Production method for sintered gear

A sintered gear comprises: plural tooth portion having a tooth flank and a tooth bottom land; a high density area formed over entire surface of the tooth portion, the high density area having a density of 7.6 Mg/m3 or more and formed with a depth of 1 mm or more from the surface; a low density area formed in deeper area than the high density area, the low density area having a density of 7.3 Mg/m3 or less; and an intermediate area formed between the high density area and the low density area, the intermediate area having a density gradient in which the density is gradually decreased from the high density area to the low density area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to sprockets and gears made from sintered metals which are produced by powder metallurgy and production method for the same, and specifically relates to improvements for wear resistance.

2. Description of the Related Art

This kind of sintered gears are largely made from Fe-based alloys, which have densities of about 6.8 to 7.2 Mg/m3after compacting a powder and sintering the compact. In sprockets and heavy duty gears, wear resistance of a tooth flank is greatly required. In order to meet the requirement, it is effective to heighten density of sintered alloys. In order to enhance the density of Fe-based sintered alloys, hot forging may be effective. Although hot forging may allow producing gears with high density in which there are approximately no pores, the gears may have superfluous quality when the gears are not required to have entirely high density. Furthermore, weight of the gears is increased and advantages of porous body such as damping capacity and oil impregnation may be lost. Hot forging requires an apparatus to compress a work at high temperature and a specific means to avoid from oxidizing of the work while it is heated. Therefore, hot forging is complicated and the production cost is high.

Japan Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2003-253372 proposes cold forging to sintered bodies for another method to enhance the density. In the method of the reference, an Fe-based metal powder produced by partially diffusing 1 mass % of Mo particles to an iron powder containing 0.15 mass % of Mn and 0.3 mass % of a graphite powder are mixed, and the mixed powder is compacted to have a density less than 7.3 Mg/m3. The compact is sintered at a temperature of 950 to 1300° C., and is then forged in a closed or sealed die. In this method, forged parts with densities of 7.35 to 7.45 Mg/m3when the forging pressure was 784 MPa is yielded, and forged parts with densities of 7.52 to 7.65 Mg/m3when the forging pressure was 1177 MPa is yielded.

Japan Patent Publication No. 48-33137 proposes rolled gears for another method to enhance the density of sintered gears. In rolling of sintered bodies, inner pores are not changed after rolling, and only the surface layer of the tooth flank is rolled and densified, whereby pitching wear resistance is improved and gear accuracy is improved in the sintered gears.

The cold forging proposed in Japan Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2003-253372 has an advantage in which gears are densified by forging at room temperature. However, since a tablet-shaped sintered body is compressed and outwardly expanded in a die, thereby closely contacting the body with the die so as to form a tooth profile, high compression pressure is required. Therefore, the density of the end portion of the tooth is readily lowered when the tooth length is long. Furthermore, the weights of the sintered bodies are not uniform and there may be cases in which the weight exceeds the predetermined value. Therefore, when the sintered body is compressed to have the true density, there may be cases in which the volume after compression exceeds the predetermined value which is identical to the volume of the cavity of the die, whereby the die is broken. In order to avoid such an accident, compression may be performed using a die in which the excess volume of the material flows out the die and forms a flange as similarly as in the case of hot forging. In this case, a process for removing the flange is required and the number of processes is increased.

On the other hand, the rolling to sintered gears proposed in Japan Patent Publication No. 48-33137 has advantages in which the a tooth flank and a tooth bottom land are densified and high size accuracy can be obtained, and wear resistance can be improved. However, the method has a disadvantage in which the rolling needs long time. Furthermore, in gears with short module, rolling amount is not sufficient, whereby uniform densification is difficult. Moreover, the method is not suitable for densification of a tooth portion (entire tooth portion) and a shaft hole portion.

In order to solve the above problems, a method for forming a sintered gear was proposed. As shown inFIGS. 14 to 16, the thickness of a tooth portion is set shorter than other portion, and only the tooth portion is compressed and densified in the thickness direction in a recompression process. This method is similar to the above mentioned cold rolling, and has advantages in which since only the tooth portion is compressed, the pressure of a punch is reduced and the load exerted to a die is reduced.FIGS. 14A and 14Bare a side view and a sectional view of a sprocket231to be produced. As shown inFIG. 15, in order to densify the tooth portion235of the sprocket231, a sintered body241has a tooth forming portion245corresponding to the tooth portion234, and an excess wall portion245ahas been formed at both ends of the tooth forming portion245in the thickness direction thereof. The tooth flank and the inner surface242aof the shaft hole242are closely surrounded by a die251and a core rod252. As shown inFIG. 16A, the excess wall portion245ais compressed by an upper punch253and a lower punch254. As a result, as shown inFIGS. 16B and 16C, the excess wall portion245ais crushed and the tooth forming portion245is compressed, whereby the tooth portion235is densified.

However, in this method, as shown inFIG. 16C, not only the excess wall portion245ais crushed to the compression direction (direction taken by allow A), but also the material is press out by plastic flow inwardly in the radial direction (direction taken by allow A′). As a result, although the material is compressed in the thickness direction, the material is flowed out inwardly in the radial direction, and there is a limit to densify the tooth portion235.FIG. 16Dshows an example of a density distribution of the sprocket231of which tooth portion235has been densified by this method. As shown inFIG. 16D, the density is gradually decreased from the densified tooth portion235to the inner circumferential portion233without the tooth portion235in a large area. This shows that amount of material flowed out from the tooth portion235to the inner circumferential portion233by plastic flow is large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a sintered gear and a production method therefor having several advantages even though conventional materials such as quenched chromium-molybdenum alloy steels for machine structural use are used. That is, in the present invention, compactibility of a powder is improved, the sintered body is easily deformed by plastic working, and hardenability is improved. Although the entire density is as low as possible and the weight is lighted, necessary portions have high density and sufficient strength and wear resistance, and rigidity and durability are totally high. Moreover, in the present invention, mass production efficiency is improved.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a production method of a sintered gear, in which in compressing and forming a sintered gear having a high density area and a low density area, flow out of the material from the high density area to the low density area can be inhibited, thereby sufficiently densifying the high density area. Specifically, the invention provides a method in which the high density area and the low density area are distinctively formed.

