High strength and stiffness silent chain with improved noise

Abstract

An improved link for a chain for use with a sprocket, the link comprising a body having a pair of apertures for receiving connecting pins and a pair of teeth having outside flanks, and inside flanks between the teeth defining a crotch. The improvement includes an effective outer flank angle between a line tangent to the outer flank of the link at 1.5 P and a vertical line intersecting the tangent line of less than or equal to 29 degrees, an effective inner flank angle between a line tangent to the inner flank of the link at 0.5 P and a vertical line intersecting the tangent line of less than or equal to 29 degrees, and a plurality ratios. The links may be assembled into a chain and connected by a plurality of pins.

1 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A link for a chain for use with a sprocket, the link comprising a body having a pair of apertures for receiving connecting pins comprising a pin and a rocker pin, the apertures being spaced apart by a pitch distance, and having a pitch line passing through the apertures; and a pair of teeth having outside flanks, and inside flanks between the teeth defining a crotch, the link being formed to drivingly contact sprocket teeth of the sprocket on the outer flanks of the link; comprising:
 a) a ratio of a distance from the pitch line to ends of the teeth to a product of the pitch distance and the tangent of the effective inner flank angle between a line tangent to the inner flank of the link at a distance 0.25 times the pitch line length from the vertical centerline of the link and a vertical line intersecting the tangent line, is greater than or equal to 1.4; and   b) a ratio of a distance between the pitch line and a line which contacts the outer flanks at 1.5 times pitch distance to a product of pitch distance and the tangent of an effective outer flank angle between a line tangent to the outer flank of the link at 0.75 times the pitch line from the vertical centerline of the link and a vertical line intersecting the tangent line, is greater than or equal to 0.790.   
     
     
         37 . The link of  claim 36 , wherein the effective outer flank angle is less than or equal to 29 degrees. 
     
     
         38 . The link of  claim 36 , wherein a ratio of a distance from the pitch line to ends of the teeth to the pitch distance of the chain, is greater than or equal to 0.770. 
     
     
         39 . The link of  claim 36 , wherein the effective inner flank angle is less than or equal to 29 degrees. 
     
     
         40 . The link of  claim 36 , wherein a difference between a ratio of a distance from the pitch line to ends of the teeth to the pitch distance of the chain and a ratio of a distance from the pitch line to an apex of the crotch, to the pitch distance of the chain times the ratio of a distance from the pitch line to an apex of the crotch, to the pitch distance of the chain is greater than 0.124. 
     
     
         41 . The link of  claim 36 , wherein a product of a ratio of a distance between the pitch line and a line which contacts the outer flanks at 1.5 times pitch distance to the pitch distance and a ratio of a distance below the pitch line to an apex of the crotch to the pitch distance, the product divided by the tangent of an effective outer flank angle between a line tangent to the outer flank of the link at 0.75 times pitch line from the vertical centerline of the line and vertical line intersecting the tangent line, is greater than 0.176. 
     
     
         42 . A chain comprising a plurality of links as defined by  claim 36  connected by a plurality of pins. 
     
     
         43 . link for a chain for use with a sprocket, the link comprising a body having a pair of apertures for receiving connecting pins comprising a pin and a rocker pin, the apertures being spaced apart by a pitch distance, and having a pitch line passing through the apertures; and a pair of teeth having outside flanks, and inside flanks between the teeth defining a crotch, the link being formed to drivingly contact sprocket teeth of the sprocket on the outer flanks of the link; comprising:
 a) a ratio of a distance from the pitch line to ends of the teeth to a product of the pitch distance and the tangent of the effective inner flank angle between a line tangent to the inner flank of the link at 0.25 times the pitch line from the vertical centerline of the link and a vertical line intersecting the tangent line, is greater than or equal to 1.4;   b) a ratio of a distance between the pitch line and a line which contacts the outer flanks at 1.5 times pitch distance to a product of pitch distance and the tangent of an effective outer flank angle between a line tangent to the outer flank of the link at 0.75 times the pitch line from the vertical centerline of the link and a vertical line intersecting the tangent line, is greater than or equal to 0.790; and   c) a product of a ratio of a distance between the pitch line and a line which contacts the outer flanks at 1.5 times pitch distance to the pitch distance and a ratio of a distance below the pitch line to an apex of the crotch to the pitch distance, the product divided by the tangent of an effective outer flank angle between a line tangent to the outer flank of the link at 0.75 times pitch line from the vertical centerline of the line and vertical line intersecting the tangent line, is greater than 0.176.   
     
     
         44 . The link of  claim 43 , wherein the effective outer flank angle is less than or equal to 29 degrees. 
     
     
         45 . The link of  claim 43 , wherein a ratio of a distance from the pitch line to ends of the teeth to the pitch distance of the chain, is greater than or equal to 0.770. 
     
     
         46 . The link of  claim 43 , wherein the effective inner flank angle is less than or equal to 29 degrees. 
     
     
         47 . The link of  claim 43 , wherein a difference between a ratio of a distance from the pitch line to ends of the teeth to the pitch distance of the chain and a ratio of a distance from the pitch line to an apex of the crotch, to the pitch distance of the chain times the ratio of a distance from the pitch line to an apex of the crotch, to the pitch distance of the chain is greater than 0.124. 
     
     
         48 . A chain comprising a plurality of links as defined by  claim 43  connected by a plurality of pins. 
     
     
         49 - 53 . (canceled)