TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present subject matter relates generally to a finishing wheel and more particularly, but not exclusively to a finishing wheel for hardened metallic gears.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Generally, in an internal combustion engine a crankshaft converts reciprocating linear motion of piston into rotational motion. Further, a plurality of gears are used in the engine for transferring the rotational motion to a rear wheel of the vehicle, which results in motion of the vehicle. Generally, various gear train combinations transfer required torque and power to the rear, wheel(s). The gear train combinations results in engaging and disengaging of various gears. The power generated by the crankshaft is being transferred through gears. In addition, in two-wheeled vehicles with higher engine capacity, the power transferred from the crankshaft to the rear wheel is higher. Therefore, resultant noise during meshing is higher. Conventionally, the gears may include spur gears, bevel gears, and worm gears. This is merely a brief listing of the various terminology of the descriptive nomenclature for gears generally. Further, these gears may be utilized in various arrays to provide gear trains. Spur gears are generally referred to as those gears that transmit power between parallel shafts and have straight teeth parallel to the gear axis

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0003] The detailed description of the present subject matter is described with reference to the accompanying figures. Same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.

[0004] Fig. 1 (a) illustrates a side perspective view of a finishing wheel, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

[0005] Fig. 1 (b) depicts aside view of the finishing wheel depicted in Fig. 1
(a).

[0006] Fig. 2 (a) depicts a side view of the finishing wheel, in accordance
with another embodiment of the present subject matter.

[0007] Fig. 2 (b) depicts cross-sectional view of the finishing wheel depicted
in Fig. 2 (a).

[0008] Fig. 2 (c) depicts a plan view of the finishing wheel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] Generally, the gears in the IC engine when engage and disengage may result in noise. Moreover, in automobiles and especially in two-wheeled vehicles with increased engine capacity there is a need for gears with reduced noise. In addition, gears with improper finishing result in improper engaging of the gears, thereby,resulting in loss of power. Further, the improper finishing results in wear of the gears thereby reducing the life of the gears. The imperfections on soft gear are rectified using shaving process. Nevertheless, -improper finishing or deformation of the gears occurs during and after the hardening process, which is done by heat treatment.

[00010] Generally, the improper finishing may be attributed to error in surface finish, or profile error, or a due to need for angular correction. Conventional gear finishing tools are used for finishing the hardened gears. However, the conventional tools known in the art are expensive and require complex mechanisms to operate.

[00011] Hence, it is an object of the present subject matter to provide a finishing wheel. According to an object, the finishing wheel is adapted to work with a hardened metallic gear. According to another object, the finishing wheel is of low cost.

[00012] In an embodiment, the present subject matter provides a finishing wheel,
which is adapted to work with a hardened metallic gear. The finishing wheel
comprises an inner member and an outer member. The outer member is made of
an abrasive material and provided with plurality of teeth extending radially
outward, which are integrally formed. The inner member is provided with a
mounting portion and one or more angularly spaced mounting holes. The finishing
wheel is mounted through the mounting portion and fastened through the one or
more mounting hole(s). In an embodiment, the inner member is provided with one
or more axial groove(s) disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the inner
member. The one or more axial groove(s) eliminate rotation of the finishing wheel
on the mounting member.

[00013] In an embodiment, the finishing wheel is provided with an inner member having thickness referred to as a first thickness and the outer member having thickness referred to as a second thickness, wherein the first thickness is substantially greater than the second thickness.

[00014] In another embodiment, the one or more hole(s) is provided with a reinforced portion disposed on either sides of the finishing wheel.

[00015] In an embodiment, the plurality of teeth of the outer member are being disposed at a helix angle with respect to an axis of rotation of the finishing wheel.

[00016] Moreover, the finishing wheel of the present subject matter enables operation of the finishing wheel at lower rotation per minute (RPM) relative to the RPM of tools known in the conventional tools. In addition, the amount of heat generated during operation of the wheel is reduced. Therefore, deformation of the gear due to the heat is also reduced.

