Abstract: An inverted tooth chain drive system includes a sprocket supported for rotation about an axis of rotation and including a plurality of teeth defined relative to respective tooth centers. The tooth centers are spaced evenly in a circumferential arrangement about the axis of rotation, and each of the plurality of teeth includes an engaging flank. An inverted tooth chain is engaged with the sprocket and includes a plurality of rows of links each structured for inside flank engagement with the sprocket, with leading inside flanks of each row of links projecting outwardly relative to the trailing outside flanks of a preceding row of links. The leading inside flanks of each row are positioned to make initial meshing contact with the engaging flank of one of the sprocket teeth. At least some of the teeth are standard teeth and other ones of the teeth are flank-relieved teeth.

Abstract: An inverted tooth chain drive system includes an inverted tooth chain structured for inside flank engagement. The chain includes link rows each including leading inside flanks that project outwardly relative to trailing outside flanks of a preceding link row. The system further includes a sprocket with which said inverted tooth chain is drivingly engaged. The sprocket includes a plurality of teeth circumferentially spaced about an axis of rotation, each tooth comprising an engaging flank and a disengaging flank. Some of the teeth are defined with a first tooth form in which said engaging flank thereof is defined with a first pressure angle and others of said teeth are defined with a second tooth form in which the engaging flank thereof is defined with a second pressure angle that is different from the first pressure angle in order to stagger or modulate the initial meshing impacts between the leading inside flanks of the chain and engaging flanks of the sprocket teeth.

Abstract: An inverted tooth chain drive system defines a meshing contact angle Tau (?) between the tangent line TL and an initial contact reference line that passes through a controlling pin center and the initial contact location. A link plate entrance angle Beta (?) is defined between the initial contact reference line and an inside flank reference line that passes through an arc center of the inside flank radius and the initial contact location. A meshing impact angle Sigma (?) is defined between the tangent line and the inside flank reference line such that ?=?+?, wherein ??9° and ??34°. The pressure angle of the sprocket tooth can be adjusted and the chain optimized such that ??7° and ??31°. The system thus provides a reduction of the link impact force FL and the resultant impact energy E. The inverted tooth chain, itself, defines a pitch P and an inside flank projection Lamda (?) such that 0.007×P???0.017×P when said chain is pulled straight.

Abstract: A chain tensioner assembly includes a bracket with a main wall and a ramp surface. A blade assembly is connected to the bracket and includes a blade located adjacent the main wall of the bracket. The blade includes: (i) a first blade end with a pivot aperture; (ii) a second blade end contacting the ramp surface; and, (iii) a central blade portion that extends between the first and second blade ends. The central blade portion includes a chain engaging surface. A first spring-retaining slot is located in the first blade end and includes inner and outer open sides that open respectively through inner and outer faces of the blade. A second spring-retaining slot is located in the second blade end. A spring includes a first end located in the first spring-retaining slot, a second end located in the second spring-retaining slot; and, a central portion that abuts the central blade portion.

Abstract: An inverted tooth chain and sprocket drive system in which the initial contact distance ICD, the meshing impact angle Sigma (?), the link plate entrance angle Beta (?), and other aspects of the meshing geometry are controlled and optimized to reduce noise and vibration by using a particular chain link plate form and, in preferred cases, by modifying the sprocket tooth pressure angle. The system can include first and second sprockets for which the pressure angle can be controlled to ensure that the desired values for the initial contact distance ICD, the meshing impact angle Sigma (?), and the link plate entrance angle Beta (?) are equal for both sprockets even though the sprockets have different tooth counts. For a chain pitch P in the range of 6.35 mm to 7.7 mm, the initial contact distance ICD is controlled such that 0.49P?ICD?0.53P, the meshing impact angle Sigma (?) is controlled such that ??34°, and the link plate entrance angle Beta (?) is controlled such that ??9°.

Abstract: A fixed or adjustable chain guide includes a captured shoulder bolt fastener. An adjustable chain guide such as a chain tensioner arm assembly includes a tensioner arm with a pivot bore defined about a pivot axis. The pivot bore includes an inner end opening through a rear face of the tensioner arm and an outer end opening through a front face of the tensioner arm. The tensioner arm further includes at least one resilient fastener retaining tab located adjacent the pivot bore. The shoulder bolt extends through the pivot bore and is engaged by the at least one resilient fastener retaining tab, and the at least one fastener retaining tab inhibits separation of the fastener from the tensioner arm. The fastener preferably includes an annular groove or other recess to be engaged by the one or more fastener retaining tabs in order to permit the tensioner arm to rotate relative to the fastener.

