Background of the invention
[0001] This invention relates to an apparatus for producing endless metal hoops constituting
a carrier of a drive belt in a continuously variable transmission of a belt driving
type. Such apparatus are known from US-A-2752670 and DE-U-7001547.
[0002] In the continuously variable transmission of a belt driving type, a carrier is constituted
of a multiple layer of endless metal hoops and V-shaped metal blocks are slidably
and continuously attached to one or two carriers so as to form a drive belt. The drive
belt is wound around two V-shaped belt pulleys to transmit torque from one belt pulley
to another. During operation of the continuously variable transmission, the V-shaped
metal blocks are abutted against the partially conical drive surface forming a V-shaped
groove of the V-shaped belt pulleys and are moved together with the carrier, in which
the carrier is designed not to abut against the drive surface of the V-shaped belt
pulleys, wherein the carrier is subject to a tensile force of the V-shaped blocks
fitted into the V-shaped groove of the belt pulleys. Accordingly, it is necessary
to uniformly distribute the tensile force applied to the endless metal hoops in order
to achieve a long-time use of the drive belt. For this necessity, the difference in
the circular length of each endless metal hoop of the carrier is required to be within
a predetermined value.
[0003] Conventionally, for the above requirement, any suitable endless metal hoops having
the predetermined value of the difference in the circular length thereof are selected
from many produced endless metal hoops, which results in increased productive step
of the endless metal hoops and their material cost.
Summary of the invention
[0004] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for
producing endless metal hoops of a drive belt in a continuously variable transmission
which may produce endless metal hoops having predetermined difference in their circular
lengths.
[0005] It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for producing
endless metal hoops of a drive belt in a continuously variable transmission which
may eliminate production of excess endless metal hoops for a carrier, thereby reducing
the material cost and the productive step of the endless metal hoops.
[0006] The present invention provides an apparatus for producing endless metal hoops of
a drive belt in a continuously variable transmission comprising a base, a rotary shaft
rotatably supported above the base and provided with a stepped member having different
outer diameters corresponding to a predeterminied difference in the circular lengths
of a plurality of endless metal hoops constituting a carrier of the drive belt and
being formed continuously in the axial direction thereof, a fixed shaft mounted above
the base and arranged in parallel relation with the rotary shaft and rotatably supporting
a suitable number of rollers opposed to the stepped member of the rotary shaft and
having identical diameters, a slide base mounted on the base and supporting the fixed
shaft above the base in parallel relation with the rotary shaft and being adapted
to slide on the base in such a manner as to move toward and apart from the rotary
shaft, and means for moving the slide base in such a direction as to stretch the endless
metal hoops wound around the stepped member of the rotary shaft and the rollers of
the fixed shaft.
[0007] Other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description
taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Brief description of the drawings
[0008]
Figure 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus, partly broken away, according to
the invention; and
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1.
Detailed description of
the preferred embodiment
[0009] Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 generally designates an apparatus
for producing endless metal hoops which is provided with a rectangular base 2 having
a predetermined thickness. A pair of slide guides 3 and 3A are mounted on the base
2 along both sides thereof. A fixed plate 4 is mounted on the upper surface of both
the slide guides 3 and 3A at their one end or on their left-hand side as viewed in
Figure 1 and is secured by a suitable number of bolts 5. A pair of stays 6 and 6A
for fixedly supporting a rotary shaft 9 are secured to both ends of the fixed plate
4 by bolts 7 and are positioned by a pair of knock pins 8. The shaft member 9a of
the rotary shaft 9 is rotatably supported at its one end by a bearing 11 mounted to
the stay 6. The bearing 11 is removably fitted to the shaft member 9a. Another shaft
member 9b of the rotary shaft 9 is rotatably supported at its other end by bearings
12 mounted to the stay 6A. The end portion 9c of the rotary shaft 9 axially extends
from the shaft member 9b and a nut 13 is screwed into the threaded portion of the
end portion 9c for fixing the bearings 12, thereby preventing the movement of the
rotary shaft 9 relative to the bearings 12 in the direction of the axis C
1.
[0010] As will be apparent from Figure 2, the axis C
1 of the rotary shaft 9 is at right angles to the center line C as is drawn in the
longitudinal direction of the base 2 and is in parallel relation with the upper surface
of the base 2. The rotary shaft 9 is formed with stepped members 10a-10h between both
the stays 6 and 6A. In this embodiment, eight stepped members are provided so as to
match with eight endless metal hoops W,-W
8 which constitute a carrier (not shown) of a drive belt in a continuously variable
transmission. The stepped members 10a-10h have the same width as with each other and
the outer diameters of the stepped members are determined in such a manner as to achieve
a predetermined difference in the circular lengths of each endless metal hoop to be
carried on each of the stepped members 10a-10h. The stepped member 10e positioned
at the center of the rotary shaft 9 has the maximum diameter and the stepped member
10d adjacent to one side of the stepped member 10e has the diameter slightly smaller
than that of the stepped member 10e. Further, the stepped member 10f adjacent to the
other side of the stepped member 10e has the diameter slightly smaller than that of
the stepped member 10d. In this manner, the diameters of the stepped members decrease
in the order of 10e, 10d, 10f, 10c, 10g, 10b, 10h and 10a.
