, 1 n) adjacent tip 6. As indicated by dashed lines 19, 21, the threads 15, 17 present a concaveiy tapering side profile. The side profile of the worm 3 complements the meshing assemblies 9a,..., 9n of the periphery of the worm wheel 5 whereby portions of the spherical faces of the balls 13a,..,,13n mesh with a concave track 23 that runs between the threads 15, 17.

[35] Referring again to Figure 1 , the balls 13a,... _s 13n are retained in the sockets of their respective cups 11 ,...,11n either by the track 23 of the worm 3 or by a bearing race 31 that is formed into the housing 7 around the outside of the worm wheel 5.

[36] In the presently described preferred embodimen of the invention the track 23 meshes with four meshing assemblies 9a,...,9d.

[37] Referring again to Figure 1, the worm 3 includes a formation, namely a hex socket 25 for ready coupling to a driving member such as an elongate handle.

[38] In the presently described preferred embodiment the worm drive 1 is configured as a socket wrench and so the worm wheel 5 includes a central socket 27 to rotate a head of a bolt in use. The worm drive 1 Is configured as a torque multiplier wherein a complete rotation of the worm 3 causes a partial rotation of the worm wheel 5 about its axis.

[39] Referring to Figure 3. i use the worm 3 is rotated about its axis 29 in the direction indicated by arrow 32. As the worm 3 rotates the spherical faces of the bails 13a,..,13n of the meshing assemblies 9a,...,9n of the worm wheel 5 mesh with the track 23 of the worm and so are forced about the axis 33 of the worm wheel 5 in the direction indicated by arrow 35,

[40] The largest diameter thread portion 15a (shown i Figure 2) provides the largest driving force against the teeth because thread portion 15a has the largest radius and the smallest pitch angle. As can be seen in Figure 2, the pitch angle decreases from the shaft end of th worm to its far end. For example, θ , being the pitch angle of the second thread towards the shank 4 end of the worm 3 is less than 82, being the pitch angle of the second thread towards the tip 6 of worm 3. [41] As the worm 3 rotates it tracks on bail per one worm rotation. Consequently, if there are fifteen meshing assemblies about the worm wheel 5, as shown in Figure 1, then the torque multiplication ratio is 15 :1.

[42] As the faces of the balls 1 a,...,13n engage the largest diameter track portion 23a the balls 1 a,,.. _r 13n tend to rotate fastest within their respective cups 11a _! ...,11n. This is due to the track portion 23a, which is towards the shank 4 of the worm 3, making a larger contact area with each spherical face of the balls 13a,...,13n than is the case for the track portion 23n which is towards the smaller diameter tip 6 of the worm.

[43] As can be seen from Figure 1, in the presently described embodiment of the invention four bails, i.e. balls 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d at the instant illustrated in Figure 1, mesh with th track 23 of worm 3. Each of th balls are in roliing contact with the track of the worm and also with their respecti e cu p 11 a , ... , , 11 d .

[44] With reference to Figure 4, in the presently described embodiment, each spherical cup 11a,...,11d is aligned at an acute angle of 9s (about 60 degrees) to the circumference of the worm wheel 5. The angling of the cup allows a superior line of force 10 to be transmitted from the worm 3 into the worm wheel and then via the socket 27 into the attached device, e.g. a bolt head.) The cup center line (shown dashed in Figure 4) is inclined towards the worm track to maximize the thrust force off the worm 3 in one rotational direction, i.e. the direction indicated by the arrows 32, 35 in Figure 5. Furthermor the track 5 (as shown in detail in Figure 4) is shaped so that it tends to interact with the balls so that the gear is drawn towards the worm 3 which assists in maintaining a tight coupling between the worm and the gear.

[45] Orientating the cups 11 ,<..,11d at angle of attack ¾ subjects the balls 13a,...,13n to compressive force, rather than shear force, from the track 23 of the worm 3. in this way the cups 11a .11 n do not wear on one side. The angling of the cups provides a single direction buttress support that minimizes the separation force experienced by conventional worm wheel drives. Angling the cups also aids the function of the worm drive 1 by providing for a very low separation force between the parent components, i.e. the worm and the worm wheel, while operating at an extreme torque. In this case allowing for the worm wheel 5 to carr the complete separation load without the requirement of other bearings.

[46] If, instead of using an angled cup a flat spherical cup that aligned to the circumference of the bearing wheel were used the then the balls would be in shear loading and the cup wouid thus receive sideways force so that it would be unable to transmit the same high torque loads without high separation forces. These forces would deflect the worm wheel away from the worm and vice versa. Such an arrangement would result in high separation forces that are the same as found in other 90 degree drives where the pinion gear and the crown gear try to separate and as a result are very inefficient.

[47] In the previously described embodiments the bails have been free to rotate in the cups. However, the Inventors have found that it is possible to make the meshing assemblies with the ball 13 and cup 11 as a single solid piece as shown in Figure 6. In that case the spherical face of the ball 13 is integrall formed with cup 11 and there is no rolling contact. Rather, the meshing assemblies 9" act more in the manner of conventional teeth and must be well lubricated so that excess wear with the track of the worm does not occur. It wili be realised that this second embodiment is considerably less desirable than the exemplary embodiment that has been set forth herein with reference to Figure 1 for example. [48] White the exemplary worm drive has been described herein in the contex of a torque wrench, as illustrated in Figure 1 , it can be used in other applications where high torque transmission mechanisms are required such as gearboxes and winches,

[49] It will be realised that the above description identifies at least one specific, substantial and credible use for the invention.

[50] in compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features.

[51] The term "comprises" and its variations, such as "comprising" and "comprised of is used throughout in an inclusive sense and not to the exclusion of any additional features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

[52] Throughout the specification and claims (if present), unless the context requires otherwise, the term "substantially" or "about" will be understood to not be limited to the value for the range qualified by the terms.

[53] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise. [54] Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith.

[55] Any embodiment of the invention is meant to be illustrative only and is not meant to be limiting to th invention. Therefore, it should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to any embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.