V-ribbed belt with spaced rib flank reinforcement
AssigneeDayco IP Holdings, LLC
InventorRichard J. Witt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
V-ribbed belts with spaced rib flank reinforcement and methods of making the same are disclosed. The V-ribbed belt comprises a compression section having at least one laterally spaced, longitudinally extending V-rib having first and second longitudinally extending flanks. The V-rib includes an elastomeric material having a dry coefficient of friction encapsulating a plurality of reinforcing bodies having a dry coefficient of friction that is less than that of the elastomeric material. The plurality of reinforcing bodies are arranged generally laterally within the V-rib such that at least a portion of the reinforcing bodies forms part of one or more of the first and second longitudinally extending flanks.
Claims20
A V-ribbed belt comprising:
- a compression section comprising a material having at least one laterally spaced, longitudinally extending V-rib having a first longitudinally extending flank and a second longitudinally extending flank, the V-rib comprising:
- an elastomeric material encapsulating a plurality of reinforcing bodies arranged generally laterally within the V-rib such that at least a portion of the reinforcing bodies form part of one or more of the first and second longitudinally extending flanks;
- wherein the compression section has an uncompressed state and a compressed state, wherein the first and second longitudinally extending flanks of the V-rib are generally flat in the uncompressed state, and the plurality of reinforcing bodies form a plurality of protuberances on the first and second longitudinally extending flanks of the V-rib in the compressed state;
- wherein the plurality of reinforcing bodies are individual cords dispersed non-uniformly throughout the elastomeric material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.