Shih-Hsi Tong

Graduate Student.

Daniel C. H. Yang
Professor.
Mectianical and Aerospace Engineering
Department,
School of Engineering and Applied Science,
University of California, Los Angeles,
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Generation of Identical
Noncircular Pitch Curves
In this paper the theory and algorithm for generating pairs of identical noncircular
conjugate pitch curves are presented. A set of criteria for two identical rigid bodies
engaging in conjugate rolling motion is established. Based on these criteria, an
algorithm is developed, which can be used to design this type of rolling pairs with
almost unlimited profile varieties and any number of lobes. Geometrical conditions
for having C' (or slope) continuity at the intersections of tips and roots of lobe
profiles are also established. A family of similar profiles can be designed at the same
time by using a single parameter, the pitch noncircularity, via a dimensionless analysis. Results from this investigation should have applications to the design of noncircular gears and lobe pumps.

Introduction

The basic working theory for noncircular gears is that the

two centrodes of the two engaging bodies roll on each other
and each centrode has its own fixed rotation center. These centrodes are called pitch curves. If two pitch curves are used as
the profiles of the two rigid bodies, these two bodies should
have conjugate rolling contact with respective fixed rotation
centers. This kinematic relationship is the basis for noncircular
gearing. Tooth profiles of noncircular gears should be generated
along these pitch curves. In 1910 Dunkerley described elliptical
gears and lobe-gear pumps in his book [1]. Later Gobler used
speedgraf method to design rollcurve gears in 1939 [2]. Most
publications concerning noncircular gears concentrate on the
design and application of elliptical gears [3, 4 ] . The pitch
curves of this type of gears are two ellipses with foci as their
rotation centers. Other than elliptical gears, the theory for synthesizing pitch curves of noncircular, non-identical gears was
investigated by Bloomfield and Cunningham [5, 6 ] . Bloomfield's report was more general, in which methods for pitch
curve generation were developed based on either one desired
pitch curve or the function of desired gear ratio [5]. Cunningham [6] discussed the design and application of gear profiles
with different functions including sinusoidal, logarithmic spiral,
logarithmic, and reciprocal functions. Benford [7] discussed
eccentric gears by mounting standard circular gears eccentrically. Bernard & Freudenstein [8] designed internally meshing
noncircular planetary gears which were applied to slider mechanisms. The manufacturing method of noncircular gears using
the roulette method was introduced by Horiuchi [9].
To date, as for the investigation of identical pitch curves,
ellipse and logarithmic spiral are the two only known geometries that have been used [10, 11]. There is no systematic way
to design identical pitch curves with general profiles. This paper
represents a research effort to this concern. Kinematic theory
is firstly developed for generating pairs of identical conjugate
noncircular pitch curves. A simple algorithm is then established
which enables the design. Several examples are used for illustration.
2

Background on Pitch Curve Generation

Referring to Fig. 1, let ri{di) and ^2(^2) be the pitch curves

of the right and left rotors, respectively. The center distance of
the two rotors is /, and the two angular positions of the two
Contributed by the Mechani.sms Committee for publication in the JOURNAL OF
MECHANICAL DESIGN. Manuscript received April 1996. Associate Technical Editor: K. Kazerounian.

Journal of Mechanical Design

rotors are 6i and 6*2, respectively. If rx{Bi) and / are given, the
profile of the rotor 2, r^idx), to have pure rolling conjugate
motion should be
r^e,)

=I-

r,{9,)

(1)

The angular position of rotor 2, as a function of ^ ] , can be

calculated by

de.

ri

(2)

In the case, in which / and 62 = f(di) are given, the pitch curves
of the two rotors can be designed by the following method. To
have pure rolling, the instant velocities at the contact point for
two rotors are the same, therefore
d0^
dt

/-, =

d92
^2

^2

dt

(3)

de.

By substituting/' for dO^ldOi and (/ - n ) for r2, the two

rotor profiles can be derived as
r,(e,) =

f'l
1+/'

(4)

and
r2(^,)

(5)

1 +/'

For a pair of conjugate rotors having recyclable continuous

motion without oscillation, the two rotor profiles have to be
simple and closed. Assuming ri is simple and closed, for r2
being also simple and closed, the following condition needs to
be satisfied:
62 = In-K

when

= 27r

(6)

where n is a rational number.

