Composite gear Vickers hardness detection device and hardness detection method

Abstract

The invention discloses a Vickers hardness detection device and method for a compound gear, and relates to the technical field of material hardness detection.The detection device comprises a base, a workbench with the position capable of being adjusted in a plane, a gear mounting base used for mounting a to-be-detected compound gear and a gear supporting base used for limiting rotation of the gear. The gear mounting base is provided with a gear mounting rod and a positioning rod fixedly connected with the gear mounting rod, and adjustable positioning of the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod is achieved through a positioning wheel at the end of the positioning rod. The supporting teeth on the gear supporting seat can be clamped into the tooth profile of the gear so as to stabilize the posture of the gear and prevent the gear from rotating. The device is compact in structure, fine in adjustment and reliable in positioning, can remarkably improve the accuracy, consistency and detection efficiency of tooth profile hardness detection, and is suitable for gear manufacturing and quality control of mechanical transmission parts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of material hardness testing technology, specifically to a Vickers hardness testing device and method for composite gears. Background Technology

[0002] Intermediate gears are precision mechanical transmission components with complex tooth structures and multiple tooth surfaces that are not horizontal in space. In Vickers hardness testing, the indenter must be perpendicularly pressed into the tooth surface being tested, and the hardness is calculated from the diagonal length of the indentation. Therefore, the test surface must be highly flat, smooth, and strictly perpendicular to the indenter. For testing scenarios using HV1 low loads, the indenter is more susceptible to posture errors, further increasing the difficulty of hardness testing for inclined tooth surfaces like intermediate gears.

[0003] Current Vickers hardness testing methods largely rely on conventional fixtures or simple clamping structures to hold gears. These fixtures typically cannot provide precise angle adjustments to the gears, offering only basic fixation and constraint functions. For intermediate gears with non-horizontal tooth profiles, conventional fixtures cannot adjust the target tooth surface to a horizontal position or maintain a stable posture, easily resulting in slight tilting, vibration, or offset. This leads to deviations in the angle between the indenter and the tooth surface, inaccurate indentation positions, and poor repeatability and consistency of test results. Furthermore, because the multiple tooth profiles distributed circumferentially on the gear have different inclination angles, conventional fixtures cannot guarantee that the indenter will avoid interference with adjacent tooth surfaces when testing different tooth profiles.

[0004] During the inspection process, to ensure that a single tooth profile reaches a measurable position, operators typically need to manually and repeatedly adjust the gear's height, angle, and planar position to find the optimal contact point between the indenter and the tooth surface. This method is highly dependent on the operator's experience, is time-consuming, has poor stability, and it is difficult for different operators to maintain consistent adjustment levels. In batch inspection scenarios, each workpiece requires repeated position and angle adjustments, which not only results in low operational efficiency but also makes it difficult to guarantee the consistency of inspection data, failing to meet the quality control requirements of high-precision, high-volume gear hardness testing.

[0005] Application content This application provides a Vickers hardness testing device and method for composite gears, which solves the technical problem that the inclined tooth profile of composite gears requires multiple adjustments of position and angle during Vickers hardness testing, resulting in low testing efficiency and poor consistency in batch testing.

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, a composite gear Vickers hardness testing device is provided, comprising a base, a worktable, a gear mounting base, and a gear support base; The base is equipped with a position adjustment component that can drive the worktable to move in the plane along a first direction and a second direction. The gear mounting base is set on the workbench and includes a gear mounting rod for mounting the compound gear to be tested and a positioning rod fixedly connected to the gear mounting rod. The gear mounting base rotates with the workbench to adjust the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod. The end of the positioning rod away from the gear mounting rod is provided with a positioning element for cooperating with the workbench to support the positioning rod in suspension. The gear support is mounted on the workbench and has support teeth that match the gear tooth profile. The support teeth are used to engage with the tooth profile to limit the rotation of the composite gear under test.

[0007] Optionally, the position adjustment assembly includes an adapter, a first screw assembly, and a second screw assembly; the first screw assembly is used to drive the adapter to move relative to the base in a first direction; the second screw assembly is used to drive the worktable to move relative to the adapter in a second direction.

[0008] Optionally, the first screw assembly includes a first mounting base, a first adjusting screw, and a first connecting block. The first mounting base is fixed on the base, the first connecting block is fixed on the adapter, the first adjusting screw is arranged along a first direction, the first adjusting screw is rotatably engaged with the first mounting base, and the first adjusting screw is threadedly connected to the first connecting block. The second screw assembly includes a second mounting base, a second adjusting screw, and a second connecting block. The second mounting base is fixed on the worktable, the second connecting block is fixed on the adapter, the second adjusting screw is arranged along the second direction, the second adjusting screw is rotatably engaged with the second mounting base, and the second adjusting screw is threadedly connected to the second connecting block.

[0009] Optionally, the positioning component includes a positioning wheel, which is rotatably connected to the end of the positioning rod away from the gear mounting rod. The positioning wheel has a non-circular profile, and the profile position of the positioning wheel in contact with the worktable is different at different rotation angles, so that the height of the rotation axis relative to the worktable changes when the positioning wheel rotates, thereby supporting the positioning rod to be suspended at different elevation angles.

