Apparatus and method for machining a gear shape

An apparatus for machining a gear shape comprising:

• a chuck for pivotally supporting a workpiece;
• a mechanism for moving said chuck in any desired direction on a plane;
• a unit for lapping said workpiece;
• a holder for pivotally supporting said lapping unit;
• a mechanism for sliding said holder in a direction vertical to a chuck move plane;
• and
• a control section which controls said chuck movement mechanism and said holder sliding mechanism for moving up and down said lapping unit against said workpiece, thereby lapping said workpiece,
• said lapping unit having:
• a supporter substantially like a pillar;
• and
• a lapping tool being attached to an axle center of said supporter in a way in which said lapping tool can be opened and closed and having a projection having a lapping grindstone.

An apparatus for measuring a gear shape comprising:

• a chuck for pivotally supporting a workpiece;
• a mechanism for rotating said chuck;
• a mechanism for moving said chuck in any desired direction on a horizontal plane;
• a form master gear having a displacement section which performs displacement in response to a shape of said workpiece;
• a holder for pivotally supporting said form master gear;
• a control section which controls said chuck rotation mechanism and said chuck movement mechanism for causing said workpiece and said form master gear to be meshed together and causing said form master gear to follow rotation of said workpiece;
• and
• an error detection section which detects displacement of the displacement section of said form master gear for detecting a shape error of said workpiece.

An apparatus for measuring a gear shape comprising:

• a chuck for pivotally supporting a workpiece;
• a mechanism for rotating said chuck;
• a mechanism for moving said chuck in any desired direction on a plane;
• a form master gear having a displacement section which performs displacement in response to a shape of said workpiece;
• a holder for pivotally supporting said form master gear;
• a mechanism for rotating said holder;
• a control section which controls said chuck rotation mechanism, said chuck movement mechanism, and said holder rotation mechanism for causing said workpiece and said form master gear to be meshed together on an ideal mesh path and to be separately rotated for relative motion of said form master gear and said workpiece;
• and
• an error detection section which detects displacement of said form master gear and said workpiece with respect to said ideal mesh path for measuring a shape error of said workpiece and said form master gear.

A apparatus for machining a gear shape comprising:

• a chuck for pivotally supporting a workpiece;
• a mechanism for rotating said chuck;
• a mechanism for moving said chuck in any desired direction on a plane;
• a holder holding a form tool, said holder being disposed movably to any desired position and able to be rotated;
• a mechanism for rotating said holder;
• a first eccentric ring, with an axle center of an internal circumference of said ring being eccentric to that of an external circumference of said ring, for holding said holder on said internal circumference;
• at least one contour eccentric ring disposed for holding said first eccentric ring on an internal circumference of said contour eccentric ring;
• a mechanism for sliding said holder in a direction vertical to a chuck move plane;
• and
• a control section which controls said chuck rotation mechanism, said chuck movement mechanism, said holder rotation mechanism, and said holder sliding mechanism, and controls rotation amounts of said first eccentric ring and said contour eccentric ring for causing said form tool to approach a mesh assumed position with said workpiece, rotating said workpiece and said form tool synchronously, and applying cut amount control between both axes of said workpiece and said form tool, thereby machining said workpiece with said form tool.

An apparatus for measuring a gear shape comprising:

• a chuck for pivotally supporting a workpiece;
• a mechanism for rotating said chuck;
• a mechanism for moving said chuck in any desired direction on a horizontal plane;
• a form master gear having a displacement section which performs displacement in response to a shape of said workpiece;
• a rotatable holder for holding said form master gear and being disposed movably to any desired position;
• a first eccentric ring, with an axle center of an internal circumference of said ring being eccentric to that of an external circumference of said ring, for holding said holder on said internal circumference;
• at least one contour eccentric ring disposed for holding said first eccentric ring on an internal circumference of said contour eccentric ring;
• a control section which controls said chuck rotation mechanism and said chuck movement mechanism and controls rotation amounts of said first eccentric ring and said contour eccentric ring for causing said workpiece and said form master gear to be meshed together and causing said form master gear to follow rotation of said workpiece;
• and
• an error detection section which detects displacement of the displacement section of said form master gear for detecting a shape error of said workpiece.

An apparatus for measuring a gear shape comprising:

• a chuck for pivotally supporting a workpiece;
• a mechanism for rotating said chuck;
• a mechanism for moving said chuck in any desired direction on a plane;
• a form master gear having a displacement section which performs displacement in response to a shape of said workpiece;
• a rotatable holder for holding said form master gear and being disposed movably to any desired position;
• a mechanism for rotating said holder;
• a first eccentric ring, with an axle center of an internal circumference of said ring being eccentric to that of an external circumference of said ring, for holding said holder on said internal circumference;
• at least one contour eccentric ring disposed for holding said first eccentric ring on an internal circumference of said contour eccentric ring;
• a control section which controls said chuck rotation mechanism, said chuck movement mechanism, and said holder rotation mechanism and controls rotation amounts of said first eccentric ring and said contour eccentric ring for causing said workpiece and said form master gear to be meshed together on an ideal mesh path and to be separately rotated for relative motion of said form master gear and said workpiece;
• and
• an error detection section which detects displacement of said form master gear and said workpiece with respect to said ideal mesh path for measuring a shape error of said workpiece and said form master gear.