Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for the improvement of an image of a device under test, such as a belt. The image of device under test is made more optimal by determining if the object is rotated away from a preferred axis of the image frame. If so, the image is rotated an opposing angle such that the object is parallel to the preferred axis of the image frame. The rotated image is then made available for analysis of the object. Rib width analysis is performed along the entire length of the detected rib by either de-rotating the image or not.

Abstract: An isolator decoupler comprising a shaft having a shaft projection, a pulley having a pulley projection, the pulley journalled to the shaft, a member pivotally connected to the shaft, the member alternatively engagable with the shaft projection or with the pulley projection, engagement with the pulley by the member causes locked rotation of the shaft with the pulley, and a viscous fluid between the shaft and the pulley, the member immersed in said viscous fluid.

Abstract: A method of making a belt including the steps of: (a) helically wrapping a fabric strip of predetermined width on a mandrel at a first helix angle; (b) helically winding a tensile cord onto the mandrel over the fabric at a second helix angle less than the first helix angle; (c) wrapping a sheet or a strip of elastomer material around the mandrel over the tensile cord; and (d) curing the elastomer material under pressure to form a belt sleeve. The mandrel may be grooved for making toothed belts. The fabric strip may be preformed. A resulting toothed belt has a fabric seam spanning several teeth and having a helix angle. The seam may be joined.

Abstract: An isolator decoupler comprising a shaft having a shaft projection, a pulley having a pulley projection, the pulley journalled to the shaft, a member pivotally connected to the shaft, the member alternatively engagable with the shaft projection or with the pulley projection, engagement with the pulley by the member causes locked rotation of the shaft with the pulley, and a viscous fluid between the shaft and the pulley, the member immersed in said viscous fluid.

Abstract: A method for testing internal differences in reinforced flexible composites including placing a flexible composite on a rigid support structure, tapping the composite with a tapper of predetermined mass, determining a value representative of the impact duration of the tap and/or computing a value representative of the local stiffness of the composite. The composite may be a power transmission belt or portion thereof with tensile cord reinforcement. The method is useful for comparing the degree of penetration of elastomer into the tensile cord, for example in a cast polyurethane toothed belt.

Abstract: An isolator decoupler comprising a pulley, a shaft, a bushing slidingly engaged with the pulley and slidingly engaged with the shaft, the pulley journalled to the shaft by a bearing, a one-way clutch fixed to the shaft and engaged with the bushing whereby the bushing rotates in unison with the one-way clutch, a torsion spring engaged between the pulley and the one-way clutch to resiliently couple the pulley to the shaft, and the pulley non-resiliently directly coupleable to the shaft in a temporary predetermined loaded condition.

Abstract: A strap wrench comprising a gripping member, a flexible member, an end of the gripping member comprising a first slot for receiving the flexible member, a locking member engagable within a flexible member wrap portion, the flexible member wrap portion and locking member having an interference engagement within the first slot, a second slot parallel to the first slot for receiving another end of the flexible member, and the locking member having a tapered cross-sectional form and having a surface texture for frictionally engaging the flexible member wrap portion within the first slot.

Abstract: A treated carbon fiber tensile cord for use in power transmission belts, hose, tires or other reinforced rubber products and the resulting product, which includes carbon fibers which are coated with a polymeric layer deposited and polymerized at atmospheric pressure in a plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition process. A suitable polymeric layer is compatible with the intended matrix which the cord will reinforce. For a rubber belt, the coating is compatible with the rubber composition of the belt body or an adhesion gum or adhesive such as RFL which surrounds the cord. For RFL/rubber systems and cast polyurethane elastomers, a suitable polymer is the APP reaction product of a vinyl carboxylic acid or an ester or amide thereof. Suitable carboxylic acids include acrylic acid and methacrylic acid. Various esters and amides of vinyl carboxylic acid are also suitable, such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N-isobutoxymethyl acrylamide, and N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide.

Abstract: A power transmission belt comprising cord, elastomeric undercord, at least one pair of opposing v-shaped pulley contact surfaces, and having discontinuous fiber embedded in the undercord, some of which protrude from a contact surface. The fiber comprises deformable polymer, such as nylon, and the fiber protrusions are substantially erect with respect to the surface and substantially straight or slightly bowed, especially near the free end, and the fiber protrusions are deformed from an original cross-sectional shape, which may be substantially round or oval or the like, to an elongated, oval, oblong, kidney, or flattened circle shape. The protruding fiber length is at least two fiber diameters.

Abstract: An improved quick connect hose coupling for connecting a hose to a fixture has a hose stem portion including a hose insert portion, a fixture portion including a fixture connection portion, and a joinder portion. The joinder portion includes a male connection portion and a female connection portion. Each of the male connection portion and the female connection portion are adapted to join in a sealing and locking manner upon being pushed together. The coupling further includes threads and wrench mating flats adapted to disconnect the hose from the fixture. It is improved by the male connection portion being a unitary structure having a leading support cylindrical surface, a following support cylindrical surface, and a transition, surface intermediate therein between. The leading support cylindrical surface has a leading radius. The following support cylindrical surface has a following radius. The following radius is larger than the leading radius.