Copyright 1998 by ASME

JUNE 1998, Vol. 120 / 337

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It is worth noting that in these two equations, only / i n Eq.

(11.1) needs to be designed. The segment CiDj in Eq. (11.2)
can be calculated by using Eqs. (1) and ( 2 ) , once / i s provided.
4

Design of Identical Two-lobe Pitch Curves

An algorithm, developed for generating identical two-lobe

pitch curves, is presented here as the following steps:
Step 1:

Fig. 1 Pitch curves of conjugate roiling pairs

Geometrically, n represents the ratio of the numbers of lobes

of rotor 1 and rotor 2, or
number of lobes of rotor 1
number of lobes of rotor 2

(7)

Select desired design parameters, a and b, where

a and b represent the minimum and maximum
values of r,, respectively.
Step 2: Choose a desired function q(9i)asan initial design
for ri(6i). The function ^(^1) must be monotonically increasing and with at least C continuity, in
the range of interest, and q(0) - a.
Step 3: Find angle <i!)i for ^((/>i) = 1/2, where 1 = a + b.
Step 4: Substitute q and </>, into Eq. (10), and obtain the
numerical result of this integration. Subsequently,
represent the numerical result in terms of 7r/2, i.e..
/

Theory of Identical Two-lobe Pitch Curves

(12)

Equations (1) to (5) can be used to design conjugate pitch

Referring to Eq. (9), if a = 1, the function q is an adequate
curves. However, there is no existing method for generating choice for this design purpose. Therefore/(6ii) = ^(6*1). Otheridentical conjugate pitch curves. In this investigation we want wise function q has to be modified (see step 5) so that a is
to present a systematic and easy method for this purpose. Refer- forced to become one. The amount of a differing from unity
ring to Fig. 2, assume rotors 1 and 2 are two identical rolling can be considered as a measurement of the deviation of the
pairs. Let the initial contact points. A, and Dj, be at the root initial profile q{6i) from being an adequate choice for this
and the tip (or vice versa) of each rotor profile. The profile purpose.
segment A,Bi on rotor 1 conjugates with the profile segment
D2C2 on rotor 2. The corresponding angular spans of the two Step 5: \ia ^ 1, assign/(6,) = ^(a(9,) for 0 :s 6*1 <
arc segments are 61 and 62 on rotors 1 and 2, respectively. Since
(^i/a.
rotors 1 and 2 are identical, the profile portion DiCi on rotor 1
is the same as D2C2 on rotor 2. Let the profile segment A,Bi Here we claim that/(6*1) satisfies Eq. (9), i.e.,
be represented by the function/(6,), which is monotonically
*/"
I
-jr
I
increasing and with C' continuity. The reason to require a
monotonically increasing/(#,) is to avoid the emergence of
r 7 ' ^ ^ ' = 2 ^"'^ / ( ' ^ . / a ) - ^
(13)
undesired nonidentical lobes. Because / is monotonically increasing, when / = 1/2 (i.e. r, = rj = 1/2), the points B, and Proof of the above claim:
Ci shall meet. Meanwhile the sum of the span angles ^1 and
</)2 shall be equal to 7r/2. Since A,Si and D2C2 are conjugate
(1) fi<t>i/a) q{a^Uq(cf,,)
= i
(14)
profiles, the pressure angles /xi and //j at points Bi and C2 should
always be the same. This means that at the meeting point of fij
and Ci, the profile maintains its smoothness.
This proves the second part of Eq. (13).
The previous discussion can be summarized in the following
statement. If a function / i s an adequate profile for constructing
identical two-lobe pitch curves, the following two conditions
(2)
Jo 7 3 7 ^ ^ ^ ' = Jo 7 3 ^ ? ^ ^ ^ . (15)
have to be met:

(1)

Within the range of interest, / ( 0 , ) must be monotonically increasing and with C ' continuity, and
(8)

(2)

(^1 -I-(^2 = -

TT

when

(9)

/ = -

By using Eq. (2), the left hand side of Eq. (9) can be rewritten
as
<^l + <^2 = <^, +

---!de,=
\
-ddy (10)
'0 ; - /
Jo / - /
The entire profile of ri (6*1) for one half of the lobe is composed
of the following two parts:
^ ( e i ) = segmentAjB, =7(^1)

when

0 :s fli < (^1

(11.1)

