Abstract:
By employing a simple configuration, a space required for engine room can be minimized while securing enough strength, rigidity, and durability, and a reduction in a material waste, manufacturing processes, and manufacturing cost can be accomplished while occurrence of a crack or breakage during use is prevented. A chain guide includes a guide shoe, a base member configured to reinforce the guide shoe, and attaching sections. The base member is formed by a bar made of a metal material.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a chain guide including a guide shoe configured to slide and guide a traveling chain, a base member configured to reinforce the guide shoe along a chain traveling direction, and at least one attaching section. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In order to stabilize a chain traveling between sprockets and properly retain tension, a chain guide including a guide shoe configured to slide and guide the traveling chain has been used in common. 
         [0005]    For example, a timing system for an engine is publicly known that drives a driving chain CH such as a roller chain endlessly wound between sprockets S 1  and S 2  respectively provided in a crank shaft and a cam shaft in an engine room as shown in  FIG. 23 . The timing chain CH is endlessly wound between a driving sprocket S 1  attached to the crank shaft and a pair of driven sprockets S 2  attached to the cam shaft in the engine room E. The timing chain CH is guided by a chain guide  600  (a swinging guide) and a chain guide  500  (a fixed guide). 
         [0006]    In the publicly-known timing system, the chain guide  500  (the fixed guide) is fixed in the engine room E by two attachment shafts B 1  and B 2 . The chain guide  600  (the swinging guide) is attached in the engine room E to be capable of swinging in a winding plane of the timing chain CH around a swinging shaft B 0 . 
         [0007]    A chain tensioner T presses the chain guide  600  (the swinging guide) to properly retain the tension of the timing chain CH and suppress vibration of the timing chain CH. 
         [0008]    In a chain guide used in such a publicly-known timing system, a traveling guide section is desirably formed of a low-friction material resistive to wear. A chain guide entirely formed of a low-friction resin material is publicly known. 
         [0009]    However, the chain guide requires certain degrees of strength, rigidity, and durability in order to stably guide a chain against the tension and the vibration of the chain. When the chain guide is formed of only a resin material, in order to obtain the necessary strength, rigidity, and the durability, the thickness of the material need to be increased. Therefore, the chain guide occupies a large space in an engine room. 
         [0010]    Therefore, a chain guide is publicly known in which a traveling guide section is formed of a low-friction resin material and the other portions are formed of a material having large strength, rigidity, and durability such as metal to support the resin material to thereby reduce a space occupied by the chain guide while securing strength, rigidity, and durability necessary for the entire chain guide (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-89428.) 
         [0011]    For example, the chain guide  500  (a fixed guide) publicly known in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-89428 includes, as shown in  FIG. 24  to  FIGS. 26A to 26C , a guide shoe  510  made of resin configured to slide and guide a traveling chain and a base member  520  made of tabular metal configured to reinforce the guide shoe  510  along a chain traveling direction. 
         [0012]    The base member  520  includes a shoe supporting section  521  extending in the chain traveling direction and attaching sections  522  respectively extending vertically in positions spaced apart from each other in the chain traveling direction. The base member  520  is formed by bending an integral metal plate at 90° in two places to form the attaching sections  522  to be perpendicular to the shoe supporting section  521 . 
         [0013]    Attachment holes  523 , through which bolts or the like are inserted, are respectively provided in the attaching sections  522  in the two places. 
         [0014]    The guide shoe  510  is configured to be capable of being fitted with and unfitted from the base member  520  when a traveling guide section  511  is supported and reinforced by the shoe supporting section  521  of the base member  520  and end locking pieces  512  at both ends in the chain traveling direction and a plurality of side locking pieces  513  provided in appropriate portions in the width direction are locked to the shoe supporting section  521 . 
         [0015]    In such a publicly-known chain guide, the base member  520  needs to be formed by punching a thick metal plate in order to increase the strength, the rigidity, and the durability of the base member  520 . Therefore, a large machining machine is necessary and machining costs increase. 
