JP6813625B2 - How to engrave a metal belt for a continuously variable transmission - Google Patents

Description

In the present invention, a metal belt supporting a large number of metal elements is irradiated with a laser beam along an endless metal ring, and a continuously variable transmission is applied so as to straddle the engraved surfaces on the outer periphery of the plurality of metal elements. Regarding the method of engraving a metal belt for a machine.

The serial number, the arrow indicating the rotation direction of the metal belt, and the diagonal line indicating the stacking order of the metal elements so as to straddle the outer peripheral surfaces of the ear portions of the plurality of metal elements constituting the metal belt for the belt-type continuously variable transmission. The following is known in Patent Document 1 to engrave a label such as, etc. using laser light.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-308286

By the way, when a predetermined sign is engraved with a laser beam so as to straddle the outer peripheral surface of the ear portion of a plurality of adjacent metal elements of the metal belt, the laser beam entering the gap between the adjacent metal elements passes through the gap. In some cases, the marking could not be made due to the deviation of the focal length, and improvement was required.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when the engraved surface on the outer periphery of the metal element of the metal belt of the belt-type continuously variable transmission is engraved with a laser beam, it enters a gap between adjacent metal elements. The purpose is to prevent the laser beam from passing through the gap and making it impossible to engrave.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the invention of claim 1, a metal belt supporting a large number of metal elements is irradiated with laser light along an endless metal ring, and the plurality of metal elements are subjected to the laser beam. A method of marking a metal belt for a stepless transmission in which marking is performed so as to straddle the marking surface on the outer circumference, and laser light irradiation measured from a normal direction orthogonal to the marking surface of the metal element to the element plate thickness direction. A method for engraving a metal belt for a stepless transmission, characterized in that the minimum value of the angle is set to an angle at which the laser beam applied to the gap formed between the adjacent metal elements does not hit the metal ring. Proposed.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the configuration of claim 1, the laser beam can be engraved with the distance from the light source to the engraved surface within the range of the minimum focal length and the maximum focal length. A method for marking a metal belt for a stepless transmission, characterized in that the maximum value of the laser beam irradiation angle measured in the element plate thickness direction from the normal direction orthogonal to the marking surface is set corresponding to the maximum focal length. Is proposed.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the configuration of claim 1 or 2, the size of the gap is set to A, and from the engraved surface along the irradiation direction of the laser beam to the metal ring. A method for engraving a metal belt for a continuously variable transmission is proposed, wherein the minimum value of the laser beam irradiation angle is set to tan ^-1 = A / B, where B is the distance between the two.

According to the configuration of claim 1, a metal belt supporting a large number of metal elements is irradiated with a laser beam along an endless metal ring, and marking is performed so as to straddle the marking surfaces on the outer periphery of the plurality of metal elements. Give. The minimum value of the laser beam irradiation angle measured in the element plate thickness direction from the normal direction orthogonal to the engraved surface of the metal element, and the laser beam emitted into the gap formed between the adjacent metal elements does not hit the metal ring. Since the angle is set, it is difficult for the laser beam to pass through the gap formed between the adjacent metal elements in the process of marking the engraved surface of the metal element with the laser beam, and the engraved surface can be reliably engraved. it can.

Further, according to the configuration of claim 2, the laser beam can be engraved within the range of the minimum focal length and the maximum focal length from the light source to the engraved surface, and the element plate thickness direction is from the normal direction orthogonal to the engraved surface. Since the maximum value of the laser beam irradiation angle measured in 1 is set corresponding to the maximum focal length, the laser beam is focused on the engraved surface of the metal element to enable highly accurate engraving, and the measurement is performed in the element plate thickness direction. The maximum length of the engravable area can be secured.

Further, according to the configuration of claim 3, when the size of the gap is A and the distance from the engraved surface along the laser beam irradiation direction to the metal ring is B, the minimum value of the laser beam irradiation angle is tan ^-1. Since = A / B is set, it is possible to make it more difficult for the laser beam to pass through the gap.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the belt type continuously variable transmission. It is a perspective view of a metal belt and a metal element. It is explanatory drawing of the irradiation direction of a laser beam to a metal belt. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. It is a 5-5 line arrow view of FIG. It is a figure which shows the shape of the metal belt at the time of engraving.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of a belt-type continuously variable transmission mounted on an automobile. The belt-type continuously variable transmission has a drive shaft 11 connected to an engine and a driven shaft 12 connected to drive wheels. The endless metal belt 15 is wound around the drive pulley 13 provided on the drive shaft 11 and the driven pulley 14 provided on the driven shaft 12. The drive pulley 13 includes a fixed side pulley half body 16 fixed to the drive shaft 11 and a movable side pulley half body 17 that can be brought into contact with and detached from the fixed side pulley half body 16. The half body 17 is urged toward the fixed side pulley half body 16 by the hydraulic pressure acting on the oil chamber 18. The driven pulley 14 includes a fixed side pulley half body 19 fixed to the driven shaft 12 and a movable side pulley half body 20 that can be brought into contact with and detached from the fixed side pulley half body 19. The half body 20 is urged toward the fixed side pulley half body 19 by the hydraulic pressure acting on the oil chamber 21.

