Analysis of Multi-Tooth Contact Characteristics of Cycloidal Pinwheel Mechanism Based on Photoelasticity Principle

Key words:  cycloidal pinwheel mechanisms  Hertzian contact theory  contact characteristics  principles of photoelasticity

Abstract:

The contact characteristics between cycloidal gear teeth and pinwheel teeth significantly impact the operational performance of cycloidal pinwheel mechanisms. Current research methods tend to rely primarily on theoretical calculations,with limited use of experimental methods for detecting dynamic contact properties. We propose a novel method for testing the dynamic contact characteristics of cycloidal pinwheel mechanisms. By combining Hertzian contact theory and contact strength theory, we establish a force and meshing stiffness model for the cycloidal and pinwheel gears, and determine the maximum contact stress and variations in pinwheel gear force and meshing stiffness. Based on the principle of photoelasticity, we built a testing platform for the cycloidal pinwheel mechanism to assess its contact characteristics. This platform provides the stress distribution of the cycloidal pinwheel mechanism and allows us to deduce key parameters such as the number of meshing teeth and the meshing interval. This study provides an experimental method for investigating the contact characteristics of cycloidal pinwheel mechanisms.