         [0016]    When the base member  520  is formed by punching the metal plate, a burr remains on a cutting surface of the metal plate. The burr comes into contact with the guide shoe  510  and gives a very small scratch to the guide shoe  510 . The scratch becomes a stress concentration point to cause breakage. 
         [0017]    Further, the base member  520  is formed by bending the integral metal plate at 90° in the two places to form the shoe supporting section  521  and the attaching sections  522  in the two places. Therefore, bending for the two places is necessary and manufacturing man-hour increases. 
         [0018]    A large amount of metal material is necessary because the shoe supporting section  521  and the attaching sections  522  in the two places are formed of the integral metal plate. When the shoe supporting section  521  and the attaching sections  522  are manufactured from one metal plate by punching or the like, since the shoe supporting section  521  and the attaching sections  522  are formed in a shape profile having large number of projecting sections, a waste of the material increases. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The present invention solves the problems by forming, in a chain guide, the strength, the rigidity, and the durability of which are improved by a base member, the base member from a bar made of a metal material rather than forming the base member by punching a metal plate. It is an object of the present invention to provide a chain guide capable of reducing an occupied space in an engine room while maintaining necessary strength, rigidity, and durability with a simple configuration, reducing manufacturing man-hour and a waste of a material, reducing manufacturing costs, and preventing breakage during use. 
         [0020]    The present invention provides a chain guide including: a guide shoe configured to slide and guide a traveling chain; a base member configured to reinforce the guide shoe along a chain traveling direction; and at least one attaching section. The base member is formed by a bar made of a metal material. Consequently, the present invention solves the problems. 
         [0021]    With the chain guide according to claim  1 , it is possible to reduce an occupied space by forming the base member contributing to strength, rigidity, and durability from a material different from the material of the guide shoe. Since the base member is formed by the bar made of the metal material, it is possible to easily manufacture the base member with a simple method of, for example, cutting a long bar at appropriate length. Therefore, a manufacturing process is simplified. 
         [0022]    It is possible to arbitrarily design a sectional shape of the bar. It is possible to secure necessary strength, rigidity, and durability with a small amount of material. A waste of the material, which occurs in the punching or the like, does not occur. Therefore, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs. 
         [0023]    Further, on the surface in the longitudinal direction of the bar, a burr or the like due to cutting, punching, or the like is absent. Therefore, a contact surface of the guide shoe is not scratched by the burr or the like. It is possible to prevent occurrence of a crack and breakage caused by scratches during use. 
         [0024]    With a configuration described in claim  2 , it is possible to reduce the friction of a traveling guide section and molding is facilitated in injection molding or the like by forming the guide shoe from a synthetic resin material. Further, it is possible to sufficiently secure strength, rigidity, and durability with a less material while reducing an occupied space by forming the base member from a steel bar subjected to pultrusion molding. 
         [0025]    It is possible to easily machine the steel bar subjected to the pultrusion molding into an arbitrary cross section. It is possible to reduce manufacturing costs. Further, since the surface in the longitudinal direction of the bar is smoothed, it is possible to more surely prevent breakage during use. 
         [0026]    With a configuration described in claim  3 , it is possible to form the attaching sections by bending the base member. Therefore, manufacturing is facilitated. 
         [0027]    With a configuration described in claim  4 , the attaching sections can be formed integrally with the guide shoe by injection molding or the like. Therefore, manufacturing is facilitated. 
         [0028]    With a configuration described in claim  5 , the attaching section formed by bending the base member and the attaching section formed integrally with the guide shoe are mixed. Therefore, it is possible arbitrarily set a space of a plurality of the attaching sections by changing a positional relation in the longitudinal direction between the guide shoe and the base member, it is possible to easily absorb an error in dimensions between the attaching sections and a part to which an engine or the like is fixed, and attachment work is facilitated. 
