Silent Chain Link Plate Configuration for Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional silent chains experience unbalanced tensile loads and excessive wear due to the difference in the number of link plates in guide and joint link rows, leading to uneven stress distribution, rapid wear of specific link plates and connecting pins, and subsequent chain elongation.
Innovation Solution
The silent chain design features inner link plates stacked in groups within guide and joint link rows, with connecting pins secured by press-fitting into guide plates, ensuring uniform stress distribution and reduced flexure, thereby minimizing wear and friction loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If connecting pins fit into pin holes of inner link plates with clearance, then the chain allows articulation and movement, but unbalanced tensile loads cause connecting pins to bend and stress to concentrate on specific link plates, leading to rapid wear and chain elongation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different structural configurations to different parts of the chain. Specifically, alternate guide link rows have a different number of link plates than joint link rows, creating local structural variations that balance the tensile load distribution across all connecting pins, preventing concentration of stress and wear on specific pins while maintaining articulation capability
2Device complexity
If guide link rows have a different number of plates than joint link rows, then the chain structure is simplified, but unbalanced tensile loads are generated causing connecting pins to bend and guide plates to flex, resulting in uneven stress distribution and accelerated wear
Solution Approach 1:
The chain is segmented into alternate guide link rows and joint link rows with different numbers of link plates. This segmentation creates a balanced structure where the tensile load is distributed evenly across all connecting pins and link plates, preventing bending and flexure while maintaining structural simplicity
3Force
If high load is applied to specific link plates, then the chain can transmit tensile force, but excess surface pressure acts on pin hole surfaces and connecting pin surfaces, causing rapid wear and chain elongation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates local structural variations in alternate guide link rows and joint link rows to distribute the tensile load uniformly across all link plates and connecting pins. This prevents concentration of surface pressure on specific pin holes and connecting pins, reducing wear rate while maintaining effective tensile load transmission
Data Source
AI summary
In an endless silent chain composed of alternating guide link rows and joint link rows connected by connecting pins, each guide link row is composed of a stack of three, centrally located, link plates and two outer guide plates, and each joint link row is composed of two pairs of link plates in abutting, side-by-side relationship. The pairs of link plates of the joint link rows extend into the spaces between the guide plates and the centrally located stack of each of two adjacent guide link rows.