ROCKER PIN FOR A ROCKER PIN PAIR OF A PLATE LINK CHAIN

Abstract

A plate link chain includes a chain running direction, an axial direction, a radial direction, a plate link, and a rocker pin pair. Each rocker pin has a plate link side contact surface, a rolling surface, and axially opposite end faces. The end faces are inclined axially inwards from radially outside to radially inside, aligned transversely to the axial direction, and arranged for force transmitting contact with a conical pulley pair. The end faces have respective curvatures having a first curvature portion defined by a radial radius about a first axis parallel to the chain running direction, and a second curvature portion defined by an azimuthal radius about a second axis parallel to the radial direction. A magnitude of the radial radius increases from radially outside to radially central, or a magnitude of the azimuthal radius increases from forward to central with respect to the chain running direction.

Claims

1. A rocker pin for a rocker pin pair of a plate link chain, comprising: a length extension which, when in use in the plate link chain, is oriented in an axial direction; a height extension which, when in use in the plate link chain, is oriented in a radial direction; a width extension which, when used in the plate link chain, is oriented in a chain running direction; a plate link-side contact surface for contact with at least one link used in the plate link chain; a rolling surface for contact with a further rocker pin used in the rocker pin pair; and axially on both sides, an end face inclined axially inwards from radially outside to radially inside, which is aligned transversely to the length extension and arranged for force-transmitting contact with a respective conical surfaced of a conical pulley pair, wherein the end face has a curvature, wherein a first curvature portion is defined by means of a radial radius about a first axis parallel to the chain running direction and a second curvature portion is defined by means of an azimuthal radius about a second axis parallel to the radial direction, wherein a magnitude of the radial radius increases from radially outside to radially central or a magnitude of the azimuthal radius increases from forward with respect to the chain running direction to central with respect to the chain running direction in discrete radius portions.

2. The rocker pin of claim 1, wherein the magnitude of the radial radius decreases from radially central to radially inside or the magnitude of the azimuthal radius decreases from central with respect to the running direction to rearward with respect to the running direction.

3. A rocker pin for a rocker pin pair of a plate link chain, comprising: a length extension which, when in use in the plate link chain, is oriented in an axial direction; a height extension which, when in use in the plate link chain, is oriented in a radial direction; a width extension which, when used in the plate link chain, is oriented in the chain running direction; a plate link-side contact surface for contact with at least one link used in the plate link chain; a rolling surface for contact with a further rocker pin used in the rocker pin pair; and axially on both sides, an end face inclined axially inwards from radially outside to radially inside, which is aligned transversely to the length extension and is arranged for force-transmitting contact with a respective conical surface of a conical pulley pair, wherein the end surface has a curvature, wherein a first curvature portion is defined by means of a radial radius about a first axis parallel to the chain running direction and a second curvature portion is defined by means of an azimuthal radius about a second axis parallel to the radial direction , wherein a magnitude of the radial radius increases from radially outside to radially central or the a magnitude of the azimuthal radius increases from forward with respect to the chain running direction to central with respect to the chain running direction, and the magnitude of the radial radius decreases from radially central to radially inside or the magnitude of the azimuthal radius decreases from central with respect to the chain running direction to rearward with respect to the chain running direction.

4. The rocker pin of claim 3, wherein radius portions of the first curvature portion and the second curvature portion merge tangentially into one another.

5. A rocker pin pair for a plate link chain of a belt transmission, having two rocker pins, at least one of which is designed according to claim 3, wherein the end faces of the rocker pins of the rocker pin pair are designed identically.

6. A plate link chain for a belt transmission of a drive train, comprising: a plurality of plate links; and a corresponding number of rocker pin pairs according to claim 5, wherein by means of the plate link chain, a torque is frictionally transmittable between a first conical pulley pair and a second conical pulley pair, wherein a transmission ratio between the conical pulley pairs is preferably continuously variable.

7. A belt transmission for a drive train, comprising: a first conical pulley pair with a first rotation axis and with a variable axial first pulley distance; a second conical pulley pair with a second rotation axis with a variable axial second pulley distance; and the plate link chain of claim 6, wherein the first and second conical pulley pairs are arranged by means of the plate link chain, which is arranged as a traction means axially pressed into the conical pulley pairs, with a transmission ratio, which is dependent on set pulley distances, and which are connected to one another in a torque-transmitting manner, and wherein the transmission ratio between the conical pulley pairs is continuously variable.

