Silent Chain Guide Plate Protrusions for Vibration Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional silent chains experience noise due to vibration in free span regions between sprockets, leading to uneven sprocket wear and increased parts count, weight, and manufacturing costs, as well as potential chain disengagement.
Innovation Solution
The silent chain incorporates guide plates with protrusions that exert a spring action to bias link plates, increasing frictional contact and reducing vibration noise without additional spring links, maintaining contact pressure and stabilizing the chain without increasing width or weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If spring links are provided centrally in the silent chain to bias link plates toward guide plates, then vibration noise is suppressed, but the width and weight of the chain are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The spring function is merged into the guide plate structure itself through the elastic protrusion, eliminating the need for separate spring links. The guide plate now performs both its original function of guiding the chain and the additional function of providing elastic biasing force to suppress vibration noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide plate is designed with multi-functionality: it serves as both a structural guide component and an elastic biasing element through its protrusion. This eliminates the need for dedicated spring components while achieving vibration suppression.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If spring links are provided centrally in the silent chain to bias link plates toward guide plates, then vibration noise is suppressed, but the number of parts and manufacturing cost are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The spring function is merged into the guide plate structure itself through the elastic protrusion, eliminating the need for separate spring links. The guide plate now performs both its original function of guiding the chain and the additional function of providing elastic biasing force to suppress vibration noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide plate is designed with multi-functionality: it serves as both a structural guide component and an elastic biasing element through its protrusion. This eliminates the need for dedicated spring components while achieving vibration suppression.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If spring links are provided centrally in the silent chain to bias link plates toward guide plates, then vibration noise is suppressed, but uneven sprocket wear occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic protrusions are positioned at specific locations on the guide plates that correspond to the engagement points with link plates. This localized elastic biasing applies pressure precisely where needed at the engagement interfaces, ensuring uniform contact and wear distribution across the sprocket teeth while suppressing vibration noise.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively suppresses vibration noise and prevents sprocket wear-induced steps, reducing the number of parts and manufacturing costs while maintaining a compact and lightweight silent chain transmission device.
Implementation Method 1
The guide plates are deformed so that they exert a spring action on the rows of link plates through the protrusions
Implementation Method 2
pressing the link plates against one another to increase frictional contact between the link plates, and thereby reduce vibration and vibration noise
Data Source
AI summary
In a silent chain composed of interleaved rows of link plates held by connecting pins secured to guide plates disposed along the sides of the chain, the guide plates are formed with protrusions, and are deformed so that they exert a spring action on the rows of link plates through the protrusions, pressing the link plates against one another to increase the frictional contact between the link plates, and thereby reduce vibration and vibration noise.