Openable Cogged Belt Joint With False Teeth for Pulley Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Looped cogged belts with openable joints face issues with dealignment under uneven longitudinal stresses, leading to incorrect enmeshing with pulleys and potential breakage due to raised front walls during winding on small-diameter pulleys.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of false teeth and fastening means at the joint ends to maintain planarity and prevent the raising of critical front walls, ensuring stable alignment and secure fastening through complementary smooth areas and locking elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the looped cogged belt is subjected to longitudinal stresses during winding on small-diameter pulleys, then the belt can be installed and operated, but the front walls (third, fourth, and fifth front walls) raise and cause dealignment of teeth and joint portions

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveInstallation and operation of the beltVSAvoidAlignment of teeth and joint portions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by providing false teeth at the joint portions that preemptively counteract the raising effect of front walls during winding. These false teeth are positioned to prevent the third, fourth, and fifth front walls from causing dealignment, thereby maintaining proper tooth alignment even under longitudinal stress during installation and operation on small-diameter pulleys.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Strength

If the front walls raise during winding, then the belt can accommodate stress, but incorrect enmeshing with pulleys occurs leading to potential breakage

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveResistance to breakageVSAvoidCorrect enmeshing with pulleys
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The false teeth provide preliminary protection against incorrect enmeshing by maintaining proper alignment during the critical winding phase. This prevents the front walls from raising and causing misalignment that would lead to incorrect engagement with pulley teeth, thereby avoiding potential breakage and ensuring reliable operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The false teeth act as a protective cushion during the winding process, absorbing and distributing the stresses that would otherwise cause the front walls to raise and create dangerous misalignment. This beforehand cushioning ensures that the belt maintains its structural integrity and proper geometry even under significant longitudinal stress.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Loss of time

If the joint ends are made openable for easy installation, then installation time and tools are saved, but the joint structure becomes more complex requiring false teeth and fastening means

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveInstallation timeVSAvoidJoint structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The belt is segmented into joint portions with distinct false teeth and smooth areas that can be independently assembled. The joint ends are designed as separate components that can be coupled together using fastening means, allowing for easy installation while maintaining the necessary structural features (false teeth) to prevent alignment issues. This segmentation enables modular assembly without requiring the entire belt structure to be complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3572357B1Looped cogged belt with an openable joint
Publication Date: 2021.03.24 RUBINO ATTILIO
  • EP3572357B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3572357B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3572357B1 patent drawingFigure 7~9

AI summary

A looped cogged belt (1) with an openable joint (60), wherein: it comprises a first joint end (4) which comprises: a first joint portion (5) which comprises a first front wall (7); a second joint portion (8) which comprises a second front wall (10); a third joint portion (11) which comprises a third front wall (12); it comprises a second joint end (13) which comprises: a fourth joint portion (14) which comprises a fourth front wall (16); a fifth joint portion (17) which comprises a fifth front wall (19); a sixth joint portion (20) which comprises a sixth front wall (21); the first joint end (4) and the second joint end (13) are complementary to one another and are couplable to one another and the cogged belt (1) closes in a loop; it comprises a first false tooth (29); it comprises a second false tooth (40); the first joint end (4) and the second joint end (13) are provided with a first smooth area (34) for receiving in abutment the first false tooth (29) and a second smooth area (41) for receiving in abutment the second false tooth (40) and thus re-establishing the continuity of the teeth of the plurality of teeth (3), the first smooth area (34) being arranged in proximity of the third front wall (12) and the second smooth area (41) being arranged in proximity of the fourth front wall (16) and the fifth front wall (19); the false teeth comprised are exclusively the first false tooth (29) and the second false tooth (40).