8. A drive train, comprising: at least one drive engine; at least one consumer; and the belt transmission of claim 7, wherein the at least one drive engine is connected to the at least one consumer for torque transmission by means of the belt transmission with a variable transmission.

9. A plate link chain comprising: a chain running direction; an axial direction normal to the chain running direction; a radial direction normal to the chain running direction and normal to the axial direction; a plate link; and a rocker pin pair, each rocker pin of the rocker pin pair comprising: a plate link side contact surface arranged to contact the plate link: a rolling surface arranged for contact with the other rocker pin of the rocker pin pair; and axially opposite end faces: inclined axially inwards from radially outside to radially inside; aligned transversely to the axial direction; arranged for force transmitting contact with respective contact surfaces of a conical pulley pair; and comprising respective curvatures having: a first curvature portion defined by a radial radius about a first axis parallel to the chain running direction; and a second curvature portion defined by an azimuthal radius about a second axis parallel to the radial direction, wherein: a magnitude of the radial radius increases from radially outside to radially central in discrete radius portions; or a magnitude of the azimuthal radius increases from forward to central with respect to the chain running direction in discrete radius portions.

10. The plate link chain of claim 9, wherein: the magnitude of the radial radius decreases from radially central to radially inside in discrete radius portions; or the magnitude of the azimuthal radius decreases from central to rearward with respect to the chain running direction in discrete radius portions.

11. The plate link chain of claim 10 wherein the discrete radius portions merge tangentially into one another.

12. The plate link chain of claim 9 wherein the axially opposite end faces are designed identically.

13. The plate link chain of claim 9 further comprising: a plurality of the plate links; and a plurality of the rocker pin pairs connecting the plurality of the plate links.

14. A belt transmission for a drive train comprising: a first conical pulley pair; a second conical pulley pair; and the plate link chain of claim 13 arranged as a traction means axially pressed into the first conical pulley pair and the second conical pulley pair.

15. The belt transmission of claim 14 wherein respective pulley distances between the first conical pulley pair and the second conical pulley pair are both continuously variable.

16. A drive train comprising: a drive engine; a consumer; and the belt transmission of claim 15 connecting the drive engine to the consumer for torque transmission therebetween.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] The disclosure described above is explained in detail below based on the relevant technical background with reference to the associated drawings, which show example embodiments. The disclosure is in no way restricted by the purely schematic drawings, wherein it should be noted that the drawings are not dimensionally accurate and are not suitable for defining proportions. In the figures;

[0063] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a rocker pin;

[0064] FIG. 2 shows a top view of a rocker pin;

[0065] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a rocker pin;

[0066] FIG. 4 shows a radius course in a first embodiment;

[0067] FIG. 5 shows a radius course in a second embodiment; and

[0068] FIG. 6 shows a drive train with a belt transmission.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] FIG. 1 shows a portion of a front or rear rocker pin 1, 2 in a front view, so that we can see the contact surface 11 on the side of the plate link, for example. According to the illustration, the radial direction 8 runs from bottom to top, the chain running direction 10 runs out of the plane of the drawing and the axial direction 6 runs from left to right. The longitudinal extension 5 of the rocker pin 1, 2 is aligned here in the axial direction 6 and the height extension 7 in the radial direction 8. The conical surface 15 is indicated on the left in the illustration (for clarity at a distance from the end face 14), with which the end face 14 forms a line contact (extending in the chain running direction 10) or point contact due to the radial radius 18.

[0070] The radial radius 18 (drawn in an exemplary manner) of various (e.g., directly adjacent) radial portions 20 are executed with a variable magnitude and the magnitude increases in comparison of the radial radius 18 of the end face 14 with each other from radially outside to radially central, and the radial portions 20 may run discretely. The radial radius 18 are defined pivoted about a parallel (first axis) to the chain running direction 10. The center of the end face 14 is, for example, the exit point of the neutral axis 29. The curvature of the end face 14 is so small that it is not visible in this view. An ideal tangential or (as close as technically possible or as far as economically viable) an approximation to an ideal tangential transition between the radius portions 20 is therefore not necessary in every case.

