Endless belt power transmission systems or components – Positive drive belt
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-30
2002-07-16
Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)
Endless belt power transmission systems or components
Positive drive belt
C474S148000, C474S206000, C474S251000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06419603
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a device for transmitting a force, in particular a compression force, along an essentially straight path with at least one oblong, articulated transfer element which can bend on one side.
In known devices of this type, the oblong, articulated transfer element which can bend on one side is provided by a link chain similar to a bicycle chain, which has intermediate links to allow bowing out in only one direction. The intermediate links are made and arranged in such a way that when the link chain is aimed straight and is under the influence of a compression force they lie against one another in order to transfer this compression force from a drive element, for example, a motor, to an object which the motor is supposed to act upon, for example a hinged window or a shutter. The link chain has the advantage over a rigid, oblong transfer element, namely a rod or a bar, that it can be bent and rolled up, if necessary, to save space. However, it is felt to be disadvantageous that the link chain makes noise when it moves and that it wears, which can be eliminated by caring for the link chain, but basically limits its service life. In addition, its manufacture is complicated, namely the production and attachment of the intermediate links onto the link chain.
A variant of this known device, which also belongs to the state of the art known from practice, has two link chains with intermediate elements which are brought together like a zipper at the beginning of a straight path in such a way that the intermediate links alternately mesh and wedge together. The two link chains connected with one another in this way are especially suitable for transmitting compression forces, without any undesired bowing out.
On the other hand, the two link chains can be separated from one another at the beginning of the straight path, by turning each of the two link chains around a chain wheel and pulling the two link chains apart at the gap which is formed between the two chain wheels. Here the intermediate links put on the link chains must be made to function the way a zipper connects and separates. Despite its improved properties for transmitting compression force, this device with two link chains has essentially the same disadvantages as the known device with only one link chain which was explained at the beginning.
By contrast, this invention is based on the task of developing a device of the type mentioned at the beginning for transmitting a force, in particular a compression force, along an essentially straight path, such that the transfer element experiences little wear and makes little noise and also is not complicated to manufacture.
This task is solved in a device of the type mentioned at the beginning.
The toothed belt provided as a transfer element makes it possible to transfer compression force on a straight path and to turn outside the straight path in a manner which produces little noise and experiences little wear. Moreover, the block-like elevations on its back side, which transfer the compression force by lying against one another and supporting one another, can be made as a single piece from the toothed belt directly during its manufacture. Thus, it does away with separate manufacturing processes to produce intermediate links and attach them, as is required for link chains. Moreover, the normal toothed belt which is modified in this simple way is thicker than a normal toothed belt, due to the shape on its back side, so it can function especially reliably.
The device which is especially useful, is characterized by the fact that the block-like elevations on the back side of the toothed belt are formed by slits arranged as indicated. Adding the slits represents only a slight modification of the normal manufacture of the toothed belt.
The further development has an approximately cylindrical recess made at the foot of every slit in the back side of the toothed belt with the slit running transversely to the longitudinal direction of the toothed belt. This recess largely avoids notch effect, which would diminish the mechanical strength of the toothed belt
An especially advantageous variant of the device with two oblong, articulated transfer elements which can bend on one side and which are brought together like a zipper along an essentially straight path, has a longitudinal, articulated transfer element which can bend on one side in the form of two toothed belts, each of which has teeth on one side and whose back side, which is turned away from the toothed side, has, in the longitudinal direction of the toothed belt, a series of wedge-shaped elevations arranged with gaps between them so that on the straight path the elevations of the two toothed belts are capable of meshing with one another in alternation, like a zipper. This device with two toothed belts forming a single unit in the straight path section is especially suitable for securely transmitting compression forces, since the two toothed belts which interlock like a zipper cannot easily deviate to one side. Moreover, here bringing the toothed belts together into a zipper-like connection, but also the opposite motion sequence of separating them, produces especially little noise. This device is also characterized by the fact that it is simple to manufacture, for the reasons mentioned above.
In particular, in the last-mentioned variant of the device with two toothed belts, the wedge-shaped elevation is shaped, if the toothed belt is viewed from the side, so that it gradually changes from a narrow foot section into the back side of the toothed belt, widening outward from the foot section symmetrically to an axis of symmetry which runs at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the toothed belt On the outside, the wedge-shaped elevation is terminated by a head section which has roughly the shape of a cuboid. This shape of the wedge-shaped elevation makes possible, on the one hand, low-friction, zipper-like interlocking of the two toothed belts and their separation, and on the other hand, secure transfer of the compression force when the two toothed belts are connected.
It is advantageous for the flanks of the wedge-shaped elevations to be rounded off in the area which widens to make the zipper-like connection and separation of the two toothed belts especially low-friction.
The device can be completed by a sprocket, with the toothed belt being turned between the straight path, through which the compression force is transferred, and another path, which leads to the storage place of the toothed belt section which is unnecessary for transferring the pressure.
To complete the device for transmitting a compression force, it can have the feature that the toothed belt is turned on a sprocket. Turning the toothed belt creates a spatial arrangement which saves space. In addition, the sprocket can have a partially bent guide channel for the toothed belt arranged on it which covers the toothed belt over a partial circumference of the sprocket. This guide channel ensures that the toothed belt does not jump off the sprocket, but rather transfers the force exerted on it by the sprocket as a compression force through the straight path.
The embodiment of the device with two toothed belts which are brought together like a zipper along an essentially straight path has a guide channel arrangement which is symmetrical to the straight path, with one sprocket for each toothed belt and one section of the guide channel partially covering each sprocket on the outside. A common straight section of the guide channel is arranged as an extension of the gap between the sprockets. In this respect, this arrangement of the guide channel fulfills the same advantageous function as illustrated further above for an individual sprocket. Moreover, here the two sections of the guide channel which partially cover the sprocket run together in a wedge shape in extension of the gap on the side turned away from the straight section of the guide channel, and form in this place a separation point for the two toothed belts.
The arrangement of the guide channel f
Bucci David A.
Johnson Vicky A.
Koda & Androlia
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