[0010] Optionally, a friction pad is provided on the worktable, and the friction between the friction pad and the positioning wheel restricts the rotation of the positioning wheel.

[0011] Optionally, the gear mounting rod is provided with a positioning boss, and the gear mounting rod is threadedly connected with a locking bolt to limit the axial displacement of the composite gear under test.

[0012] According to another aspect of this application, a method for testing the Vickers hardness of composite gears is also provided, comprising the following steps: S1, Install the composite gear Vickers hardness testing device on the Vickers hardness tester; S2, the composite gear to be tested is mounted on the gear mounting rod of the composite gear Vickers hardness testing device. The composite gear to be tested is a composite gear, including a first gear and a second gear that are fixed coaxially. S3, rotate the positioning rod to drive the gear mounting rod to rotate synchronously, adjust the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod, and thus adjust the height of the compound gear to be tested; S4, Move the gear support seat so that the support teeth engage in the tooth profile of the first gear to restrict the rotation of the compound gear under test; S5, move the indenter of the Vickers hardness tester above the tooth profile to be tested of the first gear; S6. Use the adjustment component to adjust the position of the worktable, and at the same time adjust the gear mounting rod elevation angle so that the tooth profile of the first gear to be tested is in a horizontal state and below the Vickers hardness tester indenter. S7. Use a Vickers hardness tester to test the hardness of the tooth profile of the first gear.

[0013] Optionally, the following steps may be included after step S7: S8, move the indenter of the Vickers hardness tester above the tooth profile to be tested on the second gear; S9. Use the adjustment component to adjust the position of the worktable, and at the same time adjust the gear mounting rod elevation angle so that the tooth profile of the second gear to be tested is in a horizontal state and below the Vickers hardness tester indenter. S10, the hardness of the tooth profile of the second gear is tested using a Vickers hardness tester.

[0014] Optionally, the indenter of the Vickers hardness tester is equipped with a clearance groove to avoid interfering tooth profiles.

[0015] Optionally, in step S2, before mounting the composite gear to be tested on the gear mounting rod of the composite gear Vickers hardness testing device, the following step is also included: sanding the tooth profile surface to be tested with metallographic sandpaper.

[0016] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: This solution achieves dual controllability of position and angle for the composite gear during testing by incorporating a worktable adjustable in planar direction, a gear mounting base with adjustable elevation angle, and a support tooth structure that engages with the tooth profile to restrict gear rotation. Fine-tuning of the worktable in both the first and second directions allows the indenter to quickly align with the target tooth profile in planar position. The rotational engagement of the gear mounting base with the worktable enables the gear mounting rod to have adjustable elevation angle, allowing it to correspond to different axial heights at different rotation angles. This allows for stable suspension at multiple elevation angles, adjusting the originally tilted tooth profile to the horizontal position required for Vickers hardness testing. The support tooth engaging with the tooth profile effectively restricts gear rotation during indentation contact, ensuring the stability of the indentation position. Through the synergistic effect of these structures, this device can accurately position the tilted tooth profile without relying on repeated manual lifting, tilting, or moving of the gear, significantly reducing the time and errors associated with multiple position and angle adjustments in traditional testing. Meanwhile, since the elevation angle position of the gear mounting rod and the adjustment amount of the position adjustment component are both reproducible, when performing repeated measurements or batch testing, the staff only needs to record the previous elevation angle setting and position adjustment amount to quickly reproduce the same testing posture without having to repeatedly adjust the angle and position. This significantly improves testing efficiency and further enhances the consistency and repeatability of batch testing.

[0017] In addition to the purposes, features, and advantages described above, this application has other purposes, features, and advantages. A further detailed description of this application will be provided below with reference to the figures. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this application are used to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the composite gear Vickers hardness testing device of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram from another perspective of the composite gear Vickers hardness testing device of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of using a Vickers hardness tester to test the first gear; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of using a Vickers hardness tester to test the second gear.

[0019] Legend: 1. Base; 2. Worktable; 3. Gear mounting seat; 31. Gear mounting rod; 311. Boss; 312. Locking bolt; 32. Positioning rod; 33. Positioning component; 4. Gear support seat; 41. Support tooth; 5. Position adjustment assembly; 51. Adapter seat; 52. First screw assembly; 521. First mounting seat; 522. First adjusting screw; 523. First connecting block; 53. Second screw assembly; 531. Second mounting seat; 532. Second adjusting screw; 533. Second connecting block; 6. Friction pad; 7. First gear; 8. Second gear; 9. Pressure head. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, this application may be implemented in a variety of different ways as defined and covered below.

[0021] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1-4 This application will be described in further detail.

[0022] This application discloses a Vickers hardness testing device and method for composite gears.

[0023] Reference Figure 1 A composite gear Vickers hardness testing device includes a base 1, a worktable 2, a gear mounting seat 3, and a gear support seat 4. The base 1 is equipped with a position adjustment component 5 that can drive the worktable 2 to move in a plane along a first direction and a second direction. The gear mounting seat 3 is disposed on the worktable 2 and includes a gear mounting rod 31 for mounting the composite gear to be tested and a positioning rod 32 fixedly connected to the gear mounting rod 31. The gear mounting seat 3 rotates with the worktable 2 to adjust the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31. The end of the positioning rod 32 away from the gear mounting rod 31 is provided with a positioning element 33 for cooperating with the worktable 2 to support the positioning rod 32 in suspension. The gear support seat 4 is disposed on the worktable 2 and is provided with a support tooth 41 that matches the gear tooth profile. The support tooth 41 is used to engage with the tooth profile surface to limit the rotation of the composite gear to be tested.

