Profiled False Teeth for Small-Diameter Toothed Belt Winding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toothed belts with false teeth experience stress on the bearing layer, leading to reduced flexibility and increased risk of breakage, especially when winding small diameters, due to the rigidity of false teeth which can compromise the integrity of the belt and limit its functionality in applications requiring smaller sizes and reduced masses.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of tapered or profiled false teeth that reduce stress on the bearing layer by engaging grooves in the toothed belt, allowing for flexible winding without the need for prior tooth milling, and the use of modular semi-finished workpieces for customizable false tooth lengths, which are produced from more rigid materials like steel or aluminum.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid false teeth are applied to the toothed belt, then the structural strength and stability are improved, but the flexibility and risk of breakage during small diameter winding deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The false tooth is divided into multiple independent bushings (at least two) that are distributed along the longitudinal bar. This segmentation allows the rigid structure to be broken into smaller units that can better accommodate bending stresses during small diameter winding, reducing the risk of breakage while maintaining overall structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The bushings are strategically positioned at specific locations along the longitudinal bar to provide localized reinforcement where needed. This allows the false tooth to have varying rigidity along its length, with stronger support at critical stress points and greater flexibility in other areas, optimizing both strength and flexibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If false teeth are applied after coggings are formed, then the adaptability and ease of replacement are improved, but the manufacturing complexity and number of operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
Through-holes are pre-formed in the base of the toothed belt at the locations where false teeth will be installed. This preliminary action simplifies the subsequent installation process, as the bushings can be directly inserted into the pre-prepared holes without requiring complex drilling or machining operations during the false tooth application stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The bushing acts as an intermediary element between the false tooth's longitudinal bar and the through-hole in the base. This intermediary component facilitates the connection, allowing for easy installation and removal while maintaining a secure attachment, thus improving adaptability without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.
3Reliability
If false teeth make the connection more stable, then the reliability is improved, but the flexibility and adjustability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the false tooth and the base is made dynamic through the use of removable bushings that can be inserted and extracted from the through-holes. This dynamic connection allows the false tooth to be securely attached when needed for reliable operation, yet easily removed or repositioned when adaptability is required, balancing reliability and flexibility.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to two embodiments of a false tooth (10, 100) which limit the damage to the toothed belt (1) and, in particular, of the bearing layer (21) of the base (2) of the toothed belt (1), which in general comprises cables or textiles. The false tooth (10, 100) comprises a longitudinal bar (11, 111) and a bushing (15, 115) which extends transversally from the longitudinal bar (11, 111). In the first embodiment the longitudinal bar (11) is tapered towards the free end (18) of the bushing (15) while in the second embodiment the longitudinal bar (111) is profiled, i.e. has a flank for contacting the toothed belt (1) which is convex towards the outside when viewed in transversal section. The false teeth are advantageously applied on toothed belts comprising grooves (6) which cut the teeth, enabling a reduction of the thickness of the tooth during the winding. A method and a semi-finished workpiece (9) are also described.