Meshing theory and tooth profile geometry of toroidal surface enveloping conical worm drive

Abstract

The toroidal surface enveloping conical worm gearing is put forward, whose worm is generated by a grinding wheel with generating torus. The meshing theory of this worm drive is comprehensively constructed and the case with the non-orthogonal axial lines is also included. The tooth profile equation of the worm is developed and the method and formula to compute the tooth profile angle are brought forward, which have theoretical guiding significance for the manufacture and inspection of the worm and the related conical hob. On the grounds of the theory established, the simulating studies on the meshing performance of the worm pair are made systematically and the comparative investigation is implemented with the conical surface enveloping conical worm drive. Via the numerical calculation, the value regularity of the parameters is discovered and this is quite useful to determine the meshing points of the worm gear set iteratively. The numerical outcome makes clear that, the meshing quality of the proposed gearing is considerably favorable and the meshing asymmetry between the two sides of one tooth is weak.