The present invention provides a sintered gear comprising plural tooth portion having a tooth flank and a tooth bottom land, a high density area formed over entire surface of the tooth portion, a low density area formed in deeper area than the high density area, and an intermediate area formed between the high density area and the low density area. The high density area has a density of 7.6 Mg/m3or more and is formed with a, depth of 1 mm or more from the surface. The low density area has a density of 7.3 Mg/m3or less. The intermediate area has a density gradient in which the density is gradually decreased from the high density area to the low density area.

In the sintered gear of the present invention, the high density area is formed over entire surface of the tooth portion composed of the tooth flank and the tooth bottom land, but other portion does not have high density. That is, although the entire density is low, since the tooth flank and the tooth bottom land which are required to be high strength and high wear resistance have high density, the sintered gear of the invention has high rigidity and high fatigue strength, and has high wear resistance.

The present invention includes a hole penetrating the gear in a thickness direction thereof. The hole includes a shaft hole formed at the center of the gear and a hole into which a bolt is inserted and which is formed remote from the center. In the present invention, a high density area is formed over inner surface of the hole, the high density area has a density of 7.6 Mg/m3or more and formed with a depth of 1 mm or more from the inner surface of the hole.

The sintered gear of the invention may contain 0.5 to 2.0 mass % of Mo, and may have a metallic structure in which at least the tooth portion and the vicinity thereof are quenched structure. Furthermore, the tooth flank may have no pore.

The present invention provides a production method for a sintered gear, the method comprising the following steps of:

(1) a law powder preparing step for preparing a mixed powder comprising an iron-molybdenum alloy powder in which molybdenum particles are partially diffused and bonded on a surface of an iron powder and a graphite powder;

(2) a compacting step for compressing the mixed powder in a die and forming a compact comprising:

plural tooth portions having a tooth flank and a tooth bottom land; a high density area formed over entire surface of the tooth portion, the high density area formed with a depth of 1 mm or more from the surface and formed with a recompressing thickness in a thickness direction thereof;

a low density area formed in deeper area than the high density area, the low density area having a lower density than that of the high density area; and

an intermediate area formed between the high density area and the low density area;

the compact having a shape similar or homothetic to a finished shape of the gear;

(3) a sintering step for heating the compact to obtain a sintered body at a temperature of 1000 to 1200° C. in a sintering furnace into which hydrogen gas or mixed gas of hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas is provided and cooling the sintered body;

(4) a recompressing step for compressing the sintered body into a recompressed body having a predetermined shape and size in a die, thereby the high density area having a density of 7.6 Mg/m3or more, the low density area having a density of 7.3 Mg/m3or less, and the intermediate area having a density gradient in which the density is gradually decreased from the high density area to the low density area;

(5) a heat treatment step for heating the recompressed body at a temperature range of 850 to 950° C. for a predetermined time, and quenching the recompressed body from the temperature range, and tempering the recompressed body.

In the production method of the present invention, a hole penetrating the compact in a thickness direction thereof may be formed in a compact forming step, and an inner surface of the hole may be provided with a high density area which is densified within a depth of 1 mm or more from the inner surface and provided with a recompressing thickness. The present invention includes a hole penetrating the gear in a thickness direction thereof. The hole includes a shaft hole formed at the center of the gear and a hole into which a bolt is inserted and which is formed remote from the center.

In the present the iron-molybdenum powder in the mixed powder used in the law powder preparing step may contain 0.5 to 2.0 mass % of Mo, and the content of the graphite powder may be 0.1 to 0.4 mass %. When the high density area in the compact formed in the compacting step has a density of 6.8 to 7.4 Mg/m3or more, and low density area in the compact has a density of 6.6 to 7.2 Mg/m3or less, the densities of the high density area and the low density area after sintering of the sintered gear can be required densities. The high density area of the compact and the high density area of the recompressed body are preferably formed in homothetic shapes. The recompressed body compressed in the recompressing step or the heat treated body subjected to the heat treatment step is subjected to sizing, whereby at least pores in the tooth flank are preferably disappeared.

The present invention provides a sintered gear in which the entire density is low, but the tooth flank is hide density. In the sintered gear, the rigidity and the fatigue strength are high, and the wear resistance is high. Therefore, the sintered gear can be applied to techniques in which high pressure is loaded to the tooth flank, and utility of the sintered gear can be widened.

In the present invention, ordinary steps such as a compacting step using a die, a sintering step, a recompressing step using a die, and a heat treatment step are used as well as a production method for ordinary sintered products, whereby mass production efficiency can be improved. In the present invention, since the sintered body includes low density area, when the sintered body is recompressed and the tooth portion is compressed to a predetermined size so as to have true density, plastic flow goes ahead from the portion of the true density to the portion of the low density. Therefore, excess pressure in the recompressing can be avoided, whereby the die is not required to have a structure to form a flange for the excess volume of the material. That is, since ununiform of weight of the sintered bodies can be absorbed, the sintered gear can be economically mass produced.

