Chain

Abstract

To provide a chain which, with a simple structure, exhibits high visibility even under dark conditions, sustains the visibility, and shows excellent safety and corrosion resistance.SOLUTION: A chain comprises a plurality of outer links each including a pair of outer plates and a pair of pins, and a plurality of inner links each including a pair of inner plates and a pair of bushes, wherein the pins are rotatably inserted into the bushes, the outer links and the inner links are bendably connected, a laminate is formed on an outer surface of at least one plate among the outer plates and the inner plates, the laminate includes one layer or a plurality of layers, and at least one layer is a functional layer having one or more functions selected from a phosphorescent function, a fluorescent function, and a reflective function.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chain having a plurality of outer links each including a pair of outer plates and a pair of pins, and a plurality of inner links each including a pair of inner plates and a pair of bushings, wherein the pins are rotatably inserted into the bushings, and the outer links and inner links are flexibly connected. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, timing chains used in timing systems for vehicle engines have been known in which the surfaces of the plates that make up the timing chain are colored by plating or colored baking paint, and these function as timing marks when the timing chain is wound around a sprocket (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 9-242829 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the timing chain known from Patent Document 1 and elsewhere, an outer plate 1 and an inner plate 2 are connected by a connecting pin 3 to form an endless timing chain 4, and some of the outer plates 1' are colored with a colored baking paint, thereby functioning as timing marks. However, since chains are generally used in a wide variety of applications, such as in industrial machinery and bicycles, if a timing chain known from Patent Document 1 and the like were to be applied to the above applications and used outdoors rather than inside an engine, there was a risk that the colored baked paint would have poor visibility in dark surroundings, such as at night, and the chain would not be able to be wound properly, and it would also be difficult for third parties to see and would not be noticed. Furthermore, if the chain is driven within the reach of a worker, the colored baked paint makes it difficult to see, which could result in injury to the worker, and there is also the risk that a separate safety fence or sign would be required. Furthermore, when chains are used outdoors, they are often not covered with a protective cover or the like for reasons such as ease of maintenance. In such cases, the chain is exposed to the external environment, such as wind and rain, which can cause the colored baked paint to peel off, rust to form on the chain, which can cause strange noises when the chain is driven, and the resulting rust can shorten the chain's lifespan.

[0005] The present invention is intended to solve these problems, and aims to provide a chain with a simple structure, good visibility even in dark surroundings, that maintains that visibility, and excellent safety and rust resistance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The chain of the present invention has a plurality of outer links each including a pair of outer plates and a pair of pins, and a plurality of inner links each including a pair of inner plates and a pair of bushings, wherein the pins are rotatably inserted into the bushings, and the outer links and inner links are flexibly connected, and a laminate is formed on the outer surface of at least one of the outer plates or the inner plates, and the laminate is provided with a functional layer having one or more of the following functions: phosphorescent function, fluorescent function, and reflective function, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the invention of claim 1, a chain is provided which has a plurality of outer links each including a pair of outer plates and a pair of pins, and a plurality of inner links each including a pair of inner plates and a pair of bushings, with the pin rotatably inserted into the bushings, and the outer links and inner links being flexibly connected, wherein a laminate is formed on the outer surface of at least one of the outer plates or inner plates, and the laminate consists of one or more layers, and at least one layer is a functional layer having one or more of the following functions: phosphorescent function, fluorescent function, and reflective function, thereby improving the visibility of the chain when viewed from the axial direction of the pin and attracting the attention of workers, etc. Furthermore, the rust prevention properties of the area where the laminate is formed can be improved, noise during driving can be prevented, and a reduction in the life of the chain can be prevented.

[0008] According to the configuration described in claim 2, in the laminate, a protective layer for protecting the functional layer is formed on the upper surface of the functional layer, thereby preventing peeling of the functional layer even when exposed to external environments such as rain and wind, and allowing the effects of the functional layer to be maintained for a longer period of time.

[0009] According to the configuration described in claim 3, in the laminate, a base layer is formed on the underside of the functional layer, which not only allows the functional layer to more effectively exhibit its phosphorescent, fluorescent, and reflective functions regardless of the material of the chain, but also strengthens the adhesion between the functional layer and the base layer, thereby further suppressing peeling of the functional layer.

[0010] According to the configuration of claim 4, since at least one layer of the laminate is a coating film formed by painting, the laminate can be formed regardless of the surface shapes of the outer plate and the inner plate, and the thickness of the laminate formed can be freely adjusted.

