Patent ID: 8047939

Claim:
A transverse element for a drive belt for a continuously variable transmission having two pulleys, each composed of two pulley sheaves with an at least partially conical contact face for confining in the drive belt in pairs, comprising two endless ring assemblies and transverse elements which are fitted so as to be movable around the circumference of the ring assemblies, and which are provided with a recess on either side for at least partially accommodating a ring assembly, the transverse element being provided with a base part lying radially inside the recesses, with a connecting piece lying between the recesses, and with a head part lying radially outside the recesses, the base part on either side of the connecting piece being provided with a radially outwardly directed saddle surface for contact with a ring assembly, and between the saddle surface and the connecting piece a notch being provided, in which notch a convexly curved part connects to the respective saddle surface, and in which notch a concavely curved part connects to a respective substantially axially directed side face of the connecting piece, wherein the concavely curved part ( 81 ) of the notch ( 80 ) in the base part ( 65 ) of the transverse element ( 63 ) on either of two sides of a radially most inward lying part (D) thereof is provided with a mutually different degree of curvature such that an average radius of curvature of the concavely curved part ( 81 ) on a first side toward the side face ( 73 ) of the connecting piece ( 66 ) is greater than an average radius of curvature on a second side toward the convexly curved part ( 82 ) of the notch ( 80 ).