Technological solution to profile and generate the teeth of central gear for precessional gear drives

The transmission based on precessional gear pairs, mostly used for rotation speed reduction, has some important advantages relative to the common gear drives, such as the capability to produce very low transmission ratios, or the high loading capacity/dimensions ratio (due to the fact that all the teeth of a precessional gear pair are simultaneously in contact during its functioning). One among the likeliest constructive solutions for the precessional gear pair uses a satellite built with conical rollers. However, its practical use is restricted by the difficulty to realize the central gear teeth machining without using special and relative complicated devices. This paper introduces a technological substitutive profile for the central gear tooth, which enables the use of a simpler and more productive method for working it, without bringing major negative consequences regarding the teeth contact correctness or the drive loading capacity. The profile was found by analyzing the contact surface and the pressure angle evolution during the contact between conjugate teeth. The paper also presents technological solutions to generate the new tooth profile by milling it with a disk-tool or an end-mill cutter, together with methods to profile the required tools.