Saw chain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021346968-A1
Application number	US-202117308606-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 5, 2021
Priority date	May 5, 2020
Publication date	Nov 11, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A saw chain includes connecting links and drive links that are mutually connected by rivets in an articulated manner about rivet axes. The rivets project through at least one rivet opening of one connecting link and through a rivet opening of a drive link. At least one rivet has, on one end face thereof, a depression having a depression edge and a depression base surrounded by the depression edge. The distance of the depression edge from a central plane of the saw chain increases at an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis. The distance (e) of the base from the central plane does not increase at any point of the base at an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis. A greatest distance (a) of the base from the rivet axis corresponds to 50% to 100% of half the core diameter (d) of the rivet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A saw chain defining a center plane and comprising:
a plurality of connecting links and a plurality of drive links arranged between mutually adjacent ones of said connecting links; a plurality of rivets defining respective rivet axes; said plurality of rivets connecting said plurality of connecting links and said plurality of drive links in an articulated manner about said rivet axes; each of said connecting links and each of said drive links having rivet openings; said rivets projecting through at least one of said rivet openings of at least one connecting link and through at least one of said rivet openings of at least one drive link; said center plane running perpendicularly to said rivet axes and centrally through said drive links; a portion of said connecting links being configured as cutting links having respective cutting sections; said rivets each having end faces and a core diameter (d); at least one of said rivets having a depression formed in at least one of the end faces thereof; said depression having a depression edge at a distance (q) from said center plane; said distance (q) increasing with an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis; said depression having a depression base surrounded by said depression edge; said depression base being at a distance (e) from said center plane with said distance (e) not increasing at any point of said depression base with an increasing radial distance from the rivet axis; and, said depression base having a greatest distance (a) to the rivet axis lying in a range of 30% to 100% of half of said core diameter (d) of the rivet.

2 . The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein said depression base is curved convexly.

3 . The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein said greatest distance (a) of said depression base corresponds to at most 80% of half of said core diameter (d) of the rivet.

4 . The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein a greatest distance (c) of said depression to the rivet axis corresponds to at least 110% of said greatest distance (a) of said depression base to the rivet axis.

5 . The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein said depression has a depth (f) measured parallel to the rivet axis which is less than said greatest distance (a) of said depression base from the rivet axis.

6 . The saw chain of claim 5 , wherein said depth (f) is less than 40% of said greatest distance (a).

7 . The saw chain of claim 5 , wherein said depth (f) is less than 30% of said greatest distance (a).

8 . The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein at least one end face of a rivet is formed on a rivet head having an enlarged outer diameter (b); and, said rivet head projects over an outer surface of the connecting link associated therewith.

9 . The saw chain of claim 8 , wherein the ratio of half said enlarged outer diameter (b) of said rivet head to the greatest distance (a) of said depression base from said rivet axis is 1.5 to 3.5.

10 . The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein the connecting link has a chamfer formed at the rivet opening thereof; and, the chamfer has a depth (k) which is at most 30% of the thickness of the connecting link.

11 . The saw chain of claim 10 , wherein said depth (k) is at most 20% of the thickness of the connecting link.

12 . The saw chain of claim 1 , wherein the rivet has a collar arranged in the rivet opening of the drive link without projecting into the rivet opening of the connecting link.

13 . A saw chain defining a center plane and comprising:
a plurality of connecting links and a plurality of drive links arranged between mutually adjacent ones of said connecting links; a plurality of rivets defining respective rivet axes; said plurality of rivets connecting said plurality of connecting links and said plurality of drive links in an articulated manner about said rivet axes; each of said connecting links and each of said drive links having rivet openings; said rivets projecting through at least one of said rivet openings of at least one connecting link and through at least one of said rivet openings of at least one drive link; said center plane running perpendicularly to said rivet axes and centrally through said drive links; a portion of said connecting links being configured as cutting links having respective cutting sections; said rivets each having first and second end faces and a core diameter (d); at least one of said rivets having a depression formed in at least one of the end faces thereof; said at least one rivet being configured as a solid body; and, said first and second end faces are configured so as to be different from one another.

14 . The saw chain of claim 13 , wherein said depression is formed in said second end face and said first end face is formed without a depression.

15 . The saw chain of claim 13 , wherein said first end face is configured on a first rivet head and said second end face is configured on a second rivet head;
said second rivet head has an elevation (h) measured in the direction of the rivet axis; said first rivet head has an elevation (g) measured in the direction of the rivet axis; and, said elevation (h) of said second rivet head is greater than said elevation (g) of said first rivet head.

16 . The saw chain of claim 13 , wherein said first end face is configured convexly.

17 . The saw chain of claim 13 , wherein said depression is a first depression and is formed in said first end face and defines a first depression base having a first depression base diameter;
said first end face has a first curvature in a region of said first depression base diameter; said second end face has a second depression formed therein defining a second depression base having a second depression base diameter; said second end face has a second curvature in a region of said second depression base diameter corresponding to the region of said first depression base diameter; and, said first curvature is mirror symmetrical to said second curvature.

18 . The saw chain of claim 13 , wherein a difference of distance (n) of said first end face at a first intersection point of the rivet axis with said first end face to said center plane and a distance (e) of said second end face at a second intersection point of the rivet axis with said second end face to said center plane is less than 0.3 mm.

19 . The saw chain of claim 13 , wherein at least one of said first and second end faces of a rivet is formed on a rivet head having an increased outer diameter (b) projecting over an outer face of the connecting link associated therewith.

Assignees

• Stihl Ag & Co Kg Andreas

Inventors

• Maier Georg
• Frei Thomas
• Lux Thomas

Classifications

• B27B17/00 Primary

  Chain saws; Equipment therefor {(slotting or mortising machines equipped with chain cutters B27F5/06)} · CPC title

• B28D1/082

  consisting of chain saws · CPC title

• B27B33/142

  Cutter elements · CPC title

• B27B33/14 Primary

  Saw chains {(saw chains for slotting or mortising devices B27F5/08)} · CPC title

• B23D57/02 Primary

  with chain saws · CPC title