What do powered can openers, stair lifts, garage door opening mechanisms, cake mixers and powered drills all have in common? The answer is that they all use some form of a gear motor in order to work.
But what is a gear motor? Basically, it consists of an electric motor and a reduction gear train (a small gear driving a larger gear) that have been combined to create one very easy to use little package. It is used in applications that call for the use of high torque at a relatively low shaft speed (or RPM).
Reduction gear trains are used in gear motors to reduce the output speed while at the same time increasing the torque. What this does is allow small electric motors to move larger loads, even if they do move them a little slower. These applications can range from large (lifting a building) to tiny (turning the hands of a clock).
The incorporation of a gear motor is sometimes necessary to reduce the speed of the rotating shaft within a particular device. Take an electric clock, for example: the motor will be spinning at its usual RPM, but must be slowed down to drive the second hand around the face, and slowed down again to drive the minute and hour hands. This could not be achieved without the use of gears within the clock’s mechanism.
The other reason a gear motor may be incorporated is to create the ability to use a small motor to generate a large force (keeping in mind it will still be at a low speed). Take a generic hospital bed, for example: a patient will need to be lifted or lowered accordingly, meaning the motor has to move both the heavy bed and the patient, but this cannot be done too fast without risking upset to the patient. This is easily achieved through the use of gears.
But what is a gear motor? Basically, it consists of an electric motor and a reduction gear train (a small gear driving a larger gear) that have been combined to create one very easy to use little package. It is used in applications that call for the use of high torque at a relatively low shaft speed (or RPM).
Reduction gear trains are used in gear motors to reduce the output speed while at the same time increasing the torque. What this does is allow small electric motors to move larger loads, even if they do move them a little slower. These applications can range from large (lifting a building) to tiny (turning the hands of a clock).
The incorporation of a gear motor is sometimes necessary to reduce the speed of the rotating shaft within a particular device. Take an electric clock, for example: the motor will be spinning at its usual RPM, but must be slowed down to drive the second hand around the face, and slowed down again to drive the minute and hour hands. This could not be achieved without the use of gears within the clock’s mechanism.
The other reason a gear motor may be incorporated is to create the ability to use a small motor to generate a large force (keeping in mind it will still be at a low speed). Take a generic hospital bed, for example: a patient will need to be lifted or lowered accordingly, meaning the motor has to move both the heavy bed and the patient, but this cannot be done too fast without risking upset to the patient. This is easily achieved through the use of gears.
