Spherical gear couplings are mechanical components that allow transmitting torque by means of equally spaced teeth. Modern roll-leveling machines are characterized to level high-strength steels by using small rolls under high torque requirements. The small size of the rolls decreases the space between the spline couplings, causing misalignments up to 7 degrees. This paper discusses a geometry-generating procedure that has been developed for both the hub with internal teeth and the crowned teeth shaft in spherical gear couplings. A finite element model has been developed to study the effect of backlash and misalignment on the number of teeth in contact and root stresses. Finally, fatigue tests are performed, and numerical predictions are correlated with experimental results.

ISBN: 978-1-64353-017-8
Pages: 12
Authors: Ibai Ulacia, Jon Larrañaga, Aitor Arana, Aurea Iñurritegi, and Julen Elizegi