Patent ID: 6668440
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: B29D,F16G,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a toothed belt on a manufacturing machine, the manufacturing machine having a first cylinder, a second cylinder, and a planar mold, the toothed belt having an integral number of teeth and a design length at a certain tension, the method comprising the steps of:marking a first location on an uncured belt with a first mark; determining a circumference of said uncured belt; marking a second location on said uncured belt with a second mark to identify a first section of said uncured belt to be molded; identifying sequential sections of said uncured belt to be molded; marking a first location at a front effective edge of said mold with a first mold mark; marking a second location at a rear effective edge of said mold with a second mold mark; determining an actual length of said first section; determining a working length of said mold; calculating a first ratio of said actual length of said first section to said circumference of said uncured belt; determining a number of teeth to be molded into said first section by multiplying said first ratio by a total number of teeth to be molded into said uncured belt; calculating a second ratio of said number of teeth to be molded into said first section to a number of tooth-forming cavities in said mold; calculating a required length of said first section by multiplying said working length of said mold by said second ratio; adjusting a position of one of said cylinders to change said actual length of said first section to said required length of said first section; positioning said uncured belt relative to said mold so that said first mark on said uncured belt is a first predetermined distance from said first mold mark and said second mark on said uncured belt is a second predetermined distance from said second mold mark; applying said mold to said uncured belt to form teeth in said first section; sequentially repositioning said uncured belt to mold said sequential belt sections.