Abstract: A fixed or adjustable chain guide includes a captured shoulder bolt fastener. An adjustable chain guide such as a chain tensioner arm assembly includes a tensioner arm with a pivot bore defined about a pivot axis. The pivot bore includes an inner end opening through a rear face of the tensioner arm and an outer end opening through a front face of the tensioner arm. The tensioner arm further includes at least one resilient fastener retaining tab located adjacent the pivot bore. The shoulder bolt extends through the pivot bore and is engaged by the at least one resilient fastener retaining tab, and the at least one fastener retaining tab inhibits separation of the fastener from the tensioner arm. The fastener preferably includes an annular groove or other recess to be engaged by the one or more fastener retaining tabs in order to permit the tensioner arm to rotate relative to the fastener.

Abstract: A blade-type chain tensioner includes a bracket that includes a main wall, a ramp projecting from the main wall, and a pivot pocket including an internal concave pivot surface. A tensioner blade assembly is operatively connected to the bracket. The tensioner blade assembly includes a polymeric shoe and a spring connected to the shoe. The shoe includes a free end supported on the ramp, a pivot end engaged with the pivot pocket, and a central body that extends between the free end and the pivot end. The pivot end of the shoe includes a pivot barrel including an external convex pivot surface. The pivot barrel is engaged with the pivot pocket and the external pivot surface of the pivot barrel is slidably abutted with the internal pivot surface of the pivot pocket such that the pivot barrel is reciprocally angularly movable in the pivot pocket.

Abstract: A chain tensioner blade assembly shoe includes a first spring-receiving slot and a second spring-receiving slot. The first spring-receiving slot includes: (i) a first lower wall; (ii) a first outer wall; (iii) a first locking tab located adjacent the rear face of the shoe. The second spring-receiving slot includes: (i) a second lower wall; (ii) a second outer wall; (iii) a second locking tab located adjacent the rear face of the shoe. The first and second locking tabs extend only partially toward and are spaced from the inner surface of the shoe central portion. A spring is located in a spring-receiving region and includes a first end located in the first spring-receiving slot between the first outer wall and the first locking tab, a second end located in the second spring-receiving slot between the second outer wall and the second locking tab, and a central portion in contact with the inner surface of the shoe central portion.

Abstract: This invention provides monoclonal antibodies that recognize hENT1. The invention further provides methods of using such monoclonal antibodies as a therapeutic, diagnostic, and/or prophylactic in disorders associated with aberrant hENT1 expression and/or activity.

Abstract: A cushion ring sprocket assembly and chain drive system are designed to prevent roller-to-root radial contact. Hard contact between the chain link plates and the cushion rings, and corresponding hard contact between the cushion rings and the sprocket hubs limit radial inward movement of the chain rollers/bushings, while the root surfaces of the tooth spaces are undercut so that the rollers cannot contact the root surfaces.

Abstract: An inverted tooth chain drive system includes a sprocket supported for rotation about an axis of rotation and including a plurality of teeth defined relative to respective tooth centers. The tooth centers are spaced evenly in a circumferential arrangement about the axis of rotation, and each of the plurality of teeth includes an engaging flank. An inverted tooth chain is engaged with the sprocket and includes a plurality of rows of links each structured for inside flank engagement with the sprocket, with leading inside flanks of each row of links projecting outwardly relative to the trailing outside flanks of a preceding row of links. The leading inside flanks of each row are positioned to make initial meshing contact with the engaging flank of one of the sprocket teeth. At least some of the teeth are standard teeth and other ones of the teeth are flank-relieved teeth.

Abstract: A sprocket for an inside flank engagement inverted tooth chain includes tooth spaces each defined at least partially by the engaging flank of one tooth, the disengaging flank of another tooth, and a root surface that is located between the engaging flank and the disengaging flank of the tooth space. The engaging flank of each tooth space is defined as a mirror image of the disengaging flank of each tooth space relative to a tooth space centerline such that each tooth space is symmetrically defined about its tooth space centerline. The sprocket teeth include Type A Standard Teeth, Type B Standard Teeth, Type A Relieved Teeth, and Type B Relieved Teeth. The engaging flank of each Type A Relieved Tooth and both the engaging and disengaging flanks of each Type B Relieved Tooth are relieved or negatively offset.

Abstract: A sprocket includes teeth defined relative to respective tooth centers spaced evenly about an axis of rotation. An inverted tooth chain includes rows of links each structured for inside flank engagement with the sprocket, with leading inside flanks of each row projecting outwardly relative to the trailing outside flanks of a preceding row. The leading inside flanks of each row are positioned to make initial meshing contact with an engaging flank of one of the sprocket teeth. At least some of the teeth are standard teeth and other ones of the teeth are flank-relieved teeth. The engaging flanks of the flank-relieved teeth are negatively offset as compared to the engaging flanks of the standard teeth measured relative to their respective tooth centers. The root surfaces leading the flank-relieved teeth are raised relative to the root surfaces leading the standard teeth.

