Abstract
A plate link chain for a continuously variable transmission having cone pulleys includes a plurality of plates arranged transverse to a wrap-around direction of the plate link chain, a rocker pin and a securing element. The rocker pin extends transverse to the wrap-around direction, connects the plurality of plates to one another, and is arranged to absorb a force applied by the cone pulleys. The securing element is welded onto the rocker pin, forms a stop for a one of the plurality of plates transverse to the wrap-around direction, and has a nose protruding transverse to the wrap-around direction. The nose defines a contact point between the securing element and the one of the plurality of plates.
Claims
1.-10. (canceled)
11. A plate link chain for a continuously variable transmission comprising cone pulleys, comprising: a plurality of plates arranged transverse to a wrap-around direction of the plate link chain; a rocker pin: extending transverse to the wrap-around direction; connecting the plurality of plates to one another; and arranged to absorb a force applied by the cone pulleys; and a securing element: welded onto the rocker pin; forming a stop for a one of the plurality of plates transverse to the wrap-around direction; and comprising a nose protruding transverse to the wrap-around direction, the nose defining a contact point between the securing element and the one of the plurality of plates.
12. The plate link chain according of claim 11, wherein the nose is formed by two opposing portions comprising respective flat portions.
13. The plate link chain of claim 11, wherein, prior to being welded onto the rocker pin, the securing element comprises at least two feet spaced apart from one another along the wrap-around direction that are melted when the securing element is welded onto the rocker pin.
14. The plate link chain of claim 13 wherein, after being welded onto the rocker pin, a weld seam formed by the at least two feet protrudes less than the nose transverse to the wrap-around direction.
15. The plate link chain of claim 13, wherein, prior to being welded onto the rocker pin: the securing element comprises four feet; a first two of the four feet are spaced apart in the wrap-around direction; a second two of the four feet are spaced apart transverse to the wrap-around direction; a cruciform gap is defined between the four feet; and a melt extends into the cruciform gap when the securing element is welded onto the rocker pin.
16. The plate link chain of claim 11, wherein: the securing element comprises a height extending from the rocker pin; and the nose is arranged in a lower half of the height.
17. The plate link chain of claim 11, wherein: the securing element comprises a centering portion facing away from the rocker pin; and the centering portion comprises a tapering geometry for centering of a welding electrode.
18. The plate link chain of claim 17, wherein the centering portion comprises a roof shape that: tapers along the wrap-around direction; and tapers transverse to the wrap-around direction.
19. The plate link chain of claim 11, wherein a welded area between the securing element and the rocker pin is essentially square.
20. A method for producing the plate link chain of claim 11, comprising: providing the plurality of plates and the rocker pin; providing a wire; cutting the wire into a wire portion; reshaping the wire portion to form the securing element; and welding the securing element onto the rocker pin to form the stop.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein the reshaping is performed by embossing the wire portion.
22. The method of claim 20 wherein the wire portion is cylindrical.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] The disclosure is explained below with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures:
[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a plate link chain;
[0035] FIG. 2 shows a securing element on a rocker pin before a welding process in a perspective view;
[0036] FIG. 3 shows the securing element from FIG. 2 in two different side views;
[0037] FIG. 4 shows the securing element on the rocker pin after the welding process in a perspective view;
[0038] FIG. 5 shows the securing element from FIG. 4 in two different side views;
[0039] FIG. 6 shows a further depiction of the securing element on the rocker pin;
[0040] FIG. 7 shows a first comparison of the securing element according to the disclosure with a securing element known from the prior art;
[0041] FIG. 8 shows a further comparison of the securing element according to the disclosure with a securing element known from the prior art;
[0042] FIG. 9 shows a further comparison of the securing element according to the disclosure with a securing element known from the prior art;
[0043] FIG. 10 shows a further comparison of the securing element according to the disclosure with a securing element known from the prior art;
[0044] FIG. 11 shows the securing element in a side view;
[0045] FIG. 12 shows the securing element in a further side view;
[0046] FIG. 13 shows method steps for producing the securing element;
[0047] FIG. 14 shows a perspective view and two side views of a securing element in a further embodiment; and
[0048] FIG. 15 shows a perspective view and two side views of a securing element in a further embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0049] The figures are only schematic in nature and serve only for understanding the disclosure. The same components are provided with the same reference symbols.
[0050] FIG. 1 shows a plate link chain 1 for a CVT transmission (not shown) extending along a wrap-around direction 2. The plate link chain 1 has a plurality of plates 3 which are arranged along the wrap-around direction 2 and transversely to the wrap-around direction 2. In addition to the plates 3, the plate link chain 1 has a plurality of rocker pins 4 which, extending transversely to the wrap-around direction 2, connect the plates 3 to one another. The rocker pins 4 absorb a force supplied by cone pulleys (not shown) during operation of the CVT transmission. The plate link chain 1 also has a securing element 5, which is welded onto one of the rocker pins 4 in order to form a stop for one of the plates 3 transversely to the wrap-around direction 2.
[0051] The securing element 5 forms, at least on its side facing the plate 3, a nose 6 which protrudes transversely to the wrap-around direction 2 and defines a contact point between the securing element 5 and the plate 3 for the stop. The area defined by the contact point is small compared to the side surface of the securing element 5.
