Single use gear reduction device

1. A single use integrated rotational speed reduction assembly comprising:

a shaft assembly comprising a drive shaft and a sun gear comprising a plurality of gear teeth, the sun gear attached to or integral to the drive shaft;

a housing;

one or more internal gear components, each comprising a plurality of gear teeth;

a planet carrier comprising a gear comprising inward-facing gear teeth; and,

wherein one or more gears is non-metal, wherein the shaft assembly provides for the mating between the housing and the planet carrier via one or more retaining features provided on the shaft assembly, wherein:

the one or more internal gear components comprise a planet gear and a gear ring;

the planet gear comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, with each portion comprising a plurality of gear teeth thereon;

the gear ring comprises a plurality of outward-facing gear teeth; and

the planet carrier comprises a plurality of inward-facing gear teeth around an edge of a recess in a top surface of the planet carrier;

the planet carrier is configured to rotate in response to rotation of the shaft assembly, via engagement between the sun gear and the top portion of the planet gear, engagement between the bottom portion of the planet gear and the gear ring, and engagement between the gear ring and the inward-facing teeth of the planet carrier.

2. The single use integrated rotational speed reduction assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-metal teeth are frangible after a predetermined number of use cycles.

3. The single use integrated rotational speed reduction assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the frangible teeth will fail after a predetermined number of use cycles.

4. A single use integrated rotational speed reduction assembly comprising:

a shaft assembly comprising a drive shaft and a sun gear comprising a plurality of gear teeth, the sun gear attached to or integral to the drive shaft;

a housing;

one or more internal gear components, each comprising a plurality of gear teeth;

a planet carrier comprising a gear comprising inward-facing gear teeth; and,

wherein one or more gears is non-metal, wherein the shaft assembly provides for the mating between the housing and the planet carrier via one or more retaining features provided on the shaft assembly, wherein:

the one or more internal gear components comprise a gear ring;

the gear ring comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, with the top portion comprising a plurality of inward-facing gear teeth thereon, and the bottom portion comprising a plurality of outward-facing gear teeth thereon; and

the planet carrier comprises a plurality of inward-facing gear teeth around an edge of a recess in a top surface of the planet carrier;

the planet carrier is configured to rotate in response to rotation of the shaft assembly, via engagement between the sun gear and the top portion of the gear ring and engagement between the bottom portion of gear ring and the inward-facing teeth of the planet carrier.

5. A single use speed reduction system comprising:

a shaft assembly comprising a drive shaft comprising a sun gear thereon;

a housing;

a planet gear comprising a top portion and a bottom portion, with each portion comprising a plurality of gear teeth thereon;

a gear ring comprising a plurality of gear teeth; and

a planet carrier comprising plurality of inward-facing gear teeth around an edge of a recess in a top surface of the planet carrier;

wherein the shaft is mated with the housing; and,

wherein one or more gears is non-metal.

6. The single use speed reduction system of claim 5 wherein:

the gear teeth of the top portion of the planet gear engage with the gear teeth of the sun gear;

the gear teeth of the bottom portion of the planet gear engage with the gear teeth of the gear ring; and

the gear teeth of the gear ring engage with the gear teeth of the bottom portion of the planet gear and with the inward-facing gear teeth of the planet carrier.

7. The single use speed reduction system of claim 6 wherein one or more non-metal teeth are frangible after a predetermined number of use cycles.

8. The single use speed reduction system of claim 7 wherein in at least one of the frangible teeth will fail after a predetermined number of use cycles.

9. A method for reducing rotational speed of one or more disposable rotational tools, the method comprising:

connecting an input of the single use speed reduction system of claim 5 to a first rotational tool;

operating the first rotational tool; and,

whereby the single use speed reduction system reduces the rotational speed provided to the input and provides the reduced speed as an output.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the ratio of speed input to output is between about 3:1 and about 5:1.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the speed reduction assembly increases the torque applied to the input to a higher torque output.

12. A single use speed reduction system comprising:

a shaft assembly comprising a drive shaft comprising a sun gear thereon;

a housing;

a gear ring comprising a top portion and a bottom portion, with the top portion comprising a plurality of inward-facing gear teeth thereon, and the bottom portion comprising a plurality of outward-facing gear teeth thereon; and

a planet carrier comprising a plurality of inward-facing gear teeth around an edge of a recess in a top surface of the planet carrier;

wherein the shaft is mated with the housing; and,

wherein one or more of the gears is non-metal.

13. The single use speed reduction system of claim 12 wherein:

the gear teeth of the top portion of the gear ring engage with the gear teeth of the sun gear; and

the gear teeth of the bottom portion of the gear ring engage with the gear teeth of the inward-facing gear teeth of the planet carrier.

14. The single use speed reduction system of claim 13 , wherein one or more non-metal teeth are frangible and will fail after a predetermined number of use cycles.