DIGITAL IMAGING OF TOOTH CONTACT PATTERN

摘要

A method of determining a contact pattern representative of the contact patterns on successive gear teeth. The method comprises providing a first digital image comprising actual drive side or coast side tooth surfaces comprising contact patterns of a plurality of successive gear teeth, and, providing a second digital image comprising one of respective drive side or coast side theoretically correct tooth surfaces of the same successive gear teeth. Each theoretically correct tooth surface is represented by a matrix grid comprising a plurality of grid elements. The theoretically correct tooth surfaces are superimposed on the respective actual tooth surfaces image to congruently match the actual tooth surfaces image to the respective theoretically correct tooth surfaces. The grid elements of each theoretically correct tooth surface which contain at least a portion of a contact pattern image are then identified. A consolidation matrix grid comprising a number of grid elements equal to the number of grid elements in the theoretically correct tooth surface grid matrix is provided and grid elements in the consolidation matrix grid corresponding to respective identified grid elements in each of the theoretically correct matrix grids are identified. The identified grid elements in the consolidation matrix represent a consolidated contact image for the successive gear teeth. The consolidated contact image in the consolidation matrix may then be transformed to an axial plane tooth projection illustrating the consolidated contact image.