         [0029]    When the base member and the guide shoe expand or contract because of a temperature change or are deformed by a tension change, vibration, or the like of the chain during use, it is possible to allow a force applied in the chain traveling direction to escape by relatively displacing the base member and the guide shoe. Since concentrated stress is not applied to a specific part, it is possible to further improve durability. 
         [0030]    Further, since concentrated stress is not applied to all the attaching sections, it is possible to surely prevent the fixing from being loosened, prevent an increase in vibration and noise during use, and reduce a maintenance work load. 
         [0031]    With a configuration described in claim  6 , the base member is integrated with the guide shoe by, for example, molding during manufacturing of the guide shoe. Therefore, it is possible to omit an assembly process and reduce manufacturing costs. 
         [0032]    With a configuration described in claim  7 , the base member is configured to be detachably attachable to the guide shoe. Therefore, it is possible to individually design the base member and the guide shoe and it is possible to cope with different specifications by combining the base member and the guide shoe as appropriate. As a result, versatility is improved. 
         [0033]    With a configuration described in claim  8 , the base member is formed in a pipe shape having a hollow on the inside. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently secure strength, rigidity, and durability with a less material. 
         [0034]    With a configuration described in claim  9 , a plurality of the base members are provided in parallel. Therefore, it is possible to secure necessary strength, rigidity, and durability by changing the number of the same bars even if requested specifications are different. As a result, versatility is further improved. 
         [0035]    With a configuration described in claim  10 , at least a portion of the base member is machined into a sectional shape different from the sectional shape of the other portions. Therefore, different sectional shape portions can act as locking sections and regulate relative movements of the base member and the guide shoe. It is possible to prevent an increase in vibration and sound during use, breakage, and the like. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a chain guide according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the chain guide according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0038]      FIGS. 3A to 3C  are respectively a plan view, a front view, and a bottom view of the chain guide according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0039]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are respectively a side view and an A-A sectional view of the chain guide according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0040]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are respectively a side view and an A-A sectional view of a modification in which a plurality of base members in the first embodiment of the present invention are provided; 
           [0041]      FIGS. 6A to 6P  are explanatory diagrams of other modifications of the shape and the arrangement of the base member in the first embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of a chain guide according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0042]      FIG. 8  is a bottom perspective view of the chain guide according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0043]      FIGS. 9A to 9C  are respectively a plan view, a front view, and a bottom view of the chain guide according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0044]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  are respectively a side view and a B-B sectional view of the chain guide according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0045]      FIG. 11  is a top perspective view of a chain guide according to a modification of attaching sections of a base member in the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0046]      FIG. 12  is a top perspective view of a chain guide according to another modification of the attaching sections of the base member in the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0047]      FIG. 13  is a top perspective view of a chain guide according to still another modification of the attaching sections of the base member in the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0048]      FIGS. 14A to 14D  are explanatory diagrams of chain guides according to modifications of the base member in the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0049]      FIG. 15  is a top perspective view of a chain guide according to a third embodiment of the present invention;  FIG. 16  is a bottom perspective view of the chain guide according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0050]      FIGS. 17A to 17C  are respectively a plan view, a front view, and a bottom view of the chain guide according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0051]      FIGS. 18A and 18B  are respectively a side view and a C-C sectional view of the chain guide according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0052]      FIG. 19  is a top perspective view of a chain guide according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0053]      FIG. 20  is a bottom perspective view of the chain guide according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0054]      FIGS. 21A to 21C  are respectively a plan view, a front view, and a bottom view of the chain guide according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0055]      FIGS. 22A and 22B  are respectively a D-D side view and an E-E sectional view of the chain guide according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0056]      FIG. 23  is an explanatory diagram of a timing system of a conventional engine; 
           [0057]      FIG. 24  is a top perspective view of a conventional chain guide; 
           [0058]      FIG. 25  is a bottom perspective view of the conventional chain guide; and 
           [0059]      FIGS. 26A to 26C  are respectively a plan view, a front view, and a bottom view of the conventional chain guide. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0060]    The present invention is based on the technical idea that, in a chain guide, the strength, the rigidity, and the durability of which are improved by a base member, the base member is formed of a bar made of a metal material rather than being formed by punching a metal plate. The chain guide includes a guide shoe configured to slide and guide a traveling chain, a base member configured to reinforce the guide shoe along a chain traveling direction, and at least one attaching section. The base member is formed by a bar made of a metal material. The specific configuration of the chain guide may be any configuration as long as the chain guide is capable of reducing an occupied space in an engine room while maintaining necessary strength, rigidity, and durability with a simple configuration, reducing manufacturing man-hour and a waste of a material, reducing manufacturing costs, and preventing breakage during use. 
