Endless belt power transmission systems or components – Pulley with belt-receiving groove formed by drive faces on...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-17
2003-11-18
Hannon, Thomas R. (Department: 3682)
Endless belt power transmission systems or components
Pulley with belt-receiving groove formed by drive faces on...
C474S201000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06648781
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to transmissions in general, and more particularly to transmissions which employ pulleys or sheaves. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in pulleys of the type wherein two coaxial flanges have confronting surfaces engageable with a portion of an endless flexible element (such as a belt or a chain) which transmits torque to or receives torque from the pulley. Pulleys of the type to which the present invention pertains can be utilized with particular advantage in transmissions of the type known as CVT (continuously variable transmissions), e.g., in the power trains of motor vehicles to directly or indirectly transmit torque between a prime mover (such as an internal combustion engine) and the wheels of the motor vehicle. Reference may be had, for example, to commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,448 (granted Sep. 16, 1997 to Oswald FRIEDMANN for “POWER TRAIN”), to commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,730 (granted Jan. 27, 1998 to Oswald FRIEDMANN and Armin VEIL for “TORQUE MONITORING APPARATUS”) and/or to published German patent application Serial No. 197 48 675 A1.
The just mentioned published German patent application Serial No. 197 48 675 A1 discloses two adjustable pulleys each having an axially fixed flange and an axially movable flange. The flanges have main sections provided with confronting conical surfaces, and conical liners which are bonded or otherwise affixed to the conical surfaces and are made of a wear-resistant material.
Published German patent application Serial No. 691 00 344 T2 discloses pulleys wherein the annular main sections of the flanges carry liners made of steel and being secured to the conical surfaces of the respective main sections by layers of adhesive made of polyurethane which is intended to absorb noise as well as to contribute to lower cost of the pulleys.
The disclosure of the commonly owned German priority patent application Serial No. 199 22 575.3 (filed May 17, 1999) and the disclosures of all U.S. and/or foreign patents and patent applications identified in the specification of the present application are incorporated herein by reference.
The aforementioned composite flanges exhibit the drawback that the direct connections between the liners and the annular main sections of the respective flanges are unreliable and can stand only relatively short periods of actual use. Furthermore, the material of the presently known and employed liners is also incapable of standing extensive periods of use, particularly in the aforementioned CVT transmissions. Thus, there exists an urgent need for high-quality pulleys or sheaves wherein the liners of composite flanges as well as the connections between such liners and the main sections of the respective flanges are superior to those employed in presently known pulleys.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the instant invention is to provide a pulley wherein the liners are connected to the annular main sections of the flanges in a novel and improved way.
Another object of the invention is to provide novel and improved liners for use in the flanges of the above outlined pulleys.
A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved means for centering the liners on the main sections of the respective flanges in a pulley, particularly in a pulley which is to be utilized in a continously variable transmission.
An additional object of the invention is to provide novel and improved connectors which can secure the liners to the main sections of the respective flanges and remain operative during the entire useful life of the flanges.
Still another object of the invention is to provide connectors which exhibit superior sound-absorbing or sound-deadening characteristics.
A further object of the invention is to provide a transmission which employs pulleys exhibiting the above enumerated desirable characteristics.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of making pulleys exhibiting the above-outlined desirable characteristics.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of assembling the constituents of the above outlined pulleys.
Still another object of the invention is to provide pulleys having a useful life greatly exceeding those of the aforediscussed and other conventional pulleys.
A further object of the invention is to provide pulleys which can be mass-produced at a reasonable cost, which exhibit highly satisfactory acoustic characteristics (sound absorbency), and the useful life of which is surprisingly long even if such pulleys are utilized under circumstances wherein they are exposed to temperatures which fluctuate within a wide range and to highly pronouced mechanical (such as frictional, torsional and other) stresses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a pulley comprising a composite rotary flange including an annular section rotatable about a predetermined axis and having an annular surface (normally a conical surface) extending at least substantially radially of the predetermined axis, a wear-resistant liner adjacent the annular surface, an insert (particularly a substantially disc-shaped insert) between the liner and the annular surface, and means for connecting the insert to the annular section and to the liner. The connecting means comprises a first unit having means for affixing or securing the insert to the annular section and a second unit having means for affixing or securing the insert to the liner. The securing means of the first unit is offset relative to the securing means of the second unit as seen in at least one of a plurality of directions including axially and radially of the flange.
A first side of the liner confronts the insert, and a second side or surface of the liner is arranged to be engaged by an endless flexible element (e.g., a belt, a band or a chain) of a continuously variable transmission, e.g., a transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle.
In accordance with one presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the insert includes a disc-shaped annular metallic member, and the securing means of at least one of the connecting units includes rivets which secure the metallic member to the annular section or to the liner. To this end, the disc-shaped insert can be provided (e.g., in an upsetting or an equivalent machine) with holes bounded by collars extending in substantial parallelism with the predetermined axis, and the collars can form part of at least one of the connecting units. The collars can include (a) a first set of collars extending away from the liner and forming part of the first connecting unit, and (b) a second set of collars extending away from the annular section and forming part of the second connecting unit. If the securing means of the two units include rivets, the annular surface can be provided with first recesses for the rivets of the first unit, and that side of the liner which confronts the insert can be provided with recesses for the rivets of the second unit. The rivets can include deformed malleable bodies of a suitable metallic material, and such rivets are received in the collars and are anchored in the respective recesses. The malleable bodies are or can be deformed as a result of the application of axial forces to the liner and/or upon the annular section in the direction(s) toward the insert. The rivets are preferably configurated in such a way that each collar fills a first portion and each of the deformed bodies fills the remaining portion of the respective recess.
The first unit of the connecting means can be located at or nearer to the radially outer portion of the annular surface, and the second unit of the connecting means can be located at or nearer to the radially inner portion of the annular surface, or vice versa. The securing means of at least one unit can include rivets, and the insert can be provided with slots (e.g., with arcuate slots extending circumferentially of the annular section) which are disposed between th
Bauer Christian
Fischer Robert
Friedmann Oswald
Walter Bernhard
Darby & Darby
Hannon Thomas R.
Johnson Vicky A.
K Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
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