Next, the present invention further provides a production method for sintered gear comprising, a high density area, a low density area having a lower density than that of the high density area, and a step portion connecting the high density area and the low density area. The method comprises a preparing step for preparing a sintered body for compressing. The sintered body comprises a high density forming portion which forms the high density area by being compressed and having excess wall portions formed at both ends of the high density area in a compressing direction. The sintered body comprises a low density forming portion which forms the low density area by being compressed and disposed at a position biased from the high density forming portion toward one direction along the compressing direction. The sintered body also comprises a step forming portion which forms the step portion by being compressed and connecting the high density forming portion and the low density forming portion. The step forming portion has an excess wall portion of which thickness gradually increases from the low density forming portion to the high density forming portion, the excess wall portion is disposed at an opposite side of the above one direction. The method further comprises a compressing step for compressing the high density forming portion in a direction perpendicular to a direction along which the high density area and the low density area are arranged in a condition in which an outer circumferential surface of the sintered body is closely surrounded by a die, thereby crushing the excess wall portions of the high density forming portion and forming the high density area, and compressing at least the excess wall portion of the step forming portion, thereby crushing the excess wall portion and forming the step portion between the high density area and the low density area.

For example, when a sprocket shown inFIG. 14is produced, the tooth portion is the high density area and the inner portion disposed inside the tooth portion, and the step portion is formed therebetween. In this case, when the high density forming portion of the sintered body is compressed in the thickness direction and the excess wall portion is crushed, as shown inFIG. 16Cas a conventional art, the material in the tooth portion flows out to the inner direction, namely, toward the low density area. In the case of the invention, the material flows out toward the step forming portion which is opposite to the side closely surrounded by the die.

In contrast, in the present invention, the excess wall portion of the step forming portion is disposed at one side which is the opposite side of the direction (one direction along the compressing direction) in which the low density forming portion is biased from the high density forming portion. When the excess wall portion of the step portion is compressed in the recompressing step, a part of the material plastically flows toward the high density forming portion according to the shape of the step portion in addition to the material which plastically flows toward the compressing direction. That is, in the step forming portion, the part of the material moves counter to the material flowing out from the high density forming portion to the step forming portion. The flow out of the material from the high density forming portion to the low density forming portion is inhibited by the counter movement of the part of the material. As a result, the densification in the high density forming portion is increased, whereby the high density area after compressing is effectively densified.

In the conventional method shown inFIGS. 16A to 16D, if the thickness of the excess wall portion of the tooth portion is large, the densification is enhanced and the tooth portion has high density although the material flows out to radially inner portion. However, such a method results in increase of load exerted to the die, whereby burden for the apparatus such as large design of die and large compressing capacity will be increased.

In contrast, in the present invention, the step forming portion is provided to the sintered body and the excess wall portion is provided to the step forming portion, and the flow out of the material from the high density forming potion to the step forming portion is inhibited. Therefore, the high density area can be highly densified without large compressing capacity, whereby burden of production such as large design of die can be reduced.

In the present invention, the high density area has a thickness h1in the compressing direction and the step portion has a level distance h2between the high density area and the low density area, and h2/h1is preferably ¼ or more.

As examples of the cross sectional shape of the step forming portion after compacting, a linear shape and an arc shape are mentioned. When the linear shape is applied, the step portion is preferable inclined with respect to the high density area with an angle of 10 to 90 degrees.

In the another production method of the present invention, the sintered body is formed such that the flow out of the material in the high density area in compressing the high density area is inhibited, whereby the high density area after compressing is effective densified, and a sintered gear in which the high density area and the low density area are distinctively formed can be easily produced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FOR THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention will be explained referring to drawings hereinafter.

1. Composition of Sintered Alloy

In selection of composition of a sintered gear, it may be principle that compactibility of a powder is good in production, a sintered body has ductility and is good in plastic deformation and quenchability, and amount and kind of alloying elements are small. As an alloy fulfill the requirements, hypoeutectoid steel containing 0.5 to 2.0 mass % of Mo, 0.1 mass % or more of C, and Fe as a main element is preferable.

Mo: In these components, Mo is an element for improving quenchability. Other alloying elements may not be added to maintain ductility of a sintered body. Several kinds of alloying elements increase strength of a sintered body but decrease ductility. Mo is an element which does not decrease ductility so much. When amount of Mo is small, ductility of a sintered body is good. However, amount of Mo is less than 0.5 mass %, quenchability is not sufficient and there is a case in which hardness after heat treatment is insufficient when weight of a sintered gear is large. When amount of Mo is large, quenchability of a sintered body is improved. However, even if amount of Mo is more than 2 mass %, quenchability is not so improved comparing to amount of Mo, thereby increasing the production cost. Therefore, amount of Mo is set in a range from 0.5 to 2 mass %. Amount of Mo is preferably about 1 mass % to obtain ductility required in recompressing and quenchability required to yield hard gears.

C: Amount of C contained in a sintered body is set in a hypoeutectoid range as well as ordinary steel material, and is in a range from 0.1 to 0.4 mass %. When amount of C bonded in a matrix is large, strength is high and ductility is low. Therefore, plastic deformation in recompressing is obstructed and pressure required in compressing is increased. When the sintered body is subjected to carburizing quenching, amount of C varies between the surface portion and the center portion of a gear. When the sintered body does not contain C, C may not reach the center of the gear in carburizing. Therefore, amount of C is preferably 0.1 mass % or more.

2. Low Powder for Production of Sintered Alloy

In order to add Mo, partially Mo alloyed iron powder in which Mo particles are partially alloyed and bonded to a particle surface of atomized iron powder having good compactibility may be used. The reason of using such a powder is that an iron alloy powder in which Mo is solid-solved does not have good compactibility. Mo is diffused in an iron matrix in sintering and in a heat treatment in order and finally forms a sintered alloy having improved quenchability. Partially Mo alloyed iron powder is produced by mixing predetermined amount of a molybdenum oxide powder to an atomized iron powder, heating the mixed powder in hydrogen gas to reduce the molybdenum oxide, and crushing the powder. C is generally added in a graphite powder. In order to obtain a sintered body having a hypoeutectoid composition, amount of the graphite powder is in a range of 0.1 to 0.4 mass %. A lubricant for compacting can be added. When a lubricant is not added, an inner surface of a die for compacting should be coated with a lubricant by an electrostatic coating apparatus to reduce friction between the die and a compact. When a lubricant is added to a mixed powder, amount of the lubricant is 0.75 mass % or less. If amount of the lubricant is large, it is difficult to obtain a compact with high density. When a die is not lubricated, the lubricant is preferably added in a range of 0.2 to 0.7 mass % in consideration with die releasing and compactibility of a mixed powder.

