Method for chamfering and polishing toothed workpieces

Abstract

A method for processing a toothed workpiece includes clamping it on a rotating workpiece spindle and engaging it with a first and second tool set. The first tool set engages at the first side of the workpiece with a wedge-like tool portion laterally in the tooth gaps on the workpiece, wherein the tooth front edges are chamfered on front tooth flanks with respect to a running direction of the workpiece and a smoothing of the tooth flanks is carried out close to the tooth front edges on rear tooth flanks with respect to the running direction. The second tool set engages the first side, but the tooth front edges are now smoothed on front tooth flanks and a chamfering of the tooth flanks close to the tooth front edges on rear tooth flanks is carried out. Larger chamfer angles can now readily be produced on tooth edges of the workpiece.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for processing a toothed workpiece, the method comprising the steps of:
 clamping the toothed workpiece on a rotating workpiece spindle, the toothed workpiece having a plurality of teeth disposed about a periphery between a first side opposite a second side;   providing a first tool set on a first rotating tool set spindle;   providing a second tool set on a second rotating tool set spindle;   wherein all of the spindles rotate along parallel axes;   wherein an axis of the first and second rotating tool set spindles are movable towards an axis of the rotating workpiece spindle;   wherein the first and second tool sets are configured to be engaged in the toothed workpiece at different locations on the periphery with respect to a fixed reference system when the toothed workpiece, the first tool set and the second tool set are cooperatively rotated while the first and second tool sets are advanced towards the toothed workpiece;   wherein the first tool set at the first side of the toothed workpiece comprises a first plurality of wedge-like tool portions on a first bevel gear;   wherein the second tool set at the first side of the toothed workpiece comprises a second plurality of wedge-like tool portions on a second bevel gear;   chamfering and smoothing of at least the first side of the toothed workpiece by the engagement with the first and second tool sets during rotation;   wherein the first tool set laterally engages at the first side of the toothed workpiece with the first plurality of wedge-like tool portions in a plurality of tooth gaps of the plurality of teeth of the toothed workpiece, wherein each tooth leading edge of the plurality of teeth are chamfered with respect to a running direction of the toothed workpiece and wherein each tooth trailing edge of the plurality of teeth are smoothed with respect to the running direction of the toothed workpiece; and   wherein the second tool set laterally engages at the first side of the toothed workpiece with the second plurality of wedge-like tool portions in the plurality of tooth gaps of the plurality of teeth of the toothed workpiece, wherein each tooth leading edge of the plurality of teeth are smoothed with respect to the running direction of the toothed workpiece and wherein each tooth trailing edge of the plurality of teeth are chamfered with respect to the running direction of the toothed workpiece.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamfering of each tooth edge is carried out at an angle β of at least 35° measured relative to an inclination of a tooth arrangement on the toothed workpiece. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamfering of each tooth edge is carried out at an angle β of at least 40° measured relative to an inclination of a tooth arrangement on the toothed workpiece. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamfering of each tooth edge is carried out at an angle β of at least 45° measured relative to an inclination of a tooth arrangement on the toothed workpiece. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoothing of each tooth edge is carried out at an angle γ of a maximum of 5° measured relative to an inclination of a tooth arrangement on the toothed workpiece. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoothing of each tooth edge is carried out at an angle γ of a maximum of 4° measured relative to an inclination of a tooth arrangement on the toothed workpiece. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamfering and smoothing of at least the first side of the toothed workpiece by the engagement with the first and second tool sets includes chamfering and smoothing of the second side of the toothed workpiece by engagement with the first and second tool sets. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the first tool set at the second side of the toothed workpiece comprises a third plurality of wedge-like tool portions on a third bevel gear and wherein the second tool set at the second side of the toothed workpiece comprises a fourth plurality of wedge-like tool portions on a fourth bevel gear;
 wherein the first tool set laterally engages at the second side of the toothed workpiece with the third plurality of wedge-like tool portions in the plurality of tooth gaps of the plurality of teeth of the toothed workpiece, wherein each tooth leading edge of the plurality of teeth are chamfered with respect to the running direction of the toothed workpiece and wherein each tooth trailing edge of the plurality of teeth are smoothed with respect to the running direction of the toothed workpiece; and   wherein the second tool set laterally engages at the second side of the toothed workpiece with the fourth plurality of wedge-like tool portions in the plurality of tooth gaps of the plurality of teeth of the toothed workpiece, wherein each tooth leading edge of the plurality of teeth are smoothed with respect to the running direction of the toothed workpiece and wherein each tooth trailing edge of the plurality of teeth are chamfered with respect to the running direction of the toothed workpiece.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the first and third bevel gears of the first tool set are mutually opposing bevel gears which are rigidly connected to each other for engagement laterally in a tooth arrangement of the toothed workpiece from the first side and the second side, and wherein the second and fourth bevel gears of the second tool set are mutually opposing bevel gears which are rigidly connected to each other for engagement laterally in the tooth arrangement of the toothed workpiece from the first side and second side. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the first tool set at the second side of the toothed workpiece comprises a third plurality of wedge-like tool portions on a third bevel gear and wherein the second tool set at the second side of the toothed workpiece comprises a fourth plurality of wedge-like tool portions on a fourth bevel gear;
 wherein the first tool set laterally engages at the second side of the toothed workpiece with the third plurality of wedge-like tool portions in the plurality of tooth gaps of the plurality of teeth of the toothed workpiece, wherein each tooth leading edge of the plurality of teeth are smoothed with respect to the running direction of the toothed workpiece and wherein each tooth trailing edge of the plurality of teeth are chamfered with respect to the running direction of the toothed workpiece; and   wherein the second tool set laterally engages at the second side of the toothed workpiece with the fourth plurality of wedge-like tool portions in the plurality of tooth gaps of the plurality of teeth of the toothed workpiece, wherein each tooth leading edge of the plurality of teeth are chamfered with respect to the running direction of the toothed workpiece and wherein each tooth trailing edge of the plurality of teeth are smoothed with respect to the running direction of the toothed workpiece.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the first and third bevel gears of the first tool set are mutually opposing bevel gears which are rigidly connected to each other for engagement laterally in a tooth arrangement of the toothed workpiece from the first side and the second side, and wherein the second and fourth bevel gears of the second tool set are mutually opposing bevel gears which are rigidly connected to each other for engagement laterally in the tooth arrangement of the toothed workpiece from the first side and second side. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first tool set and the second tool set engage at the same time in the toothed workpiece facing each other. 
     