[0024] The composite gear Vickers hardness testing device is arranged on the working platform of the Vickers hardness tester. The base 1 is a rigid plate or frame structure, which provides a stable mounting reference for subsequent components. The base 1 is preferably made of a high-rigidity material such as steel or cast iron to ensure that it will not deform significantly due to stress during the hardness testing process, thereby ensuring geometric stability during the testing process.

[0025] The worktable 2 is mounted on the base 1, and the worktable 2 and the base 1 are connected by a position adjustment component 5. For ease of understanding, the two orthogonal movement directions of the worktable 2 relative to the base 1 can be defined as the first direction and the second direction, for example, corresponding to the X and Y directions in the horizontal direction. The position adjustment component 5 is used to finely change the position of the worktable 2 relative to the base 1 in these two directions to achieve precise alignment of the compound gear under test with the Vickers hardness tester indenter in the plane. In actual use, the operator can first roughly place the device in the area below the indenter, and then adjust the position adjustment component 5 to make the worktable 2 drive the gear mounting seat 3 and the compound gear under test to gradually approach the target position in the plane until the target tooth profile is aligned with the indenter in the plane projection. The position adjustment component 5 can use conventional mechanical structures such as threaded drive and slide rail to achieve precise linear displacement.

[0026] The gear mounting base 3 is mounted on the worktable 2 to support the compound gear to be tested. The gear mounting base 3 includes a gear mounting rod 31 and a positioning rod 32 fixedly connected to the gear mounting rod 31. The gear mounting rod 31 is preferably a cylindrical rod extending axially, one end of which is used to mount the compound gear to be tested, and the other end can cooperate with the limiting and locking structure described later to prevent the gear from sliding in the axial direction.

[0027] The gear mounting base 3 and the worktable 2 are in a rotating fit, allowing the gear mounting rod 31 to rotate relative to the worktable 2 around its axis of rotation, thereby changing the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31. Here, the elevation angle refers to the angle of inclination of the gear mounting rod 31 relative to the horizontal plane. Since the tooth profiles of compound gears are often inclined in their original state and cannot naturally be in a horizontal position, adjusting the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31 can adjust a previously inclined tooth profile to a near-horizontal state. In practical use, the operator can hold the positioning rod 32 and rotate it, thereby causing the gear mounting rod 31, which is fixedly connected to it, to rotate synchronously, achieving continuous change of the overall elevation angle.

[0028] The positioning rod 32 is a rod fixedly connected to the gear mounting rod 31. Its main function is to provide an operating handle for adjusting the elevation angle and to cooperate with the positioning element 33 to form an angle positioning mechanism. One end of the positioning rod 32 is connected to the gear mounting rod 31, and the positioning element 33 is set on the other end away from the gear mounting rod 31. The positioning element 33 is used to cooperate with the worktable 2 to support the positioning rod 32 and suspend it at a certain angle position. That is, after the operator rotates the positioning rod 32 to make the gear mounting rod 31 reach a suitable elevation angle, the elevation angle is locked or maintained by the contact support relationship between the positioning element 33 and the worktable 2, preventing the gear mounting rod 31 from rotating back on its own under the action of gravity or the pressure head. In this way, when it is necessary to perform hardness testing on the same tooth profile surface or repeat the same elevation angle in multiple workpieces, it is only necessary to rotate the positioning rod 32 back to the corresponding contact position to obtain the same elevation angle posture repeatedly. In specific implementations, the positioning element 33 can be any form of component such as a roller or a support block. Its specific outline shape and structural form will be further described in subsequent embodiments.

[0029] The gear support 4 is also mounted on the worktable 2, roughly located on the side or below where the gear mounting rod 31 extends out of the compound gear under test. It serves to provide circumferential restraint for the compound gear under test, in conjunction with the support tooth 41. The gear support 4 is equipped with a support tooth 41 that matches the tooth profile of the compound gear under test. The tooth profile of the support tooth 41 is machined according to the tooth profile design of the compound gear under test; for example, it can be a flange or rack structure adapted to the shape of the inter-tooth groove, allowing the support tooth 41 to reliably engage with the tooth profile surface or inter-tooth groove of the gear. When the support tooth 41 engages with the tooth profile surface, the free rotation of the compound gear under test in the circumferential direction is restricted. When the Vickers hardness tester indenter presses down, the gear will not rotate or shift due to force, thus ensuring that the indenter always presses on the predetermined tooth profile surface position.