[0011] A slide base 14 is supported by the slide guides 3 and 3A and is adapted to move
in the direction right angles to the axis C
1 of the rotary shaft 9, being guided by each side surface of the slide guides 3 and
3a. A pair of stays 16 and 17 for mounting a fixed shaft 15 are provided on both sides
of the slide base 14. Both of the stays 16 and 17 are secured to the side surfaces
of the slide base 14 at its lower portion by bolts 19, and the stay 16 is adapted
to be positioned by two knock pins 18. The fixed shaft 15 is provided with a collar
15a at its one end and the other end portion 15b of the fixed shaft 15 is inserted
into the axial hole 16a of the stay 16. In the same way, one end portion on the collar
side is inserted into the axial hole 17a of the stay 17. When the collar 15a is in
contact with the end surface of the stay 17, the end portion 15b is slightly projected
from the end surface of the stay 16. A fixing plate 20 for fixing the fixed shaft
15 to the stay 16 has a concave portion 20a at its central portion to be formed into
a hat-like shape. The concave portion 20a is adapted to receive the end portion 15b
and the outer circumferential portion of the fixing plate 20 is fixed to the stay
16 by four bolts 21. The central portion of the fixing plate 20 is fixed to the end
portion 15b by two bolts 22. In this way, the fixed shaft 15 is secured through the
fixing plate 20 to the stay 16. As is apparent from the drawings, the axis C
2 of the fixed shaft 15 is parallel to the axis C
1 of the rotary shaft 9 and the height from the upper surface 2a of the base 2 to the
axis C
2 is identical with that from the upper surface 2a of the base 2 to the axis C
1.
[0012] Disk-like rollers 23A-23H are carried on the fixed shaft 15 through radial bearings
24 and are arranged in opposed relation with the stepped members 10a-10h of the rotary
shaft 9, respectively. The width of each roller 23A-23H is smaller than that of each
stepped member, and thrust bearings 25 are interposed between each roller. A thrust
plate 26 is located between the stay 16 and the roller 23A, being fitted to the fixed
shaft 15, and one end of the thrust plate 26 is attached to the stay 16. The thrust
bearing 25 is also interposed between the thrust plate 26 and the roller 23A. In the
same way, a thrust plate 26A is fitted to the fixed shaft 15 between the stay 17 and
the roller 23H, and one end of the thrust plate 26A is attached to the stay 17. There
is also provided the thrust bearing 25 between the thrust plate 26A and the roller
23H.
[0013] A rectangular support plate 27 for supporting a hydraulic cylinder 29 is fixed to
the right-hand end surface of the base 2 as viewed in the drawings by a suitable number
of bolts 28. The hydraulic cylinder 29 is mounted to the support plate 27 on the opposite
side to the fixed shaft 15 through four rods 30. A connecting bolt 31 is provided
on the tip of the rod 29a of the hydraulic cylinder 29 and is screwed into the slide
base 14 at the central upper portion of the end surface 14a thereof. Thus, upon activation
of the hydraulic cylinder 29, the slide base 1 is guided by the slide guides 3 and
3A and moves toward or away from the rotary shaft 9. In Figures 1 and 2, means for
rotating the rotary shaft 9 such as a motor is not illustrated.
[0014] In operation, on the first stage, the hydraulic cylinder 29 is activated and the
slide base 14 is moved closely to the fixed plate 4 to the position where a circular
metal band W for producing endless metal hoops is to be wound around the stepped members
10a-10h of the rotary shaft 9 and the rollers 23A-23H of the fixed shaft 15. Then,
the bolts 7 screwed into the stay 6 are loosened to remove the stay 6 from the fixed
plate 4. In the same way, the bolts 19 screwed into the stay 16 and the bolts 22 screwed
into the fixed shaft 15 are loosened to remove the stay 16 from the slide base 14.
Then, circular metal bands W
l-W
8 having the same diameter and width are wound around the stepped members 10a-10h of
the rotary shaft 9 and the rollers 23A-23H of the fixed shaft 15. Then, the stay 6
is positioned to the fixed plate 4 by means of the knock pins 8 and is secured to
the fixed plate 4 by means of the bolts 7. In the same way, the stay 16 is positioned
to the slide base 14 by means of the knock pins 18 to support the fixed shaft 15 and
is secured to the slide base 14 by tightening the bolts 19 and to the fixed shaft
15 by tightening the bolts 22.
