Silent chain transmission device

Abstract

A silent chain transmission utilizes two different kinds of link plates. In a first kind of link plate, the inner flank pitch line is farther than the outer flank pitch line from the chain pitch line. In a second kind of link plate the inner flank pitch line is closer than the outer flank pitch line from the chain pitch line. Every four successive links includes at least one link composed of one type of link plate and at least one link composed of the other type of link plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing the outline of a portion of a silent chain according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is longitudinal horizontal section of the chain of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic elevational view showing the relationship between link plates of the chain;

FIG. 4 is a schematic elevational view showing the shape of a first link plate;

FIG. 5 is a schematic elevational view showing the shape of a second link plate;

FIG. 6 is a schematic elevational view showing the engagement of the chain with a sprocket; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic elevational view showing the engagement of the chain with the sprocket of FIG. 6, when the sprocket is rotated by one half the pitch angle (θ/2) from the position illustrated in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the silent chain transmission device comprises a silent chain in which first, or “A” type, link plates 110 and second, or “B” type, link plates 120 are mixed along the longitudinal direction of the chain. Interleaved rows, each preferably consisting of either “A” type or “B” type link plates, are connected to one another by connecting pins 130, each preferably composed of a rocker pin 132 and a joint pin 131. The chain is wound on a sprocket (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) for the transmission of power in a mechanism such as the transfer mechanism in a four wheel drive vehicle.

In addition to the “A” and “B” type link plates, which have teeth, the chain may also include toothless guide plates 140 for keeping the chain aligned with the sprockets by engagement with the sides of the sprocket teeth. Pins 132, which are the longer of the pins of which the connecting pins 130 are composed, are fixed to the guide plates 140 by caulking or other suitable means.

In a typical chain according to the invention, the “A” type link plates 110 and “B” type link plates 120 are arranged present in a ratio of about 2 to 1. However, other ratios may be used.

All the link plates 110 and 120 have the same chain pitch P. The rack pitch of both the “A” type link plates 110 and the “B” type link plates 120 is equal to 3/2 times the chain pitch P.

The flank shape of the link teeth of the “A” type link plates, which typically constitute the majority of the link plates in the chain, satisfies the following relationship:

Hia=Ho+Hs

where, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, Hia is the distance from the chain pitch line intersecting the centers of the pin holes of the first link plate to an inner flank pitch line, parallel to the chain pitch line, and intersecting the inner flanks of the link plate, the distance between the intersections being ½ of the chain pitch, Ho is the distance from the chain pitch line to an outer flank rack pitch line parallel to the chain pitch line and intersecting the outer flanks of the first link plate at points spaced by 3/2 the distance between the centers of the pinholes, and Hs is the vibration amplitude of polygonal movement of the chain.

The flank shape of the teeth of the first link plates 110 (the “A” type link plates) is such that the height of the free span of the chain approaching the sprocket is constant from the start of engagement with a sprocket tooth to seating on the sprocket tooth.

On the other hand, a flank shape forming a link tooth in the second link plates 120 (the “B” type link plates) is such so that the link teeth engage with the involute teeth of the sprocket so that they are seated only the outer flanks of the “B” type link teeth in engagement with the sprocket teeth. As shown in FIG. 5, the distance from the chain pitch line to the outer flank rack pitch line for the “B” type link plate is Ho, the same distance as in the case of the “A” type link plates. The distance Hib from the chain pitch line to the inner flank pitch line of the “B” type link plates is smaller than the corresponding distance Hia for the “A” type link plates. Hib is also smaller than Ho, whereas Hia is larger than Ho. Accordingly when the “B” type link plates are seated on the sprocket teeth the inner flanks do not engage the sprocket teeth.

FIG. 6, shows a condition in which a straight line passing through the center of the sprocket 200 and the center of a connecting pin 130a forms a right angle with the pitch line of the free span of the chain. An “A” type link plate 110a is shown engaged with involute teeth of sprocket 200 with its outer flanks seated thereon. The distance U, from the center of the sprocket to the connecting pin 130a of the chain, is expressed by:

U=P/(2 sin(θ/2))

However, the distance from the center of the sprocket 200 to the chain pitch line of the “A” type link plate 110b in the free span of the chain depends on the engagement of an inner flank of its leading tooth with a sprocket tooth. In the free span of the chain, which is stretched in a straight line and includes link plate 110b and links that follow it, the inner flanks of the link teeth of the “A” type link plates bulge past the adjacent outer flanks of the teeth of a next row of link plates. Thus, the sprocket 200 can be regarded as a pinion, and the free span can be regarded as a tooth rack having trapezoidal tooth forms with inner flanks. That is, the free span and the sprocket exhibits an engagement relationship similar to that of a conventional rack and pinion.

Therefore, when the “A” type link plate 110b engages with the sprocket 200, the inner flank pitch line is farther than the outer flank pitch line from the chain pitch line by and amount Hs. The perpendicular distance from the center of the sprocket 200 to the chain pitch line of the “A” type link plate 110b of the free span remains at a height U.

