Epicyclic (Planetary) Gear Train

Design
Chapter 13 of text
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Lecture overview
• Revisit the relative angular velocity of standard
gear trains

• Introduction to epicyclic (planetary) gears

• Consider the angular velocity relationships of

epicyclic gear using two methods

• Analyse examples of :
1. A simple epicyclic gear

2. A reversing mechanism

3. A three speed transmission

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Planetary or Epicyclic Gears

• An planetary or epicyclic gearbox is a gearbox
with the input shaft and output shaft aligned.

• Can transfer the largest torque in the most

compact form and provide significant gear ratio
reductions.

• Used extensively in automatic gearboxes

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Standard Gear Trains

• It is relatively easy to determine the angular

velocity as a function of the number of gear
teeth in the drive:

Recall:
where:
rP - pitch circle radius; m - module; N - number of teeth
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So for example…

or
and

Now
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Planetary or Epicyclic Gears

• Here a gear is driven such that it rotates about
it own centre and rotates about another centre.

• Gear 1 – sun gear; gear 2 - planet gear

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• As gear 2 rolls on the outside of gear 1, a

point on its surface will generate an
epicycloid.

• For an internal planet gear, a point will

generate a hypocycloid on the surface.

• Hence epicyclic gears.

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Angular velocity ratio for Epicyclic gears

• Need to find ω21 given ω31.

ω21 – angular velocity of gear 2 relative to gear 1
ω31 – angular velocity of arm 3 relative to gear 1
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Angular velocity ratio for Epicyclic gears

• Consider gear train below where arm 3 is
stationary instead of gear 1

Arm Fixed

• Arm 3 is the ground – normal gear train results

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• If we return to its original condition the ratio

remains unchanged.
• When a mechanism is inverted the relative
motion between links does not change
• Consider the following relative motion equation:

Divide by - reference point

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• From figure (previous):

Equation on previous slide becomes

For an internal gear

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• Consider the case where all of the gears rotate

as well as the arm.
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• Here assume ω31 and ω41 are known and need

to find ω21.
• Here is the key ratio as it is the velocity ratio of
the two gears relative to the arm:
24  21  41
34  31  41
dividing the first by the second
24 21  41

34 31  41
24
31  41   21  41
34
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 24 
 (31  41 )  21  41
 34 
 24   24 
21   31  411  
 34   34 
24 N3

34 N2
 N3   N3 
21    31  41 1  
 N2   N2 
• First obtained angular velocity of gears relative to the
arm, then equations of relative velocity written and
combined to contain this ratio. Therefore a new
equation is required for each system. Can avoid this
with the following method.
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24  21  41

34  31  41
24 21  41

34 31  41
If gear 3 considered first gear and gear 2 the last gear
 LA  L   A Where: L = Last Gear

 FA  F   A F = First Gear
A = Arm
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 LA
 velocity ratio of the last gear to the first gear both relative to the arm
 FA

ωL – angular velocity of the last gear in train relative

to fixed link
ωA – angular velocity of the arm relative to the fixed
link
ωF – angular velocity of the first gear relative to the
fixed link
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• Using this equation first and last gears must mesh with
the gears or gear that have planetary motion.
Consider gear shown with gear 1 first and gear 2 last:

 LA  L   A

 FA  F   A
 LA 23 N1
 
 FA 13 N2
 L  21
 A  31
 F  1  0
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Substituting these values yields

N1 21  31
 
N2 0  31
 N1 
21  31   31
 N2 
 N1 
21  311  
 N2 
Agrees with the previous equation
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An Example
Consider the case where the arm 4 rotates
clockwise at 50 rad/sec. Determine ω21 in
magnitude and direction.

1
2
3
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Let Gear 2 be the last gear and Gear 1 be the first gear.
L = 2, Last Gear
F = 1, First Gear (Ground)
A = 4, Arm

– Ground

1
2 3
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Consider the 4 gear epicyclic gear set below. Let gear 5
be the last gear and gear 1 the first gear.
L = 5, Last Gear
F = 1, First Gear
A = 3, Arm
Ground = 6
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Suppose arm turns at 2000rpm ie; w36 =

2000 rpm
Assume Gear 1 is
= stationary, w16 = 0

0.2415 rpm
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Reversing mechanism

• Either E or G may be prevented from rotating.

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Reversing mechanism

Consider the first mechanism - gears 1, 2, 3 and 5 with

arm 4. Gear 1 is first and gear 5 is last.
F = 1, First Gear
L = 5, Last Gear
A = 4, Arm
Ground = 7
Now
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Consider second mechanism - gears 1, 2, 3 and 6 with

arm 4. Gear 1 is first and gear 6 is last.

F = 1, First Gear
L = 6, Last Gear
A = 4, Arm
Now
Ground = 7
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Now let ω47 = 1000 rpm and hold G, ω67 = 0 rpm

And when ω47=1000rpm and hold E, ω17 = 0rpm

-333 rpm

• If both brakes released – no drive

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3 speed transmission
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1) Let us hold drum A stationary. Working from output back to input.

Consider gear E, J and A with E first and A last with arm F

F = E, First Gear (Driver - Input) A is Stationary

L = A, Last Gear (Driven)

A = F, Arm
 LA  L   A

 FA  F   A
 AF  A   F

 EF  E   F
Now (normal gear train)
 AF N  NJ N 36 1
 E  E  
 EF NJ  NA NA 72 2
A
0  F 1
   F  333.3rpm
1000   F 2 J
E
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2) Now hold drum B. Consider gear G, K and B with G first and B last with
arm gear A. This is the same as the first case so ωA = 333.3rpm.
3) Now consider gear E, J and A with E first and A last with arm F

F = E, First Gear, Driver

L = A, Last Gear, Driven
 LA  L   A
 A = F, Arm
 FA  F   A
 AF  A   F

 EF  E   F
Now
 AF N  NJ N 36 1
 E  E  
 EF NJ  NA NA 72 2
333.3   F 1
   F  555.5rpm
1000   F 2 A

E J
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4) Now hold drum C. Consider gear H, L and C with H first and C

last with arm gear B. Solving ωB = 333.3rpm. Consider the next
gear set yields ωA = 555.5rpm
So for the last set consider E first and A last. So:
 LA  L   A
 F = E, First Gear, Driver
 FA  E   A
L = A, Last Gear, Driven
 AF  A   F
 A = F, Arm
 EF  E   F
Now
 AF NE 36 1
  
 EF NA 72 2
555.5   F 1
   F  703.7rpm
1000   F 2