         [0061]    As the base member, a publicly-known appropriate metal material only has to be selected according to conditions such as rigidity, durability, moldability, and costs. A steel bar subjected to pultrusion molding is suitable. 
         [0062]    As the material of the guide shoe, a publicly-known appropriate material only has to be selected according to conditions such as frictional resistance, rigidity, durability, moldability, and costs. In particular, a synthetic resin material is suitable. 
       First Embodiment 
       [0063]    A chain guide  100  (a fixed guide) according to a first embodiment of the present invention is explained based on the drawings. 
         [0064]    The chain guide  100  is applied to the publicly-known timing system explained above. As shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the chain guide  100  includes a guide shoe  110  configured to slide and guide a traveling chain and a base member  120  configured to reinforce the guide shoe  110  along a chain traveling direction and improve strength, rigidity, and durability. 
         [0065]    The base member  120  is formed of a bar of metal extending in the chain traveling direction. The base member  120  is formed by, for example, drawing a steel material and cutting the steel material at appropriate length. 
         [0066]    The base member  120  is given a predetermined bending shape along the chain traveling direction. 
         [0067]    The guide shoe  110  includes a traveling guide section  111  extending in the chain traveling direction. The guide shoe  110  is formed of a synthetic resin material and integrally molded by, for example, injection molding in a state in which the base member  120  is inserted into the guide shoe  110 . 
         [0068]    Attaching sections  114  are formed to extend to a front surface side on an upstream side and to a rear surface side on a downstream side in the chain traveling direction. In the attaching sections  114 , attachment holes  115 , through which bolts or the like for fixing the attaching sections  114  in an engine room are inserted, are respectively provided. The attaching sections  114  are reinforced by ribs in order to secure strength and rigidity according to necessity. 
         [0069]    One of the attachment holes  115  (in this embodiment, the attachment hole  115  on the downstream side) is formed as a long hole such that an error in dimensions between the attachment hole  115  and a part to which an engine or the like is fixed and a difference in expansion and contraction between the attachment hole  115  and the part to which the engine or the like is fixed due to a temperature change can be absorbed. 
         [0070]    Note that, in this embodiment, the right direction in  FIG. 1  to  FIGS. 3A to 3C  is the upstream side in the chain traveling direction. The left direction in the figures is the downstream side in the chain traveling direction. A chain traveling surface side of the traveling guide section  111  is the front surface side. An opposite surface of the chain traveling surface side is the rear surface side. 
         [0071]    With the chain guide  100  according to this embodiment configured as explained above, the guide shoe  110  made of low-friction synthetic resin is formed of the bar made of the metal material contributing to strength, rigidity, and durability and is reinforced by the base member  120 . Therefore, the chain guide  100  is reduced in size as a whole. It is possible to reduce an occupied space in an engine room in which the chain guide  100  is fixed. 
         [0072]    Since the base member  120  is formed of the bar, it is possible to easily manufacture the base member  120  with a simple method of, for example, cutting a long bar at appropriate length. Further, a waste of the material, which occurs in punching or the like of a tabular material, does not occur. Therefore, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs. 
         [0073]    When the guide shoe  110  is formed by injection molding or the like, it is possible to insert the base member  120  into and integrate the base member  120  with the guide shoe  110 . Therefore, manufacturing of the entire chain guide  100  is facilitated and manufacturing costs are reduced. 
