Profile Measuring Instrument Cone Scanning for Bevel Gear Tooth Flanks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional profile measuring instruments face difficulties in efficiently measuring the profiles of workpieces with non-planar surfaces, such as the tooth flank of a straight bevel gear, due to the need for constant-height scanning, which results in prolonged measurement times and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A profile measuring method that uses a stylus tip to move along the lateral face of an imaginary cone defined by the workpiece's profile, maintaining a constant distance between the stylus tip and the reference axis of the imaginary cone, allowing for autonomous scanning and reducing measurement time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If constant-height scanning measurement is used for non-planar surfaces, then measurement precision is maintained, but measurement time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the measurement system adaptable to non-planar surfaces through real-time calculation of probe command values based on acquired profile information. The measurement method dynamically adjusts the probe's movement path to follow the lateral face of an imaginary cone defined by the workpiece profile, rather than maintaining a fixed constant-height scanning plane. This dynamic adaptation enables efficient measurement of complex geometries like bevel gear tooth flanks while maintaining measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If traditional point measurement method is used for complex profiles, then measurement precision is achieved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous useful action by enabling autonomous scanning measurement where the stylus tip continuously traces the workpiece profile along the lateral face of an imaginary cone. The measurement process acquires profile information and calculates probe command values in a continuous manner, eliminating the need for discrete point-by-point measurement. This continuous scanning approach significantly improves productivity while maintaining measurement precision for complex geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement system performs self-service through autonomous scanning where the controller automatically acquires profile information, calculates the imaginary cone geometry, determines the optimal measurement path, and generates probe command values without manual intervention. The system serves itself by adapting the measurement strategy based on the acquired workpiece profile, enabling efficient measurement of complex surfaces like bevel gear tooth flanks.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller of a profile measuring instrument includes: an information acquirer that acquires profile information on a profile of a workpiece and a probe command unit that calculates a probe command value for moving the probe by a movement mechanism based on the profile information acquired by the information acquirer. The probe command value is a value for causing a movement of the stylus tip along a lateral face of an imaginary cone that is imaginarily defined in accordance with the profile of the workpiece based on the profile information, the movement of the stylus tip being performed while a distance between a center of the stylus tip and a reference axis passing through a center of a bottom face of the imaginary cone and parallel to the lateral face of the imaginary cone is kept constant.