Inverted tooth chain system with inside flank engagement

A method for meshing an inverted tooth chain with a sprocket, said method comprising:

• rotating a sprocket, said sprocket comprising a plurality of teeth, wherein each tooth comprises an engaging flank and a disengaging flank;
• meshing an inverted tooth chain with the sprocket, wherein said sprocket and chain define a maximum chordal rise distance CR, and wherein said inverted tooth chain comprises a plurality of rows of inside links that each articulate relative to a preceding row and a succeeding row about pivot axes spaced at a chain pitch P, each of said rows comprising leading inside toe flanks and trailing outside toe flanks, wherein the leading inside toe flanks of each row project outwardly relative to trailing outside toe flanks of the preceding row by a maximum projection amount λMAX when said inverted tooth chain is pulled straight, wherein said maximum inside flank projection amount λMAX satisfies the relationship:
• 0.015×P≦λMAX≦0.020×P;
• making initial meshing contact between the engaging flank of a first sprocket tooth and said inverted tooth chain only on the leading inside flanks of a first row of said chain;
• continuing to rotate said sprocket so that a row of said chain that precedes said first row becomes fully meshed with said sprocket with its trailing outside flanks in contact with said first sprocket tooth and so that said leading inside flanks of the first row separate from the first sprocket tooth.

An inverted tooth chain comprising:

• a plurality of rows each pivotally connected to a preceding row and a following row, wherein each row comprises a plurality of inside links aligned with each other and interleaved with the inside links of its preceding and following rows, and wherein each row pivots relative to its preceding and following rows about pivot axes spaced from each other at a pitch distance P;
• each of said inside links comprising a leading toe and a trailing toe, wherein each leading toe and trailing toe comprise an inside flank and an outside flank interconnected by a tip, said inside flanks of the leading and trailing toes joined by a crotch;
• said leading toes of each chain row overlapping said trailing toes of a preceding chain row so that, when a row and a preceding row are positioned in a straight line, said inside flanks of the leading toes of said chain row project outwardly relative to said outside flanks of said trailing toes of said preceding chain row by a maximum amount λMAX wherein:
• 0.010×P≦λMAX≦0.020×P.