[0011] According to the configuration described in claim 5, when viewed from the axial direction of the pin, a laminate is formed on the outer surface of at least one of the inner plates in the overlapping portion between the outer plate and the inner plate, except for the overlapping portion on the outer surface of the inner plate.Therefore, even if a laminate is formed on the outer surface of the inner plate, the laminate does not interfere with the inner surface of the outer plate and does not cause sliding resistance between the outer link and the inner link.

[0012] According to the configuration described in claim 6, a laminate is formed on the outer surface of at least one of the outer plates or inner plates located in the row opposite the outer plate or inner plate on which the laminate is formed, so that a laminate is formed on the outer surface of the outer plate or inner plate located on both sides of the running direction of the chain, thereby further improving the rust prevention performance of the chain and improving visibility on both sides of the chain.

[0013] According to the configuration described in claim 7, a laminate is formed on the end face of at least one of the outer plate or inner plate, thereby improving not only visibility when viewed from the axial direction of the pin, but also visibility when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the pin.

[0014] According to the configuration described in claim 8, a laminate is formed on the inner surface of at least one of the outer plates or inner plates, so that when assembling the outer plate or inner plate to the chain, the outer surface and the inner surface can be assembled without distinguishing between them, which reduces the cost required for assembly and also improves visibility when viewed from a direction other than the axial direction of the pin.

[0015] According to the configuration described in claim 9, a laminate is formed on the outer surfaces of two or more of the outer plates or inner plates, and the functional layers of the laminate include those that exhibit different colors, making it possible to determine from the appearance whether the chain is running or stopped.

[0016] According to the configuration described in claim 10, a laminate is formed on the inner surface of at least one of the outer plates or inner plates having a laminate formed on their outer surface, and the functional layer of the laminate on the inner surface includes one that exhibits a different color than the functional layer of the laminate on the outer surface.Therefore, by flipping the outer plate or inner plate over when assembling it to the chain, it is possible to create a chain that exhibits a different color when viewed from the axial direction of the pin.In addition, there is no need to separately prepare outer plates or inner plates that exhibit different colors, thereby reducing production costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a chain 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a side view of a chain 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the area circled by the dashed line in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a front view of an inner surface 111-2 of an outer plate 111 in the chain 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a front view of an outer surface 121-1 of an inner plate 121 in the chain 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] A chain 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the chain 100 is configured as a roller chain made of steel, and has a plurality of outer links 110 each including a pair of outer plates 111 and a pair of pins 112, a plurality of inner links 120 each including a pair of inner plates 121 and a pair of hollow bushings 122, a plurality of rollers 130 rotatably supported on the outer surface of the bushings 122, and a laminate 140 formed on the surface of the outer plates 111 and the inner plates 121. The outer links 110 and the inner links 120 are connected to each other in a flexible manner in the longitudinal direction of the chain 100 by rotatably inserting the pin 112 into the through hole of the bushing 122.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the laminate 140 is formed on each of the surfaces of the outer surfaces 111-1, inner surfaces 111-2, and end surfaces 111-3 of all outer plates 111 included in the multiple outer links 110, and the outer surfaces 121-1, inner surfaces 121-2, and end surfaces 121-3 of all inner plates 121 included in the multiple inner links 120. By forming the laminate 140 on the outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111 and the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121, which are located on both the left and right sides of the running direction of the chain 100, the rust prevention performance of the chain 100 can be further improved, and visibility can be improved when viewing the chain 100 from either the left or right side of the running direction. Here, for example, in a case where one of the left and right sides of the running direction of the chain 100 is covered with a protective cover or the like, or faces an object that drives the chain 100 and is therefore not visible, the laminate 140 may be formed on the outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111 or the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121 only in the direction that is visible.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4, the laminate 140 is composed of a total of three layers: one functional layer 141, one protective layer 142, and one base layer 143, with the protective layer 142 formed on the upper surface side of the functional layer 141 and the base layer 143 formed on the lower surface side of the functional layer 141. Here, the laminate 140 may have a configuration including only one functional layer 141.