FIG. 7 shows a condition in which where the sprocket 200 is rotated by a half pitch angle, that is, by θ/2, from the position illustrated in FIG. 6. The “A” type link plate is shown moved forward by a half pitch. The “A” type link plate 110a is seated with both its outer flanks in engagement with sprocket teeth, and the distance V, from the center of the sprocket 200 to the center of pin 130a is expressed by

V=P/(2 tan(θ/2))

However, when an inner flank of the “A” type link plate 110c engages with the sprocket, the pitch line of the inner flank satisfies the expression Hia=Ho+Hs, and the engagement height V is increased by Hs. The height U of the center of connecting pin 130b is expressed by

U=P/(2 sin(θ/2))

and

U=V+Hs

Thus, the height of the “A” type link plate 110c in FIG. 6 is always kept at U, from the start of engagement of the inner flank of the “A” type link plate 110c with the sprocket 200 to the point at which the connecting pin 130b has advanced to the position previously occupied by connecting pin 130a.

During this step, the inner flank of the “A” type link plate 110b separates from the sprocket tooth by flexional movement about the connecting pin 130a, and the “A” type link plate 110b starts engaging with the sprocket smoothly while being supported by the connecting pins 130a and 130b. On the other hand, since an outer flank of the “A” type link plate 110b has the relationship Hia=Ho+Hs, it has not yet come into contact with the sprocket teeth.

In summary, at all stages of the engagement of the silent chain with the sprocket, the free span is maintained at a height U, and does not exhibit vertical movements due to polygonal movement of the chain as it wraps around the sprocket.

Since, the distance from the pitch line of the chain to the pitch line of the inner flanks is greater, by the vibration amplitude Hs due to polygonal movement, than the distance from the pitch line of the chain to the pitch line of the outer flanks, and engages with involute teeth of the sprocket, from the start of the engagement to the point at which the link plate is seated, the height of the free span of the chain is kept to a fixed value U, and the vertical vibration due to polygonal movement is removed. As a result, vibration noise and impact noise occurring at engagement can be reduced.

Furthermore, since an inner flank of the “A” type link plate begins to engage an involute tooth of the sprocket earlier than an outer flank of the link plate preceding that “A” type link plate, the arrangement of the “A” type link plates 110 and the “B” type link plates 120 influences the engagement pattern, and various engagement patterns can be achieved, with the result that cyclic engagement sounds can be reduced.

In the chain according to the invention, “A” type link plates 110 and the “B” type link plates 120 are always present in every continuously connected four links. That is, no continuously connected four links consist solely of one type of link plate. The links can be connected in any one of the following eight arrangements:

(1) A link-A link-A link

(2) A link-A link-B link

(3) A link-B link-A link

(4) A link-B link-B link

(5) B link-A link-A link

(6) B link-A link-B link

(7) B link-B link-A link

(8) B link-B link-B link

Thus, eight engagement patterns can be produced by use of two kinds of link plates 120. Manufacture of the link plates and assembly of the chain is simplified since only two kinds of link plates are utilized. Moreover, cyclic engagement sounds are significantly reduced and vibration noises are suppressed.

Furthermore, in both the “A” type and “B” type link plates each engagement surface can be subjected to shaving or fine blanking, so that the sheared surface is about 70% or more of the plate thickness of each of the plates. Shaving reduces abrasion of the a sprocket tooth surfaces, improves durability of the chain, and also prevents flexional failure. Furthermore shaving helps reduce vibration noise, and impact noise on engagement of the chain with the sprocket.

Various modifications can be made to the chain. For example, the connecting pins, which connect the link plates to one another, may be simple round pins instead of rocker pins. However, especially when the silent chain transmission device of the invention is used in a transfer mechanism the rocker pins are preferred.

Claims

1. A silent chain transmission device comprising a silent chain in engaged with a sprocket, in which: the chain comprises interleaved widthwise rows of link plates, each link plate having a pair of teeth and a pair of pin holes, and connecting pins extending through the pin holes and connecting the interleaved rows of link plates;the link plates of the chain consist of first and second link plates, all of the first link plates being identical and all of the second link plates being identical, but different from the first link plates;the first and second link plates are mixed in the longitudinal direction of the chain;the sprocket has involute teeth with which the silent chain is engaged;the flank shape of the teeth of the first link plates satisfies the relationship Hia=Ho+Hs, where Hia is the distance from a chain pitch line intersecting the centers of the pin holes of the first link plate to an inner flank pitch line, parallel to the chain pitch line, and intersecting the inner flanks of the link plate, the distance between the intersections being ½ of the chain pitch, Ho is the distance from the chain pitch line to an outer flank rack pitch line parallel to the chain pitch line and intersecting the outer flanks of the first link plate at points spaced by 3/2 the distance between the centers of the pin holes, and Hs is the vibration amplitude of polygonal movement of the chain, and the flanks of the teeth of the first link plates are shaped so that the distance from a free span of the chain approaching the sprocket to a line parallel to the free span and intersecting the center of the sprocket is constant from the start of engagement with a sprocket tooth to the seating on the sprocket tooth; andthe teeth of the second link plates are shaped so that only their outer flanks engage with, and seat on, the involute teeth of the sprocket.

2. A silent chain transmission device according to claim 1, in which every four rows of sequentially joined rows of link plates in the chain comprises at least one row composed of said first link plates and at least one row composed of said second link plates.