Computerized Design, Generation and Simulation of Meshing and Contact of Modified Involute, Klingelnberg and Flender Type Worm-Gear Drives

Abstract

The worm and worm-gear tooth surfaces of existing worm-gear drive designs are in line contact at every instant and the gear drive is very sensitive to misalignment. Errors of alignment cause shifting of the bearing contact and transmission errors. Methods for computerized simulation of meshing and contact of misaligned worm-gear drives of existing design are proposed. Also, modification of worm-gear drive geometry that provides a localized and stable bearing contact with reduced sensitivity to misalignment is described. Methods for computerized simulation of meshing and contact of worm-gear drives with the existing and modified geometry are represented. Numerical examples that illustrate the developed theory are provided. The proposed approach has been applied for modification of involute, Klingelnberg and Flender type worm-gear drives.