Abstract: An inverted tooth chain and sprocket drive system in which the initial contact distance ICD, the meshing impact angle Sigma (?), the link plate entrance angle Beta (?), and other aspects of the meshing geometry are controlled and optimized to reduce noise and vibration by using a particular chain link plate form and, in preferred cases, by modifying the sprocket tooth pressure angle. The system can include first and second sprockets for which the pressure angle can be controlled to ensure that the desired values for the initial contact distance ICD, the meshing impact angle Sigma (?), and the link plate entrance angle Beta (?) are equal for both sprockets even though the sprockets have different tooth counts. For a chain pitch P in the range of 6.35 mm to 7.7 mm, the initial contact distance ICD is controlled such that 0.49 P?ICD?0.53 P, the meshing impact angle Sigma (?) is controlled such that ??34°, and the link plate entrance angle Beta (?) is controlled such that ??9°.

Abstract: A cushion ring sprocket assembly includes a sprocket body with a plurality of teeth arranged in a row. The sprocket body includes first and second opposite axial tooth faces and first and second hubs that extend axially outward relative to the first and second tooth faces. First and second sets of cushion rings are captured on said first and second hubs, respectively. The first set of cushion rings includes at least a first inner cushion ring eccentrically located on the first hub and a first outer cushion ring eccentrically located on the first inner cushion ring. The second set of cushion rings includes at least a second inner cushion ring eccentrically located on the second hub and a second outer cushion ring eccentrically located on the second inner cushion ring. The first and second outer cushion rings are adapted to be contacted and deflected by link plates of an associated chain, so that the first and second outer cushion rings contact and deflect the respective first and second inner cushion rings.

Abstract: An inverted tooth chain and sprocket drive system in which the initial contact distance ICD, the meshing impact angle Sigma (?), the link plate entrance angle Beta (?), and other aspects of the meshing geometry are controlled and optimized to reduce noise and vibration by using a particular chain link plate form and, in preferred cases, by modifying the sprocket tooth pressure angle. The system can include first and second sprockets for which the pressure angle can be controlled to ensure that the desired values for the initial contact distance ICD, the meshing impact angle Sigma (?), and the link plate entrance angle Beta (?) are equal for both sprockets even though the sprockets have different tooth counts. For a chain pitch P in the range of 6.35 mm to 7.7 mm, the initial contact distance ICD is controlled such that 0.49P?ICD?0.53P, the meshing impact angle Sigma (?) is controlled such that ??34°, and the link plate entrance angle Beta (?) is controlled such that ??9°.

Abstract: An inverted tooth chain includes a plurality of rows. The inside flanks of the leading toes of each chain row project outwardly relative to the outside flanks of the trailing toes of the preceding chain row by a maximum amount ?MAX wherein: 0.010×P??MAX?0.020×P or, preferably, 0.015×P??MAX?0.020×P, where P =chain pitch. The inverted tooth chain is meshed with a sprocket to define a system having a maximum chordal rise distance CR wherein said chordal motion in the inverted tooth chain upstream relative to said sprocket is less than 40% of said maximum chordal rise distance CR.

Abstract: A chain tensioner assembly includes a bracket with a main wall and a ramp surface. A blade assembly is connected to the bracket and includes a blade located adjacent the main wall of the bracket. The blade includes: (i) a first blade end with a pivot aperture; (ii) a second blade end contacting the ramp surface; and, (iii) a central blade portion that extends between the first and second blade ends. The central blade portion includes a chain engaging surface. A first spring-retaining slot is located in the first blade end and includes inner and outer open sides that open respectively through inner and outer faces of the blade. A second spring-retaining slot is located in the second blade end. A spring includes a first end located in the first spring-retaining slot, a second end located in the second spring-retaining slot; and, a central portion that abuts the central blade portion.

Abstract: An inverted tooth chain drive system defines a meshing contact angle Tau (?) between the tangent line TL and an initial contact reference line that passes through a controlling pin center and the initial contact location. A link plate entrance angle Beta (?) is defined between the initial contact reference line and an inside flank reference line that passes through an arc center of the inside flank radius and the initial contact location. A meshing impact angle Sigma (?) is defined between the tangent line and the inside flank reference line such that ?=?+?, wherein ??9° and ??34°. The pressure angle of the sprocket tooth can be adjusted and the chain optimized such that ??7° and ??31°. The system thus provides a reduction of the link impact force FL and the resultant impact energy E. The inverted tooth chain, itself, defines a pitch P and an inside flank projection Lamda (?) such that 0.007×P???0.017×P when said chain is pulled straight.