Abstract: An integral hose anti-collapse rib comprises a unitary body having a first cantilevered portion curved in a first direction. This first cantilevered portion defines a first end. A second cantilevered portion is curved in a direction opposite the direction of the first cantilevered portion, in a direction facing the first cantilevered portion. The second cantilevered portion also defines a second end disposed at an opposite extent of the rib from the first end. The hose anti-collapse rib also comprises a locking mechanism that locks the first end of the rib to the second end of the rib, such that the first and second cantilevered portions together form a generally circular shape. However, in a relaxed state in which the locking mechanism is not engaged, the rib preferably defines a non-circular, generally spiral shape.

Abstract: An isolating decoupler comprising a shaft, a pulley journalled to the shaft, a torsion spring engaged with the pulley, a wrap spring frictionally engageable with the shaft, the torsion spring and wrap spring connected in series such that each is torsionally loaded in a winding direction, the wrap spring comprising a variable cross-section having a first cross sectional dimension and a second cross sectional dimension, and the wrap spring temporarily releasable from the shaft in an overtorque condition by contact with the pulley urging the wrap spring in an unwinding direction.

Abstract: A belt having a tensile cord embedded in the belt, extending in a longitudinal direction and made up of two components: a tensile component and a sacrificed component. The sacrificed component may be broken into a plurality of discontinuous segments. The tensile component provides most of the reinforcement of the belt. The sacrificial component of the precursor cord protects the tensile component from excessive stretching during cord treating and winding, but breaks, melts, or yields during mandrel expansion during the belt molding process, thus preserving the stretchability of the tensile component.

Abstract: A CVT drive system comprising a sheave axially moveable along a first shaft and having a radially extending surface, a sheave fixed to the first shaft, the fixed sheave cooperatively disposed with the moveable sheave to engage a belt therebetween, the first shaft engagable with an engine, a back plate attached to the first shaft having a radial surface, the back plate engaged with the moveable sheave for locked rotation while allowing a relative axial movement, an inertia member radially moveable upon the radially extending surface and the radial surface upon rotation of the moveable sheave, the inertia member is temporarily disengagable from the radial surface and from the radially extending surface, a first spring resisting axial movement of the moveable sheave toward the fixed sheave along the first shaft, and a sleeve member disposed between the moveable sheave and the fixed sheave, the sleeve member rotatable with the belt.

Abstract: A timing belt spacer tool with an arcuate spacer portion of predetermined uniform thickness and an extension tab extending in an axial direction from the mid-section of the spacer portion. The extension tab may have a grip, which may be in the form of a protrusion, bulge, thickness variation, edging, bead, or the like. The opposing ends of the arcuate spacer portion may be flexible enough to be straightened in use but still return to their original arcuate shape.

Abstract: A CVT transmission comprising a shaft journalled to a housing, a first sheave fixed to the shaft, a second sheave moveable parallel to an axis of rotation of the shaft, the second sheave locked in rotating relation with the first sheave by a first sheave member cooperatively engaged with a second sheave receiving member, the second sheave receiving member disposed at a helical angle (HA) with respect to the axis of rotation, a sprocket journalled to the housing, the sprocket threadably engaged with a movable member, a bearing disposed between the movable member and the second sheave, the movable member engaged with the housing whereby movement of the movable member is parallel with the axis of rotation, an electric actuator engaged with the sprocket, and the second sheave is axially movable upon a rotation of the sprocket.

Abstract: A belt transmission comprising a housing, a first belt trained between a first shaft and a first intermediate shaft, a second belt trained between the first intermediate shaft and a second intermediate shaft, a third belt trained between the second intermediate shaft and a second shaft, a first tensioner and second tensioner each engaged with the housing and each engaged about the first intermediate shaft whereby each tensioner exerts a force upon the first intermediate shaft which thereby imparts a tension to the first belt and to the second belt, and a third tensioner and fourth tensioner each engaged with the housing and each engaged about the second intermediate shaft whereby each tensioner exerts a force upon the second intermediate shaft which thereby imparts a tension to the second belt and to the third belt.

Abstract: A one-way clutch comprising a driver member, a driven member disposed radially outward of the driver member, a pawl cooperatively engaged with a receiving portion in the driver member, a recess in the driven member for receiving the pawl, a pawl guide engaged with the driven member, and the pawl engaged with the pawl guide, the pawl guide having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion urging the pawl radially outward to engage the recess for a driving condition and the second portion urging the pawl radially inward to disengage the recess for an overrun condition.

Abstract: An isolating decoupler comprising a hub for connection to a driving shaft, a pulley journalled to the hub, the pulley having a belt engaging surface, a spring engaged between the hub and a spring carrier, the spring radially expandable in a loading direction, a one-way clutch spring disposed radially inward of the spring engaged with the spring carrier and frictionally engagable with the pulley in a loading direction that is opposite the loading direction of the spring, the one-way clutch spring engagable with the hub whereby the frictional engagement of the one-way clutch spring with the pulley can be progressively released in an unloading direction, and an inertial member engaged with the hub through a damping member.