Minimum Number of Teeth on Pinion for Interference-Free Operation

Introduction
In gear mechanism design, the number of teeth on the pinion plays a critical role in achieving interference-free operation. If the pinion has too few teeth, the teeth on the gear will engage with each other in a way that results in interference. Therefore, it is essential to determine the minimum number of teeth on the pinion required for interference-free operation.

Full Height Involute Teeth Gear
A full height involute teeth gear is a gear mechanism that has teeth with the same height as the pitch circle diameter. The gear teeth are designed using the involute curve, which is a curve that results from unwinding a taut string from the base circle of the gear. The involute curve is a standard curve used in gear mechanism design and ensures that the gear teeth mesh smoothly without interference.

Pressure Angle
The pressure angle is the angle between the line of action, which is the line that connects the point of contact between the gear teeth, and the tangent to the pitch circle of the gear. The pressure angle is typically 20 degrees in standard gear mechanism design.

Minimum Number of Teeth on Pinion
The minimum number of teeth on the pinion required for interference-free operation in a standard full height involute teeth gear mechanism with a pressure angle of 20 degrees is 18. This number is determined by considering the maximum allowable contact ratio between the gear teeth and the minimum number of teeth required to achieve this contact ratio.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the minimum number of teeth on the pinion required for interference-free operation in a standard full height involute teeth gear mechanism with a pressure angle of 20 degrees is 18. This number is critical in gear mechanism design and ensures that the gear teeth mesh smoothly without interference.