Power transmission belt and method of manufacturing a power transmission belt

• US 20080286529A1
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsuboshi Belting Limited
• Original Assignee: Mitsuboshi Belting Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Hideyuki, Sueto, Yosuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,329,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/167
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 1/10 with textile reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 1/28 with a contact surface of special shape, e.g. toothed
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 5/08 with textile reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 5/20 with a contact surface of special shape, e.g. toothed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24 Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 Parallel ribs and/or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2933 Coated or with bond, impregnation or core

Abstract

A power transmission belt having a body made at least in part from ethylene-α-olefin rubber. At least one load carrying member is embedded in the ethylene-α-olefin rubber. First, second and third films are formed on the load carrying member. The first film is made from at least one of an isocyanate compound and an epoxy compound, the second film from polybutadiene rubber, and the third film from an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer.

Claims

1. A power transmission belt comprising:

a body with a length, a width between laterally spaced sides, an inside and an outside,

the body comprising rubber in which at least one load carrying member is embedded and extends lengthwise of the body,

the rubber comprising ethylene-α

-olefin rubber,

the at least one load carrying member having an outer surface; and

first, second and third films formed on the outer surface of the at least one load carrying member,

the first film comprising at least one of an isocyanate compound and an epoxy compound,

the second film comprising polybutadiene rubber,

the third film comprising an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer.

2. The power transmission belt according to claim 1 wherein the first film is formed directly on the outer surface of the at least one load carrying member followed by the second film and then the third film.

3. The power transmission belt according to claim 2 wherein the second and third films are each sulfur vulcanized.

4. The power transmission belt according to claim 2 wherein the second film comprises resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex with latex comprising at least polybutadiene.

5. The power transmission belt according to claim 4 wherein a proportion of butadiene in a solid content of the latex is at least 50 mass %.

6. The power transmission belt according to claim 5 wherein a molar ratio of resorcinol to formaldehyde in the resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex is 1:

2 to 2;

1 and a solid mass ratio of an initial condensate of resorcinol-formaldehyde to latex is 1;

2 to 1;

8.

7. The power transmission belt according to claim 5 wherein the third film comprises an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer having a diene content of 5 to 12.5 wt. %.

8. The power transmission belt according to claim 2 wherein the at least one load carrying member comprises at least one of polyester fiber and aramid fiber.

9. The power transmission belt according to claim 2 wherein the power transmission belt is a toothed belt with teeth spaced lengthwise of the body on at least one of the inside and outside of the body.

10. The power transmission belt according to claim 2 wherein the power transmission belt is a V-ribbed belt with a plurality of laterally spaced ribs extending lengthwise of the body.

11. The power transmission belt according to claim 2 wherein the power transmission belt is a V-belt with a V-shaped body as viewed in cross section transversely to the length of the body.

12. A method of manufacturing a power transmission belt, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a body with a length, a width between laterally spaced sides, an inside and an outside and defined at least in part by rubber comprising ethylene-α

-olefin rubber;

providing at least one load carrying member;

treating the at least one load carrying member with a first treatment liquid comprising at least one of an isocyanate compound and an epoxy compound;

after treating the at least one load carrying member with the first treatment liquid, treating the at least one load carrying member with a second treatment liquid comprising butadiene latex;

after treating the at least one load carrying member with the second treatment liquid, treating the at least one load carrying member with a third treatment liquid comprising an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer; and

embedding the at least one load carrying member in the rubber so that the at least one load carrying member extends lengthwise of the body.

13. The method of manufacturing power transmission belt according to claim 12 further comprising the steps of sulfur vulcanizing the butadiene latex of the second treatment liquid and the ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer of the third treatment liquid and adhering the first and second treatment liquids to each other.

14. The method of manufacturing a power transmission belt according to claim 12 further comprising the steps of sulfur vulcanizing the butadiene latex of the second treatment liquid and the ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer of the third treatment liquid and adhering the first and second treatment liquids to each other after treating the at least one load carrying member with the third treatment liquid.

15. The method of manufacturing a power transmission belt according to claim 12 wherein the step of treating the at least one load carrying member with a second treatment liquid comprises treating the at least one load carrying member with a second treatment liquid comprising a resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex liquid with latex that comprises at least butadiene latex.

16. The method of manufacturing a power transmission belt according to claim 12 wherein the step of treating the at least one load carrying member with a second treatment liquid comprises treating the at least one load carrying member with a second treatment liquid comprising a resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex liquid that comprises at least butadiene latex, wherein a proportion of butadiene in a solid content of the latex is at least 50 mass %.

17. The method of manufacturing a power transmission belt according to claim 12 wherein the step of treating the at least one load carrying member with a second treatment liquid comprises treating the at least one load carrying member with a second treatment liquid comprising a resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex liquid with latex that comprises at least butadiene latex, wherein a molar ratio of resorcinol to formaldehyde in the resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex is 1:

2 to 2;

1 and a solid mass ratio of an initial condensate of resorcinol-formaldehyde to latex is 1;

2 to 1;

8.

18. The method of manufacturing a power transmission belt according to claim 12 wherein the step of treating the at least one load carrying member with a third treatment liquid comprises treating the at least one load carrying member with a third treatment liquid comprising an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer wherein a content of diene in the ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer is 5 to 12.5 mass %.

19. The method of manufacturing a power transmission belt according to claim 12 wherein the step of providing at least one load carrying member comprises providing at least one load carrying member that comprises at least one of:

a) polyester fiber; and

b) aramid fiber.

20. The method of manufacturing a power transmission belt according to claim 12 wherein the step of forming a body comprises forming a body to define teeth spaced lengthwise of the body on at least one of the inside and outside of the body.

21. The method of manufacturing a power transmission belt according to claim 12 wherein the step of forming a body comprises forming a body to define a plurality of laterally spaced ribs extending lengthwise of the body.

22. The method of manufacturing a power transmission belt according to claim 12 wherein the step of forming a body comprises forming the body to define a “

V”

shape as viewed in cross section transversely to the length of the body.