[0052] FIG. 2 shows the securing element 5 in a state before it is welded onto the rocker pin 4. The securing element 5 is designed mirror-symmetrically so that a protruding nose 6 is also formed on the side facing away from the plate 3. In the state before welding, the securing element 5 has feet 7 (welding feet) which ensure a defined contact surface between the securing element 5 and the rocker pin 4 and which feet have a favorable effect on the melt leakage. In the present disclosure, the securing element 5 has four feet 7.
[0053] The securing element 5 has a roof shape in the upper portion so that the nose 6 in the present disclosure is formed from two flat portions running in opposite directions; a lower flat portion 8, and an upper flat portion 9.
[0054] FIG. 3 shows the securing element 5 from FIG. 2 in a view transverse to the wrap-around direction 2 (left) and a view along the wrap-around direction 2 (right). A gap 10 is formed between the feet 7. The melt escapes into this gap 10 during welding so that a weld seam 11 (see, for example, FIG. 4) forms a bead that is small compared to the volume of the securing element 5.
[0055] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the securing element 5 in a state after it has been welded onto the rocker pin 4. Instead of the feet 7, a weld seam 11 represents the contact between the securing element 5 and the rocker pin 4. The upper part of the securing element 5 is furthermore designed as a centering portion 12, which simplifies the application of a welding electrode. The remaining components from FIGS. 4 and 5 are already known from FIGS. 2 and 3 and will not be described again here to avoid repetition.
[0056] In FIG. 6 the securing element 5 is shown in a view transverse to the wrap-around direction 2. The weld seam 11 runs flat on the rocker pin 4. The protruding nose 6 is in contact with the plate 3. The plate 3 has a rounded portion 13 in order to promote the introduction of force from the rocker pin 4 into the plate 3. Said rounded portion has a rounded portion height 14. The geometry of the securing element 5 is such that the protruding nose 6 is arranged at a height which exceeds the height of the rounded portion 14. This ensures that the nose 6 contacts the plate 3 at its flat portion and not the rounded portion 13.
[0057] FIGS. 7 to 10 each show a comparison of the securing element 5 according to this disclosure with a cylindrical securing element 15, as is known from the prior art. FIG. 7 shows the securing element 5 in a side view. The protruding nose 6 allows for a small-area contact of the securing element 5 with the plate 3 (not shown here), compared with the cylindrical securing element 15. FIG. 8 shows the lever arm span 16 optimized according to the disclosure, in which a torque is transmitted between rocker pin 4 and plate 3, schematically compared to a lever arm span 17 according to the prior art. The contours of the securing elements 5, 15 (as in FIG. 7) are shown on the left, while the lever arm spans 16, 17 resulting therefrom are visualized on the right. Because of the protruding geometry of the nose 6, even in the event of a plastic deformation of the securing element 5, which is usually made of soft material, only a small lever arm span 16 results according to the disclosure.
[0058] FIG. 9 (essentially constructed like FIG. 8) shows that the securing element 5 also has a curved shape along the wrap-around direction 2 in order to also reduce a tilting torque span. Thus, a second lever arm span 18 according to the disclosure is reduced compared to a second lever arm span 19, as implemented by cylindrical securing elements.
[0059] Lastly, in FIG. 10, a cylindrical securing element 15 and the securing element 5 are compared in a perspective view before welding. An effective area 20 of the securing element 5 (right) exceeds an effective area 20 of the cylindrical securing element 15 (left) and is unidirectionally robust against tilting/twisting due to its approximately square shape. Thus, a width 21 of the right effective area 20 is larger than a width 21 of the left effective area 21. The other components from FIG. 10 have already been explained and will not be elaborated here again.
[0060] FIGS. 11 and 12 represent the securing element 5 transversely to the wrap-around direction 2 (FIG. 11) and along the wrap-around direction 2 (FIG. 12). The angles α, β, θ, γ, φ, and ψ are each between 0 and 87°. Furthermore, they are to be adapted in such a way that, on the one hand, the melt leakage is promoted and, on the other hand, a sufficient effective area 20 is made possible.
[0061] In FIG. 13 the method for producing the securing element 5 is shown schematically. First, a wire 22 is taken, which is then cut into individual pieces (top). The wire 22 is then embossed by means of an embossing tool 23 (center) in order to obtain the securing element 5 with feet 7. Lastly, the securing element 5 is welded onto the rocker pin 4 (below).
[0062] FIGS. 14 and 15 show two embodiments of the securing element 5, each having two rail-like feet 7. Respectively, a perspective view is shown on the left, while a view transverse to the wrap-around direction 2 is shown in the center, and a view along the wrap-around direction 2 is shown on the right. In FIG. 14, the transitions of the individual portions of the securing element 5 are designed with sharp edges. In FIG. 15, the respective transitions are rounded, which makes handling the securing element 5 easier.
REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0063] 1 Plate link chain [0064] 2 Wrap-around direction [0065] 3 Plate [0066] 4 Rocker pin [0067] 5 Securing element [0068] 6 Protruding nose [0069] 7 Foot [0070] 8 Lower flat portion [0071] 9 Upper flat portion [0072] 10 Gap [0073] 11 Weld seam [0074] 12 Centering portion [0075] 13 Rounded portion [0076] 14 Rounded portion height [0077] 15 Cylindrical securing element [0078] 16 Lever arm span between the plate and the rocker pin [0079] 17 Lever arm span from the prior art [0080] 18 Second lever arm span between the plate and the rocker pin [0081] 19 Second lever arm span from the prior art [0082] 20 Effective area [0083] 21 Width [0084] 22 Wire [0085] 23 Embossing tool