(^1 s 61, s 7r/2

(11.2)

ri(fli) = segment CiDj = segment C2D2

when
338 / Vol. 120, JUNE 1998

Fig. 2 Two identicai pitcli curves

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Let T = a9u if we substitute r/a for 9^ in Eq. (15), we

have, dOi = dr/a, q{adi) = qir) and the upper bound of the
integration changes from t^i/a to 0 , . Consequently,
/

.
1 aT 7r
dr =
= (16)
qir)
a 1
2
This proves the first part of Eq. (13).
Therefore, function/(^i) which equals ^ ( a ^ i ) could be used
as pitch curves for these two identical two-lobe rotors.
d6

II-fie,)

Jo

a Jo

(fl)0,=O

/-

5 Examples: Design of Two-lobe Pitch Curves

Example 1: A Linear Function.
Let a = \, b = 2, and the initial design is chosen as ^(^i)
= 1 + 6x12. (Please note that the condition ^(0) = a is satisfied.) In this case, / = 3. For having qi4>i) = 112 = 1.5, we
find (pi = 1. By substituting q{9\), 4>u and / into Eq. (12), we
obtain

(6) (9, = 25

d9, = 1.7261

Jo

I q

Jo 3 - (1 -I- 9i/2)

Let 1.7261 = aTr/2, therefore, a = 1.0989. The final profile,

f(9i), resulting from this initial guess, q{9i), will be
f(9,)

= qiadt)

= 1 + 0.54955,

The two conjugate rotors based on function / are drawn in

Fig. 3. For illustration, the relative positions of the rotors in
three angular positions, 9i = 0, 40, 70, are shown in Figs.
3a, 3b, 3c, respectively.

(c)e,=45

6 Design of iV-lobe Pitch Curves

The algorithm developed in section 4 can be easily extended
to design identical pitch curves with A^ lobes, where N is an

(o)^,=0

Fig. 4 A pair of identical 3-lobe parabolic pitch curves for / 14 and

f{0,) = 2.4298flf + 3.117601 + 4

integer, and N s: 2. The only adjustment needed to be made is

to replace IT/2 at the right hand side of Eq. (9) with n/N.
(Accordingly, all n/2 in Steps 4 and 5 need to be replaced with
TT/N.) To explain, let us re-exam Eq. (11). We only need to
design one half of a lobe profile represented by Eq. (11), because all lobes of a rotor are the same and each lobe is symmetrical to its center. The profile of one half lobe of an Af-lobe rotor
spans an angle of n/N, therefore n/N needs to be placed at the
right hand side of Eq. (9).
A parabolic function is used to generate rotor profiles with
three and four lobes for example. The processes and results are
presented below. Let a = 4, b = 10 and the initial design ^(^i)
= 3 + (9, + 1 ) ^
Example 2: N = 3.

(6)^, =40

In this case, to find the angle </>!, we set the equation ^(<^i)
= 3 + (4>i + ly = 1/2 = 7. Therefore <^i = 1. By substituting
q(9i), 4>i, and / into Step 4, we have
/
3

Jo /

The a value we calculated in this case is 1.5588. Consequently,

the final profile that we adopt is
(c)<?,=70'
/(6,) = qia9i)

= 3-1- (1.55885, + 1 ) '

= 2A29W] + 3.11765, + 4

Fig. 3 A pair of identical linear pitch curves for / = 3 and f{e,)

0.549501

Journal of Mechanical Design

1+

The rotors generated are drawn in Fig. 4, with Figs. 4a, Ab,
and Ac corresponding to angular displacements 5, = 0, 25,
45, respectively.
JUNE 1998, Vol. 120 / 339

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(a)e,=0

In other words, in the range of interest, the initial design function ^(^i) should have a local minimum, and the initial point,
^ ( 0 ) , should start at this local minimum. This is in addition to
the previously stated conditions of monotonically increasing
and C' continuity in the same range of interest. One example
is given here to illustrate this process of designing smoothness.
Example 4: A 4th-order Polynomial with Smooth Profile.
We choose the initial design ^(^i) = 1 + 0\l\(>, and this
function satisfies both Eqs. (8) and (18). Let N = 2 and / =
4, and after following the design steps given in Section 4, we
obtain a = 1.8383. The rotors generated are drawn in Fig. 6.
As shown in the figure, the lobe profiles at both tips and roots
are smooth.

