V-belt manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10538043-B2
Application number	US-201816138735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2018
Priority date	Mar 23, 2016
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

A production method of a V-belt uses a belt mold having a plurality of compression layer-shape grooves arranged adjacent to one another in a groove width direction. A shaped structure having a plurality of ridges on an outer peripheral surface is crosslinked and combined with a fabric material to form a belt slab, while the compression layer-forming portions, which are the ridges covered with the fabric material, being fitted in the respective compression layer-shape grooves of the belt mold. The belt slab is cut into ring-shaped pieces such that one ring-shaped piece corresponds to one compression layer-forming portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A production method of a V-belt having a compression layer which forms an inner peripheral side, in a thickness direction, of the V-belt, and which has, on both sides thereof, friction transmission surfaces covered with a covering fabric, the method comprising:
a step of forming a shaped structure having a cylindrical shape, made of an uncrosslinked rubber, and having, on its outer peripheral surface, a plurality of ridges extending in a circumferential direction and arranged adjacent to one another in an axial direction;
a step of forming compression layer-forming portions after forming the ridges, each of the compression layer-forming portions to be the compression layer, by covering the formed ridges with a fabric material which is to be the covering fabric;
a step of molding a cylindrical belt slab, using a belt mold having a plurality of compression layer-shape grooves arranged adjacent to one another in a groove width direction, by heating and pressing, toward the belt mold, and thereby crosslinking the shaped structure, formed in the step of forming the shaped structure, and integrating the shaped structure and the fabric material, while having each of the compression layer-forming portions, which are formed in the step of forming the compression layer-forming portions, fitted in an associated one of the compression layer-shape grooves of the belt mold; and
a step of cutting the belt slab, molded in the step of molding the belt slab, into ring-shaped pieces such that one ring-shaped piece corresponds to one compression layer-forming portion.

2. The production method of claim 1 , wherein
the belt mold has a cylindrical shape having, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, the plurality of compression layer-shape grooves each extending in the circumferential direction and arranged adjacent to one another in the axial direction, and
the shaped structure and the fabric material are placed inside the belt mold.

3. The production method of claim 1 , wherein
prior to the heating the shaped structure and pressing the shaped structure toward the belt mold, the ridges are covered with the fabric material so as to form the compression layer-forming portions.

4. The production method of claim 3 , wherein
before the ridges are covered with the fabric material, the fabric material is shaped to have a corrugated cross section having same pitches as pitches of the ridges, and then, disposed such that portions of the fabric material which protrude toward the ridges are positioned at grooves between the ridges.

5. The production method of claim 3 , wherein
before the ridges are covered with the fabric material, the fabric material is shaped so as to be fitted to surfaces of the ridges.

6. The production method of claim 1 , wherein
prior to the heating the shaped structure and pressing the shaped structure toward the belt mold, each of the compression layer-forming portions is fitted in an associated one of the compression layer-shape grooves.

7. The production method of claim 2 , wherein
the pressing of the shaped structure toward the belt mold is carried out by expanding an expansion sleeve located radially inward of the shaped structure and pressing the shaped structure from radially inside by the expansion sleeve.

8. The production method of claim 7 , wherein
a tensile member is provided between the shaped structure and the expansion sleeve, the tensile member being comprised of an uncrosslinked rubber composition having a cylindrical shape in which a cord is embedded so as to form a helical pattern having pitches in the axial direction, the uncrosslinked rubber composition of the tensile member is different from the uncrosslinked rubber composition of the shaped structure.

9. The production method of claim 8 , wherein
the tensile member is provided on the expansion sleeve prior to the expansion of the expansion sleeve.

10. The production method of claim 8 , wherein
a space is formed between the tensile member and the expansion sleeve prior to the expansion of the expansion sleeve.

11. The production method of claim 9 , wherein
the shaped structure and the tensile member are brought into contact with each other prior to the expansion of the expansion sleeve.

12. The production method of claim 9 , wherein
a space is formed between the shaped structure and the tensile member prior to the expansion of the expansion sleeve.

13. The production method of claim 2 , wherein
the fabric material is in contact with an inside of the belt mold prior to the pressing of the shaped structure toward the belt mold.

14. The production method of claim 13 , wherein
the fabric material is in contact with the inside of the belt mold at locations apart from each other in an axial direction of the belt mold.

15. The production method of claim 1 , wherein
in the step of forming the shaped structure, the shaped structure is formed from a rubber sheet made of the uncrosslinked rubber composition having a plurality of ridges extending parallel to one another and arranged adjacent to one another.

16. A production method of a V-belt having a compression layer which forms an inner peripheral side, in a thickness direction, of the V-belt, and which has, on both sides thereof, friction transmission surfaces covered with a covering fabric, the method comprising:
a step of forming a rubber sheet made of an uncrosslinked rubber composition having a plurality of ridges extending parallel to one another and arranged adjacent to one another;
a step of forming compression layer-forming portions, each of the compression layer-forming portions to be the compression layer, by covering the plurality of ridges of the rubber sheet, formed in the step of forming the rubber sheet, with a fabric material which is to be the covering fabric;
a step of forming a cylindrical object from an object formed to have the compression layer-forming portions in the step of forming the compression layer-forming portions by covering the plurality of ridges of the rubber sheet with the fabric material, the cylindrical object having the compression layer-forming portions on its outer peripheral surface, the compression layer-forming portions extending in a circumferential direction and arranged adjacent to one another in an axial direction;
a step of molding a cylindrical belt slab, using a belt mold having a plurality of compression layer-shape grooves arranged adjacent to one another in a groove width direction, by heating and pressing, toward the belt mold, the cylindrical object formed in the step of forming the cylindrical object, and thereby crosslinking the uncrosslinked rubber composition and integrating the uncrosslinked rubber composition and the fabric material, while having each of the compression layer-forming portions fitted in an associated one of the compression layer-shape grooves of the belt mold; and
a step of cutting the belt slab, molded in the step of molding the belt slab, into ring-shaped pieces such that one ring-shaped piece corresponds to one compression layer-forming portion.

17. The production method of claim 16 , wherein
the belt mold has a cylindrical shape having, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, the plurality of compression layer-shape grooves each extending in the circumferential direction and arranged adjacent to one another in the axial direction, and
the cylindrical object is placed inside the belt mold.

18. The production method of claim 17 , wherein
the cylindrical object is in contact with an inside of the belt mold prior

Assignees

• Bando Chemical Ind

Inventors

• Hattori Yohei
• Hata Tomoaki
• Sakurai Hirokazu
• Matsuoka Takashi
• Kawahara Hideaki
• Izumi Hisashi

Classifications

• B29D29/103 Primary

  Multi-ribbed driving belts · CPC title

• B29C35/02

  Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing {during moulding, e.g. in a mould}(cold vulcanisation B29C35/18 {; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601}) · CPC title

• F16G5/20

  with a contact surface of special shape, e.g. toothed · CPC title

• F16G5/08

  with textile reinforcement · CPC title

• B29C37/0053

  Moulding articles characterised by the shape of the surface, e.g. ribs, high polish (mould construction therefor B29C33/42; surface shaping of articles B29C59/00; by incorporating filler in or near the surface B29C70/64) · CPC title