Inverted tooth chain having inner flank engagement

A chain and sprocket drive system comprising:

• a sprocket including a plurality of teeth, each of the plurality of teeth having an engaging flank, a disengaging flank, a radiused tip interconnecting the engaging flank and the disengaging flank, and a root located between adjacent teeth of the plurality of teeth;
• and
• an inverted tooth chain assembly configured to mesh with the sprocket, the inverted tooth chain assembly including at least two rows of links,
• each of the links having two teeth with a pair of inner flanks, a pair of outer flanks, tips interconnecting respective inner and outer flanks, and a radiused crotch located between the pair of inner flanks, and
• the inner flanks have an enlarged profile in a direction toward a center of the link in comparison to a profile of the outer flanks, and a contact position with a tooth of the sprocket engaged therewith is located on the link in an area extending from the inner flank into the radiused crotch and on the sprocket in an area of the radiused tip of the tooth, with the radiused tip of the tooth engaged in the radiused crotch in a fully meshed position.