Guide for transmission device

• US 7,951,029 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Company
• Original Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Company
• Inventors: Oota, Haruhisa, Kurohata, Junya
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, EMMANUEL MONSAYAC
• Application Number:
  US12/188,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20090105023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 474/101, 474/109, 474/110, 474/111, 474/140, 474/145, 474/146, 474/147
• 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

In an engine timing chain guide composed of a synthetic resin shoe supported on a frame by L-shaped and strip-shaped engagement members integrally molded as unitary parts of the shoe, the L-shaped members are formed with oblique tongues that resiliently engage side edges of the frame member, and the strip-shaped engagement members include surfaces that extend obliquely toward, and resiliently engage, a side edge of the frame member. Laterally extending legs of the L-shaped members are also formed with bulged portions, and the frame member is sandwiched between the bulged portions and a back side of the shoe.

Claims

1. A guide for a transmission device comprising:

an elongated shoe having a front surface, facing in a first direction, for sliding contact with an endless, flexible, transmission medium traveling along the direction of elongation of the shoe, said shoe having a back surface facing in a second direction opposite to said first direction, first and second opposite ends spaced from each other along the direction of elongation of the shoe, and opposite side edges extending in the direction of elongation of the shoe;

an elongated base frame mountable on a mounting surface, said base frame extending along the back surface of the shoe and supporting said shoe, and having first and second elongated sides;

a plurality of L-shaped engagement portions and strip shaped engagement portion, said engagement portions being integrally molded as a unit with said shoe and protruding from the back surface of the shoe along said side edges in an alternating arrangement in which, proceeding from one end of the shoe to the other, each successive engagement portion is farther from said one end, and protrudes from a different side edge than, an immediately preceding engagement portion, whereby said engagement portions alternately embrace the first and second elongated sides of said base frame;

wherein each said L-shaped engagement portion comprising a first leg extending in said second direction past a side of the base frame, a second leg extending laterally in a direction such that a part of the base frame is located between the second leg and the back surface of the shoe, and a positioning tongue extending obliquely, from within a cut-out in said first leg, toward, and resiliently pressing against, an adjacent side of the base frame; and

wherein each said strip-shaped engagement portion includes a frame positioning limiting surface, extending obliquely from the back surface of the shoe toward, and resiliently pressing against, an adjacent side surface of the base frame.

2. A guide for a transmission device according to claim 1, in which a bulged portion is formed on the second leg of each said L-shaped engagement portion, each said bulged portion protruding toward the back surface of the shoe, and engaging the base frame, whereby the base frame is sandwiched between the bulged portion and the back surface of the shoe.