         [0074]    Further, on the surface in the longitudinal direction of the base member  120 , a burr or the like due to cutting, punching, or the like is absent. The surface of the base member  120  can be formed as a smoother surface by forming the base member  120  as a steel bar subjected to pultrusion molding. Therefore, the guide shoe  110  is not scratched by the burr or the like. It is possible to prevent occurrence of a crack and breakage caused by scratches during use. 
         [0075]    Note that the guide shoe  110  may be formed in a shape in which a long hole for inserting the base member  120  is provided in the chain traveling direction. The base member  120  may be inserted from the back and integrated with the guide shoe  110 . 
         [0076]    The sectional shape, the sectional area, and the like of the base member  120  can be arbitrarily set. A plurality of the base members  120  may be present in parallel to the longitudinal direction. 
         [0077]    For example, as shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , by providing two base members  120  in the width direction, it is possible to reduce a downward thickness dimension (in the up down direction in the figure) of a chain traveling surface of the guide shoe  110  and reduce the guide shoe  110  in size while securing the strength, the rigidity, the durability, and the like of the entire chain guide  100 . 
         [0078]    As shown in  FIG. 6A , the two base members  120  may be provided in the thickness direction (the up down direction in the figure). As shown in  FIG. 6B , three base members  120  may be provided in parallel. The number and the arrangement of the base members  120  can be arbitrarily designed. 
         [0079]    The sectional shape of the base member  120  may be a solid arbitrary external shape as shown in, for example,  FIGS. 6C to 6I  according to the strength, the rigidity, the durability, and an allowed shape and an allowed dimension of the entire chain guide  100 . For example, as shown in  FIGS. 6J to 6P , the sectional shape of the base member  120  may be a hollow pipe-like arbitrary external shape (note that forms shown in  FIGS. 6   a  to  6 P are schematic diagrams and are examples; the sectional shapes and the sectional areas of the guide shoe  110  and the base member  120  and the number, the arrangement, and the like of the base members  120  are not limited to these forms). 
         [0080]    The sectional shape of the base member  120  is also applicable to chain guides in a second embodiment and a third embodiment explained below. 
       Second Embodiment 
       [0081]    A chain guide  200  (a fixed guide) according to a second embodiment of the present invention is explained based on the drawings. 
         [0082]    The chain guide  200  is applied to the publicly-known timing system explained above. As shown in  FIG. 7  to  FIGS. 10A and 10B , the chain guide  200  includes a guide shoe  210  configured to slide and guide a traveling chain and a base member  220  configured to reinforce the guide shoe  210  along a chain traveling direction and improve strength, rigidity, and durability. 
         [0083]    The guide shoe  210  includes a traveling guide section  211  extending in the chain traveling direction. The guide shoe  210  is formed of a synthetic resin material and integrally molded by, for example, injection molding in a state in which an intermediate portion of the base member  220  is inserted into the guide shoe  210 . 
         [0084]    The base member  220  is formed of a bar of metal extending in the chain traveling direction. The base member  220  is formed by, for example, drawing a steel material and cutting the steel material at appropriate length. 
         [0085]    Both ends of the base member  220  projecting from the guide shoe  210  are bent to be fixed in an engine room and form attaching sections  222 . 
         [0086]    In this embodiment, the attaching sections  222  are configured to be inserted into and fixed in attachment holes provided in the engine room or the like by appropriate means. 
         [0087]    The intermediate portion of the base member  220  inserted into the guide shoe  210  is given a predetermined bending shape along the chain traveling direction. 
         [0088]    With the chain guide  200  according to this embodiment configured as explained above, as in the first embodiment, the guide shoe  210  made of low-friction synthetic resin is formed of the bar made of the metal material contributing to strength, rigidity, and durability and is reinforced by the base member  220 . Therefore, the chain guide  200  is reduced in size as a whole. It is possible to reduce an occupied space in an engine room in which the chain guide  200  is fixed. 
