Final answer:
Idler gears are intermediate gears used to change the direction of rotation or to transfer power over a greater distance between the driver and the driven shaft without affecting the gear ratio.
Step-by-step explanation:
Idler gears are used to change the direction of rotation or transfer power to a location that is farther from the driven shaft. These gears are inserted between the driver and the driven gears to modify the direction in which the final gear rotates.
If the goal is to change direction, the idler will have an opposite spin to the driver gear, causing the driven gear to spin in the same direction as the driver.
When transferring power over a distance, idlers may be used to bridge the space between gears without altering rotational direction. Idlers do not change the gear ratio between the driver and driven gears; they simply serve as an intermediate without affecting the speed or torque of the system.
Idler gears in mechanical systems are used to change the direction of rotation or transfer power to a location that is farther from the driven shaft. They are often used in gear trains to redirect the motion of the input shaft to the output shaft. An idler gear is placed between two other gears, and it rotates freely without contributing to the overall gear ratio.