[0022] The functional layer 141 has one or more visually effective functions and colors, such as a luminous function, a fluorescent function, a reflective function, etc. In this specification, any one or a combination of these visually effective functions and color (hue, saturation, brightness, and other special elements) is collectively referred to as "color development." If the chain has a luminous function, when light is supplied from a light source such as the sun, the functional layer 141 stores the light, and when the chain 100 is in a dark environment, the functional layer 141 emits light, and the luminescence continues due to its luminous properties. This ensures that the chain 100 remains visible for a long period of time even in dark environments, and also improves the rust resistance of the outer plate 111 and the inner plate 121 at the locations where the laminate is formed. At this time, by changing the intensity and supply time of the light supplied from the light source to the functional layer 141, the intensity and duration of the light emission of the functional layer 141 can be freely adjusted. Here, the functional layer 141 is a coating film formed by painting with a phosphorescent paint, and by changing the amount of phosphorescent paint applied or the number of times it is painted, it is possible to freely adjust the thickness and number of layers of the functional layer 141. This functional layer 141 may be formed of two or more layers. Furthermore, by using phosphorescent paints of different colors, functional layers 141 that exhibit different colors when emitting light may be formed on two or more of the outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111 or the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121. Furthermore, when a functional layer 141 made of phosphorescent paint is formed on the outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111 or the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121, a functional layer 141 exhibiting a different color may be formed on the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111 or the inner surface 121-2 of the inner plate 121, or may be formed on two or more of the outer plate 111 or the inner plate 121. In the chain 100, the functional layers 141 of the outer plates 111 and the inner plates 121 all exhibit the same color.

[0023] Furthermore, if the functional layer 141 has a fluorescent function, the color of the area where the laminate 140 is formed on the outer plate 111 and the inner plate 121 can be made very vivid, and when light including ultraviolet rays is irradiated on the area around the chain 100 in a dark environment, the functional layer 141 will emit light. This improves the visibility of the chain 100 in both bright and dark environments, and also improves the rust resistance of the outer plate 111 and the inner plate 121 at the locations where the laminate is formed. Here, the functional layer 141 is a coating film formed by painting with fluorescent paint, and by changing the amount of fluorescent paint applied or the number of times it is painted, it is possible to freely adjust the thickness and number of layers of the functional layer 141. The functional layer 141 may be formed of two or more layers. Furthermore, by using fluorescent paints of different colors, functional layers 141 that emit different colors when emitting light may be formed on two or more of the outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111 or the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121. Furthermore, when a functional layer 141 made of fluorescent paint is formed on the outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111 or the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121, a functional layer 141 exhibiting a different color may be formed on the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111 or the inner surface 121-2 of the inner plate 121, or may be formed on two or more of the outer plate 111 or the inner plate 121.

[0024] Furthermore, if the functional layer 141 has a reflecting function, when light is irradiated onto the portions of the outer plate 111 and the inner plate 121 where the laminate 140 is formed, the functional layer 141 reflects the light. This improves the visibility of the chain 100 even in dark environments, and also improves the rust resistance of the outer plate 111 and the inner plate 121 at the locations where the laminate is formed. Here, the functional layer 141 is a coating film formed by painting with a reflective paint, and by changing the amount of reflective paint applied or the number of times it is painted, it is possible to freely adjust the thickness and number of layers of the functional layer 141. This functional layer 141 may be formed in two or more layers. Furthermore, functional layers 141 that exhibit different colors upon reflection by using reflective paints of different colors may be formed on two or more of the outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111 or the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121. Furthermore, when a functional layer 141 made of reflective paint is formed on the outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111 or the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121, a functional layer 141 exhibiting a different color may be formed on the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111 or the inner surface 121-2 of the inner plate 121, or may be formed on two or more of the outer plate 111 or the inner plate 121.

[0025] The protective layer 142 is formed on the upper surface side of the functional layer 141 and is configured to prevent the functional layer 141 from being directly exposed to the external environment. This makes it possible to prevent peeling of the functional layer 141, even when the chain 100 is used outdoors and exposed to external elements such as rain and wind, and to maintain the effects of the functional layer 141 for a longer period of time. Here, the protective layer 142 is a coating film formed by applying a protective coating, and by changing the amount of protective coating applied or the number of times it is applied, it is possible to freely adjust the thickness and number of layers of the protective layer 142. This protective layer 142 may be formed in two or more layers. Furthermore, by making the protective layer 142 a coating film formed by a clear coating that becomes transparent after drying, the functional layer 141 can be effectively protected without interfering with the phosphorescent function, etc., of the functional layer 141.

