A method of producing an endless metal ring includes welding ends of a maraging steel plate such that the maraging steel plate has a ring shape, annealing the maraging steel plate with the ring shape in a furnace at 845 C. or higher, and nitriding the annealed maraging steel plate, wherein, during the annealing, a dew point temperature indicating an amount of water in the furnace is adjusted such that a value of the dew point temperature [ C.] is equal to or higher than a value obtained by subtracting 35 from time [min] at an annealing temperature of 845 C. or higher.

A metal element, which is pressed and punched by a mold, includes: a neck section positioned between a pair of right and left ring slots; an ear section continuous to a radially outer side of the neck section; and a body section continuous to a radially inner side of the neck section. A locking edge extending in a right-left direction is formed at a radially outer end of the front surface of the body section, and the metal element includes a projection section extending in the right-left direction on a back surface of the body section at a position backward of the locking edge.

A metal element, which is pressed and punched by a mold, includes: a neck section positioned between a pair of right and left ring slots; an ear section continuous to a radially outer side of the neck section; and a body section continuous to a radially inner side of the neck section. A locking edge extending in a right-left direction is formed at a radially outer end of the front surface of the body section, and the metal element includes a projection section extending in the right-left direction on a back surface of the body section at a position backward of the locking edge.

A transmission belt includes: a plurality of elements, each having a plate shape, arranged sequentially in a ring manner; and a single-line ring having a belt shape and binding the elements together in a ring. Further, each of the elements includes pillar portions so that the single-line ring is inserted and a locking edge, provided on one surface in a plate thickness direction of the element, indicating a boundary region from which a plate thickness of the element changes, the pillar portions have respective ends, the ends having portions in a curved shape each having a predetermined curvature radius along a plane parallel to the single-line ring, and the portions in the curved shape include a first portion being formed on a front side at one end of the inner space, and a second portion being formed on a rear side at another end of the inner space.

A transmission belt includes: a plurality of elements, each having a plate shape, arranged sequentially in a ring manner; and a single-line ring having a belt shape and binding the elements together in a ring. Further, each of the elements includes pillar portions so that the single-line ring is inserted and a locking edge, provided on one surface in a plate thickness direction of the element, indicating a boundary region from which a plate thickness of the element changes, the pillar portions have respective ends, the ends having portions in a curved shape each having a predetermined curvature radius along a plane parallel to the single-line ring, and the portions in the curved shape include a first portion being formed on a front side at one end of the inner space, and a second portion being formed on a rear side at another end of the inner space.

A belt element for a vehicular transmission belt is designed to be supported by the bands such that the head portion is located on an outer side of the bands. The base, head and connecting portions define two slots for engagement with the respective annular bands, and the base portion has an edge extending in its width direction. The edge includes a first edge located inwardly of widthwise ends of the head portion and functioning as a fulcrum of the belt element upon rocking of the belt element, and second edges located outwardly of the widthwise ends. The base portion has a smaller thickness on an inner side of the edge than on an outer side of the edge, and the second edges are located nearer to the head portion than the first edge.

A belt element for a vehicular transmission belt is designed to be supported by the bands such that the head portion is located on an outer side of the bands. The base, head and connecting portions define two slots for engagement with the respective annular bands, and the base portion has an edge extending in its width direction. The edge includes a first edge located inwardly of widthwise ends of the head portion and functioning as a fulcrum of the belt element upon rocking of the belt element, and second edges located outwardly of the widthwise ends. The base portion has a smaller thickness on an inner side of the edge than on an outer side of the edge, and the second edges are located nearer to the head portion than the first edge.

A transmission belt is formed by a plurality of elements each having: a body portion including a saddle surface that contacts an inner peripheral surface of an endless ring and a pair of pillar portions that are extended outward in the radial direction of the transmission belt from both lateral sides of the saddle surface; a first surface that is formed on one side of the body portion in the circumferential direction of the transmission belt and a second surface that is formed on the other side of the body portion in the circumferential direction of the transmission belt; and rocking edge portions that are formed at both lateral ends of the first surface so as to be separated from each other and that act as a fulcrum when adjacent ones of the elements contact each other and rotate relative to each other. The rocking edge portions are formed by a curved surface so as to have a width from a position outside the saddle surface to a position inside the saddle surface in the radial direction of the transmission belt. A portion connecting the first surface and the saddle surface is formed so as to be located closer to the second surface than the rocking edge portions are in the circumferential direction of the transmission belt.

A transmission belt is formed by a plurality of elements each having: a body portion including a saddle surface that contacts an inner peripheral surface of an endless ring and a pair of pillar portions that are extended outward in the radial direction of the transmission belt from both lateral sides of the saddle surface; a first surface that is formed on one side of the body portion in the circumferential direction of the transmission belt and a second surface that is formed on the other side of the body portion in the circumferential direction of the transmission belt; and rocking edge portions that are formed at both lateral ends of the first surface so as to be separated from each other and that act as a fulcrum when adjacent ones of the elements contact each other and rotate relative to each other. The rocking edge portions are formed by a curved surface so as to have a width from a position outside the saddle surface to a position inside the saddle surface in the radial direction of the transmission belt. A portion connecting the first surface and the saddle surface is formed so as to be located closer to the second surface than the rocking edge portions are in the circumferential direction of the transmission belt.

This method for manufacturing a ring is a method for manufacturing an endless metal ring for a continuously variable transmission using a transmission belt that is formed by binding a plurality of elements with the ring. The method includes: a welding step of butt welding ends of a metal strip to form an endless tubular body; a solution treatment step of solution-treating the welded tubular body; a cutting step of cutting the solution-treated tubular body with laser light into ring bodies with a predetermined width; a lateral end processing step of pressing a grinding wheel against a lateral end of the cut ring body to remove a heat-affected zone formed by the cutting step and form the lateral end into a convex arc shape; and a rolling step of adjusting the ring body with the processed lateral end to a predetermined thickness.