         [0089]    Since the base member  220  is formed of the bar, it is possible to easily manufacture the base member  220  with a simple method of, for example, cutting a long bar at appropriate length. Further, a waste of the material, which occurs in punching or the like of a tabular material, does not occur. Therefore, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs. 
         [0090]    When the guide shoe  210  is formed by injection molding or the like, it is possible to insert the base member  220  into and integrate the base member  220  with the guide shoe  210 . Therefore, manufacturing of the entire chain guide  200  is facilitated and manufacturing costs are reduced. 
         [0091]    Further, on the surface in the longitudinal direction of the base member  220 , a burr or the like due to cutting, punching, or the like is absent. The surface of the base member  220  can be formed as a smoother surface by forming the base member  220  as a steel bar subjected to pultrusion molding. Therefore, the guide shoe  210  is not scratched by the burr or the like. It is possible to prevent occurrence of a crack and breakage caused by scratches during use. 
         [0092]    Note that the guide shoe  210  may be formed in a shape in which a long hole for inserting the base member  220  is provided in the chain traveling direction. The base member  220  may be inserted from the back and integrated with the guide shoe  210 . Thereafter, both ends of the base member  220  may be bent. 
         [0093]    The sectional shape, the sectional area, and the like of the base member  220  can be arbitrarily set as in the first embodiment. 
         [0094]    The attaching sections  222  only have to be machined in an appropriate shape according to attachment places in the engine room or the like to which the chain guide  200  is attached. 
         [0095]    For example, as shown in  FIG. 11 , both the ends of the base member  220  projecting from the guide shoe  210  may be once bent upward to be higher than the chain traveling surface of the guide shoe  210 . The distal ends of both ends of the base member  220  may be directed to the attachment part side in the engine room or the like and formed as attaching sections  222   a.    
         [0096]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , both the ends of the base member  220  projecting from the guide shoe  210  may be once bent toward the attachment part side in the engine room or the like and the distal ends may be bent in an arcuate shape parallel to an attachment surface (not shown in the figure) to form attaching sections  222   b  and  222   c  to configure attachment holes  223  for bolts or the like. 
         [0097]    As shown in  FIG. 13 , both the ends of the base member  220  projecting from the guide shoe  210  may be once bent toward the attachment part side in the engine room or the like, the distal ends of both the ends may be bent in the thickness direction (the up down direction in the figure) of the guide shoe  210 , and the distal ends may be further bent in an arcuate shape to form attaching sections  222   d  and  222   e  to configure the attachment holes  223  for bolts or the like. 
         [0098]    As shown in  FIG. 14A , the shape of the attaching sections of the base member  220  may be formed such that both the ends of the base member  220  projecting from the guide shoe  210  are turned around and connected. Attaching sections  222   e  configuring the attachment holes  223  for bolts or the like may be formed halfway in the connected both ends. 
         [0099]    As shown in  FIG. 14B , attaching sections  222   f  may be formed by machining the distal ends of the base member  220  projecting from the guide shoe  210  to be flat and perforating the attachment holes  223 . 
         [0100]    As the shape of both the ends of the base member  220  including the attaching sections projecting from the guide shoe  210 , the forms explained above may be variously combined. Other configurations not explained as examples may be adopted. 
         [0101]    The shape of the attaching sections  222  of the base member  220  is also applicable to a chain guide in a fourth embodiment explained below. 
         [0102]    Further, the intermediate portion of the base member  220  inserted into the guide shoe  210  may be formed in a meandering shape as in a base member  220   a  shown in  FIG. 14C  or may be formed such that the sectional area thereof continuously changes as in a base member  220   b  shown in  FIG. 14D . By forming the intermediate portion of the base member  220  in this way, it is possible to surely prevent the base member  220  and the guide shoe  210  from relatively moving. 
