Patent ID: 6074317
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: F16G

Abstract:
A belt for a continuously variable transmission, comprising:a rigid ring; anda plurality of rigid elements, each having a thickness, supported on said ring and aligned in a peripheral direction of said ring to be adjacent to each other, each element having:first and second surfaces respectively facing forward and rearward of the element in a direction of rotation of said ring;a first locking edge formed at said first surface; anda second locking edge formed at said second surface,wherein said first and second surfaces of respective adjacent elements contact each other,wherein said first surface includes a first inclined face formed radially inward of said first locking edge and extending radially inward from said first locking edge so that the thickness of the element gradually decreases in a radially inward direction, and a first radially outward face formed radially outward of said first locking edge and extending radially outward from said first locking edge,wherein said second surface includes a second face formed radially inward of said locking edge and extending radially inward from said second locking edge, and a second radially outward face extending radially outward of said second locking edge and extending radially outward from said second locking edge, said second face being depressed relative to said second radially outward face so that the thickness of said element is smaller at the second face than that at the second radially outward face,wherein said second locking edge is located radially outward of said first locking edge and contacts the first surface of said adjacent element, andwherein adjacent elements are inclined relative to each other, andwherein the first inclined face of said first element is inclined by a first inclination angle relative to a plane containing the first radially outward face of said first surface, said first inclination angle being larger than a second relative inclination angle formed between the first and second radially outward faces of said respective adjacent elements.