Accurate tooth stiffness of spiral bevel gear teeth by the finite strip method

A Finite Strip element is presented for the analysis of variable height and thickness gear teeth, curved along a spiral wound on a cone. The formulati on, based on Mindlin's plate theory, accounts for transverse shear deformat ion and uses localized functions series in the tooth facewidth direction co mbined with numerical integration in all directions. The formulation is app lied to the clamped-fr ee boundary condition, usually in gearing, and suppo rts any type of transverse loads and moments. The precision of the calculat ed tooth deflection is ascertained through equivalent numerical tests using Finite Element Analysis. Results agree within 5% of bending displacement a t the point of load application.