A powder compacting die is used for compacting a powder in the same way as compacting ordinary sintered gears. The profile of a compact is approximately the same as a finished shape of a sintered gear, and the compact has a shape similar or homothetic to the finished shape of the gear. Difference between these shapes is that the compact has a high density area having a higher density than other portion. The high density area is formed with a depth of 1 mm or more from surfaces of a tooth flank and a tooth bottom land, and optionally a high density area is formed with a depth of 0.1 mm or more from surfaces of a shaft hole and bolt holes of the gear. Another difference is that the compact has a thickness added with a recompressing thickness for recompressing a sintered body after sintering.

When the density of the portion which is recompressed in a sintered body is high, the portion can be densified with a small recompressing thickness and the density of other portion can be low. The density of the high density area is in a range of 6.8 to 7.4 Mg/m3, and the density of other low density area is in a range of 6.6 to 7.2 Mg/m3. Although the high density area preferably has high density so as to easily densify by recompressing, if the density of the high density area is more than 7.4 Mg/m3, the pressure for compacting is required to be large. The density of the low density area is 6.6 Mg/m3or more so as to obtain mechanical strength required to a gear member, and is 7.2 Mg/m3or less so as to have difference from the density of the recompressed high density area.

A large load is exerted to a tooth flank and a tooth bottom land of a gear when gears engage each other. Therefore, when the depth of the high density area in the compact, namely, the distance from the surface of the thick portion to which the recompressing thickness is provided, is less than 1 mm, and the thick portion of a sintered body is recompressed, the recompressed material flows to the low density area, whereby the tooth flank may not be densified. The tooth flank can surely be densified by maintaining the volume to be recompressed in the vicinity of a tooth flank. Therefore, the depth from the surface of the recompressing thick portion is required to be 1 mm or more. On the other hand, a shaft hole and a bolt hole in a gear are not exerted with a so large load as in the tooth flank and the tooth bottom land. Therefore, it is sufficient that the depth from the surface of the recompressing thick portion is 0.1 mm or more. The maximum depth from the surface of the thick portion is decided according to the diameter and the module of the gear, but is preferably 5 mm or less. If the maximum depth is too large, the recompressing pressure is increased, and the volume of the low density area is decreased and the weight of the gear is increased.

In a case of a sintered gear with a uniform thickness, the thickness of a compact and a sintered body obtained by sintering the compact is designed such that the thickness of a tooth portion is large, and the thickness of the portion adjacent to the tooth portion is gradually reduced toward the center of the gear.FIGS. 1A and 1Bshow cross sectional views of an embodiment of a spur gear.FIG. 1Ashows a sintered body10obtained by sintering a compact, andFIG. 1Bshows a recompressed body20obtained by recompressing the sintered body10. The sintered body10has a uniform density at this time and a recompressing thickness11awhich expands toward the thickness direction at both sides of a high density area11, thereby increasing the thickness. A low density portion12is formed around the center shaft hole30and has small thickness. An intermediate area13is formed between the high density area11and the low density area12. The sintered body10is recompressed in the thickness direction, whereby a recompressed body20having a uniform thickness is obtained. In this condition, the density of the high density area11is high and the density of the low density area is low, and the intermediate area13has a density gradient in which the density is gradually decreased from the high density area11to the low density area12.

In a case in which the thickness of a tooth portion smaller than that of other portion, the thickness of a compact and a sintered body obtained by sintering the compact can be uniform.FIGS. 2A and 2Bshow cross sectional views of an example of such a spur gear.FIG. 2Ashows a sintered body10obtained by sintering a compact, andFIG. 2Bshows a recompressed body20obtained by recompressing the sintered body10. As shown inFIG. 2A, the sintered body10has a uniform thickness and consists of a high density area11, an intermediate area13, and a low density area in order from the outer circumference to the inner circumference, but the density thereof is uniform at this time. Recompressing of the sintered body10in the thickness direction is performed with respect to the high density area11and the intermediate area13. As a result, as shown inFIG. 2B, the high density area11is thin and both side surfaces of the intermediate area13are inclined toward the low density area12.

FIGS. 3A and 3Bare cross sectional views showing specific compacting method in which the density is varied in a compact.FIGS. 3A and 3Bshow a die set for compacting a compact having the same shape as the sintered body10shown inFIG. 1A. The die set comprises a die40, an outer lower punch41, an intermediate lower punch42, and an inner lower punch43which are cylindrical and slidably closely fitted into a die hole40aof the die40in the vertical direction. A core rod44is slidably closely fitted into the inner lower punch43. An upper punch45is slidably closely fitted into the die hole40aof the die40. The core rod44is slidably closely fitted into the upper punch45.

The upper end surface of the core rod44is coincide with or higher than the upper end surface of the die40. The punching surface (upper end surface) of the outer lower punch41is disposed at the lowest position, the punching surface of the inner lower punch43is disposed at the highest position, and the punching surface of the intermediate lower punch42is disposed at the intermediate position of these punching surfaces. A raw powder P is filled in a cavity formed by the punching surfaces of the low punches41,42,43, and the die hole40a. It should be noted that the punching surface of the intermediate lower punch42is downwardly inclined toward outer circumference. The punching surface (lower surface) of the upper punch45comprises an inner flat surface which is perpendicular to the axis and disposed around a hole into which the core rod44is inserted. An inclined surface upwardly inclined toward outer circumference is formed at outside of the inner flat surface, and an outer flat surface perpendicular to the axis is formed at outside of the inclined surface.

