Beveloid Gear Honing with Eccentric Axis Offset

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional honing methods for beveloid gears with conical root diameters result in tool collisions or incomplete contact due to the conical shape, making effective machining difficult, especially for shaft arrangements with angles smaller than 20°.

Innovation Solution

The method involves spacing the tool and workpiece axes apart by an eccentricity, using a cylindrical honing tool with a tilt angle, allowing continuous contact between the honing tool and beveloid gear teeth, and utilizing a gear machining center for precise alignment and movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional honing methods are applied to beveloid gears with conical root diameters, then the honing process can be performed, but the tool collides with the conical root diameter and cannot make full contact with the tooth flanks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact quality between tool and gear teethVSAvoidtool collision with conical root diameter
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of adapting the honing tool to follow the conical shape of the gear root (conical honing tool), the patent inverts the approach by using a cylindrical honing tool and adapting the gear geometry. The honing tool has a cylindrical toothing with a cylindrical root diameter that corresponds to the cylindrical pitch diameter of the gear, while the gear itself is given a conical root diameter. This inversion allows the cylindrical tool to make full continuous contact with the tooth flanks without colliding with the conical root.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the geometry of different parts of the gear. The gear has a cylindrical pitch diameter portion where the honing contact occurs, and a conical root diameter portion that tapers toward the center. This local differentiation allows the cylindrical honing tool to contact the cylindrical pitch diameter area fully while the conical root portion naturally tapers away, preventing tool collision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If a conical honing tool is used for beveloid gears, then the tool can contact the conical root diameter, but the movement of the tool along its axis is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool contact with conical rootVSAvoidtool movement freedom
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by making the gear conical at the root while keeping the honing tool cylindrical. This allows the tool to move freely along its axis without restriction, as the cylindrical tool geometry combined with the conical gear root creates natural clearance that prevents collision while maintaining full contact capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If beveloid gears are used for shaft arrangements with angles smaller than 20°, then the shaft angle range can be utilized, but conventional machining methods produce unsatisfactory results

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshaft angle range coverageVSAvoidmachining quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the honing tool and gear relationship. By setting the toothing of the honing tool at an angle of 90° to the tool axis (cylindrical configuration) and positioning the tool axis offset from the gear axis by an amount corresponding to the pitch radius, the patent achieves effective honing for small shaft angles (less than 20°) that were previously difficult to machine with conventional methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach prevents collisions and ensures continuous contact during honing, facilitating efficient and collision-free machining of beveloid gears, even with conical root diameters, using a simpler gear-cutting machine with fewer adjustable axes.

Implementation Method 1

honing the gear using the honing tool, wherein the honing tool and the gear are arranged at an axial cross angle to each other, wherein the honing tool and the gear are spaced apart from each other at least partially by an axial distance, and wherein the teeth of the honing tool and the beveloid teeth of the gear are in contact at least temporarily in at least one contact section

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Data Source

PatentEP4696441A1Method of honing a gear with a beveloid toothing
Publication Date: 2026.02.18 PRAEWEMA ANTRIEBSTECHNIK GMBH
  • EP4696441A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4696441A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4696441A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A method for honing a gear (2) with a beveloid toothing (4) is presented and described, comprising the following steps: a) providing a honing tool (1) that is at least partially cylindrical and a gear (2) to be honed, wherein the honing tool (1) has a tool axis (WZA) and a toothing (3), and wherein the gear (2) has a workpiece axis (WSA) and a beveloid toothing (4), b) honing the gear (2) using the honing tool (1), wherein the honing tool (1) and the gear are arranged at an axial cross angle (Σ) to each other, wherein the honing tool (1) and the gear (2) are spaced apart from each other at least partially by an axial distance (A), and wherein the toothing (3) of the honing tool (3) and the beveloid toothing (4) of the gear (2) are in contact at least temporarily in at least one contact section.To simplify effective honing of beveloid gearing (4), it is proposed that the tool axis (WZA) and the workpiece axis (WSA) be spaced apart from each other by an eccentricity (AM) at least section by section.