(b) 0, = 20

8 Design of Families of Profiles by Using a Dimensionless Parameter

We can use a dimensionless parameter bla to design a family
of similar profiles. Denoted by k, i.e., k = bla, this parameter,
geometrically, can be considered as a measurement of the noncircularity of a pitch curve, or, kinematically, the maximum
speed ratio. Without sacrificing the generality, we assign I = a
+ fo = 1 for simplicity. To satisfy the condition ^(0) = a stated
in Design Step 2, we need to express parameter a in terms of
k, and the result is a = 1/(1 + k). One example is given here
to illustrate this idea.

(c)e,=35

Example 5: A Cosine Function,

In this example we want to design a family of two-lobe rotors
with cosine function profiles. The initial design of the profile
is chosen as
?(^i) =

Fig. 5 A pair of identical 4-iobe parabolic pitch curves for / = 14 and

f{e,) = 4.31978? + 4.1568ei + 4

2(k + 1)

To satisfy Eq. (12) given in Step 4, we need

4{k+

TrVfc
Example 3: N = 4.
By the same procedure, we obtain a = 2.0784. The final
profile off{6\) will be
/ ( ^ , ) = q{ae,) = 3 + (2.07846li + 1 ) '

1) , _, 1
tan"

fk-

Therefore, the family of rotor profiles parameterized in k can

be obtained by using
f(9,)

=
^}__
~ 2

= 4.31970? + 4.15686li + 4

cos 6,.

q{ae,)
1
_k
2(k+ 1)

A{k + 1)

tan

-pi

The rotors generated are drawn in Fig. 5, with Figs. So, 5b,
and 5 c corresponding to angular displacements 0, = 0, 20,
35, respectively.

7 Design of Smooth Profiles

It is sometimes desirable that the entire profile of the rotor
is smooth. Referring to Figs. 3 - 5 , these rotor profiles are not
smooth at the tips and roots of their lobes. The reason is that
C' continuity is not designed at these tips and roots, the intersections between segments of profiles. Referring to Fig. 2, in order
to have C' continuity at these intersections of profile segments,
the function of profile needs to satisfy the two conditions

ddi

= 0

at

6*1 = 0

and

r,(0) = a

(17)

The equivalent conditions of Eq. (17) in our design procedure

are
dqi9:)
= 0
d0x

at

340 / Vol. 120, JUNE 1998

and

q(Q) = a

(18)

Fig. 6 Identical pitch curves having smooth profiles with / = 4 and f(e^)
= 1 + 0.7137et

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that these three pairs of pitch rotors have very similar shapes,
and a rotor increases its slenderness with the increase of its
pitch noncircularity k.
9

A=2

Conclusion
A complete procedure for generating identical pitch curves
is presented. A set of criteria for two identical rigid bodies
engaging in conjugate rolling motions is established. The final
design rotor profiles are similar to the given desired functions.
Based on these criteria, an algorithm is developed, which can
be used for the design of this type of rolling pairs with almost
unlimited profile varieties and any number of lobes. All examples presented are simulated by interactive graphic software.
Geometric conditions for having C' continuity at the intersections of tips and roots of lobe profiles are also established.
Families of similar profiles can be designed at the same time by
varying a dimensionless parameter k, the pitch noncircularity.
Results from this investigation should have applications to the
design of noncircular gears and lobe pumps.

10 Acknowledgment
The authors would like to express their sincere appreciation
to Professors Joseph K. Davidson at Arizona State University
and Bernard Roth at Stanford University for providing us with
very useful reference materials and valuable opinions.

References
it =2.5

A: = 3
Fig. 7 Pairs of identical 2-iobe cosine pitch curves witli f(0i) - 1/2
{k - 1)/(2(k + 1)) cos (4(fr + 1)/(iTi^) (tan^' 1/Vk)e,)

A family of rotors of this design with three different k values,

k = 2, 2.5, and 3, are generated and drawn in Fig. 7. It shows

Journal of Mechanical Design

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JUNE 1998, Vol. 120 / 341

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