Oval Inner Link Plate Roller Chain Friction Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power transmission chains experience excessive friction, instability, and wear due to large contact areas with chain guides, leading to reduced fuel efficiency, pin breakage, and uneven chain travel.
Innovation Solution
A roller chain design featuring oval inner link plates with arc-shaped edges and lower back height outer link plates, which reduce contact area with the guide, enhance lubrication flow, and balance strength, preventing pin breakage and ensuring stable chain travel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the back height of outer link plate is equal to the back height of inner link plate, then the chain structure is simple and symmetric, but the contact area between chain and guide becomes large causing excessive friction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by making the back height of the outer link plate smaller than the back height of the inner link plate. This asymmetric design causes only the inner link plate to contact the chain guide during operation, significantly reducing the contact area and frictional losses compared to the conventional symmetric design where both link plates contact the guide.
2Ease of manufacture
If the thickness of outer link plate is equal to the thickness of inner link plate, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the rigidity of inner link plates is lower causing deformation under tension
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the outer link plate thicker than the inner link plate. This localized thickness increase provides the outer link plate with higher rigidity and strength to resist deformation under tension, while the inner link plate maintains its original thickness for manufacturing simplicity. Each component's thickness is optimized for its specific functional requirements.
3Loss of energy
If the arc-shaped edge distance is greater than chain pitch, then the inner link plate contacts the guide before outer link plate reducing friction, but the contact area may be insufficient for stable chain travel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the arc-shaped edge distance to be greater than the chain pitch. This parameter adjustment ensures that the inner link plate contacts the chain guide before the outer link plate during operation, reducing frictional losses. The specific distance value optimizes both friction reduction and stable chain travel.
4Strength
If the outer link plate has larger thickness, then the rigidity and strength are improved preventing pin breakage, but the overall chain weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by increasing the thickness of only the outer link plate where higher strength is needed to prevent connecting pin breakage and localized contact wear. The inner link plate maintains its original, thinner dimensions. This localized thickness increase provides the necessary strength improvement while minimizing the overall weight increase of the chain.
Data Source
AI summary
In a roller or bushing chain, inner link plats have an oval shape, with a guide-contacting surface continuous with arc-shaped ends, and in the form of an arc having end points that are spaced from each other by a distance greater than the chain pitch but less than the greatest distance between parts of bushing holes in the inner link plates. The outer link plates have straight parallel edges parallel to the direction of chain elongation and semicircular ends continuous with the straight edges. The configuration of the inner link plates prevents the outer link plates from coming into contact with a chain guide.