Helical belt assembly, method of use, and kit therefore

A method for mounting a helical belt assembly within a mounting space defined by a continuous mechanical constraint of a device wherein the method comprises:

• selecting a flexible helical belt having two distinct ends that is further comprised of a plurality of belt teeth affixed on a first planar surface of the flexible helical belt and wherein a the plurality of the belt teeth of the flexible helical belt are each pierced by a through hole which extends through the respective belt tooth of the plurality of belt teeth and wherein the flexible helical belt is of sufficient length such that, when the flexible helical belt is mounted within the intended mounting space, the flexible helical belt overlaps itself by at least one rotation such that each through hole will be transversely aligned with at least one other through hole, and wherein the assembled helical belt has a width defined at a width position where the flexible helical belt overlaps itself by at least one rotation, wherein the width is measured transversely from a first outside edge of the assembled helical belt to a second outside edge of the assembled helical belt;
• selecting a plurality of transverse compression devices, each of which may be engaged with one of the plurality of through holes of the plurality of belt teeth, and further with the at least one transversely aligned through hole;
• engaging the plurality of transverse compression devices with the flexible helical belt, such that each respective transverse compression device, when engaged with the respective through hole and the respective transversely aligned through hole, creates a compressive force on the flexible helical belt along the width from the first outside edge to the second outside edge, in a direction that is generally transverse to the length of the flexible helical belt, to mechanically secure the helical belt assembly without melting or gluing a significant portion of the flexible helical belt, such that the compressed flexible helical belt forms a single, continuous, unending drive belt that passes through the mounting space.

A kit for a helical belt assembly that may be mounted within a mounting space defined by a continuous mechanical constraint of a device wherein the kit for the helical belt assembly is comprised of:

• a flexible helical belt having two distinct ends that is further comprised of a plurality of belt teeth affixed on a first planar surface of the flexible helical belt;
• wherein a plurality of the belt teeth of the flexible helical belt are each pierced by a through hole which extends through the respective belt tooth of the plurality of belt teeth;
• wherein the flexible helical belt is of sufficient length such that, when the flexible helical belt is mounted within the intended mounting space, the flexible helical belt will overlap itself by at least one rotation such that each through hole will be transversely aligned with at least one other through hole;
• wherein, the helical belt assembly, when mounted, has a width defined at a width position where the flexible helical belt overlaps itself by at least one rotation, wherein the width is measured transversely from a first outside edge of the assembled helical belt to a second outside edge of the assembled helical belt;
• a plurality of transverse compression devices, each of which may be engaged with one of the plurality of through holes of the plurality of belt teeth, and further engaged with the at least one transversely aligned through hole, wherein each respective transverse compression device, when engaged with the respective through hole and the respective transversely aligned through hole, will create a compressive force on the flexible helical belt along the width from the first outside edge to the second outside edge, in a direction that is generally transverse to the length of the flexible helical belt, whereby the helical belt assembly may be mounted and mechanically secured without melting or gluing a significant portion of the flexible helical belt.

A method of mounting a helical belt assembly within a device having a mounting space defined by a continuous mechanical constraint wherein the method is comprised of:

• looping a flexible helical belt with two distinct ends through the mounting space of the device, such that a plurality of loops of the flexible helical belt are created through the mounting space;
• bringing the plurality of loops of the flexible helical belt into mating alignment with each other at the edges of the plurality of loops;
• and
• mechanically securing the plurality of loops of the flexible helical belt together without gluing, melting, or using a barbed coupling that has barbs that engage the flexible helical belt, so that the plurality of loops cooperate to form a single, continuous, unending drive belt that passes through the mounting space;
• wherein the helical belt assembly has width defined at a width position where the flexible helical belt overlaps itself by at least one rotation, wherein, the width is measured transversely from a first outside edge of the helical belt assembly to a second outside edge of the helical belt assembly;
• and wherein, the step of mechanically securing comprises using a plurality of mechanical securing devices, each of which passes through the flexible helical belt transversely along the width from the first outside edge to the second outside edge of the helical belt assembly.