Calculation of time dependent mesh stiffness of helical planetary gear system using analytical approach

Time-dependent mesh stiffness is a most important reason of vibration and dynamic excitation in gear sets. In this research, analytical formulas of the helical gear set and the planetary gear system are combined to calculate the time-dependent mesh stiffness of the helical planetary gear system. For this purpose, at the first step, the analytical equations are derived for the spur gear pair. Then by dividing a helical tooth into the several independent thin spur tooth slices, the helical gear pair mesh stiffness is extracted. Finally, these equations are extended to the helical planetary gear system. The suggested analytical results and those which obtained by the finite element method (FEM) are compared and are in good agreement when the helix angle is less than 15 degrees. Also, the helical planetary gear system mesh stiffness in different cases such as fixed carrier, fixed sun gear and fixed ring gears is calculated. These results show that the value of mesh frequency ratio in each case scales the mesh stiffness shapes in the rotation angle direction. In other words, mesh frequency ratio parameter determines the number of meshing period in each rotation of planets.