[0026] The base layer 143 is formed on the lower surface side of the functional layer 141 so that the functional layer 141 is not formed directly on the surfaces of the outer plate 111 and the inner plate 121 . This allows the functional layer 141 to be formed regardless of the materials used to make up the outer plate 111 and the inner plate 121, allowing the functional layer 141 to more effectively exhibit its phosphorescent functions, etc., while also strengthening the adhesion between the functional layer 141 and the base layer 143 and preventing the functional layer 141 from peeling off. Furthermore, for example, if the functional layer 141 has a fluorescent function, the base layer 143 can be made white to improve the color development of the functional layer 141, thereby further improving the visibility of the chain 100. Here, the base layer 143 is a coating film formed by painting with a primer, and by changing the amount of primer to be applied or the number of times it is painted, it is possible to freely adjust the thickness and number of layers of the base layer 143. This base layer 143 may be formed in two or more layers. Furthermore, before forming the base layer 143 on the surfaces of the outer plate 111 and the inner plate 121, a pre-treatment such as shot peening using steel balls made of an iron-zinc alloy as shot material can be performed, thereby making the adhesion between the outer plate 111, the inner plate 121 and the base layer 143 stronger.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the outer plate 111 has a laminate 140 formed on each of an outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111, an inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111, and an end surface 111-3 of the outer plate 111.

[0028] On the outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111, a laminate 140 is formed over the entire outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111. This significantly improves the visibility of the chain 100 when viewed from the axial direction of the pin 112 in a dark environment, and also improves the rust resistance over the entire outer surface 111-1 of the outer plate 111. Here, with regard to the outer surfaces 111-1 of the outer plates 111 of the outer links 110, the laminated body 140 may be formed on the entire surface or a part of the outer surface 111-1 of at least one of the outer plates 111.

[0029] On the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111, when the chain 100 is viewed from the axial direction of the pin 112, as shown in Figure 5, a laminate 140 is formed in the overlapping portion between the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111 and the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121, excluding the overlapping portion on the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111. As a result, when the outer link 110 and the inner link 120 are bent, the laminate 140 formed on the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111 does not cause sliding resistance, and the rust resistance of the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111 can be improved. Furthermore, by forming a laminate 140 on the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111 near the overlapping portion with the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121, rainwater and the like are less likely to penetrate into the overlapping portion from the outside, and grease and the like are less likely to escape from the inside, thereby improving rust resistance and wear characteristics. Here, the laminate 140 does not necessarily have to be formed on the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111 of the outer links 110.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, on the end surface 111-3 of the outer plate 111, a laminate 140 is formed over the entire surface of the end surface 111-3 of the outer plate 111. This makes it possible to improve the visibility of the chain 100 even when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the pins 112. Here, the laminate 140 does not necessarily have to be formed on the end surface 111-3 of the outer plate 111 of the outer links 110.

[0031] In each inner plate 121 of the chain 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, a laminate 140 is formed on each surface of the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121, the inner surface 121-2 of the inner plate 121, and the end surface 121-3 of the inner plate 121.

[0032] As shown in Figure 6, when the chain 100 is viewed from the axial direction of the pin 112, a laminate 140 is formed on the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121 in the overlapping portion between the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111 and the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121, excluding the overlapping portion on the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121. As a result, when the outer link 110 and the inner link 120 are bent, the laminate 140 formed on the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121 does not cause sliding resistance, and the rust resistance of the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121 can be improved. Furthermore, by forming a laminate 140 on the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121 near the overlapping portion with the inner surface 111-2 of the outer plate 111, rainwater, dust, etc. are less likely to enter the overlapping portion from the outside, and grease, etc. are less likely to escape from the inside, thereby improving rust resistance and wear characteristics. Here, with regard to outer surfaces 121-1 of inner plates 121 of a plurality of inner links 120, laminated body 140 may be formed on the entire surface or a part of outer surface 121-1 of at least one of inner plates 121.

