Patent ID: 7108624

Claim:
Belt ( 3 ) for use in a continuous variable transmission, comprising an endless carrier ( 4 ) for taking up tensile forces within said belt ( 3 ), and a plurality of transverse elements ( 5 ) provided moveable in the longitudinal direction along said carrier ( 4 ), which elements ( 5 ) are provided with at least one saddle surface ( 8 ) for contacting the carrier ( 4 ), which saddle surface ( 8 ) defines an ultimate mutual position of the said carrier ( 4 ) and the said elements ( 5 ) relative to each other within the belt ( 3 ) in radial direction, and with a tapered lower element part including a rocking edge ( 9 ), whereby each axial end of the saddle surface ( 8 ) is adjoined by a limb ( 10 ; 11 ) in the form of a protrusion extending predominantly in radial outward direction, thereby defining a recess ( 6 ) open to the radial outer end of the element ( 5 ) allowing free insertion of the carrier ( 4 ) in the recess, whereby each limb extends radially outward beyond the carrier ( 4 ) over a distance that substantially conforms or exceeds an longitudinal thickness of the element ( 5 ) at the location of the saddle surface ( 8 ), at least when the carrier ( 4 ) and the saddle surface ( 8 ) are in mutual contact, and whereby the transverse elements ( 5 ) are further provided with a pulley contact face ( 15 , 16 ) at each axial side thereof for contacting a pulley sheave of the transmission, which pulley contact faces ( 15 , 16 ) are mutually oriented under a flank angle and which pulley contact faces ( 15 , 16 ) extend radially outward beyond the carrier ( 4 ), at least when the carrier ( 4 ) and the saddle surface ( 8 ) are in mutual contact, characterised in that the limbs ( 10 , 11 ) each have an axial side face that extends in a predominantly radial direction under a small, but positive angle with such radial direction substantially conforming to the flank angle, said axial side face extending radially outward beyond the pulley contact faces ( 15 , 16 ).