[0015] After the slide base 14 is moved rightwardly as viewed in the drawings until each
circular band W reaches its tensile condition, the rotary shaft 9 is rotated in the
direction as depicted by an arrow in Figure 2 and a hydraulic pressure is gradually
applied to the hydraulic cylinder 29 to further move the slide base 14 away from the
fixed plate 4 and stretch each of the circular bands W to the extent that they will
be yielded to cause a plastic deformation, in which since the circular band W is rotated
with the stepped members of the rotary shaft 9 and the rollers of the fixed shaft
15, it may be uniformly stretched.
[0016] In such a manner as is above-described, the stretched circular band W is formed into
the endless metal hoops W
I-W
G having the difference in their circular lengths corresponding to the difference in
the diameters of the stepped members 10a-10h of the rotary shaft 9. After the endless
metal hoops are produced, the rotation of the rotary shaft 9 is stopped and then the
hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic cylinder 29 is removed so as to eliminate the
stretching force from the endless metal hoops W
l-W
8. Then the stays 6 and 16 are detached from the apparatus 1 and the endless metal
hoops W
l-W
8 are removed from the apparatus 1. Finally, the endless metal hoops are arranged and
assembled in the order of their circular lengths to constitute a carrier for a drive
belt.
[0017] In a modified arrangement of the stepped members of the rotary shaft 9, the stepped
member having the minimum diameter may be arranged in the central position of the
rotary shaft and other stepped members are arranged adjacent to the central stepped
member in the order of their diameters. In another arrangement of the stepped members
of the rotary shaft 9, the stepped members may be arranged from one end of the rotary
shaft to the other end thereof in the order of their diameters. It should be noted
that the number of the stepped member are not limited to eight, and the number of
the roller is not necessary to match with that of the stepped member. Moreover, the
circular lengths of the circular bands W are not required to be equalized.
[0018] While the invention has been shown and described in its preferred embodiment, it
will be clear to those skilled in the arts to which it pertains that many changes
and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims.
1. Apparatus for producing endless metal hoops (W,-W
8) of a drive belt in a continuously variable transmission, comprising:
a base (2);
a rotary shaft (9) rotatably supported above said base, said rotary shaft including
stepped members (10a-10h) having different outer diameters corresponding to a predetermined
difference in the circular lengths of a plurality of endless metal hoops constituting
a carrier of the drive belt and being formed continuously in the axial direction thereof;
a fixed shaft (15) mounted above said base (2) and arranged in parallel relation with
said rotary shaft (9), said fixed shaft rotatably supporting a suitable number of
rollers (23A-23H) opposed to said stepped member of said rotary shaft and having identical
diameters;
a slide base (14) mounted on said base and supporting said fixed shaft (15) above
said base (2) in parallel relation with said rotary shaft, said slide base (14) being
adapted to slide on said base (2) in such a manner as to move toward and apart from
said rotary shaft (9); and
means (29) for moving said slide base (14) in such a direction as to stretch said
endless metal hoops wound around said stepped members (10a-10h) of said rotary shaft
and said rollers of said fixed shaft.
2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the axis of said fixed shaft (15)
is parallel to the axis of said rotary shaft (9) and the height from the upper surface
of said base to the fixed shaft axis is identical with that from the upper surface
of said base to the rotary shaft axis.
3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the width of said rollers (23A-23H)
of said fixed shaft (15) is smaller than that of said stepped members (10a-10h) and
further comprising a thrust bearing (25) interposed between each of said rollers.
4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for moving said slide base
is a hydraulic cylinder (29).
5. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said hydraulic cylinder (29) is attached
through a support plate (27) to the end surface of said base.
6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said stepped members are arranged
in such a manner that their diameters are at a maximum at the central position of
said rotary shaft and gradually decreases toward both ends of said rotary shaft.
7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said endless metal hoops are circular
and have identical diameters.