[00017] The outer member of the finishing wheel being made of abrasive material selected from ceramic group or the like and the inner member being made . of any known metal, for example Aluminum.
[00018] In an embodiment, the finishing wheel is adapted to be operated at speed less than 300 rotations per minute. Moreover, the finishing wheel being adapted to work with a finishing machine having at least two axis of movement.

[00019] Consequently, the present subject matter provides a low cost finishing wheel that improves the surface finish, rectifies any profile errors, and provides angular correction to gears. To that end, finishing of the gear is improved, thereby reducing the noise during meshing of gears in an engine. Therefore, the overall noise of the vehicle is reduced. In addition, the life of the gears is also improved

[00020] The aforesaid and other advantages of the present subject matter would be described in greater detail in conjunction with the figures in the following description.

[00021] Fig. 1 (a) illustrates a side perspective view of a finishing wheel, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The finishing wheel 100 is adapted to work with a hardened metallic gear. The gear includes a primary drive gear, which is spur type, used in internal combustion engine in a two-wheeled vehicle. The finishing wheel 100 comprises an inner member 105, which is made of a non-abrasive material and an outer member 120 made of an abrasive material that is disposed annularly around the inner member 105. The outer member 120 is provided with plurality of teeth 120T extending radially outward. In a preferred embodiment, the inner member 105 is made of aluminum. Further, the inner member 105 may be made of any known metal. The inner member 105 is provided with a mounting portion 110. In the present embodiment, the inner member is formed in circular shape and the mounting portion 110 is formed of a circular holes disposed at the centre of the inner member. Also, the inner member 105 is provided with one or more angularly spaced mounting hole(s) 115, which enable in securing/hub mounting the finishing wheel 100 to a rotating member of a finishing machine. In the present embodiment, four mounting hole(s) 115 are provided on the finishing wheel 100. Through the mounting hole(s) 115, the finishing wheel 100 is fastened to a rotating member of the finishing machine through fasteners. Fig. 1 (b) depicts a side view of the finishing wheel depicted in Fig. 1 (a). The inner member 105 is provided with one or more axial groove(s) 125 disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the inner member 105. The one or more axial groove(s) 125 extend parallel to the axis of rotation R-R' (shown in Fig. 2 (b)) of the finishing wheel 100. In an embodiment, the outer member 120 is made of abrasive material, which is having 70-120 number of openings/ square inch.

[00022] Fig. 2 (a) depicts a side view of the finishing wheel, in accordance with another embodiment of the present subject matter. The finishing wheel 200 is provided with an inner member 205 and an outer member 120 of an abrasive material annuiarly disposed around said inner member 205. The outer member 120 includes plurality of teeth 120T extending radially outward. The inner member 205 having thickness referred to as a first thickness FT (shown in Fig. 2 (b)) and the outer member having thickness referred to as a second thickness ST (shown in Fig. 2 (b)). The first thickness FT is substantially greater than the second thickness ST. The first thickness and the second thickness being measured in a radial direction of the finishing wheel.

[00023] The inner member 205 is made of a non-abrasive material, for example
metal like aluminum. The outer member 120 is annuiarly disposed around the inner
member 205, wherein the outer member 120 being made of abrasive material.
Further, the outer member 120 is adapted to mount to a rotating member or the like.

Therefore, the inner member 205 is provided with one or more mounting hole(s) £15. The finishing wheel 200 is fastened to the rotating member of machine through one or more mounting hole(s) 215. In a preferred embodiment, the one or more hole(s) 215 being angularly spaced. Furthermore, area around the one or more hole(s);215 is reinforced by providing a reinforcing portion 230 disposed on either sides of the finishing wheel 200. In addition, the reinforcing portion 230 is capable of accommodating at least a portion of bolt(s) of the fasteners.