As shown in FIG. 2, the metal belt 15 is composed of a pair of left and right metal rings 22 supporting a large number of metal elements 23. In the present specification, the traveling direction of the metal belt 15 is defined as the front in the front-rear direction, and the outer peripheral side of the drive pulley 13 and the driven pulley 14 has a diameter in a state where the metal belt 15 is wound around the drive pulley 13 and the driven pulley 14. It is defined as the outside of the direction, and the direction orthogonal to the front-back direction and the radial direction is defined as the left-right direction.

The metal element 23 includes a body portion 24 extending in the left-right direction, a neck portion 25 extending radially outward from the center in the left-right direction of the body portion 24, and a substantially triangular ear portion 26 connected to the radial outer end of the neck portion 25. A pair of ring slots 27 are formed between the body portion 24, the neck portion 25, and the ear portion 26 so as to open outward in the left-right direction and to fit the metal ring 22. A saddle surface 28 on which the inner peripheral surface of the metal ring 22 is seated is formed at the radial outer end of the body portion 24 facing the ring slot 27, and a locking edge extending in the left-right direction is formed at the radial outer end of the front surface of the body portion 24. 29 is formed, and an inclined surface 30 is formed on the front surface of the body portion 24 so as to be inclined inward and backward in the radial direction from the locking edge 29. The locking edge 29 overlaps the front edge of the saddle surface 28, so that the locking edge 29 is located at the radial outer edge of the front surface of the body portion 24.

Pulley contact surfaces 31 that abut on the V surfaces of the drive pulley 13 and the driven pulley 14 are formed on the left and right ends of the body portion 24 of the metal element 23. Further, on the front surface of the ear portion 26 of the metal element 23, a truncated cone-shaped nose 32 that can be fitted into the truncated cone-shaped hole 33 formed on the rear surface of the ear portion 26 is formed.

Further, a recess 26a is formed in the left-right central portion of the rear surface of the ear portion 26 of the metal element 23 so as to surround the hole 33, and the rear surface of the body portion 24 connected to the inside of the neck portion 25 in the radial direction is outside the radial direction. A recess 24a smaller than the recess 26a is also formed in the central portion of the end in the left-right direction.

When the rear metal element 23 is radially outwardly displaced with respect to the front metal element 23 due to these recesses 26a and 24a, the inclined surface 30 of the body portion 24 of the rear metal element 23 is displaced in the left-right direction. It is possible to suppress the bending of the neck portion 25 by abutting the body portion 24 of the metal element 23 on the front side in the entire length and reducing the bending load applied to the portion where the neck portion 25 connects to the body portion 24.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the serial number is stamped on the stamped surface 26b, which is the outer peripheral surface of the ear portion 26 of the plurality of metal elements 23 laminated with the metal belt 15, by the laser light emitted from the light source 34. Ru. The laser beam emitted from the light source 34 arranged at a predetermined position with respect to the fixed metal belt 15 swings in a predetermined angle range, and a character having a predetermined shape is engraved on the engraved surface 26b of the metal element 23. When the laser beam swings, the distance from the light source 34 to the engraved surface 26b changes, but the focal length of the laser beam can be adjusted within the range of the minimum focal length F _min and the maximum focal length F _max. By swinging the laser beam within the range of the minimum focal length F _min and the maximum focal length F _max , characters can be precisely engraved on the engraved surface 26b.

The engraved area 35 on which the serial number is engraved has a predetermined length along the plate thickness direction T (see FIGS. 3 and 4) of the metal element 23 which is the same direction as the front-rear direction defined in FIG. , It extends so as to straddle the engraved surfaces 26b of the plurality of adjacent metal elements 23. The size of the characters to be engraved is larger than the plate thickness of the metal element 23, so that the characters straddle the engraved surfaces 26b of a plurality of adjacent metal elements 23.

As is clear from FIG. 4, since the recess 26a is formed on the rear surface of the ear portion 26 of the metal element 23, the gap α of the gap A between the recess 26a and the ear portion 26 of the adjacent metal element 23 is formed. Is formed. The inlet of the gap α opens to the engraved surface 26b of the ear portion 26 of the metal element 23, and the outlet of the gap α faces the radial outer surface of the metal ring 22 that fits into the ring slot 27 of the metal element 23. The length of the gap α along the laser beam irradiation direction, that is, the distance from the engraved surface 26b along the laser beam irradiation direction to the radial outer surface of the metal ring 22 is B.

