STUDY THE EFFECTS FROM GEAR RIM THICKNESS ON THE GEAR PAIR TIME-VARYING MESH STIFFNESS AND DYNAMIC BEHAVIORS

This work will introduce two methods for calculating the gear mesh stiffness which includes the potential energy method and Finite Element/ Contact Mechanics method. The elastic theory of Muskhelishvili will be used to calculate the elastic deformation from the gear body during one mesh cycle for the gear pair in the potential energy method. Also the involute curve, the geometric and kinematics properties of the gear mesh pair will be taken into account of these two methods. The quasi-static time-varying mesh stiffness considering the deflection of gear rim body is learned in detail. Results from both two methods will show the importance of gear rim body elasticity on the gear pair mesh stiffness and the comparison of the results will reveal the validity and efficiency of the methods. Then lumped-parameter model is presented for studying the whole system dynamic behaviors. The effect from the body elastic deformation from component itself on the macro rigid body motion of the system is investigated. The conclusion from the results shows that the elasticity from gear rim body will take prominent effects on the gear pair dynamic behaviors, which should be regarded as an important factor during the design process.