Then, the upper punch45is moved downward and inserted into the die hole40a, and the lower punches41,42, and43are moved upward, thereby compressing the raw powder P as shown inFIG. 3B. The lower punches41,42, and43are moved so that the punching surfaces smoothly continue. That is, amount of the movement of the intermediate lower punch42is larger than that of the inner lower punch43, and amount of the movement of the outer lower punch41is larger than that of the intermediate lower punch42. In the compact50thus formed, the portion compressed by the outer lower punch41with deep powder filling is the high density area11, the portion compressed by the inner lower punch43with shallow powder filling is the low density area13, and the portion between these portions is the intermediate portion12in which the density is gradually reduced from the high density area11to the low density area13and both side surfaces are inclined.

It should be noted that if portions around the shaft hole and the bolt hole are required to be densified, a recompressing thickness is provided to these portions and densified. The shape of the high density area in the compact is preferably designed such that the shape is homothetic viewed from the compressing direction. The shape is homothetic in ordinary spur gears. In gears having a non-homothetic shape such as a non-circular gears and sector gears, an offset load is exerted to a punch in compacting and recompressing. Therefore, the width of the high density area is preferably adjusted so as to make uniform the recompressed surface in the circumferential direction.

In sintering of a compact, the compact is maintained in a sintering furnace into which hydrogen gas or a mixed gas of hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas is provided at a temperature range from 1000 to 1200° C., preferably from 1100 to 1150° C., then, the compact is cooled. Mo and C are diffused into an iron matrix in the sintering, whereby strength and ductility are improved. The heating time is set at a suitable range in consideration with the strength and the ductility of the sintered body obtained by sintering at the above temperature range. For example, when the sintering temperature is 1150° C., the sintering time is about 30 minutes. In order to improve ductility, the cooling rate may be as slow as possible. Content of carbon in a sintered body is 0.6 mass % or less, and is preferably 0.1 to 0.4 mass % to obtain suitable strength and ductility. When content of carbon is large, ductility is decreased.

4. Forming High Density Area by Recompressing

Recompressing of a sintered body is performed using a die set similar to a sizing die set at room temperature.FIG. 4is a cross sectional view showing a condition in which a sintered body (spur gear) is recompressed in a die set for recompressing. The die set comprises a die50, core rod51, and upper and lower punches52and53. The recompressed body20is same as the recompressed body shown inFIG. 1B. In recompressing, a lubricant is coated to a surface of the sintered body or an inner surface of the die set to reduce friction between die50and the core rod51, and the sintered body. When compressing thickness is large, plastic deformation will be ununiform due to friction between the surfaces of the punches52and53and the sintered body, whereby there may be a case in which a portion of the material is not closely contacted with the inner surface of the die50. Therefore, lubrication between the surfaces of the punches and the sintered body is preferable as in a case of hot forging. Compressing speed in recompressing can be slow as in a case of hydraulic press. When compressing speed is high as in a case of mechanical press used for forging, plastic deformation is easily occurs and production efficiency is improved. Of cause, production efficiency is more improved than a case of rolling because recompressing is performed using a die.

The size of a sintered body provided to a die for recompressing is smaller than the size of the die hole50aof the die50. The portion for a high density area is compressed into a predetermined size and plastically deformed and densified, and is closely contacted with the inner wall of the die, thereby being formed into predetermined size and shape. In recompressing the sintered body, when the thickness of the portion to be recompressed is larger than that of other portion, the thickest portion is first compressed and the inclined surface is then compressed. When the thickness of sintered body provided with a recompressing thickness is uniform, the punching surfaces of the upper and lower punches52and53are partially projected to each other in the vicinity of the tooth portion in a length equal to the recompressing thickness. For this structure of punches52and53, the gear is finished to a shape in which the tooth portion is thinner than other portion. When compressing is performed to only a portion to be recompressed, the compressing area can be small and compressing pressure for plastic deformation can be reduced.

Recompressing may be performed to not only the high density area and the vicinity thereof but also the low density area with small thickness. The recompressing thickness is preferably provided to both surfaces of the sintered body uniformly, but the present invention does not exclude the embodiment in which the sintered body is recompressed from only one direction (for example, from only the upper punch52). Since the intermediate area between the high density area and the low density area has a density gradient along the radial direction, there is no clear boundary of strength and durability is improved. When the depth of the high density area from the tooth bottom land is smaller than the depth of the high density area from the tooth flank, plastic deformation of the tooth bottom land may be insufficient. Therefore, the depth of the high density area from the tooth bottom land is preferably large or the density of the portion around the tooth bottom land is preferably large.

The density of the recompressed portion is high as the density of the sintered body is high. For example, in order to obtain a recompressed density of 7.7 Mg/m3, the recompressing pressure is 1800 MPa when the density of the sintered body is 6.8 Mg/m3, and the recompressing pressure is 1100 MPa when the density of the sintered body is 7.4 Mg/m3. Even if the recompressed high density area is required to have true density and to be further compressed to a predetermined shape, the material can plastically flow toward the low density area. Therefore, even if the weight of the sintered body is larger than the predetermined value, the die is not broken and recompressed body can be formed without flange.

5. Heat Treatment

The recompressed body is subjected to heat treatments, which include heating before quenching, quenching, and tempering. The heating before quenching is performed in a carburizing gas for carburizing the recompressed body. The followings are other objects of the heating before quenching.

In the portion in which amount of pores was reduced by recompressing, fine cracks which are closed by mechanical contact are formed, distortion is generated in particles and boundary of the particles, and grain size is decreased. Furthermore, in the portion of which large amount is plastically flowed and the portion which was plastically flowed by contact with a die, grains are finely drawn and show a structure like a metal flow in forging. Disadvantageous defects for strength and wear resistance among these phenomena may be restored by the heating before quenching. Another object of the heating is preliminary heating before quenching. The temperature of the heating before quenching is somewhat higher than the Ac3transformation point as in quenching for ordinary iron alloys, and is suitably in a range of 850 to 900° C. which is higher than recrystallization temperature.

