Servo motor for actuating a mandrel while extruding helical teeth
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJoseph A. Szuba, Emilo A. Tonello, Michael A. Cook, Rodney G. Whitbeck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for extruding helical teeth in a gear blank includes a press including a die plate and a die base, the die plate being movable along an axis relative to the die base, the die base supporting the gear blank. A mandrel, aligned with the axis and moveable with the die plate along the axis, includes a surface that includes helical die teeth. A servo motor drives the mandrel in rotation about the axis to the required helix angle as the mandrel moves axially relative to the gear blank.
Claims13
An apparatus for extrusion forming helical teeth in a gear blank comprising:
- a die base for supporting the gear blank;
- a press that moves along an axis relative to the die base;
- a mandrel aligned with the axis, moveable with the press along the axis, and including a surface that includes helical die teeth;
- and
- a servo motor driveably coupled to the mandrel for rotating the mandrel about the axis as the mandrel moves axially relative to gear blank.
A method for extruding helical teeth in a gear blank comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a press that moves along an axis and includes a die base that supports the gear blank against said axial movement of the press;
- (b) providing a mandrel that is aligned with the axis and moveable by the press along the axis, and includes a surface formed with helical die teeth;
- (c) placing the gear blank on the die base;
- (d) using the press to extrude the die teeth in the gear blank by moving the mandrel along the axis and forcing the mandrel into material of the gear blank;
- and
- (e) using a servo motor that is driveably coupled to the mandrel for rotation about the axis to extrude the die teeth in the gear blank by rotating the mandrel about the axis in a first rotary direction as the mandrel is forced axially into the material of the gear blank.
A gear formed by the process of:
- providing a gear blank aligned with an axis and a mandrel having helical die teeth formed thereon;
- extruding the die teeth into the gear blank by forcing the mandrel along the axis toward the gear blank;
- and
- using a servo motor to rotate the mandrel about the axis as the mandrel moves axially toward the gear blank;
- forming at least a first flank surface of a gear tooth corresponding to a first direction in which the servo motor is rotated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.