Lumped Parameter Model of Planetary Gear Systems
A model system is described by parameters for shafts, planetary gear trains and nodes. Moments of inertia, spring stiffnesses and damping coefficients are assigned to the shafts; gear ratios and efficiencies are assigned to planetary gear trains. The equivalence of angular velocities and torques is demonstrated for shafts (vibration model), as well as for planetary gear trains and nodes (configuration of the system). This brings about a new view on the concept of degrees of freedom. The close relationship between gear ratios and torque ratios yields identical functions for these ratios when applied to the input and output shafts of a system. The full use of this relationship requires strict conventions of signs and an extension of the interpretation of values. The introduction of a new concept, named responsivity, expresses the relationships between torques and between powers of arbitrary shafts. With suitable equations, it becomes possible to investigate torque and power distributions exhaustively.