Abstract: Targeted at the special requirements of various speed reduction devices in the equipment field, in order to systematically and efficiently develop a variety of speed reduction devices for special needs, the historical development of speed reducers are investigated and structurally innovative characteristic and rules are categorized systematically. A new research method is advanced from the perspective of creative thinking, which divided speed reducers into four categories based on the kinematics, dynamics and structural theory. Meanwhile, innovative thinking sources exploration and innovative practice analysis are implemented by research on problems with a variety of speed reducers and engineering practices which combined with such speed reduction principles as reverse spiral bevel, circle venire, fleshliness deformation and functional material. The results indicate that the systematic classification research on speed reducers’ innovation can provide some comprehensive and novel thinking for the future speed reducers research and application and also facilitate horizontal comparison study on different categories of speed reducer devices.

Key words: Categorizing, Innovation, Solutions, Speed reducers, Systematic