         [0103]    The shape of the intermediate portion of the base member  220  inserted into the guide shoe  210  is also applicable to the chain guide in the first embodiment and a chain guide in a third embodiment explained below. 
       Third Embodiment 
       [0104]    A chain guide  300  (a swinging guide) according to a third embodiment of the present invention is explained based on the drawings. 
         [0105]    The chain guide  300  is applied to the publicly-known timing system explained above. As shown in  FIG. 15  to  FIGS. 18A and 18B , the chain guide  300  includes a guide shoe  310  configured to swing around an attachment hole  315  and slide and guide a traveling chain and a base member  320  configured to reinforce the guide shoe  310  along a chain traveling direction and improve strength, rigidity, and durability. 
         [0106]    The base member  320  is formed of a bar of metal extending in the chain traveling direction. The base member  320  is formed by, for example, drawing a steel material and cutting the steel material at appropriate length. 
         [0107]    The base member  320  is given a predetermined bending shape along the chain traveling direction. 
         [0108]    The guide shoe  310  is formed of a synthetic resin material. The guide shoe  310  includes a traveling guide section  311  extending in the chain traveling direction and includes a vertical wall section  316  on the opposite side of chain traveling of the traveling guide section  311  and reinforcing ribs  317  for securing rigidity against bending, torsion, and the like. The guide shoe  310  is integrally molded by, for example, injection molding in a state in which the base member  320  is inserted into the guide shoe  310 . 
         [0109]    An attaching section  314  is formed to extend to the rear surface side on the upstream side in the chain traveling direction. The attachment hole  315 , through which a swinging shaft or the like for swingably attaching the chain guide  300  in an engine room, is provided. 
         [0110]    With the chain guide  300  according to this embodiment configured as explained above, as in the other embodiments, the guide shoe  310  made of low-friction synthetic resin is formed by a bar made of a metal material contributing to strength, rigidity, and durability and is reinforced by the base member  320 . Therefore, the chain guide  300  is reduced in size as a whole. It is possible to reduce an occupied space in the engine room. 
         [0111]    Since the base member  320  is formed of the bar, it is possible to easily manufacture the base member  320  with a simple method of, for example, cutting a long bar at appropriate length. Further, a waste of the material, which occurs in punching or the like of a tabular material, does not occur. Therefore, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs. 
         [0112]    When the guide shoe  310  is formed by injection molding or the like, it is possible to insert the base member  320  into and integrate the base member  320  with the guide shoe  310 . Therefore, manufacturing of the entire chain guide  300  is facilitated and manufacturing costs are reduced. 
         [0113]    Further, on the surface in the longitudinal direction of the base member  320 , a burr or the like due to cutting, punching, or the like is absent. The surface of the base member  320  can be formed as a smoother surface by forming the base member  320  as a steel bar subjected to pultrusion molding. Therefore, the guide shoe  310  is not scratched by the burr or the like. It is possible to prevent occurrence of a crack and breakage caused by scratches during use. 
         [0114]    Note that the guide shoe  310  may be formed in a shape in which a long hole for inserting the base member  320  is provided in the chain traveling direction. The base member  320  may be inserted from the back and integrated with the guide shoe  310 . 
       Fourth Embodiment 
       [0115]    A chain guide  400  (a fixed guide) according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is explained based on the drawings. 
         [0116]    The chain guide  400  is applied to the publicly-known timing system explained above. As shown in  FIG. 19  to  FIGS. 22A and 22B , the chain guide  400  includes a guide shoe  410  configured to slide and guide a traveling chain and a base member  420  configured to reinforce the guide shoe  410  along a chain traveling direction and improve strength, rigidity, and durability. 
         [0117]    The guide shoe  410  includes a traveling guide section  411  extending in the chain traveling direction. The guide shoe  410  is formed of a synthetic resin material and molded to be capable of locking, with side locking pieces  413  provided on the lower surface side of the guide shoe  410 , an intermediate portion of the base member  420  and integrating the intermediate portion. 