1. Vorrichtung zur Herstellung endloser Metallbänder (W
1-W
8) eines Treibriemens in einem Stufenlosgetriebe, gekennzeichnet durch
eine Grundplatte (2)
eine rotierende Welle (9), die über der Grundplatte drehbar gelagert ist, wobei die
rotierende Welle Stufenelemente (10a-10h) aufweist, die unterschiedliche Außendurchmesser
entsprechend eines vorbestimmten Unterschiedes der Kreislängen von einer Vielzahl
von endlosen Metallbändern aufweisen, die einen Träger des Treibriemens bilden und
in dessen axialer Richtung fortlaufend ausgebildet sind,
eine feststehende Welle (15), die über der Grundplatte (2) montiert und parallel zu
der rotierenden Welle (9) ausgerichtet ist, wobei die feststehende Welle eine geeignete
Anzahl von Rollen (23A-23H) drehbar trägt, die gegenüberliegend zu den Stufenelementen
angeordnet sind und einen identischen Durchmesser aufweisen, eine Gleitplatte (14),
die auf der Grundplatte montiert ist und die feststehende Welle (15) über der Grundplatte
(2) parallel zu der rotierenden Welle trägt, wobei die Gleitplatte (14) ausgelegt
ist, auf der Grundplatte (2) derart zu gleiten, daß sie sich zu und von der rotierenden
Welle 9 wegbewegt, und
eine Vorrichtung (29) zur Bewegung der Gleitplatte (14) in solch eine Richtung, daß
die um die Stufenelemente (10a-10h) der rotierenden Welle und die Rollen der feststehenden
Welle gewickelten endlosen Metallbänder gedehnt werden.
2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Achse der feststehenden
Welle (15) parallel zu der Achse der rotierenden Welle (9) liegt und die Höhe von
der oberen Fläche der Grundplatte zu der Achse der feststehenden Welle identisch ist
mit der von der oberren Fläche der Grundplatte zu der Achse der rotierenden Welle.
3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Breite der Rollen
(23A-23H) auf der feststehenden Welle (15) geringer ist als die der Stufenelemente
(10a-10h) und desweiteren zwischen jeder Rolle eine Drucklager (25) eingesetzt ist.
4. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Vorrichtung zum Bewegen
der Gleitplatte ein Hydraulikzylinder (29) ist.
5. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Hydraulikzylinder
(29) durch eine Stützplatte (27) an der Endfläche der Grundplatte befestigt ist.
6. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Stufenelemente derart
angeordnet sind, daß deren Durchmesser in dem Mittelbereich der rotierenden Welle
am größten ist und zu beiden Enden der rotierenden Welle schrittweise zurückgeht.
7. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die endlosen Metallbänder
kreisförmig sind und identische Durchmesser aufweisen.
1. Appareil pour produire les bandes métalliques sans fin (W
l-W,) d'une courroie de transmission dans une transmission continuellement variable,
comprenant:
une base (2);
un arbre rotatif (9) supporté à rotation au-dessus de ladite base, ledit arbre rotatif
comprenant des organes à gradins (10a―10h) présentant différents diamètres extérieurs correspondant à une différence prédéterminée
dans les longueurs circulaires d'une pluralité de bandes métalliques sans fin constituant
un transporteur de la courroie de transmission et formées en continu dans leur direction
axiale;
un arbre fixe (15) monté sur ladite base (2) et disposé parallèlement audit arbre
rotatif (9), ledit arbre fixe supportant à rotation un nombre convenable de rouleaux
(23A-23H)) opposés audit organe à gradins dudit arbre rotatif et preésentant des diamètres
identiques;
une base à glissiére (14) montée sur ladite base et supportant ledit arbre fixe (15)
au-dessus de ladite base (2) parallèlement audit arbre rotatif, ladite base à glissière
(14) pouvant glisser sur ladite base (2) de façon à se rapprocher ou s'éloigner dudit
arbre rotatif (9); et
des moyens (29) pour déplacer ladite base à glissière (14) dans une direction qui
étire lesdites bandes métalliques sans fin enroulées autour desdits organes à gradins
(10a―10h) dudit arbre rotatif et desdits rouleaux dudit arbre fixe.
2. L'appareil tel que défini à la revendication 1, dans lequel l'axe dudit arbre fixe
(15) est parallèle à l'axe dudit arbre rotatif (9) et la hauteur entre la surface
supérieure de ladite base et l'axe de l'arbre fixe est identique à celle entre la
surface supérieure de ladite base et l'axe de l'arbre rotatif.
3. L'appareil tel que défini à la revendication 1, dans lequel la largeur desdits
rouleaux (23A―23n) dudit arbre fixe (15) est inférieure à celle desdits organes à gradins (10.1-10h) et comprend en outre un palier de butée (25) interposé entre chacun desdits rouleaux.
4. L'appareil tel que défini à la revendication 1, dans lequel ledit moyen de déplacement
de ladite base à glissière est un vérin hydraulique (29).
5. L'appareil tel que défini à la revendication 5, dans lequel ledit vérin hydraulique
(29) est fixé par une plaque de support (27) à la surface d'extrémité de ladite base.
6. L'appareil tel que défini à la revendication 1, dans lequel lesdits organes à gradins
sont disposés de façon que leurs diamètres soient maximum dans la zone centrale dudit
arbre rotatif et diminuent graduellement vers les deux extrémités dudit arbre rotatif.
7. L'appareil tel que défini à la revendication 1, dans lequel lesdites bandes métalliques
sans fin sont circulaires et présentent des diamètres identiques.