Power Transmission Belt Uneven Rubber Surface Abrasion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power transmission belts with uneven rubber surfaces contacting flat pulleys tend to experience abrasion and noise due to point or line contact, leading to rubber powder adhesion and increased noise.
Innovation Solution
A power transmission belt with an uneven rubber surface featuring projected parts having flat top surfaces, designed to disperse force and reduce abrasion when wrapped around flat pulleys, manufactured using a method involving a rubber composition and a molding process that forms the uneven surface for optimal contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an uneven rubber surface is used to contact the flat pulley, then the contact area is increased and abrasion is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to the need for specialized molding surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by forming the uneven surface on the rubber layer through a molding surface with projected parts having flat top surfaces. This curved/uneven configuration increases the contact area with the flat pulley from point/line contact to surface contact, thereby reducing abrasion and improving reliability while the molding process manages the manufacturing complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If a smooth rubber surface is used, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but point or line contact with the pulley causes increased abrasion and noise
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a smooth surface, the patent introduces an uneven surface with projected parts that have flat top surfaces. This uneven configuration transforms point or line contact into surface contact with the pulley, significantly reducing abrasion and noise generation while remaining manufacturable through specialized molding.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the rubber surface has irregular projected parts, then contact with the pulley is improved and noise is reduced, but the precision of the surface formation becomes more difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies that the projected parts on the uneven surface have flat top surfaces, which provides a controlled geometric feature. This flat top surface configuration ensures consistent contact with the pulley, reducing noise while the molding process maintains manufacturing precision by forming uniform projected parts with defined geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the parameters of the uneven surface, specifically the height and shape of the projected parts. By defining these parameters (with flat top surfaces), the patent achieves both noise reduction through improved contact and manufacturing precision through controlled formation of the uneven surface features.
Data Source
AI summary
A power transmission belt has a front rubber face and a back rubber surface. The back rubber surface has an uneven surface of rubber which, when the power transmission belt is wound around a flat pulley, comes in contact with the flat pulley. The uneven surface of rubber has a pattern created by a mold having an impression of a surface of a woven fabric or a knitted fabric. The impression has projected parts and recessed parts, and each of the projected parts has a flat top surface. The power transmission belt is wound around a number of pulleys in a belt transmission system in which the pulleys include a flat pulley with which the uneven surface of the power transmission belt comes in contact.