The direction perpendicular to the engraved surface 26b of the metal element 23 orthogonal to the plate thickness direction T of the metal element 23 is defined as the normal direction N, and the angle measured from the normal direction N to the plate thickness direction T is defined as the laser beam irradiation angle θ. .. The light source 34 of the laser beam is fixed at a position on the normal direction N where the distance from the engraved surface 26b is the minimum focal length F _min . When the laser light irradiation angle θ from the light source 34 is small, that is, when the laser light is incident at a substantially right angle to the marking surface 26b, marking may not be possible because the laser light passes through the gap α and the focal length shifts. is there. However, if the laser light irradiation angle θ is set larger than tan ^-1 = A / B, it becomes difficult for the laser light to pass through the gap α. The laser light irradiation angle θ at this time θ = tan ^-1 = A / B is defined as the minimum value θ _min of the laser light irradiation angle.

When the laser light irradiation angle θ is larger than the minimum value θ _min , the laser beam hits the recess 26a of the ear portion 26 of the metal element 23 and the front surface of the ear portion 26 facing the recess 26a and is slightly scratched. Although it may be attached, there is no problem because those parts are not parts that come into contact with other members and do not cause problems in strength.

Further, when the laser light irradiation angle θ is gradually increased from the minimum value θ _min , the distance from the light source 34 to the engraved surface 26b of the metal element 23 eventually reaches the maximum focal distance F _max , and the laser light irradiation angle θ is further increased. Since the laser light is out of focus on the engraved surface 26b when is increased, the laser light irradiation angle θ at this time is set to the maximum value θ _max . By setting the laser beam irradiation angle θ to be larger than the minimum value θ _min and smaller than the maximum value θ _{max in} this way, it is difficult for the laser light to pass through the gap α between the adjacent metal elements 23. In addition, the length of the engraved region 35 in the plate thickness direction T can be secured while enabling high-precision engraving on the engraved surface 26b with a laser beam.

In the above-described embodiment, when the laser light irradiation angle θ is zero, the distance from the laser light source 34 to the engraved surface 26b is set to the minimum focal distance F _min , but the laser light irradiation angle θ is When the minimum value is θ _min , the distance from the laser light source 34 to the engraved surface 26b may be set to the minimum focal distance F _min . In this way, the length of the engraved region 35 in the plate thickness direction T can be further increased.

When the metal belt 15 is fixed to the shape shown in FIG. 6, the metal belt 15 can be suitably engraved by laser light. FIG. 6A shows the metal belt 15 fixed to the track shape of athletics, and one straight line portion thereof is the engraved area 35. FIG. 6B shows an elongated track shape of athletics, and a part of one straight line portion thereof is a marking area 35. FIG. 6C shows the metal belt 15 fixed in a circular shape. In this case, the engraved area 35 has an arc shape instead of a straight line, but there is no problem because the radius of curvature of the arc is sufficiently large.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention can make various design changes without departing from the gist thereof.

For example, the metal element 23 of the embodiment includes a recess 26a that forms a gap α, but since a slight gap is also formed between the metal elements 23 that do not have the recess 26a, the present invention describes the metal without the recess 26a. It is also applicable to the element 23.

Further, in the embodiment, the engraved surface 26b of the ear portion 26 of the metal element 23 is engraved, but any surface of the outer peripheral surface of the metal element 23 can be used as the engraved surface.

Further, in the embodiment, the serial number is stamped on the stamped surface 26b, but any character, figure, symbol, or the like can be stamped on the stamped surface 26b.

15 Metal belt 22 Metal ring 23 Metal element 26b Engraved surface 34 Light source N Normal direction orthogonal to the engraved surface T Element plate thickness direction θ Laser light irradiation angle θ _min Minimum laser light irradiation angle θ _max Maximum laser light irradiation angle Value F _min Minimum focal distance F _max Maximum focal distance α Gap

Claims (3)

A laser beam is applied to a metal belt (15) supporting a large number of metal elements (23) along an endless metal ring (22), and the engraved surfaces (26b) on the outer periphery of the plurality of metal elements (23) are subjected to laser light. It is a method of engraving a metal belt for continuously variable transmissions that engraves so that it straddles.
The minimum value (θ _min ) of the laser beam irradiation angle (θ) measured in the element plate thickness direction (T) from the normal direction (N) orthogonal to the engraved surface (26b) of the metal element (23) is adjacent. A method for engraving a metal belt for a stepless transmission, characterized in that the laser beam applied to the gap (α) formed between the metal elements (23) is set at an angle that does not hit the metal ring (22). .. The laser beam can be marked with the distance from the light source (34) to the marking surface (26b) within the range of the minimum focal length (F _min ) and the maximum focal length (F _max ), and is orthogonal to the marking surface (26b). The feature is that the maximum value (θ _max ) of the laser beam irradiation angle (θ) measured from the normal direction (N) to the element plate thickness direction (T) is set corresponding to the maximum focal length (F _max ). The method for marking a metal belt for a stepless transmission according to claim 1. When the size of the gap (α) is A and the distance from the engraved surface (26b) along the laser beam irradiation direction to the metal ring (22) is B, the laser beam irradiation angle (θ). The method for engraving a metal belt for a continuously variable transmission according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the minimum value (θ _min ) is set to tan ^-1 = A / B.

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