[0030] In the actual testing process, the operator first fixes the compound gear to the gear mounting base 3 using the gear mounting rod 31, then adjusts the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31 by rotating the positioning rod 32 to make the tooth profile to be tested nearly horizontal. Next, the position of the gear support base 4 is adjusted so that the support tooth 41 precisely engages with the tooth position near the tooth profile, thus ensuring stable gear angles and providing reliable rotational limits. Then, with the help of the position adjustment component 5, the worktable 2 is finely adjusted in the first and second directions to align the horizontal tooth profile with the Vickers hardness tester indenter in the plane. Through this coordination, the operator does not need to repeatedly swing and probe the position of the gear during the entire testing process. Instead, relying on the device's own angle adjustment and position fine-tuning functions, the inclined tooth profile of the compound gear is quickly and reliably adjusted to a suitable posture and position for Vickers hardness testing, effectively improving testing efficiency and data consistency.

[0031] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, the position adjustment assembly 5 includes an adapter 51, a first screw assembly 52, and a second screw assembly 53; the first screw assembly 52 is used to drive the adapter 51 to move relative to the base 1 in a first direction; the second screw assembly 53 is used to drive the worktable 2 to move relative to the adapter 51 in a second direction.

[0032] The planar position adjustment of the worktable 2 relative to the base 1 is achieved through a two-stage threaded transmission mechanism, namely, a position adjustment assembly 5 consisting of a first screw assembly 52 and a second screw assembly 53. During use, the first screw assembly 52 is fixedly connected to the base 1. By rotating the first screw assembly 52, the operator can drive the adapter 51 to undergo linear displacement along a first direction. When the first screw assembly 52 rotates, the threaded joint causes the adapter 51 to move back and forth relative to the base 1, allowing the adapter 51 to be pushed or pulled back along the first direction. Through this movement, the entire worktable 2 can be coarsely or finely adjusted relative to the base 1 along the first direction.

[0033] Another function of the adapter 51 is to provide an installation reference for the second screw assembly 53. The second screw assembly 53 is installed between the worktable 2 and the adapter 51. By rotating the second screw assembly 53, the worktable 2 can move linearly relative to the adapter 51 along a second direction, forming a second-direction position adjustment capability orthogonal to the first direction. In this structure, the worktable 2 is essentially suspended above the adapter 51. The position of the second screw assembly 53 can be finely adjusted to the left or right via the threaded drive of the second screw assembly 53, allowing for precise lateral positioning of the compound gear under test in the plane. The adjustment processes of the first screw assembly 52 and the second screw assembly 53 are independent of each other. The operator can make fine adjustments in both directions to precisely move the compound gear under test on the gear mounting base 3 directly below the Vickers hardness test indenter without changing the elevation angle.

[0034] In one embodiment, the first screw assembly 52 includes a first mounting base 521, a first adjusting screw 522, and a first connecting block 523. The first mounting base 521 is fixed to the base 1, the first connecting block 523 is fixed to the adapter 51, the first adjusting screw 522 is arranged along a first direction, the first adjusting screw 522 is rotatably engaged with the first mounting base 521, and the first adjusting screw 522 is threadedly connected to the first connecting block 523. The second screw assembly 53 includes a second mounting base 531, a second adjusting screw 532, and a second connecting block 533. The second mounting base 531 is fixed to the worktable 2, the second connecting block 533 is fixed to the adapter 51, the second adjusting screw 532 is arranged along a second direction, the second adjusting screw 532 is rotatably engaged with the second mounting base 531, and the second adjusting screw 532 is threadedly connected to the second connecting block 533.

[0035] The first screw assembly 52 is installed between the base 1 and the adapter 51. The first mounting base 521 is firmly fixed to the base 1, and its inner side is provided with a support hole or bearing structure for the rotation of the first adjusting screw 522, so that the first adjusting screw 522 can maintain axial stability without wobble during rotation. The first adjusting screw 522 extends along a first direction and forms a threaded pair with the first connecting block 523. The first connecting block 523 is fixed below or to the side of the adapter 51. Through threaded transmission, when the operator rotates the first adjusting screw 522, the axial movement of the thread will push the connecting block to move relative to the mounting base along the first direction, thereby driving the entire adapter 51 to move in the back-and-forth direction.

[0036] During normal testing operations, when it is necessary to move the compound gear under test forward or backward toward the pressure head, the operator only needs to rotate the first adjusting screw 522 clockwise or counterclockwise to achieve continuous, controllable, and highly stable linear displacement. Because the threaded drive has high-resolution displacement characteristics, even a small angle of rotation can produce minute and precisely controllable displacement, making the adjustment action more precise and facilitating pressure head alignment.

[0037] The second screw assembly 53 is disposed between the worktable 2 and the adapter 51. Its structure is similar to the first screw assembly 52, but its extension direction is the second direction. The second mounting base 531 is fixed to the bottom of the worktable 2, and the second adjusting screw 532 is arranged along the second direction, causing it to move laterally during rotation. The second connecting block 533 is fixed to the top or side of the adapter 51, forming a threaded connection with the second adjusting screw 532. When the operator rotates the second adjusting screw 532, the threaded action causes the second connecting block 533 to move relative to the second mounting base 531 along the second direction, pushing the worktable 2 to move laterally in the second direction. The worktable 2 and the adapter 51 are constrained by a guide structure, such as a sliding surface or guide groove, ensuring that the worktable 2 remains stable during movement and does not deflect or tilt.