     
         13 . A processing station for chamfering and smoothing the toothed workpiece, having the workpiece spindle for the toothed workpiece, the first tool set and the second tool set, constructed to carry out the method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A method for processing a toothed workpiece, wherein the workpiece is clamped on a rotating workpiece spindle and a first tool set and a second tool set engage in the workpiece, wherein at least at a first side of the workpiece a chamfering is carried out at tooth front edges and a smoothing of tooth flanks is carried out close to the tooth front edges, wherein the first tool set engages at the first side of the workpiece with a wedge-like tool portion laterally in the tooth gaps in the workpiece, wherein the tooth front edges are chamfered on front tooth flanks with respect to a running direction of the workpiece and a smoothing of the tooth flanks is carried out close to the tooth front edges on rear tooth flanks with respect to the running direction of the workpiece, and wherein the second tool set engages at the first side of the workpiece with a wedge-like tool portion laterally in the tooth gaps in the workpiece, wherein a smoothing of the tooth flanks is carried out close to the tooth front edges on front tooth flanks with respect to a running direction of the workpiece and the tooth front edges are chamfered on rear tooth flanks with respect to the running direction of the workpiece, wherein the first tool set at the first side of the workpiece comprises a plurality of the wedge-like tool portions on a bevel gear, and the second tool set at the first side of the workpiece comprises a plurality of the wedge-like tool portions on another bevel gear, and wherein the first tool set and the second tool set engage in the workpiece at different locations on the periphery of the workpiece with respect to a fixed reference system. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the chamfering of each tooth edge is carried out at an angle β of at least 35° measured relative to an inclination of a tooth arrangement on the toothed workpiece. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the smoothing of each tooth edge is carried out at an angle γ of a maximum of 5° measured relative to an inclination of a tooth arrangement on the toothed workpiece. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein at a second side of the workpiece a chamfering is carried out on tooth front edges and a smoothing of tooth flanks is carried out close to the tooth front edges, wherein the first tool set engages at the second side of the workpiece with a wedge-like tool portion laterally in the tooth gaps in the workpiece, wherein the tooth flanks are smoothed close to the tooth front edges on front tooth flanks with respect to a running direction of the workpiece and the tooth front edges are chamfered on rear tooth flanks with respect to the running direction of the workpiece, and wherein the second tool set engages at the second side of the workpiece with a wedge-like tool portion laterally in the tooth gaps in the workpiece, wherein the tooth front edges are chamfered on front tooth flanks with respect to a running direction of the workpiece and the tooth flanks are smoothed close to the tooth front edges on rear tooth flanks with respect to the running direction of the workpiece. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the first tool set comprises two mutually opposing bevel gears which are rigidly connected to each other for engagement laterally in the tooth arrangement of the workpiece from the first side and the second side, and the second tool set comprises two mutually opposing further bevel gears which are rigidly connected to each other for engagement laterally in the tooth arrangement of the workpiece from the first side and the second side. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein at a second side of the workpiece a chamfering is carried out on tooth front edges and a smoothing of tooth flanks is carried out close to the tooth front edges, wherein the first tool set at the second side of the workpiece engages with a wedge-like tool portion laterally in the tooth gaps in the workpiece, wherein the tooth front edges are chamfered on front tooth flanks with respect to a running direction of the workpiece and a smoothing of the tooth flanks is carried out close to the tooth front edges on rear tooth flanks with respect to the running direction of the workpiece, and wherein the second tool set at the second side of the workpiece engages with a wedge-like tool portion laterally in the tooth gaps in the workpiece, wherein the tooth flanks are smoothed close to the tooth front edges on front tooth flanks with respect to a running direction of the workpiece and the tooth front edges are chamfered on rear tooth flanks with respect to the running direction of the workpiece. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the first tool set comprises two mutually opposing bevel gears which are rigidly connected to each other for engagement laterally in the tooth arrangement of the workpiece from the first side and the second side, and the second tool set comprises two mutually opposing further bevel gears which are rigidly connected to each other for engagement laterally in the tooth arrangement of the workpiece from the first side and the second side. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the first tool set and the second tool set engage at the same time in the workpiece facing each other. 
     
     
         22 . A processing station for chamfering and smoothing the toothed workpiece, having the workpiece spindle for the toothed workpiece, the first tool set and the second tool set, constructed to carry out the method according to  claim 14 .