[0071] FIG. 2 shows a portion of a front rocker pin 1 according to FIG. 1 in a plan view, so that the contact surface 11 on the plate link side can be seen at the bottom and the rolling surface 13 can be seen at the top, according to the illustration. Here, the chain running direction 10 runs (corresponding to the contact surface 11 on the plate link and the rolling surface 13) according to the illustration from top to bottom, the radial direction 8 runs out of the image plane and the axial direction 6 runs from left to right. In the case of a rear rocker pin 2, the contact surface 11 on the plate link side and the rolling surface 13 would be interchanged. In this illustration, the width extension 9 of the front rocker pin 1 is shown in a comprehensible manner, which is aligned parallel to the chain running direction 10. The diffraction of the end face 14 and the conical surface 15 is exaggerated here for clarity.

[0072] Two azimuthal radii 19 are shown pivoting about a parallel (second axis) to the radial direction 8. The magnitude of the azimuthal radius 19 is variable and increases from forward with respect to the running direction to central with respect to the running direction, wherein the radius portions 20 are discrete, for example. The center of the end face 14 is, for example, the exit point of the neutral axis 29. The curvature of the end face 14 is very small. An ideal tangential or (as close as technically possible or as far as economically viable) an approximation to an ideal tangential transition between the radius portions 20 is therefore not necessary in every case.

[0073] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a rocker pin pair 3 with a front rocker pin 1 (here shown on the right) and a rear rocker pin 2, so that the view is directed towards one of the two end faces 14 in each case. For the sake of clarity, the features of the rocker pins 1, 2 are not designated twice for the rocker pins 1, 2 everywhere. In this embodiment, the properties apply to both rocker pins 1, 2, wherein here (optionally) the end faces 14 of the two rocker pins 1, 2 are formed mirror-identically, e.g., both rocker pins 1, 2 are completely identical. Then both end faces 14 of a rocker pin 1, 2 are identical. In an example embodiment, the description of the front rocker pin 1 applies to the rear rocker pin 2 and vice versa. According to the illustration, the radial direction 8 runs from bottom to top, the chain running direction 10 runs from left to right and the axial direction 6 runs into the image plane. The dimensions of the rocker pin 1 are defined as the height extension 7 (in the radial direction 8), the width extension 9 (in the chain running direction 10) and the length extension 5 (in the axial direction 6, see FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0074] The end face 14 is designed for force-transmitting, e.g., exclusively frictional, contact with the conical surfaces 15 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) of the conical pulleys of the conical pulley pairs 16, 17. The rocker pins 1, 2 each have a rolling surface 13 which forms a force-transmitting contact with the other rocker pin 2, 1 when in use in a plate link chain 4 (see FIG. 6) in the rocker pin pair 3. The rocker pin 1, 2 has a plate link-side contact surface 11 opposite the respective rolling surface 13 in the chain running direction 10, which has an arcuate shape and is in direct force-transmitting contact with a plurality of links 12 (ref. FIG. 6) when used in a plate link chain 4 (ref. FIG. 6). The tensile force in the tightening side of the plate link chain 4 is transmitted via the rocker pin pair 3 as a compressive force to the respective further link plates 12, and the rolling surfaces 13 of the rocker pins 1, 2 roll on one another weighing on one another when the plate link chain 4 bends, for example on a conical pulley pair 16, 17.

[0075] The rocker pins 1, 2 each have, on the end face 14, at least two, here four, discrete radius portions 20 (shown with contour lines), which each have a magnitude-constant radial radius 18 and a constant azimuthal radius 19. The magnitude of the radial radius 18 increases from radially outside to radially central and decreases from radially central to radially inside. The magnitude of the azimuthal radius 19 also decreases from forward with respect to the running direction to central with respect to the running direction and from central with respect to the running direction to rearward with respect to the running direction.

[0076] In FIG. 4 a radius course in a first embodiment is shown in a graph, wherein the y-axis represents the radial radius 18 and the x-axis represents the radial position on the end face 14. For example, the y-axis does not start at zero. Zero in the x-axis is the center of the vertical extension 7 of the end face 14; for example, the (radial) position of the neutral axis 29 (see FIG. 1). The end of the vertical extension 7 to the left of zero on the x-axis is therefore radially inside and the end of the height extension 7 to the right of zero is radially outside. The magnitude of the radial radius 18 thus increases from radially outside to radially central and then remains constant until radially inside. The changes in the magnitudes of the radial radius 18 in the radius portions 20 are discrete, i.e., (discontinuously) erratic. Alternatively, a transition is continuous, i.e., a (slightly) inclined transition flank and a rounded transition are formed in the flank. This first embodiment of the radius course is configured, for example, for a small number of gear ratio states or load cases. This is optimal if these load cases occur particularly frequently and/or last a particularly long time compared to other load cases.

