Torque Transmission Right Angle Gearbox for Robot Used in "Smart" Assistive Wheelchair

Applied_Resources_Raptor_pixApplied Resources is a manufacturer of The Raptor, the first commercially available, FDA-approved “Smart” Assistive Robot. The Phybotics Division of Applied Resources Corp. introduced the Raptor Wheelchair Robot System in the year 2000.  The Raptor received approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in December 1999, and made history in June of 2000 as the first sale of an FDA-Approved wheelchair robot in the United States.  The Raptor is also sold in the Netherlands.

The Raptor provides assistance for individuals with severe disabilities who use powered wheelchairs. The robotic arm’s elbow contains a right angle gearbox from Torque Transmission, which offers dual shaft output from an extended shaft input.

The company was seeking an alternative to the heavy, expensive metal gearboxes available on the market and contacted Torque Transmission for help. “Torque Transmission engineers fitted our off-the-shelf RAB-1, Right Angle Miter Gear Drive with special cut gear to give it more torque to meet the customer’s requirement,“ explained John Rampe, President of Torque Transmission. “The result was a low cost, very light weight, yet durable drive,” he concluded.

“The Torque Transmission gearbox was selected for it’s small envelope, light weight and high torque strength,” noted Craig Wunderly, Chief Engineer for Applied Resources. “We subjected the right angle drives to rigorous testing and the drives successfully passed all of our tests,” he concluded.

Right Angle Miter Gear Drive

Torque Transmission’s Right Angle Miter Gear Drive (RAB) measures 3-21/32” x 3-15/16” x 1-1/4” deep and weighs 12 ounces.  It employs shielded lubricated, hardened steel ball bearings and gears and is rated at 1600 RPM and 1/3 horsepower maximum speed is 3000 RPM.  Torque Transmission’s RAB also features a choice of one or two inputs and 1:1 or 2:1 gear ratios, right or left hand configuration, and may be operated in either direction. 

Key Features

  • Low cost.  Half the cost of comparable metal case drives
  • Choice of case and shaft materials: - RoHos Compliant
  • Custom gearing, housing and shaft length and materials available
  • Longer service life
  • Less wear
  • Greater tooth-to-tooth contact
  • Quiet operation
  • The most efficient power transfer design under rated load conditions 

Typical uses of Torque Transmission’s Right Angle Miter Gear Drives encompass a wide variety of applications including medical and physical therapy equipment, packaging equipment, or any fractional horsepower application where high quality yet compact, lightweight and economical power transmission is required.

Learn More

Torque Transmission specializes in, but is not limited to, fractional horsepower drive systems and is able to work with all different motor speeds and ratios. At Torque Transmission, the design engineer is not locked into a specific design. You will find a collaborative team willing to offer solutions.

Contact Torque Transmission today so that we can find a low cost gearbox solution that meets your needs and your budget. 

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This post was published on January 3, 2017 and updated on February 21, 2023.

Topics: Torque Solutions Gearboxes