A system and method capable of detecting damage in a belt before catastrophic failure of the belt occurs. The system includes a belt having at least a first conductive component and/or at least a first dielectric component, and one or more pulleys to which the belt is mounted. At least a first of the pulleys has at least one conductive component that, in combination with the first conductive component or the first dielectric component of the belt, defines an electrical element. At least a portion of the electrical element is located within the belt so as to be physically responsive to transitory and permanent distortions of the belt resulting from extrinsic and/or intrinsic sources. Electrical potential is applied through the electrical element so as to generate an electrical signal from the electrical element corresponding to a physical response of the belt to a transitory and/or permanent distortion.

An element of a transmission including: a rocking edge portion with a convex surface formed on one of a front face and a rear face, so that the rocking edge portion extends over a pillar portion at least partially, the rocking edge portion having a contact line where the adjacent elements contact each other serves as a fulcrum of rotation of the adjacent elements; and a recessed non-contact portion extends along the saddle surface, to avoid contact with the adjacent element, and that divides the rocking edge portion in the width direction at least partially. A depth of the non-contact portion is set so that an end portion of the non-contact portion is positioned on an inner peripheral side of the transmission belt relative to the contact line when a winding radius is minimized, and the end portion does not reach the trunk portion on the inner peripheral side.

An element of a transmission including: a rocking edge portion with a convex surface formed on one of a front face and a rear face, so that the rocking edge portion extends over a pillar portion at least partially, the rocking edge portion having a contact line where the adjacent elements contact each other serves as a fulcrum of rotation of the adjacent elements; and a recessed non-contact portion extends along the saddle surface, to avoid contact with the adjacent element, and that divides the rocking edge portion in the width direction at least partially. A depth of the non-contact portion is set so that an end portion of the non-contact portion is positioned on an inner peripheral side of the transmission belt relative to the contact line when a winding radius is minimized, and the end portion does not reach the trunk portion on the inner peripheral side.

A link belt is provided wherein the link belt is formed of a plurality of links forming a series of links in successive overlapping relation. The link belt includes a first end having a first connector and a second end having a second connector so that the first connector is connected with the second connector to form a continuous loop of link belt. The link belt is formed by applying a lateral force against the assembled link belt while the link belt is under an axial tension to stretch the belt. After the step of stretching the belt, the first connector is connected with the second connector to form a continuous belt.

A link belt is provided wherein the link belt is formed of a plurality of links forming a series of links in successive overlapping relation. The link belt includes a first end having a first connector and a second end having a second connector so that the first connector is connected with the second connector to form a continuous loop of link belt. The link belt is formed by applying a lateral force against the assembled link belt while the link belt is under an axial tension to stretch the belt. After the step of stretching the belt, the first connector is connected with the second connector to form a continuous belt.

A driving belt that can limit damages on a hoop and elements. A boss projecting from a front surface of the element is inserted into a hole formed on a rear surface of the fellow adjacent element to form an element array, and the element array is fastened by a hoop. A radially inner clearance between a leading edge of the boss of the element and the hole of the fellow adjacent element in the radial direction is set wider than a radially outer clearance between the leading edge of the boss of the element and the hole of the fellow adjacent element in the radial direction, within a straight region of the driving belt between the pulleys.

A driving belt that can limit damages on a hoop and elements. A boss projecting from a front surface of the element is inserted into a hole formed on a rear surface of the fellow adjacent element to form an element array, and the element array is fastened by a hoop. A radially inner clearance between a leading edge of the boss of the element and the hole of the fellow adjacent element in the radial direction is set wider than a radially outer clearance between the leading edge of the boss of the element and the hole of the fellow adjacent element in the radial direction, within a straight region of the driving belt between the pulleys.

A metal ring of a transmission belt in a belt-type continuously variable transmission. A first nitrided layer formed in a main surface of the metal ring, and a second nitrided layer formed in an end surface of the metal ring are included. A thickness of the second nitrided layer is smaller than a thickness of the first nitrided layer, and surface hardness of the end surface is higher than surface hardness of the main surface. Even though the second nitrided layer in the end part is thin, the surface hardness of the end surface is high. Therefore, it is possible to restrain fatigue fracture starting from an end part, and it is also possible to restrain deterioration of abrasion resistance of the end surface.

A metal ring of a transmission belt in a belt-type continuously variable transmission. A first nitrided layer formed in a main surface of the metal ring, and a second nitrided layer formed in an end surface of the metal ring are included. A thickness of the second nitrided layer is smaller than a thickness of the first nitrided layer, and surface hardness of the end surface is higher than surface hardness of the main surface. Even though the second nitrided layer in the end part is thin, the surface hardness of the end surface is high. Therefore, it is possible to restrain fatigue fracture starting from an end part, and it is also possible to restrain deterioration of abrasion resistance of the end surface.

An element for a transmission belt that is wound around a primary pulley and a secondary pulley of a continuously variable transmission includes: a trunk portion having a saddle surface that is in contact with a ring of the transmission belt; and a pair of pillar portions extending from the trunk portion so as to be positioned on both sides of the saddle surface in a width direction. The saddle surface is a convex surface that is formed by an elliptic arc and satisfies b/a0.015 when a long diameter of the elliptic arc is regarded as a and a short diameter of the elliptic arc is regarded as b. In this way, it is possible to optimize the stress distribution of the ring that is in contact with the saddle surface and improve the durability of the ring and the transmission belt.