Maintaining time in the heating before quenching is changed according to size of a recompressed body, 3 to 5 hours is preferable for the above objects. In the recompressed body to which a high density area is provided, the high density area is directly carburized, and the low density area is also easily carburized. Therefore, the recompressed body is carburized in short time compared to carburizing for alloy steels for machine structural use. The carbon content in the surface of the carburized recompressed body is in a hypoeutectoid range, 0.4 to 0.6 mass % is preferable. Generally, the heating before quenching and the quenching are continuously performed, but the present invention does not exclude such a embodiment that a recompressed body is subjected to heating before quenching so as to restore defects caused by carburizing and recompressing, then is cooled, and is subsequently heated again to a quenching temperature, and is then quenched. The quenching is generally performed in oil. Since the alloy contains large amount of Mo, the quenchability is good and the surface portion of the recompressed body can be a martensitic structure. Tempering is performed at about 180° C. for about 1 hour.

6. Other Processes

(1) Sizing for Densifying Tooth Flank

Sizing for densifying tooth flank may be performed in addition to the above processes. The sizing is preferably performed to a recompressed body (sintered gear), but can be performed to a heat treated recompressed body. When the high density area of a tooth flank, and the like, is not densified to have true density, the tooth flank is subjected to sizing for densifying so that pores in the tooth flank disappear, whereby wear resistance in high surface pressure is further improved. Furthermore, dimensional accuracy of the tooth flank is improved.

Sizing for densifying tooth flank is performed by extrusion sizing in which sintered gear is press inserted and penetrated through a die having a tooth profile. In this process, a lubricant for plastic work is used.FIG. 5shows a condition in which a sintered gear (recompressed body) is subjected to sizing using a die set for surface densifying sizing. The die60in the die set has a tooth profile in the inner surface thereof. The inner surface of a die hole60ahas a large diameter portion at upper half thereof and a drawing portion60bof which diameter is reduced at lower half thereof. The size of the tooth profile of the die60is set to be smaller than that of the recompressed body20. A core rod61is inserted into the recompressed body20comprising a low density area, an intermediate area, and a high density area, and a punch62is inserted into the die hole60a, whereby the recompressed body20is press inserted and penetrated through the drawing portion60b. As a result, the tooth flank of the recompressed body20is intensely rubbed by the tooth flank of the die, whereby pores in the tooth flank disappear.

(2) Other Process

A sintered gear is subjected to other processes such as machining for side surfaces and threading if necessary. In addition, a sintered gear is subjected to bonderizing and oil impregnation.

7. Embodiment of Shape of Sintered Gear

FIG. 6is a plane cross sectional view showing a density distribution of a spur gear (sintered gear)70having a large module. The sintered gear70comprises a high density area81with a density of 7.6 Mg/m3or more formed in an area from a tooth flank71and a tooth bottom land72to a depth of 1 mm or more, a low density area with a density of 7.3 Mg/m3or less formed in an area around a shaft hole73formed in the center, and an intermediate area83formed between the high density area81and the low density area82. Although boundaries of the high density area, the intermediate area83, and the low density area82are clearly shown inFIG. 6, the density is gradually changes in actual.

Since the sintered gear70has a somewhat large module, the shape of the inner circumference of the high density area81corresponds to the tooth profile. The depth of the high density area81is 1 mm or more from the tooth flank71and the tooth bottom land72, whereby plastic deformation in recompressing sufficiently covers the tooth flank71and the tooth bottom land72, the surface of the tooth portion is stably densified. Since other portion has a somewhat low density, advantages of a sintered gear having pores can be obtained. That is, the gear is light weight, oil impregnation is available, and damping capacity is obtained.

FIG. 7is a plane sectional view showing a density distribution of a sintered gear90having a specific shape of tooth profile. The sintered gear90comprises a high density area101with a density of 7.6 Mg/m3or more formed in an area from a tooth flank91and a tooth bottom land92to a depth of 1 mm or more, and an intermediate area103formed inside the high density area101. A shaft hole93is formed inside the high density area101, and plural (four in this embodiment) bolt holes94are formed around the shaft hole93. A high density area101with a density of 7.6 Mg/m3or more is also formed around the shaft hole93and the bolt holes94in an area from the inner surfaces thereof to a depth of 0.1 mm or more. Furthermore, an intermediate area103is formed around the high density areas101, and a low density area102is formed in other portion.

Since the sintered gear90has a small module, shape of the inner circumference of the outer circumferential high density area101is approximately a circle. In the sintered gear90, since the high density area101is formed around the shaft hole93, the gear90can be applied to applications required to be greatly strong. The bolt hole94is used to insert a bolt for mounting the sintered gear90to another member. Since the circumference of the bolt hole94is densified, the tightening strength, namely, the securing strength can be enhanced.

EXAMPLES

(1) Raw Powder

An iron-molybdenum alloy powder in which molybdenum particles are partially diffused and bonded on a surface of an iron powder, 1 mass % of a graphite powder, and 0.6 mass % of ethylene-bis-stearoamide as a lubricant were mixed and a raw powder was prepared.

A compact having a shape of a spur gear was compacted using a die set similar to the die set shown inFIG. 3A. In the compact, the diameter of the tip circle was 60 mm, the number of teeth was 23, the diameter of the shaft hole was 16 mm, and the thickness and the density were set according toFIG. 1A. Specifically, a high density area with a density of 7.3 Mg/m3and a thickness of 6.36 mm was formed in the entire portion of the tooth portion and an area from the tooth bottom land toward the shaft hole at a depth of 2 mm. A low density area with a density of 6.8 Mg/m3and a thickness of 6 mm was formed in an area from inner surface of the shaft hole at a depth of 10 mm. An intermediate area was formed between the high density area and the low density area. In the intermediate area, the thickness was gradually varied from 6.36 mm to 6 mm and the density was gradually varied from 7.3 Mg/m3to 6.8 Mg/m3.

