Idler gears transfer motion between two gears moving in the same direction or create space between them. Multiple idlers can be used to connect gears or get around obstructions. In a manual transmission, the reverse gear uses an idler gear to change the direction of rotation.
When two gears are directly next to each other, they move in opposite directions to create movement. When both gears need to move in the same direction, an idler gear is used between the two. It transfers motion from one gear to the next without affecting anything other than the direction the second gear turns. The gears that the tensioner connects can be referred to as a “drive gear,” which imparts motion, and a “driven gear,” which accepts motion. The transmission ratio between the drive and driven gear is calculated in the same way as it would be if there were no idler gear.
Idler gears can also be used to create space between driven and drive gears, as well as between shafts that attach to those gears. In such a situation, the idler gear size will not affect the speed at which the driven gear rotates, so the idler gear size can be determined simply by the gap to be filled. Such a configuration can also be accomplished when the use of larger driven and driven gears is impractical or impossible due to space constraints. In this way, the idler gear can be used to achieve the same results as a belt or chain threaded between the drive and driven gear.
You can also use multiple idler gears to cover an empty space, paying attention only to their number so that the driven gear rotates in the desired direction. An odd number of idlers will cause the drive and driven gears to rotate in the same direction, and an even number will cause them to rotate in opposite directions. This method can also be employed to connect drive and driven gears when there is a physical obstruction that would prevent them from making direct contact. This is accomplished by arranging a series of idlers to get around the obstacle.
In the case of a manual vehicle transmission, the reverse gear allows the shaft that drives the forward gears to also drive the gear that pushes the vehicle into reverse. All other gears in the transmission make direct contact with the counter gear, the gear that transfers power to the axle that moves the wheels and, in turn, drives the vehicle forward. The reverse gear, however, has the reverse idler gear between it and the counter gear. The presence of an idler gear between reverse and reverse gear causes the axle and wheels to turn in a different direction than when the other gears are engaged, pushing the vehicle into reverse. The term “reverse idler gear” can also be used to simply refer to a single idler in any scenario.
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