Frictional Power Transmission Belt and Process for Producing Same

• US 20170241512A1
• Filed: 05/09/2017
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsuboshi Belting Limited
• Original Assignee: Mitsuboshi Belting Limited
• Inventors: Mitsutomi, Manabu, Noborikawa, Yoshihito, Takehara, Tsuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 10,458,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/3233 exerting pressure on mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/104 the mould cavity lying totally outside the axis of symmetry, e.g. toroidal moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/12 using bags surrounding the moulding material or using membranes contacting the moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 29/08 Toothed driving belts
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 29/103 Multi-ribbed driving belts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7094 Driving belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/22 the plies being arranged with all cords disposed along the circumference of the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 1/08 with reinforcement bonded by the rubber
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 1/28 with a contact surface of special shape, e.g. toothed
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 5/06 with reinforcement bonded by the rubber
• 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

Abstract

A production method for producing a frictional power transmission belt containing an extensible layer forming a belt back surface, a compressive rubber layer formed on one surface of the extensible layer and frictionally engaging at the lateral surface thereof with pulleys, and a tension member embedded between the extensible layer and the compressive rubber layer along the belt length direction. A surface of at least a part of the compressive rubber layer to be in contact with pulleys is coated with a fiber/resin mixture layer that contains a resin component and heat-resistant fibers having a softening point or a melting point higher than a vulcanization temperature in a mixed state, and the heat-resistant fibers contain a fiber embedded so as to extend from the fiber/resin mixture layer to the compressive rubber layer.

Claims

1. A production method for producing a frictional power transmission belt, the method comprising:

a winding step of sequentially winding a sheet for forming an extensible layer that forms a belt back surface, a tension member, an unvulcanized rubber sheet for forming a compressive rubber layer on one surface of the extensible layer, and a sheet for forming a fiber/resin mixture layer that comprises a resin component and heat-resistant fibers, around a cylindrical drum, the heat-resistant fibers having a softening point or a melting point higher than a vulcanization temperature in a mixed state, and the heat-resistant fibers containing a fiber embedded so as to extend from the fiber/resin mixture layer to the compressive rubber layer; and

a vulcanization molding step of pressing the wound laminate sheet against a mold to vulcanize and mold the unvulcanized rubber sheet,

wherein in the vulcanization molding step, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is pre-heated at a temperature lower than the vulcanization temperature and then vulcanized.

2. The production method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet for forming the fiber/resin mixture layer contains a sheet or nonwoven fabric containing a thermoplastic resin having a softening point or a melting point of not higher than the vulcanization temperature, and a nonwoven fabric containing a heat-resistant fiber.

3. The production method according to claim 2, wherein at least one selected from the sheet or nonwoven fabric containing a thermoplastic resin having a softening point or a melting point of not higher than the vulcanization temperature and the nonwoven fabric containing a heat-resistant fiber contains a surfactant.

4. The production method according to claim 2, wherein, in the winding step, the sheet or nonwoven fabric containing a thermoplastic resin having a softening point or a melting point of not higher than the vulcanization temperature is arranged on a compressive rubber layer side, and the nonwoven fabric containing a heat-resistant fiber is arranged to be on a mold side.

5. The production method according to claim 1, wherein, as the sheet for forming the fiber/resin mixture layer, a previously integrated laminate of the sheet or nonwoven fabric containing a thermoplastic resin having a softening point or a melting point of not higher than the vulcanization temperature and the nonwoven fabric containing heat-resistant fibers is used.