Spiral Face Coupling Cutting With Single-Spindle Blade Set-Over
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing face couplings with spiral teeth having a pitch angle close to or equal to 90° is challenging due to the need for complex and expensive cutter spindle designs, limited stiffness of interlocking cutter heads, and inefficient processes, particularly in continuous indexing methods like face hobbing, which result in geometric and kinematic constraints and spiral angle errors.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a single tool spindle and a modified cutter head with inside and outside blades positioned in a single cutter head blade slot, allowing for a set-over between convex and concave tooth surface cutting, eliminating the need for a two-part cutter and spindle, and enabling efficient production of mirror-image coupling members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If face hobbing with equally spaced cutting blades is used, then continuous indexing and efficient production are achieved, but geometric constraints and spiral angle errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the angular positioning of cutting blades based on their location (inside vs outside blades). Inside blades are positioned at a different angle than outside blades, allowing each blade group to optimally form its corresponding tooth flank. This localized adjustment eliminates spiral angle errors while maintaining continuous indexing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the angular position parameter of cutting blades depending on their location within the cutter head. By adjusting the angular parameter differently for inside and outside blades, the method corrects spiral angle deviations without sacrificing the efficiency of continuous indexing. This parameter differentiation resolves the contradiction between productivity and precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If complex cutter spindle designs are used to achieve precise spiral tooth formation, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of complexing the cutter spindle mechanism, the patent achieves precise spiral tooth formation by simply changing the angular positioning parameter of the cutting blades. This parameter adjustment approach maintains device simplicity while improving manufacturing precision, avoiding the need for complex spindles or interlocking cutter heads.
3Ease of manufacture
If interlocking cutter heads are used, then tooth slot formation is achieved, but stiffness is limited and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning inside and outside blades at different angles within the same cutter head structure. This localized angular differentiation enables effective tooth slot formation without requiring complex interlocking mechanisms, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining manufacturing capability.
4Manufacturing precision
If mirror image coupling members are manufactured with proportional slot width and tooth thickness taper, then geometric compatibility is achieved, but manufacturing flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves geometric compatibility for mirror image coupling members through localized angular positioning of cutting blades. By adjusting blade angles specifically for inside and outside positions, the method creates the required proportional tapers while maintaining flexibility in the manufacturing process, avoiding rigid constraints.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and cutting tool for producing spiral toothed face couplings whereby a two-part cutter and a two-part machine tool spindle are not needed. The process includes a set-over between the cutting of convex (41) and concave (43) tooth surfaces and the tool (59) comprises inside and outside cutting blades positioned in a single cutter head blade slot (57) and separated from one another by a blade spacing angle (51).