Method for producing metal element for continuously variable transmission and metal element for continuously variable transmission

A method for producing a metal element for a continuously variable transmission, comprising:

• press forming and punching out a band-shaped metal element material having a constant section using a mold,
• wherein the metal element comprises
• a pair of ring slots into which a pair of metal rings are fitted,
• a neck part that is positioned between the pair of ring slots,
• an ear part that is connected to a radially outer side of the neck part, and
• a body part that has formed thereon a saddle face connected to a radially inner side of the neck part and supporting an inner peripheral face of the metal ring,
• wherein a front face of the body part of the metal element has formed thereon a rocking edge extending in a left-and-right direction so as to overlap a front edge of the saddle face and an inclined face extending from the rocking edge radially inward and rearward,
• wherein an inclined face-corresponding part of the metal element material that corresponds to the inclined face of the metal element comprises
• a first inclined face-corresponding portion that is inclined rearward at a first inclination angle from a rocking edge-corresponding part that corresponds to the rocking edge of the metal element, and
• a second inclined face-corresponding portion that is inclined rearward at a second inclination angle that is larger than the first inclination angle from a radially inner end of the first inclined face-corresponding portion,
• wherein the mold comprises a first inclined face-molding portion that is inclined rearward at the first inclination angle from a rocking edge-molding portion that abuts against the rocking edge-corresponding part, and
• wherein at a time of press forming, the first inclined face-molding portion abuts against the first inclined face-corresponding portion of the metal element material to form a gap between the first inclined face-molding portion and the second inclined face-corresponding portion.