The compact was sintered at a sintering furnace in which decomposed ammonia gas (mixed gas of hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas) was provided at a temperature of 1150° C. The metallographic structure in the cross section of the sintered body was a mixed structure of pearlite and ferrite.

The sintered body was recompressed using a die set similar to the die set shown inFIG. 4. A die having a slightly larger tooth profile than that of the sintered body was used. In the recompressing, the high density area and the intermediate area were compressed to a uniform thickness, and the low density area was not compressed. The density of the high density area in the vicinity of the tooth portion was 7.7 Mg/m3and the density of the low density area was 6.8 Mg/m3.

The plane cross section of the tooth portion was observed. As a result, there was a structure in which the grains were finely drawn like a metal flow in forging in the vicinity of the tooth bottom land. It was assumed that the structure was formed because the tooth bottom land of the sintered body was brought into contact with the tooth end of the die and plastically flowed. Furthermore, it was observed that the grain size in the high density area was smaller than that of the sintered body.

(5) Heat Treatment

The recompressed body was maintained at 860° C. for five hours in a carburizing gas, and was then quenched in oil. The recompressed body was tempered at 180° C. for 60 minutes. The apparent surface hardness of the high density area of the sintered gear after the heat treatment was HRC 55, and the fine hardness in the cross section was Hv 750. The structure was martensite in observation of cross sectional microscopic structure.

(6) Result of Wear Test for Gear

As a comparative example, a chromium-molybdenum alloy steel of an alloy steel for machine structural use (C: 0.2 mass %, Mn: 0.8 mass %, Cr: 1 mass %, Mo: 0.2 mass %, and the balance of Fe and inevitable impurities) was machined to have the same shape of the sintered gear of the present invention. The gear was heated at 860° C. for 5 hours, and was then quenched and tempered. The comparative gear and the gear of the invention were engaged and a load was exerted thereto, the gears were rotated at 3000 rpm for 60 hours. Then, the tooth flanks of the gears were observed to investigate pitching wear. As a result, there was no difference between the degrees of wear in both teeth flank.

The sintered gear of the present invention is applied to sprockets, rotors for oil pumps, reduction gears, belt pulley with teeth. Since the sintered gear of the present invention has wear resistance equal to an alloy steel for machine structural use, the sintered gear can be applied in stead of a gear made from the above alloy.

Next, an embodiment of another invention will be explained referring toFIGS. 8 to 13.FIG. 8shows a sintered sprocket201A produced by the embodiment of the invention. The sprocket201A has a uniform thickness and comprises a ring-shaped inner circumferential portion (low density area)203formed around a shaft hole202into which a shaft is closely fitted and secured, a shade-shaped step portion204formed around the inner circumferential portion202, and a tooth portion (high density area)205formed around the step portion204. Plural teeth205aare formed in the tooth portion205along the circumferential direction at the same interval, and a tooth space205bis formed between the teeth205a.

The sprocket201A was obtained by recompressing a sintered material consisting of a sintered body in the thickness direction. The tooth portion205is formed in a high density (7.6 Mg/m3or more) and the inner circumferential portion203is formed in a low density (about 7.2 Mg/m3or more). The inner circumferential portion203is disposed at a position biased from the tooth portion205toward one direction (upward direction inFIG. 8A) along the thickness direction because the step portion204is formed, and the tooth portion205and the inner circumferential portion are parallel each other

As shown inFIG. 8C, the step portion204connecting the tooth portion205and the inner circumferential portion203has liner cross section, the angle θ with respect to the tooth portion205is 10 degrees or more and less than 90 degrees. The tooth portion205has a thickness h1and the step portion204has a level distance h2between the tooth portion205and the inner circumferential portion203, and h2/h1is ¼ or more. In the sprocket201A, the radial length of the inner circumferential portion203is approximately the same as the radial length of the tooth portion205, and the radial length of the step portion204is about half the length of the inner circumferential portion203.

Then, a process for recompressing in producing the sprocket201A will be explained hereinafter.FIG. 9shows a prepared condition in which a sintered body211A before recompressing to the sprocket201A is set in a die set220to compress the sintered body211A in the thickness direction. The sintered body211A has a shape homothetic to the sprocket201A. The sintered body211A integrally comprises an inner circumference forming portion (low density forming portion)213in which a shaft hole212is formed in the center thereof, step forming portion214formed around the inner circumference forming portion213, and a tooth forming portion (high density forming portion)215formed around the inner circumference forming portion213. Plural teeth are formed in the tooth forming portion215along the circumferential direction at the same interval. The step forming portion214linearly extends inside while upwardly expanding in the thickness direction (upward direction inFIG. 9) from the inner circumference of the tooth forming portion215. The inner circumference forming portion213extends inside in parallel to the tooth forming portion215from the inner circumference of the step forming portion214. The inner circumference forming portion213is disposed at a position biased from the tooth forming portion215in the thickness direction because the step forming portion214is formed.

An excess wall portion215a(excess wall portions of the high density forming portion, outside portion beyond the broken line inFIG. 9) having a uniform thickness for the tooth portion is formed on both surfaces of the tooth forming portion215, namely on the upper and lower end surfaces inFIG. 9, whereby the tooth forming portion215is formed in thicker than other portion. An excess wall portion214afor step portion is formed on the lower surface of the step forming portion214. That is, the excess wall portion214ais provided on the opposite side of the direction in which the step forming portion214upwardly extends from the tooth forming portion215to the inner circumference forming portion213. The excess wall portion214ahas a triangular cross section, and the thickness thereof gradually increase from the inner circumference forming portion213to the tooth forming portion215. The lower surface of the excess wall portion214asmoothly continues to the lower surface of the tooth forming portion215. The thickness of the inner circumference forming portion213is approximately same as the inner circumferential portion203after recompressing.