[0038] In one embodiment, the positioning member 33 includes a positioning wheel, which is rotatably connected to the end of the positioning rod 32 away from the gear mounting rod 31. The profile of the positioning wheel is a non-circular profile, and the profile position of the positioning wheel in contact with the worktable 2 is different at different rotation angles, so that the height of the rotation axis relative to the worktable 2 changes when the positioning wheel rotates, thereby supporting the positioning rod 32 to be suspended at different elevation angles.

[0039] The positioning element 33, in the form of a positioning wheel, is located at the end of the positioning rod 32 to provide elevation positioning and stable support for the gear mounting rod 31. The positioning wheel is movably connected to the positioning rod 32 via a rotating shaft or pin, allowing the positioning wheel to rotate freely around its own axis. This structure enables the positioning rod 32 to form multiple stable support angles under different operating conditions based on the contact relationship between the positioning wheel and the worktable 2, thereby achieving continuous adjustment and segmented holding of the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31.

[0040] The core feature of the positioning wheel lies in its non-circular contour structure. The outer contour of the positioning wheel is not circular, but rather a curved shape with varying radii, causing the height of the point of contact between the positioning wheel and the worktable 2 to change as the positioning wheel rotates around its axis. Through this contour height difference, the support height of the distal end of the positioning rod 32 relative to the worktable 2 changes at different angular positions of the positioning wheel, resulting in a change in the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31 fixedly connected to it. This contour-height conversion relationship allows the entire structure to achieve multi-level elevation angle adjustment through a simple rotational motion without the need for a complex angle locking mechanism.

[0041] In practical use, the operator grasps the positioning rod 32 and causes it to rotate the positioning wheel. When the positioning wheel rotates to a specific angle, the contour position in contact with the worktable 2 has a specific height, which corresponds to a fixed elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31. Due to the continuously changing contour design of the positioning wheel, the elevation angle of the positioning rod 32 can also be continuously adjusted. The positioning wheel and the worktable 2 have surface or point contact, and the friction of the contact area and the contour shape of the positioning wheel itself form a stable support, allowing the positioning rod 32 to reliably hover after being adjusted to the target angle. The introduction of the positioning wheel has a dual function: on the one hand, it is an operable adjustment component, which allows the gear mounting rod 31 to enter different elevation angles by rotation; on the other hand, it is a stable support component, forming a stable support point at a specific contour height, thereby keeping the gear posture unchanged.

[0042] Reference Figure 1In one embodiment, a friction pad 6 is provided on the worktable 2. The friction between the friction pad 6 and the positioning wheel restricts the rotation of the positioning wheel. The friction pad 6 can be made of rubber, soft polyurethane, wear-resistant composite material, or other materials with moderate elasticity and a high coefficient of friction. Its thickness and hardness can be optimized according to the material and weight of the positioning wheel. The friction pad 6 is usually attached to the area where the positioning wheel may come into contact, so that the positioning wheel forms a stable contact with the friction pad 6 when adjusting the elevation angle. The main function of the friction pad 6 is to restrict the free rotation of the positioning wheel by using the friction between it and the positioning wheel. When the operator adjusts the positioning rod 32 to drive the positioning wheel to rotate, the positioning wheel will come into contact with the surface of the friction pad 6, and the friction will change with the angle of the positioning wheel. During the adjustment, the positioning wheel can overcome the friction to rotate; but when the adjustment stops, the friction keeps the positioning wheel stationary at the current angular position, preventing it from rotating undesirably due to external disturbances, equipment vibration, or torque caused by the weight of the gears.

[0043] In one embodiment, a positioning boss 311 is provided on the gear mounting rod 31, and a locking bolt 312 is threadedly connected to the gear mounting rod 31 to limit the axial displacement of the composite gear under test.

[0044] A positioning boss 311 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the gear mounting rod 31 near the end of the compound gear to be tested. It can be integrally machined to form a step, an annular flange, or a stop structure with an increased diameter. The dimensions of the positioning boss 311 are customized according to the inner diameter of the compound gear, ensuring that the end face of the compound gear reliably abuts against the positioning boss 311 after it is fitted onto the gear mounting rod 31, thus obtaining a clear positioning reference in the axial direction. To further prevent axial slippage of the gear during testing, a locking bolt 312 is threaded onto the gear mounting rod 31. The locking bolt 312 is preferably a clamping screw, which engages with the gear mounting rod 31 through a threaded hole, allowing the bolt to press against the end face or outer sidewall of the compound gear in the radial or axial direction. In actual use, the operator fits the compound gear onto the gear mounting rod 31, with one end abutting against the positioning boss 311, and then tightens the locking bolt 312 to make it fit tightly against the other end face or hole wall of the gear. The positioning boss 311 serves as a positive stop, while the locking bolt 312 serves as a reverse clamping element. Together, they form a reliable axial clamping structure.

[0045] In Vickers hardness testing, when the indenter presses into the gear tooth profile, the gear is subjected to a force in a certain direction, which may vary along the gear's normal, circumferential, or axial components. Without an axial restraint structure, the gear may slip slightly along the mounting rod direction, causing a change in the alignment between the testing surface and the indenter, affecting the accuracy of the indentation and the stability of the test data. Through the cooperation of the positioning boss 311 and the locking bolt 312, the gear is strictly restrained in the axial direction to a non-movable state, maintaining a completely fixed geometric relationship with the gear mounting rod 31 throughout the entire testing process.

