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GEARBACKLASH

KHK Gears>Gear Knowledge>Gear Technical Reference>Gear Backlash

For smooth rotation of meshed gears, backlash is

PRODUCT necessary.Backlash is the amount by which a tooth space
CATEGORY exceeds thethickness of a gear tooth engaged in mesh.
Backlashes areclassied in the following ways.

SPUR GEARS 6.1 Types of Backlashes

HELICAL (1) Circumferential Backlash ( j t )

GEARS Circumferential Backlash is the length of arc on the
pitchcircle. The length is the distance the gear is rotated until
INTERNAL themeshed tooth ank makes contacts while the other
GEARS matinggear is held stationary.
(2) Normal Backlash ( j n )
GEAR RACK The minimum distance between each meshed tooth ankin a
pair of gears, when it is set so the tooth surfaces are
CP RACKS & incontact.
PINIONS (3) Angular Backlash( j)
The maximum angle that allows the gear to move when the
MITER GEARS other mating gear is held stationary.
(4) Radial backlash ( j r )
BEVEL GEARS The radial Backlash is the shrinkage (displacement) in
thestated center distance when it is set so the meshed
SCREW GEARS toothanks of the paired gears get contact each other.
(5) Axial Backlash ( j x )
WORM GEAR The axial backlash is the shrinkage (displacement) in
thestated center distance when a pair of bevel gears is set so
BEVEL themeshed tooth anks of the paired gears contact each
GEARBOX other.

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Fig. 6.1 Circumferential Backlash Normal Backlash and

Radial Backlash

View this video to 6.2 Backlash Relationships

learn about KHKs
advanced gear Table 6.1 reveals relationships among backlashes and
manufacturing thefundamental equations. While bevel gears are of cone
process. shapedgears, axial backlash is considered instead of radial
backlash.

Table 6.1 Relationships among backlashes

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Fig. 6.2 Axial Backlash of a Bevel Gear

(1) Backlash of Parallel Axes Gear Mesh

Table 6.2 shows calculation examples for backlashes andthe
center distance of spur gear and helical gear meshes.
Byadjusting the center distance (radial backlash), backlash
canbe controlled.

Table 6.2 Spur and Helical Gear Mesh

(2) Backlash of Intersecting Axes Gear Mesh

Table 6.3 shows calculation examples for backlashes and
themounting distance of bevel gear meshes. The common
way tocontrol backlash of bevel gear meshes is to adjust the
mountingdistance (axial backlash) by adding shims. When
adjusting themounting distance, it is important to keep proper
tooth contact inconsideration of the gears and pinions in
balance.

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Table 6.3 Bevel Gear Mesh

(3) Backlash of Nonparallel and Nonintersecting Axes Mesh

Table 6.4 shows calculation examples for backlashes and
themounting distance of worm gear meshes.
A Worm gear pair has a different circumferential backlash
foreach drive and driven gear (worm and wheel) and it is a
featureof a worm gear pair.

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Table 6.4 Worm Gear Pair Meshes

Table 6.5 Calculation example for backlash screw gear

meshes.

Table 6.5 Screw Gear Mesh

6.3 Tooth Thickness and Backlash

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There are two ways to produce backlash. One is to enlarge

thecenter distance. The other is to reduce the tooth thickness.
Thelatter is much more popular than the former. We are going
todiscuss more about the way of reducing the tooth
thickness.

In SECTION 5, we have discussed the standard tooth

thicknesss1 and s2. In the meshing of a pair of gears, if the
tooth thicknessof pinion and gear were reduced by s1 and
s2, they wouldproduce a backlash of s1 and s2 in the
direction of the pitchcircle. Let the magnitude of s1 and s2
be 0.1., We know that a = 20 degrees, then :

We can convert it into the backlash on normal directionjn:

Let the backlash on the center distance direction be jr,then:

These express the relationship among several kinds

ofbacklashes. In application, one should consult the JIS
standard.There are two JIS standards for backlash one is
JIS B1703-76 (Suspended standard) for spur gears and helical
gears, and the other is JIS B 1705-73 for bevel gears. All
thesestandards regulate the standard backlashes in the
direction ofthe pitch circle jt or jtt. These standards can be
applied directly,but the backlash beyond the standards may
also be used forspecial purposes. When writing tooth
thicknesses on a drawing,it is necessary to specify, in
addition, the tolerances on thethicknesses as well as the
backlash.
For example :

Since the tooth thickness directly relates to backlash,

thetolerances on the thickness will become a very important
factor.

6.4 Gear Train and Backlash

The discussions so far involved a single pair of gears. Now,

weare going to discuss two stage gear trains and their
backlash. Ina two stage gear train, as Figure 6.3 shows, jt1

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and jt4 representthe backlashes of rst stage gear train and

second stage geartrain respectively.