[0033] On the inner surface 121-2 of the inner plate 121, the laminated body 140 is formed at the same position as on the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121 shown in FIG. As a result, when the roller 130 rotates, the laminate 140 formed on the inner surface 121-2 of the inner plate 121 does not create sliding resistance, and the rust resistance of the inner surface 121-2 of the inner plate 121 can be improved. Furthermore, when assembling the chain 100, it is no longer necessary to distinguish between the outer surface 121-1 of the inner plate 121 and the inner surface 121-2 of the inner plate 121, and the number of steps involved in assembling the chain 100 can be reduced. Here, the laminate 140 does not necessarily have to be formed on the inner surface 121-2 of the inner plate 121 of the plurality of inner links 120.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, on the end surface 121-3 of the inner plate 121, a laminate 140 is formed over the entire surface of the end surface 121-3 of the inner plate 121. This makes it possible to improve the visibility of the chain 100 even when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the pins 112. Here, laminated body 140 does not necessarily have to be formed on end surface 121-3 of inner plate 121 of multiple inner links 120.

[0035] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the present invention as set forth in the claims. The chain of the present invention can be applied not only to the roller chain according to the embodiment of the present invention, but also to various other chains such as bicycle chains and conveyor chains, and the chain pitch and the shapes of the outer and inner plates can be freely changed. In the above-described embodiment, the chain 100 is an end-type chain in FIGS. 1 to 3, but is not particularly limited to an end-type chain, and may be an endless chain. Furthermore, the functional layer 141, protective layer 142, and base layer 143 that make up the laminate 140 are each a coating film formed by painting, but the laminate 140 may also be formed by, for example, stacking multiple sheets of sheet-like film or tape that have the same function as the coating film. Furthermore, the thickness of the laminate 140 is not particularly limited, as long as each of the functional layer 141, protective layer 142, and base layer 143 has a thickness that allows it to exhibit its respective performance, and the laminate 140 is configured so as not to cause sliding resistance between the outer link 110 and the inner link 120.

[0036] Furthermore, the functional layers 141 of the multiple outer plates 111 and / or multiple inner plates 121 of the chain 100 may be functional layers 141 having different functions depending on the outer plate 111 and / or inner plate 121, or may be functional layers 141 having different functions depending on the location on the same outer plate 111 and / or inner plate 121. Furthermore, the functional layer 141 of the outer plate 111 and / or the inner plate 121 may be formed by stacking layers having different functions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 100 ··· Chain 110 ··· External Links 111 Outer plate 111-1: Outer surface of outer plate 111-2: Inner surface of outer plate 111-3 End face of outer plate 112 pins 120 ··· Internal link 121 Inner plate 121-1: Outer surface of inner plate 121-2: Inner surface of inner plate 121-3 End face of inner plate 122 Bush 130 ··· Laura 140 ··· laminate 141 Functional Layer 142...protective layer 143 ... Base layer

Claims

1. A chain having a plurality of outer links each including a pair of outer plates and a pair of pins, and a plurality of inner links each including a pair of inner plates and a pair of bushings, the pins being rotatably inserted into the bushings, and the outer links and the inner links being bendably connected, a laminate is formed on an outer surface of at least one of the outer plate or the inner plate, The laminate consists of one layer or multiple layers, A chain characterized in that at least one layer is a functional layer having one or more of a phosphorescent function, a fluorescent function, and a reflective function.

2. 2. The chain according to claim 1, wherein the laminate further comprises a protective layer formed on an upper surface of the functional layer to protect the functional layer.

3. 2. The chain according to claim 1, wherein the laminate further comprises a base layer formed on the lower surface of the functional layer.

4. 2. The chain according to claim 1, wherein at least one layer of the laminate is a coating formed by painting.

5. A chain as described in claim 1, characterized in that the laminate is formed on the outer surface of at least one of the inner plates, in the overlapping portion between the outer plate and the inner plate, other than the overlapping portion on the outer surface of the inner plate, when viewed from the axial direction of the pin.

6. 2. The chain according to claim 1, wherein a laminate is formed on the outer surface of at least one of the outer plates or inner plates located in a row opposite to the outer plate or inner plate on which the laminate is formed.

7. 2. The chain according to claim 1, wherein the laminate is formed on an end surface of at least one of the outer plates or the inner plates.

8. 2. The chain according to claim 1, wherein the laminate is formed on an inner surface of at least one of the outer plates or the inner plates.

9. A chain as described in claim 1, characterized in that the laminate is formed on the outer surfaces of two or more of the outer plates or the inner plates, and the functional layers of the laminate include those that exhibit different colors.

10. A chain as described in claim 1, characterized in that the laminate is formed on the inner surface of at least one of the outer plates or inner plates having the laminate formed on the outer surface, and the functional layer of the laminate on the inner surface has a color that is different from the functional layer of the laminate on the outer surface.

Images