[0046] The locking bolt 312 also offers the advantage of easy adjustment. When it is necessary to replace composite gears of different models or thicknesses, the operator only needs to loosen the locking bolt 312, remove the gear, replace it with the new workpiece, and then tighten it again. This structure eliminates the need for additional tools or complex clamping steps, making the entire clamping process simple and quick, suitable for rapid workpiece switching during batch inspection. Furthermore, the threaded drive of the locking bolt 312 is repeatable, allowing for precise control of the tightening degree as needed, preventing over-tightening that could damage the gear, or under-tightening that could cause the gear to loosen.

[0047] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The Vickers hardness test method for composite gears includes the following steps: S1, Install the composite gear Vickers hardness testing device on the Vickers hardness tester; S2, the composite gear to be tested is mounted on the gear mounting rod 31 of the composite gear Vickers hardness testing device. The composite gear to be tested is a composite gear, including a first gear 7 and a second gear 8 that are coaxially fixed. S3, rotate the positioning rod 32 to drive the gear mounting rod 31 to rotate synchronously, adjust the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31, thereby adjusting the height of the composite gear to be tested; S4, move the gear support 4 so that the support tooth 41 is engaged in the tooth profile of the first gear 7 to restrict the rotation of the compound gear under test; S5, move the indenter of the Vickers hardness tester above the tooth profile of the first gear 7 to be tested; S6. Use the adjustment component to adjust the position of the worktable 2, and at the same time adjust the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31 so that the tooth profile of the first gear 7 to be tested is in a horizontal state and is below the Vickers hardness tester indenter. S7. Use a Vickers hardness tester to test the hardness of the tooth profile of the first gear 7.

[0048] First, perform step S1, placing the composite gear Vickers hardness testing device securely on the platform of the Vickers hardness tester, ensuring the base 1 is in contact with the worktable 2 of the hardness tester, and performing initial directional alignment according to the position of the indenter. At this stage, all mechanical components of the device are in their initial state, and the position of the worktable 2 has not yet been fine-tuned.

[0049] Then, in step S2, the compound gear to be tested is fitted onto the gear mounting rod 31, ensuring that the center hole of the compound gear is coaxially aligned with the axis of the mounting rod. The gear is then pressed against the positioning boss 311, and the locking bolt 312 is tightened to completely fix the gear in the axial direction. The compound gear to be tested comprises two coaxially connected gears with different modules, different numbers of teeth, or different tooth surface inclination angles. Its structural form will not affect the clamping method in this step.

[0050] During step S3, the operator holds the positioning rod 32 and rotates it around the axis of the gear mounting rod 31. The rotation of the positioning rod 32 synchronously changes the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31, causing the entire compound gear to slightly rise or fall around its center. Since the tooth profile of the compound gear under test is usually inclined in its natural state, changing the elevation angle can make one of the tooth profiles closer to a horizontal position. This is an important preliminary step to ensure the accuracy of Vickers hardness testing.

[0051] Next, step S4 is executed, moving the gear support 4 along the surface of the worktable 2 so that the support tooth 41 is inserted into the tooth groove or tooth profile of the first gear 7 at a position that matches its shape, thereby restricting the free rotation of the first gear 7 in the circumferential direction. This operation ensures that the gear will not rotate due to force when the pressure head is applied subsequently, guaranteeing the accuracy of the indentation point.

[0052] Continue with step S5, moving the hardening machine indenter above the target tooth profile of the first gear 7. At this point, the indenter has not yet pressed down; only spatial alignment has been completed, allowing subsequent fine-tuning steps to precisely adjust the tooth surface orientation.

[0053] Step S6 is the core adjustment stage of the entire testing method. The operator rotates the first screw assembly 52 and the second screw assembly 53, causing the worktable 2 to move slightly in two directions within the plane, thus ensuring complete alignment of the indenter with the target tooth profile on the planar projection. Simultaneously, the operator can fine-tune the positioning rod 32, further bringing the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31 closer to the target horizontal angle. Through the combination of adjusting the position of the worktable 2 and the tooth surface elevation angle, the inclined tooth profile achieves the "locally horizontal plane" state required for Vickers hardness testing.

[0054] In step S7, the tooth profile, after all attitude adjustments, is vertically pressed in by the indenter to form a standard Vickers hardness indentation. Since the tooth profile has been adjusted to a horizontal state, the diagonal of the indentation can be accurately measured, thus obtaining a reliable hardness value.

[0055] In one implementation, the following step is included after step S7: S8, move the indenter of the Vickers hardness tester above the tooth profile to be tested on the second gear 8; S9. Use the adjustment component to adjust the position of the worktable 2, and at the same time adjust the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31 so that the tooth profile of the second gear 8 to be tested is in a horizontal state and is below the Vickers hardness tester indenter. S10, Use a Vickers hardness tester to test the hardness of the tooth profile of the second gear 8.

[0056] First, proceed to step S8. The operator moves the indenter of the Vickers hardness tester horizontally, from the testing position of the first gear 7 to above the area where the second gear 8 is located. During the movement, the indenter is kept in an elevated position to avoid contact with the gear. After the indenter is moved above the tooth profile surface to be tested on the second gear 8, the operator confirms through the hardness tester's observation system that the indenter is approximately within the range of the tooth profile surface of the second gear 8 in planar projection.