The die set220comprises a die221, a core rod222, an upper cylindrical punch223, and a lower cylindrical punch224. The die has an inner surface221ainto which an outer tooth flank is slidably closely fitted. The core rod22is slidably inserted into the shaft hole212of the sintered body211A. The upper and lower punches223and224push the upper and lower end surfaces of the sintered body211A and compress it in the thickness direction. The shapes of the upper and lower punches223and224have sizes and shapes corresponding to those of the upper and lower end surfaces of the sprocket201A after recompressing.

As shown inFIG. 9, the sintered body211A is closely surrounded by a die221such that the inner circumference forming portion213is upwardly projected and the tooth flank is closely fitted into the inner surface221aand rotation of the sintered body is prevented. In such a setting condition, the sintered body211A is recompressed by movement of the upper and lower punches223and224toward the sintered body211A. The punching surfaces of the upper and lower punches have sizes and shapes corresponding to those of the upper and lower surface of the sprocket201A after recompressing. Therefore, when the upper and lower punches223and224are brought into contact with the sintered body211A, specific plastic flow of the material occurs since the excess wall portions215aare formed. That is, the excess wall portion215ais formed on both end surfaces of the tooth forming portion215, whereby the upper punch223is brought into contact with only the upper surface of the excess wall portion215aof the tooth forming portion215, and lower punch224is brought into contact with only the lower surface of the excess wall portion215aof the tooth forming portion215. Thus, a gap is formed between the upper and lower punches223and224and the step forming portion214and the inner circumference forming portion213.

As shown inFIG. 10A, when the upper and lower punches223and224further moves to each other and compressing is started, the excess wall portions215aof the tooth portion215are first crushed. Furthermore, as shown inFIG. 10B, the excess wall portion214aof the step forming portion214is crushed from radially outer portion by the lower punch224. Then, as shown inFIGS. 10C and 10D, the excess wall portion215aof the tooth portion215and the excess wall portion214aof the step forming portion214are further crushed. Subsequently, the recompressing of the sintered body is finished when the upper and lower punches223and224are closely contacted with the entire upper and lower surfaces of the sintered body211A or the entire sintered body211A is slightly further compressed from this condition, and the sprocket201A shown inFIG. 8is thus obtained.

In the above compressing, when the tooth forming portion215is compressed in the thickness direction shown by arrow A as shown inFIGS. 10A to 10Band the excess wall portion215ais crushed, the material does not plastically flow to the radially outward direction in the tooth forming portion215because the tooth flank is closely surrounded by the die211. In stead, the material flows to the step forming portion214opposite to the tooth flank. On the other hand, when the excess wall portion214ain the step forming portion214, which is inclined with respect to the tooth forming portion215, is compressed, specific material flow occurs as shown inFIGS. 10C and 10D. That is,FIG. 10Cshows a component force direction D of the compressing direction B and the radially outer direction C perpendicular to the direction B. Thus, the material plastically flows in the direction D in the step forming portion214.

As shown inFIG. 10D, the material flow in the direction D functions as a material flow in the direction D′ opposite to the material which flows out from the tooth forming portion215to the step forming portion214in the direction A. The material flow in direction D′ inhibits the material flow from the tooth forming portion215to the step forming portion214. As a result, the tooth forming portion215is highly densified, and tooth portion205after recompressing is sufficiently densified.FIG. 10Eshows an example of a density distribution of the sprocket201A obtained by the embodiment. A density gradient is formed in a narrow area in the step portion204between the high density tooth portion205and the low density inner circumferential portion203, which are clearly distinctive.

The shape of the cross section of the step portion204in the sprocket201A is linear. The present invention can be applied to a sprocket201B having a step portion with an arc shaped cross section as shown inFIG. 11.FIG. 12shows a sintered body211B before recompressing for such a sprocket201B and a die set220for recompressing. The sintered body211B also comprises a tooth forming portion215, a step forming portion214, and an inner circumference forming portion213. An excess wall portion215ahaving a uniform thickness is formed on both surface of the tooth forming portion215. An excess wall portion214aof which lower surface is linearly inclined is formed on the lower surface of the step forming portion214. The die221and the core rod222shown inFIG. 9are applied to the die set220. The upper and lower punches223and224are arranged corresponding to the shapes of both end surfaces of the sprocket201B, specifically, designed to form the step portion204. It should be noted that the tooth portion205has a thickness h1and the step portion204has a level distance h2between the tooth portion205and the inner circumferential portion203, and h2/h1is ¼ or more.

FIGS. 13A to 13Cshow a condition in which the sintered body211B is compressed by the upper and lower punches223and224in the thickness direction. As shown innFIG. 13A, first, the excess wall portion215aof the tooth forming portion215is compressed by the upper punch223and the excess wall portion214aof the step forming portion214is compressed by the lower punch224. Then, as shown inFIG. 13B, the tooth forming portion215is compressed from top and bottom and the excess wall portion214aof the step forming portion214is compressed.

FIGS. 13A and 13Bshow a component force direction D of the compressing direction B and the radially outer direction C perpendicular to the direction B. Also in this case, the material plastically flows in the direction D in the step forming portion214. As shown inFIG. 13C, the material flow in the direction D functions as a material flow in the direction D′ opposite to the material which flows out from the tooth forming portion215to the step forming portion214in the direction A. The material flow in direction D′ inhibits the material flow from the tooth forming portion215to the step forming portion214. As a result, the tooth forming portion215is highly densified, and tooth portion205after recompressing is sufficiently densified.FIG. 13Dshows an example of a density distribution of the sprocket201A obtained by the embodiment. A density gradient is formed in a narrow area in the step portion204between the high density tooth portion205and the low density inner circumferential portion203, which are clearly distinctive.

The present invention is applied to produce sintered gears with high density area in a required portion such as sprockets, rotors for oil pumps, reduction gears, belt pulley with teeth.