CHAIN GUIDE FOR USE IN ENGINE

• US 20090036242A1
• Filed: 05/28/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Company
• Original Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Company
• Inventors: Hayami, Atsushi, Iwata, Tomoya
• Granted Patent: US 7,967,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 474/111
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2007/0872 Sliding members
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/18 Means for guiding or supporting belts, ropes, or chains construction of pulleys F16H55/36

Abstract

A chain guide is composed of a resin shoe engageable with an aluminum base frame. The shoe has a hook formed at a chain entry end for engagement with a chain entry end of the base frame, and a C-shaped hook at the chain exit end engageable with a side edge of the base frame. The shoe is engaged with the base by first engaging the C-shaped hook with the side edge of the base frame, then flexing the chain entry end of the shoe until the hook at the chain entry end can receive the chain entry end of the base. The shoe is moved a short distance toward the chain exit end of the base until a projection formed on a back surface of the shoe near the chain entry end snaps into a depression formed on a front surface of the base frame, locking the shoe and base together.

Claims

1. A chain guide for use in an engine, the chain guide comprising:

an elongated shoe having a front surface for sliding contact with a transmission chain travelling along the direction of elongation of the shoe and a back surface opposite from said front surface; and

an elongated base for supporting the shoe, the base having a front surface engageable with the back surface of the shoe along the direction of elongation of the shoe, and having opposite chain entry and chain exit ends spaced from each other along the direction of elongation of the base, whereby the base can be mounted so that a traveling chain moves from the chain entry end toward the chain exit end, the front surface of the base also having a depression formed therein;

wherein the shoe has a chain entry end engageable with the chain entry end of the of the base, a chain exit end engageable with the chain exit end of the base, and a projection on the back surface of the shoe, the projection being engageable with the depression in the front surface of the base.

2. A chain guide according to claim 1, in which said depression is spaced toward the chain entry end of the base from a location mid way between the chain entry and chain exit ends of the base, and projection is spaced toward the chain entry end of the shoe from a location mid way between the chain entry and chain exit ends of the shoe.

3. A chain guide according to claim 1, in which the projection and depression have locking surfaces, the locking surfaces being mutually engageable to limit sliding movement of the shoe relative to the base in a direction toward the chain entry end of the base, and thereby preventing disconnection of the shoe from the base.

4. A chain guide according to claim 2, in which the projection and depression have locking surfaces, the locking surfaces being mutually engageable to limit sliding movement of the shoe relative to the base in a direction toward the chain entry end of the base, and thereby preventing disconnection of the shoe from the base.

5. A chain guide according claim 1, in which said chain entry end of the shoe includes a hook engageable with the chain entry end of the base.

6. A chain guide according claim 2 in which said chain entry end of the shoe includes a hook engageable with the chain entry end of the base.

7. A chain guide according claim 3, in which said chain entry end of the shoe includes a hook engageable with the chain entry end of the base.

8. A chain guide according claim 4, in which said chain entry end of the shoe includes a hook engageable with the chain entry end of the base.

9. A chain guide according to claim 1, having a C-shaped hook formed on the shoe adjacent the chain exit end of the shoe, said C-shaped hook extending perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the shoe, whereby the hook can receive a side edge of the base.

10. A chain guide according to claim 3, having a C-shaped hook formed on the shoe adjacent the chain exit end of the shoe, said C-shaped hook extending perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the shoe, whereby the hook can receive a side edge of the base.

11. A chain guide according to claim 5, having a C-shaped hook formed on the shoe adjacent the chain exit end of the shoe, said C-shaped hook extending perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the shoe, whereby the hook can receive a side edge of the base.

12. A chain guide according to claim 1, in which the base includes a pair of opposed, parallel, side wall ribs extending from the front surface of the base, the ribs being elongated in the direction of elongation of the base, and spaced from each other by a distance substantially equal to the width of the shoe, whereby the ribs can prevent lateral movement of the shoe with respect to the base