Tsubakimoto Chain Company

Yutaka Uchiumi

Nobuyuki Fujimoto

Toshihiro Hosokawa

Yoshiaki Sugimoto

Shuji Sasamoto

Makoto Kanehira

Masao Maruyama

Hitoshi Ohara

Takero Nakagawa

Masahiro Sato

A silent chain is provided in which a plurality of link plates of a certin configuration may have an identification indicator marked on a reference surface thereof at the time connecting pin inserting holes are punched into the link plates in order to ensure the link plates are properly directed in the same direction, are superposed on the connecting pins, and are constituted in a chain-like manner by the connecting pins so that meshing surfaces of the link plates mesh smoothly to prevent any meshing noise.

Silent chain

An improved rocker joint pin type CVT chain has link plates connected by rocker joints, each including a rocker pin and a seat pin in an insertion bore of the link plate, the rocker pin and the seat pin making rolling contact along opposing rolling arcuate surfaces thereof as the chain bends and straightens when passing around a pulley. At respective minimums, the sectional area of the link plate formed between the link plate insertion bore and the outer periphery of the link plate relative to the pulley, is greater than the sectional area formed between the link plate insertion bore and the inner periphery. The radii of curvature of the inner rolling contact surfaces of the rocker pin and seat pin are smaller than those of the outer rolling contact surfaces. The fatigue strength at the minimum sectional area portions is thereby increased and the deviation from the chain center line of the contact point of the opposing rolling contact surfaces is minimized in a straightened position of the chain, thereby reducing the load applied to the inner minimum sectional area portion.

Rocker joint pin type CVT chain

An improved friction drive chain especially for a continuously variable transmission has a plurality of friction plates, each of the friction plates being substantially I-shaped in lateral section. The friction plates are arranged adjacent one another and connected by connecting link elements received in recesses formed in both lateral sides of the friction plates between upper and lower beam members of said friction plates. The connecting link elements are laterally grooved to bear longitudinally against the friction plates. The outer surfaces of the lower beam members of the plates define friction drive surfaces for contact with driving and/or driven pulleys. The friction plates are heat treated to increase strength, for example by quenching and annealing. The friction drive surfaces are formed with hardened layers by surface hardening treatment such as by electron beam or laser.

Friction plate for CVT chain

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Yutaka Uchiumi