An element of a transmission belt includes a pair of rocking edge portions with a convex surface, these are formed on one of a front face and a rear face to extend a part of the rocking edge portion over a pillar portion, and the rocking edge portions are spaced away from each other in a width direction; and a non-contact portion extended along a saddle surface in the width direction between the rocking edge portions, in non-contact with an adjacent element. S/A≥3.5 is satisfied, when a sum of widths of end portions of the rocking edge portions on an outer peripheral side of the transmission belt is set as “A”. A sum of surface areas of parts of the pillar portions on the outer peripheral side of the transmission belt is set as “S”.

An element of a transmission belt includes a pair of rocking edge portions with a convex surface, these are formed on one of a front face and a rear face to extend a part of the rocking edge portion over a pillar portion, and the rocking edge portions are spaced away from each other in a width direction; and a non-contact portion extended along a saddle surface in the width direction between the rocking edge portions, in non-contact with an adjacent element. S/A≥3.5 is satisfied, when a sum of widths of end portions of the rocking edge portions on an outer peripheral side of the transmission belt is set as “A”. A sum of surface areas of parts of the pillar portions on the outer peripheral side of the transmission belt is set as “S”.

Provided is a metal belt for a belt-driven continuously variable transmission in which metal elements are capable of keeping the compliance value small even when defamed. Each metal element of the metal belt includes a body portion located radially inward of metal rings, an ear portion located radially outward of the metal rings, and a neck portion sandwiched by the pair of metal rings and connecting the body portion and the ear portion. At least one of a front surface and a rear surface of the metal element has a recess at a center region in a right-left direction of the ear portion, and the depth of the recess is larger than the amount of curving in a front-rear direction of the ear portion.

Provided is a metal belt for a belt-driven continuously variable transmission in which metal elements are capable of keeping the compliance value small even when defamed. Each metal element of the metal belt includes a body portion located radially inward of metal rings, an ear portion located radially outward of the metal rings, and a neck portion sandwiched by the pair of metal rings and connecting the body portion and the ear portion. At least one of a front surface and a rear surface of the metal element has a recess at a center region in a right-left direction of the ear portion, and the depth of the recess is larger than the amount of curving in a front-rear direction of the ear portion.

A power transmitting chain that operates between continuously variable pulley sheaves, but which is retained by radial locking forces rather than by teeth, sprockets, strain forces, or tangential friction. The chain is comprised of three basic elements: 1) An inner drive-chain of conventional chain links, which transmits power, but which is free-floating with no contact with the sheaves; 2) an outer series of chocks which immovably wedge into place between the sheave faces; and 3) radial links that are arranged to form the connections between the drive-chain and each of the chocks. The connecting links pivot or swing longitudinally, in both directions at both ends, and are arranged radially, so only radial forces are transmitted between the drive-chain and the chocks. With the primary vectors nearly perpendicular and restricted to angles well below tangency, the chocks are immovably seated and will not slip. However, as the radial links are slightly angled, they also duplicate the necessary horizontal vector components to rotate the sheaves.

In an element of a power transfer belt to be wound around a primary pulley and a secondary pulley of a continuously variable transmission to transfer torque, the distance from a boundary line between a surface positioned on the outer peripheral side of the power transfer belt with respect to a rocking edge portion and the rocking edge portion to a saddle surface is determined from the slip amount due to micro slip which is relative slipping between the element and the primary pulley caused when the primary pulley pushes out the power transfer belt toward the secondary pulley, and the angular speed of the element and the angular speed of a ring in a range in which the power transfer belt is wound around the secondary pulley.

In an element of a power transfer belt to be wound around a primary pulley and a secondary pulley of a continuously variable transmission to transfer torque, the distance from a boundary line between a surface positioned on the outer peripheral side of the power transfer belt with respect to a rocking edge portion and the rocking edge portion to a saddle surface is determined from the slip amount due to micro slip which is relative slipping between the element and the primary pulley caused when the primary pulley pushes out the power transfer belt toward the secondary pulley, and the angular speed of the element and the angular speed of a ring in a range in which the power transfer belt is wound around the secondary pulley.

Among a plurality of layers of metal rings, an inner circumferential projection is formed on an inner circumferential surface of at least one metal ring, and an outer circumferential projection is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the outermost metal ring. Thus, cracks extending from a surface of the metal ring can be arrested by the inner circumferential projection and the outer circumferential projection. Moreover, the outer circumferential projection of the outermost metal ring that does not abut against any other members is set to have a smaller projection height than the inner circumferential projection that abuts against other members. Thus, even if the inner circumferential projection wears by abutting against the other members, the inner circumferential projection can remain and arrest extension of the cracks; also, the projection height of the outer circumferential projection is reduced to enhance flatness of the outer circumferential surface of the metal ring.

Among a plurality of layers of metal rings, an inner circumferential projection is formed on an inner circumferential surface of at least one metal ring, and an outer circumferential projection is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the outermost metal ring. Thus, cracks extending from a surface of the metal ring can be arrested by the inner circumferential projection and the outer circumferential projection. Moreover, the outer circumferential projection of the outermost metal ring that does not abut against any other members is set to have a smaller projection height than the inner circumferential projection that abuts against other members. Thus, even if the inner circumferential projection wears by abutting against the other members, the inner circumferential projection can remain and arrest extension of the cracks; also, the projection height of the outer circumferential projection is reduced to enhance flatness of the outer circumferential surface of the metal ring.

A method for manufacturing a metal element includes performing press processing and punching processing on a band plate-shaped metal element material having a constant cross section by a mold with a main punch in contact with a rear surface of the metal element and a counter punch in contact with the front surface thereof. The main punch or the counter punch has protrusion portions which are in contact with at least a part of the ear portion or the body portion to form a recessed portion, and a bulging portion bulging in the longitudinal direction from the radial direction inner edge of ear portions of the metal element or the radial direction outer edge of a body portion thereof, which is formed by the material extruded from the recessed portion by the protrusion portion.