[0057] Then, step S9 is executed. The operator adjusts the position adjustment component 5 to make slight movements of the worktable 2 in the first and second directions, gradually aligning the planar projection of the indenter with the tooth profile surface to be tested of the second gear 8. Simultaneously, the operator rotates the positioning rod 32, changing the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31, so that the tooth profile surface to be tested of the second gear 8 approaches a horizontal state. During the adjustment process, the image clarity and angular relationship of the tooth profile surface are observed through the hardness tester observation system to determine whether the tooth profile surface has reached a horizontal posture. Through the above two adjustments, the tooth profile surface to be tested of the second gear 8 is positioned and angled in accordance with the indenter testing requirements.

[0058] Finally, step S10 is executed. After completing the indenter alignment and tooth surface leveling, the operator starts the hardness tester, causing the indenter to be perpendicularly pressed into the tooth profile of the second gear 8 to form an indentation. After the indentation is formed, the operator reads the diagonal length of the indentation through the hardness tester's micro-measuring system, thereby completing the hardness test of the tooth profile of the second gear 8.

[0059] In one embodiment, the Vickers hardness tester is equipped with an indenter 9 for performing hardness testing. The lower end of the indenter 9 has an indentation section for forming a Vickers hardness indentation on the surface being tested. To accommodate the spatial structural characteristics of the gear tooth profile, the indenter 9 is provided with clearance grooves to avoid interfering with the tooth profile.

[0060] A clearance groove is provided in the outer peripheral area of ​​the pressure head 9 near the pressing part, extending along the axial direction of the pressure head 9 to form a groove structure. The opening direction of the clearance groove corresponds to the spatial distribution direction of the gear tooth profile, so that when the pressure head 9 approaches the tooth profile to be tested and presses down, the clearance groove can provide clearance space for adjacent non-tested tooth profiles, thereby avoiding contact or interference between the pressure head 9 and adjacent tooth profiles during the testing process.

[0061] In practical use, when the indenter 9 is moved above the target tooth profile and pressed down axially, the pressing part of the indenter 9 contacts the tooth profile to be tested and forms an indentation. The clearance groove on the outer periphery of the indenter 9 is located in the spatial position of the adjacent tooth profile, allowing the adjacent tooth profile to partially enter the clearance groove, thereby preventing the outer wall of the indenter 9 from colliding with other tooth profiles of the gear. With this structural design, even when the spatial spacing between tooth profiles is small or the gear tooth profiles are inclined, the indenter 9 can still complete the pressing action smoothly. In one embodiment, the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31 recorded in step S7 is the first gear detection elevation angle, and the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31 recorded in step S10 is the second gear detection elevation angle. When the hardness of the first gear 7 is tested next time, the gear mounting rod 31 is adjusted to the first gear detection elevation angle, and when the hardness of the second gear 8 is tested next time, the gear mounting rod 31 is adjusted to the second gear detection elevation angle.

[0062] To improve the efficiency of repeated testing of compound gears, after completing the hardness tests of the first gear 7 and the second gear 8, the elevation angle position of the gear mounting rod 31 during the two tests is recorded. Specifically, after completing the hardness test of the first gear 7 in step S7, the operator keeps the current elevation angle of the gear mounting rod 31 unchanged, reads the angle scale on the positioning rod 32 or the positioning wheel, or records the contact position of the positioning wheel relative to the worktable 2, and records this elevation angle as the first gear testing elevation angle. This elevation angle is used to characterize the angular position of the gear mounting rod 31 when the tooth profile of the first gear 7 reaches a horizontal state. Similarly, after completing the hardness test of the second gear 8 in step S10, the operator records the elevation angle position of the gear mounting rod 31 at this time and records it as the second gear testing elevation angle. Since the positioning wheel has a non-circular profile, the positioning wheel corresponds to different support heights at different angular positions. Therefore, the elevation angle state of the gear mounting rod 31 can be determined by recording the rotation position of the positioning wheel. When performing the next compound gear hardness test, the operator does not need to readjust the elevation angle.

[0063] To test the first gear 7, simply rotate the positioning rod 32 to the recorded first gear testing elevation angle, so that the positioning wheel contacts the worktable 2 at the previously recorded angle, restoring the gear mounting rod 31 to the same elevation angle as the last test. Then, fine-tune the position of the worktable 2 using the position adjustment component 5 to quickly level and align the tooth profile of the first gear 7. To test the second gear 8, the operator rotates the positioning rod 32 to the position corresponding to the second gear testing elevation angle, so that the positioning wheel reaches the same support height as in step S10, automatically restoring the gear mounting rod 31 to the elevation angle used for the second gear 8 test, without needing repeated trial adjustments. Afterward, the indenter plane is aligned, and the hardness testing step can be quickly initiated.