         [0118]    As in the second embodiment, the base member  420  is formed of a bar of metal extending in the chain traveling direction. The base member  420  is formed by, for example, drawing a steel material and cutting the steel material at appropriate length. 
         [0119]    Both ends of the base member  420  projecting from the guide shoe  410  form attaching sections  422  bent to be fixed in an engine room. 
         [0120]    In this embodiment, the attaching sections  422  are configured to be inserted into and fixed in attachment holes provided in the engine room or the like by appropriate means. 
         [0121]    The intermediate portion of the base member  420  locked to the guide shoe  410  is given a predetermined bending shape along the chain traveling direction. 
         [0122]    Note that, in order to surely prevent relative movements of the guide shoe  410  and the base member  420 , at least a portion of the base member  420  may be machined in a sectional shape different from the sectional shape of the other portions and a locking section that recess-projection fits in the rear surface of the guide shoe  410 , which is in contact with the portion, or the side locking pieces  413 . 
         [0123]    The intermediate portion of the base member  420  in contact with the guide shoe  410  may be formed in a shape same as the shape of the base members  220   a  and  220   b  shown in  FIGS. 14C and 14D  showing the modification of the second embodiment. 
         [0124]    With the chain guide  400  according to this embodiment configured as explained above, as in the other embodiments, the guide shoe  410  made of low-friction synthetic resin is formed by a bar made of a metal material contributing to strength, rigidity, and durability and is reinforced by the base member  420 . Therefore, the chain guide  400  is reduced in size as a whole. It is possible to reduce an occupied space in the engine room in which the chain guide  400  is fixed. 
         [0125]    Since the base member  420  is formed of the bar, it is possible to easily manufacture the base member  420  with a simple method of, for example, cutting a long bar at appropriate length. Further, a waste of the material, which occurs in punching or the like of a tabular material, does not occur. Therefore, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs. 
         [0126]    It is possible to fit the base member  420  integrally in the guide shoe  410  from the rear surface side. Manufacturing of the entire chain guide  400  is facilitated and manufacturing costs are reduced. Further, even when the base member  420 , a form of the attaching sections  422  of which is different according to design of the engine room in which the chain guide  400  is fixed, is used, it is possible to use the same guide shoe  410 . As a result, versatility is improved. 
         [0127]    Further, on the surface in the longitudinal direction of the base member  420 , a burr or the like due to cutting, punching, or the like is absent. The surface of the base member  420  can be formed as a smoother surface by forming the base member  420  as a steel bar subjected to pultrusion molding. Therefore, the guide shoe  410  is not scratched by the burr or the like. It is possible to prevent occurrence of a crack and breakage caused by scratches during use. 
         [0128]    Note that the sectional shape, the sectional area, and the like of the base member  420  can be arbitrarily set as in the other embodiments. 
         [0129]    The attaching sections  422  only have to be machined in an appropriate shape according to attachment places in the engine room or the like to which the chain guide  200  is attached as in the second embodiment. 
         [0130]    The embodiments explained above are specific examples of the chain guide according to the present invention. However, the chain guide according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. Various modifications are possible concerning the shapes, the positions, the dimensions, the arrangement relation, and the like of the components. The shapes of the components in the embodiments may be combined as appropriate. 
         [0131]    For example, the structure for integration of the base member by the side locking pieces in the fourth embodiment may be adopted for the guide shoe  110  in the first embodiment. A structure may be adopted in which, at one end in the longitudinal direction of a chain guide, an attaching section is provided in a guide shoe as in the first embodiment and, at the other end, an attaching section is provided in a base member as in the second embodiment and the fourth embodiment. 
         [0132]    In the embodiments, the chain guide is provided in the engine including the timing system. However, the chain guide is not limited to this and can be applied to various machines. 
         [0133]    The chain guide is not limited to the driving mechanism by the chain and may be applied to similar driving mechanisms such as a belt and a rope. The chain guide can be used in various industrial fields.