Patent ID: 6908406

Claim:
A system for transmitting driving forces from a driving shaft to a driven shaft by way of an elastomeric belt nipped between opposing surfaces associated with the driving and driven shafts, the improvement characterized in that: the elastomeric belt is compliant in nature and capable of being deformed so that when nipped and thereby compressed between the opposing surfaces associated with the driving and driven shafts, the thickness of the elastomeric belt is reduced in size; and each of the opposing surfaces defines a plurality of indentations disposed thereacross wherein each indentation includes a cavity for accepting a portion of the elastomeric belt as the belt passes and is nipped between the opposing surfaces and an edge which borders the cavity at the corresponding surface so that as the driving shaft is driven and the belt is nipped and thereby compressed between the opposing surfaces associated with the driving and driven shafts, the portions of the elastomeric belt which are disposed in registry with the indentations of the opposing surfaces distend from the compressed condition and are accepted by the cavities of the indentations so that driving forces from the driving shaft are transmitted between the edges of the indentations and the portions of the belt accepted by the indentations so that the belt and the opposing surfaces are moved in conjunction with one another.