Theoretical and experimental analyses of spiral bevel gears with two contact paths

Abstract

This paper investigates the geometrical design principal of the spiral bevel gears with two contact paths from spatial conjugate curve theory. Differential geometry and gearing kinematics are introduced to derive this model. In this process, the calculation method of contact paths and tooth surface generating method are presented. According to the arguments in this paper, a process of designing the tooth surface of logarithmic spiral bevel gears with two contact paths is investigated. Then, through this process, the design of a pair of logarithmic spiral bevel gears with two contact paths is completed. Besides, the prototype is manufactured and the performance experiment is completed. Results show the maximum contact stress of spiral bevel gears with two contact paths is reduced compared to those with one contact path. Besides, the transmission efficiency of the spiral bevel gears with two contact paths can reach 98.2%.