[0077] In FIG. 5, a radius course in a second embodiment is shown in a graph, wherein the y-axis and the x-axis are defined as in FIG. 4. The magnitude of the radial radius 18 thus in turn increases from radially outside to radially central and then remains constant until radially inside. The change in the magnitudes of the radial radius 18 in the radius portions 20 (here, purely for the sake of clarity, only those at the ends are referred to) are discrete. In contrast to the first embodiment according to FIG. 4, the radial radius 18 is faster in the radially outside region and/or formed in smaller increments. While the first embodiment according to FIG. 4 is configured for a few load cases, the embodiment shown here has a finer subdivision and is therefore more optimally designed for many different load cases that occur with approximately the same frequency and/or the same duration.

[0078] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view in a portion of a drive train 22 with a belt transmission 21. in which a plate link chain 4 acting as a traction mechanism runs on two conical pulley pairs 16, 17. The plate link chain 4 has a chain width in the axial direction 6 (parallel to the rotation axes 23, 24) which corresponds to the length extension 5 of the rocker pin pairs 3. A defined pulley distance 25, 26 thus leads to a resulting active loop on the respective conical pulley pair 16, 17. In this case, the first pulley distance 25 is large and therefore the first active loop is small, and the second pulley distance 26 is small and the second active loop is therefore large. A torque ratio greater than 1, for example 2, is thus implemented by means of the belt transmission 21 from a first transmission shaft 30, for example a transmission input shaft, with a first rotation axis 23, to a second transmission shaft 31, for example a transmission output shaft, with a second rotation axis 24.

[0079] At least two plate links 12 are linked together to form a ring by means of the large number of rocker pin pairs 3 (for the transmission of traction force in the strands 32, 33). Generally, a plurality of plate links 12 is arranged next to one another in the axial direction 6. A coordinate system is shown here in the first strand 32, which corresponds to the coordinate system according to the previous figures. The chain running direction 10 lies in the plane of the plate link chain 4 ring. The axial direction 6 (corresponding to the direction of the chain width) is oriented parallel to the rotation axes 23, 24. The radial direction 8 points outwards from the ring formed by the plate link chain 4. The position of the coordinate system shown is defined in any point of the plate link chain 4 and the orientation of the chain running direction 10 and the radial direction 8 as well as the position of the axial direction 6 change with the movement of the plate link chain 4.

[0080] For example, a drive engine 27 is connected to the first transmission shaft 30, wherein only the torque-receiving input gear is shown here. For example, a consumer 28, for example at least one drive wheel for a motor vehicle, is connected to the second transmission shaft 31, wherein only the torque-emitting output gear is shown here.

[0081] Here, a further reduction in noise emissions and an increase in service life are achieved by means of the proposed rocker pin.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0082] 1 Front rocker pin [0083] 2 Rear rocker pin [0084] 3 Rocker pin pair [0085] 4 Plate link chain [0086] 5 Length extension [0087] 6 Axial direction [0088] 7 Height extension [0089] 8 Radial direction [0090] 9 Width extension [0091] 10 Chain running direction [0092] 11 Plate-side bearing face [0093] 12 Plate link [0094] 13 Rolling surface [0095] 14 End face [0096] 15 Conical surface [0097] 16 First conical pulley pair [0098] 17 Second conical pulley pair [0099] 18 Radial radius [0100] 19 Azimuthal radius [0101] 20 Radius portions [0102] 21 Belt transmission [0103] 22 Drive train [0104] 23 First rotation axis [0105] 24 Second rotation axis [0106] 25 First pulley distance [0107] 26 Second pulley distance [0108] 27 Drive engine [0109] 28 Consumer [0110] 29 Neutral fiber [0111] 30 First transmission shaft [0112] 31 Second transmission shaft [0113] 32 First strand [0114] 33 Second strand