[00024] Fig. 2 (b) depicts cross-sectional view of the finishing wheel depicted .$risFi§i(2"(a). The cross-section being taken along an axis X-X' as depicted in Fig. 2 (a). The finishing wheel rotates about the axis of rotation R-R'. The finishing wheel is provided with reinforcing portion 230, which is disposed around the one or more mounting hole(s) 215 on both sides of the finishing wheel 200. In a direction from axis of rotation R-R' towards the teeth 120T, the reinforcement portion 230 is also provided at the end portion of the inner member 205 that supports the outer member 120. This enables to provide support to the outer member and provides steady operation of the finishing wheel 200. In an embodiment, an inner member 205 has the first thickness FT and the outer member has the second thickness ST, wherein the first thickness FT is substantially greater than the second thickness ST. Further, the width of the outer member is substantially equal to one and half times of the second thickness ST of the outer member 120.

[00025] Fig. 2 (c) depicts a plan view of the finishing wheel. The finishing wheel 200 comprises of plurality of teeth 120T formed on the outer member 120 and the plurality of teeth 120T are extending radially outward. Further, the plurality of teeth 120T are equally spaced. Furthermore, plurality of teeth 120T are being disposed at a helix angle a with respect to an axis of rotation R-R' of the finishing wheel 200. A teeth lineT-T\ which passes through one of the plurality of teeth 120T cuts the axis of the rotation R-R' of the finishing wheel 200 at the helix angle a. The helix angle a is in the range of 6-12 degrees. In a preferred embodiment, the helix angle a is kept at 8 degrees. This enables in providing finishing of teeth of the gear from end to end.

[00026] The inner member 205 has the first thickness FT and the outer member has the second thickness ST, wherein the first thickness FT is substantially greater than the second thickness ST. The outer member with the second thickness ST is made of an abrasive material and the inner member with the first thickness FT is made of any known metal. The finishing wheel 200 is provided with one or more mounting hole(s) 215, which is reinforced by a reinforcing portion 230, to connect to a rotating member and thereby rotatably mesh with a spur gear. The plurality of teeth 120T provided on the outer member 120 of the finishing wheel 200.

[00027] Many modifications and variations of the present subject matter are possible within the spirit and scope of the present subject matter, in the light of above disclosure.

I/We claim:

1. A finishing wheel (100, 200) adapted to work with a hardened metallic gear,
the finishing wheel (100, 200) comprising:
an inner member (105, 205) made of non-abrasive material, and the inner member
(105, 205) having a mounting portion (110); and
an outer member (120) formed of an abrasive material, and the outer member (120)
being annularly disposed around the inner member (105, 205), and said outer
member (120) having a plurality of teeth (120T) extending radially outward from
the outer member (120),
wherein
the inner member (105,205) has a first thickness (FT), and the outer member (120)
has a second thickness (ST), and the first thickness (FT) being substantially greater
than the second thickness (ST).

2. The finishing wheel (100, 200) of claim 1, wherein the plurality of teeth
(120T) being integrally formed with the outer member (120) and the plurality of
teeth (120T) disposed at a helix angle (a) with respect to an axis of rotation (R-R')
of the finishing wheel (100, 200).

3. The finishing wheel (100,200) of claim 1, wherein the helix angle (a) is in the range of 6-12 degrees.

4. The finishing wheel (100, 200) of claim 1, wherein the inner member (100, 200) being provided with a two or more mounting hole(s) (115, 215) that are angularly spaced.

5. The finishing wheel (100, 200) of claim 1, wherein the inner member (100, 200) being provided with a one or more axial groove(s) (125) formed on an inner circumference of the inner member (105, 205).

6. The finishing wheel (100, 200) of claim 1 and 4, wherein the two or more mounting hole(s) (115, 215) being provided with a reinforcing portion (230) disposed on either sides of the finishing wheel (100, 200) disposed around the two or more mounting hole(s) (115, 215).

7. The finishing wheel (100, 200) of claim 1, wherein the outer member (120) being made of abrasive material selected from ceramic group or the like and the inner member (105, 205) being made of any known metal.

8. The finishing wheel (100, 200) of claim 1, wherein the outer member (120) being made of abrasive material having 70-120 number of openings/ square inch.

9. The finishing wheel (100, 200) of claim 1, wherein the finishing wheel (100, 200) is adapted to be operated at speed less than 300 rotations per minute.

10. The finishing wheel (100, 200) of claim 1 being adapted to work with a finishing machine having at least two axis of movement.