Patent ID: 6135908
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: F16G

Abstract:
An endless flexible torque-transmitting device with links that are connected to force-transfer elements, as used in particular in a continuously variable transmission of a motor vehicle where the endless flexible torque-transmitting device is arranged in the torque flow between a first pair of conical disks and a second pair of conical disks and where tensile forces are acting along a lengthwise direction of the endless flexible torque-transmitting device, comprising an arrangement of the force-transfer elements and links in which:a) the force-transfer elements are aligned transverse to the lengthwise direction and distributed at intervals along a circumference of the endless flexible torque-transmitting device;b) the links have openings that are traversed by the force-transfer elements, whereby columns of links are formed in the lengthwise direction of the endless flexible torque-transmitting device,c) the endless flexible torque-transmitting device, across a width that is transverse to the lengthwise direction and extends between two outermost border columns, has a multitude of columns arranged in an inner zone and two border zones;d) first, second and third positions (a, b, c) are defined by respective pairs of neighboring force-transfer elements, each first position (a) falling between a neighboring second position (b) and a neighboring third position (c), in such a manner that positions (a), (b), (c) are repeated in uniform periodicity in the lengthwise direction, the links within a given column all occupying the same position, whereby the columns become identifiable by position;e) an occupancy pattern is defined according to the position occupied by each column of links across the width of the endless flexible torque-transmitting device, with the occupancy pattern of at least one border zone being distinguishable from the occupancy pattern of the inner zone.