Fig.6.3 Overall accumulated backlash of two stage gear train

If number one gear were xed, then the accumulated

backlashon number four gear jtT4 would be as follows:

This accumulated backlash can be converted into rotation

indegrees:

The reverse case is to x number four gear and to examine

theaccumulated backlash on number one gear jtT1.

This accumulated backlash can be converted into rotation

indegrees:

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6.5 Method of Reducing Backlash(Zero Backlash

Gears)

Low backlash or zero-backlash is the performance required

forhigh-precision gear applications. In order to meet special
needs,precision gears are used more frequently than ever
before. Thissection introduces methods of reducing or
eliminating backlash.

(1) Use of Gears with less tooth thinning (Common Method)

By processing gears which have less amount of tooth
thinningthan common gears, and by using them with the
center distanceor mounting distance xed at normal values, it
enables toreduces backlash. This method cannot be used to
make thebacklash zero, but it is the most simple way and
applicable tomany types of gears. If you use the gear with low
runout, youcan reduce the backlash variation. Zero-backlash is
concerned.It should be considered carefully that the gear may
not rotatedsmoothly if the generated backlash value is zero.

(2) Use of gears adjustable for small backlash

A method to use gears to adjust for low backlash. Zero-
backlashcan not be generated with this method.

(a) Control backlash by adjustment of the center distance

This method can be applied to spur, helical, screw andworm
gears. By shortening the center distance of the gear,this
enables adjustment of the radial plays and reducethe
backlash. The adjustment of the center distance
iscomplicated.
(b) Control backlash by adjustment of mounting distance
For bevel gears, shortening of the mounting distance of
thegear, enables to control axial plays and reduce the
backlash.The adjustment of the center distance is rather
complicated,if the mounting distance of only one of the paired
bevel gearsis adjusted, this creates bad tooth contact. The
mountingdistance of each meshed gear should be adjusted
with equally., this method is generally made by adjusting
shims.
(c) Control backlash by separating the gear into two parts
This method is applicable for most types of gears.
Byseparating a gear in two parts, and by adjusting and
xingthe phase relationships between the tooth position of
each,generates low backlash. This is shown in Fig. 6.4.

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Fig. 6.4 Gear separated in two parts. (Fixed)

For helical gears or worm gears, there is a way to adjust the

phaserelationships between the tooth position of each
meshed gear by moving one of the paired gears (1) in an axial
direction. Fig. 6.5 shows the basis.

Fig. 6.5 Backlash Adjustment of Helical Gear

(d) Tapered gears (Spur gear and tapered gear racks)

Tapered gears are also called conical gears. Since
taperedgears are a cone shaped gear having continuously-
shiftedteeth, the tooth prole/tooth thickness are
continuouslytransformed. Fig. 6.6 shows the tooth prole of a
taperedspur gear. Since the tooth thickness of the meshed
toothvaries if the taper gear is moved in axial direction,
thisenables you to adjust backlash. The shim adjustment isa
simple and easy way to move the tapered gear in
axialdirection.
Unlike bevel gears, moving the tapered gear in axialdirection
involves no change in tooth contact and this is anadvantage
of tapered gears.

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Fig. 6.6 Tooth Prole of Tapered Spur Gear

(e) Duplex Lead Worm Gear Pair

A Duplex lead worm gear differs in module between the
rightand left tooth surface. While the pitch of the right and left
toothsurface also differs, the tooth thickness varies
continuously. Byshifting the worm axially, the tooth thickness
at the working pointvaries, and can be used to adjust the
backlash of the duplex leadworm gears. There are some
methods to adjust the wormin the axial direction. The simple
and secure way is shimadjustment, in the same way as any
other type of gears. Zerobacklashis not favorable, as the
worm gear mesh requiresa certain amount of backlash to
avoid the depletion oflubricant on the tooth surface.

Figure 6.7 presents the basic concept of a duplex lead

wormgear pair. (For more detail, please see page 418)

Fig. 6.7 Basic Concept of the Duplex Lead Worm Gear

(3) Gears which have Zero-Backlash

This type of gear has a structure that can forcibly
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removebacklash by external force. While this structure

involves doubleank meshing, it should be carefully
maintained to avoid thedepletion of lubricant. This structure is
not suitable for gears,which have a large amount of slippage
on the tooth surfacewhen transmitting power, such as worm
gear or screw gears.If the depletion of the lubricant occurs on
the tooth surfacecausing large slippage, there is danger of
abrasion.

Scissors Gear with Zero Circumferential Backlash

By applying spring force to the tightly held teeth of themating
gear, with the gear separated in two parts, thebacklash is
removed. Figure 6.8 shows the structure.

Fig. 6.8 Scissors Gear (with Coil Springs)

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