Helical Gears

Force Analysis

Lecture 7
helical gears

• same applications as spur gears, but also for

nonparallel shafts
• teeth
› inclined to axis of rotation
› more gradual engagement of teeth
» lless iimpactt – lless stress
t d lless noise
and i
› develop thrust loads and bending couples
» must account for
• select hand to minimize thrust
› hands – same helix angle, opposite hands
helical gears – geometry/nomenclature

• shape of tooth is involute helicoid

› think of as rotated spur gear laminations – approach helical gear as
thickness of laminations decreases
pn  p cos

helical gears – geometry/nomenclature

• helix angle, 
• two planes:
› plane of rotation RR
» p, 
(Figure 16.4) [1] › normal plane NN
» pn, n
› other relations from geometry:

pn  p cos
Pn  P
cos
dN N
P Pn cos
axial overlap if b>= pa
pa  p
tan
min: b>=1.15pa
often: b>=2pa

tan n  tan  cos

pn  p cos

helical gears – geometry/nomenclature

• normal plane intersects pitch

cylinder in an ellipse
• shape of tooth in normal plane
is almost same as shape of
spur gear tooth with radius Re
of ellipse
• can define equivalent/virtual
number of teeth from geometry
Ne  N
cos3 
• used for design for strength
(later)
helical gears – force analysis

Fr  Ft tan 
Fa  Ft tan
 Ft
Ft  33000W Fb 
V cos
 Fb Ft
Ft  W F 
V cos n cos cos n
helical gears – force analysis

Fr  F sin n

Fa  F cos n sin

Fa  F cos n sin
note: replace W with F in figure
helical gears – example problem

 Example 13-7, Shigley and Mischke, 5th edition

questions?