Mesh stiffness evaluation of an internal spur gear pair with tooth profile shift

Tooth profile shift will change the thickness of gear teeth and a part of geometrical parameters of a gear pair, thus influencing its mesh stiffness and consequently the dynamic performances. In this paper, an analytical mesh stiffness calculation model for an internal gear pair in mesh considering the tooth profile shift is developed based on the potential energy principle. Geometrical representations of the tooth profile shift are firstly derived, and then fitted into the analytical tooth stiffness model of gears. This model could supply a convenient way for mesh stiffness calculation of profile shifted spur gears. Then, simulation studies are conducted based on the developed model to demonstrate the effects of tooth profile shift coefficient on the tooth compliances and the mesh stiffness of the internal spur gear pair. The results show that tooth profile shift has an obvious influence on the mean value, amplitude variation and phase of the mesh stiffness, from which it can be predicted that the dynamic response of an internal gear transmission system will be affected by the tooth profile shift.