[0064] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A composite gear Vickers hardness testing device, characterized in that: It includes a base (1), a worktable (2), a gear mounting base (3), and a gear support base (4); The base (1) is provided with a position adjustment component (5) that can drive the worktable (2) to move in the plane along the first direction and the second direction; The gear mounting base (3) is disposed on the workbench (2). The gear mounting base (3) includes a gear mounting rod (31) for mounting the compound gear to be tested and a positioning rod (32) fixedly connected to the gear mounting rod (31). The gear mounting base (3) rotates with the workbench (2) to adjust the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod (31). The end of the positioning rod (32) away from the gear mounting rod (31) is provided with a positioning element (33) for cooperating with the workbench (2) to support and suspend the gear mounting base (3). The gear support base (4) is set on the workbench (2). The gear support base (4) is provided with a support tooth (41) that matches the tooth profile of the composite gear to be tested. The support tooth (41) is used to engage the composite gear to be tested to limit the rotation of the composite gear to be tested.

2. The composite gear Vickers hardness testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The position adjustment assembly (5) includes an adapter (51), a first screw assembly (52), and a second screw assembly (53); the adapter (51) is located between the base (1) and the worktable (2); the first screw assembly (52) is used to drive the adapter (51) and the worktable (2) to move synchronously relative to the base (1) along a first direction; the second screw assembly (53) is used to drive the worktable (2) to move relative to the adapter (51) along a second direction.

3. The composite gear Vickers hardness testing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first screw assembly (52) includes a first mounting base (521), a first adjusting screw (522), and a first connecting block (523). The first mounting base (521) is fixed on the base (1), the first connecting block (523) is fixed on the adapter (51), the first adjusting screw (522) is arranged along the first direction, the first adjusting screw (522) is rotatably engaged with the first mounting base (521), and the first adjusting screw (522) is threadedly connected to the first connecting block (523). The second screw assembly (53) includes a second mounting base (531), a second adjusting screw (532), and a second connecting block (533). The second mounting base (531) is fixed on the workbench (2), the second connecting block (533) is fixed on the adapter (51), the second adjusting screw (532) is arranged along the second direction, the second adjusting screw (532) is rotatably engaged with the second mounting base (531), and the second adjusting screw (532) is threadedly connected to the second connecting block (533).

4. The composite gear Vickers hardness testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning component (33) includes a positioning wheel, which is rotatably connected to the end of the positioning rod (32) away from the gear mounting rod (31). The contour of the positioning wheel is a non-circular contour, and the contour position of the positioning wheel in contact with the worktable (2) is different at different rotation angles, so that the height of the rotation axis relative to the worktable (2) changes when the positioning wheel rotates, thereby supporting the positioning rod (32) to be suspended at different elevation angles.

5. The composite gear Vickers hardness testing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The worktable (2) is provided with a friction pad (6), which is used to limit the rotation of the positioning wheel by friction with the positioning wheel.

6. The composite gear Vickers hardness testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gear mounting rod (31) is provided with a positioning boss (311), and the gear mounting rod (31) is threaded with a locking bolt (312). The locking bolt (312) is used to press the composite gear to be tested onto the positioning boss (311) to limit the axial displacement of the composite gear to be tested.

7. A method for testing the Vickers hardness of composite gears, using the composite gear Vickers hardness testing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1, Install the composite gear Vickers hardness testing device on the Vickers hardness tester; S2, the composite gear to be tested is mounted on the gear mounting rod (31) of the composite gear Vickers hardness testing device. The composite gear to be tested includes a first gear (7) and a second gear (8) fixed on the same axis. S3, rotate the positioning rod (32) to drive the gear mounting rod (31) to rotate synchronously, adjust the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod (31), thereby adjusting the height of the composite gear to be tested; S4, move the gear support (4) so ​​that the support tooth (41) is engaged in the tooth profile of the first gear (7) to restrict the rotation of the compound gear under test; S5, move the indenter of the Vickers hardness tester above the tooth profile of the first gear (7) to be tested; S6, use the adjustment component to adjust the position of the worktable (2), and at the same time adjust the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod (31) so that the tooth profile of the first gear (7) to be tested is in a horizontal state and is below the Vickers hardness tester indenter; S7. The hardness of the tooth profile of the first gear (7) is tested using a Vickers hardness tester.

8. The method for testing the Vickers hardness of composite gears according to claim 7, characterized in that: The following steps are included after step S7: S8, move the indenter of the Vickers hardness tester above the tooth profile of the second gear (8); S9, use the adjustment component to adjust the position of the worktable (2), and at the same time adjust the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod (31) so that the tooth profile of the second gear (8) to be tested is in a horizontal state and is below the Vickers hardness tester indenter; S10, the hardness of the tooth profile of the second gear (8) is tested using a Vickers hardness tester.

9. The method for testing the Vickers hardness of composite gears according to claim 8, characterized in that: The indenter (9) of the Vickers hardness tester is provided with a clearance groove for avoiding interference tooth profiles.

10. The method for testing the Vickers hardness of composite gears according to claim 8, characterized in that: In step S7, the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod (31) is recorded as the first gear detection elevation angle. In step S10, the elevation angle of the gear mounting rod (31) is recorded as the second gear detection elevation angle. When the hardness of the first gear (7) is tested next time, the gear mounting rod (31) is adjusted to the first gear detection elevation angle. When the hardness of the second gear (8) is tested next time, the gear mounting rod (31) is adjusted to the second gear detection elevation angle.

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