Flexible Endless Drive Belt Making Patents (Class 156/137)
  • Patent number: 7172718
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a power transmission belt having a body with a length and a cushion rubber layer in which at least one carrying member is embedded so as to extend lengthwise of the body. The method includes the steps of: extrusion molding (a) a first rubber composition including rubber with short fibers therein and (b) a second rubber composition that is different than the first rubber composition to produce a first sheet in which the second rubber composition defines at least a part of the cushion rubber layer; applying the at least one load carrying member to the second rubber composition to produce a preform assembly; and processing the preform assembly to produce a power transmission belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Tagawa, Tomohiro Miwa, Toshihiro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7137918
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ribbed V-belt having an elastomeric cover layer (1), a tension-support layer (3) and an elastomeric base body (2). The base body (2) has ribs which have an outer coating containing polymers and fibers and is fixedly joined to the base body. The outer coating is an elastomeric layer having a layer thickness of 0.15 to 0.25 mm. The elastomeric layer is based on an interlaced rubber and contains at least fibers (5) in combination with a fluoropolymer powder (6) and/or a powder of non-ferrous metal. The invention also relates to a method of making the ribbed V-belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: ContiTech Antriebssysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Nonnast, Kay Zimmermann, Ymte Greydanus
  • Patent number: 7097733
    Abstract: There is prepared at least one flame retardant sheet member in which a flame retardant layer comprised of a flame retardant agent having extinguishability is sandwiched between resinous layers. One end face of the at least one sheet member and another end face of the at least one sheet member are opposed to each other while forming a clearance therebetween. A first welding member having a first width larger than a width of the clearance is placed on one face of the sheet member. The first welding member is welded with the end faces of the at least one sheet member such that the first welding member is melted and pushed into the clearance while the flame retardant agent situated in the vicinity of the end faces is pushed out from the clearance, thereby forming a joint portion. A second welding member having a second width larger than the first width is placed on the joint portion. The second welding member is welded with the at least one sheet member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Murayama
  • Patent number: 7094048
    Abstract: Apparatus comprising a support member having a flat surface adapted to receive and support a seam region of a flexible belt comprising thermoplastic polymer material having a predetermined glass transition temperature, a heatable member having a smooth heatable flat surface for compressing at least a portion of the seam region of a flexible belt placed on the smooth flat surface of the support member to heat the portion to at least the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material, the smooth surface of the heatable member having a profile which is parallel to the smooth flat surface of the support member, and wherein the heatable flat surface comprises a low surface energy or abhesive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Satchidanand Mishra, Robert C. U. Yu, Anthony M. Horgan, Bing R. Hsieh, Donald C. VonHoene, Edward F. Grabowski, Richard L. Post, Edward A. Domm
  • Patent number: 7037578
    Abstract: An endless power transmission belt including a treated fiber embedded in an elastomeric body, the treated fiber having a first treatment of a polyamide and an epoxy, and optionally, a second treatment including an RFL adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Jeffery Dwight Lofgren
  • Patent number: 7025699
    Abstract: An endless positive drive power transmission belt is described for use with a cooperating pulley member, wherein the endless positive drive transmission belt comprises an elastomeric body portion, a plurality of longitudinally extending spaced apart tensile members, and a layer of wear-resistant fabric material positioned on the cooperating pulley member engaging surface of said belt, wherein a layer of a high ethylene-containing elastomer composition is bonded to a surface of the layer of wear-resistant fabric material in such a manner that the surface layer of the high ethylene-containing elastomer is disposed between the layer of wear-resistant fabric material and the cooperating pulley member. A method for coating a wear-resistant fabric material with a high ethylene-containing elastomer is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Dayco Products, LLC
    Inventor: Harold D. Beck
  • Patent number: 7011731
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a papermaking belt structure using tapes made of a solid thermoplastic resin surrounding a fibrous matrix. The method calls for applying a layer of CD oriented tapes to a mandrel surface, then applying a layer of MD oriented tapes over the CD layer, applying pressure and heat to the mandrel containing the CD and MD layers so to melt the resin and entirely bond/encapsulate the fibrous matrix. The belt structure thus obtained may thereafter be grooved, drilled or other processed as desired. Additionally, the above method can be reversed as to the MD/CD order of layering. Also, a layer entirely of resin can be applied, preferably prior to, but also after or in between the MD/CD layers. Also, rubber can comprise one or more layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Eric Romanski
  • Patent number: 6991692
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a belt having a region comprising a non-woven material on a pulley engaging surface. The non-woven region has a random coverage of the non-woven material to reduce natural frequency harmonics, control frictional characteristics, permeation and thermal resistance. The non-woven may comprise a combination of softwood and hardwood pulp, as well as synthetic fibers applied in a random matrix to a body having a fiber loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Phil Patterson, Doug Sedlacek, Bobbie E. South
  • Patent number: 6966959
    Abstract: A method of vulcanizing an object formed of unvulcanized rubber, in which the unvulcanized-rubber formed object is vulcanized by pressing and heating by mold means, comprises disposing a fiber sheet member on a surface of the unvulcanized-rubber formed object and vulcanizing the unvulcanized-rubber formed object by the mold means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhito Yanadori, Hideyuki Ohishi, Yoshinori Tamada
  • Patent number: 6962639
    Abstract: A power transmission belt having an endless body with a length, an inside, and an outside. The body has cogs on at least one of the inside and outside of the body and spaced along the length of the body so as to define alternating cog crests and cog troughs. The cog crests each have oppositely facing side surfaces with an apex between the oppositely facing side surfaces. There is a reinforcing fabric on the at least one of the inside and outside of the body. The reinforcing fabric has first and second spaced end portions with a first free end at the first end portion and a second free end at the second end portion. The first and second end portions overlap so that the first and second free ends are each at a side surface on a cog crest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Ito, Toshiaki Aragane, Koji Kitahama, Syunichi Imahigashi
  • Patent number: 6949211
    Abstract: A multi-ribbed power transmission belt having longitudinal grooves and transverse grooves that form a plurality of cogs on the belt surface defined between adjacent transverse grooves is provided. The pitch lengths of the rows of cogs are randomized or sequenced over the entire length of the belt to reduce the noise of the belt as it travels about its associated pulleys. The ideal pitch pattern on a belt is variable, dependent upon the circumferential length of the belt. To create an optimized pitch sequence for belts of various circumferential lengths, a method of manufacture is employed wherein a portion of the pitch sequence of a shorter belt is incorporated within an optimized pitch sequence of a longer belt and both belts are manufactured from a single mold. The longer belt may contain cogs of various shapes intended to offset a range of frequencies and minimize noise generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: The Goodyear & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Steven Andrew Lederer, Tao Song, Brian Dean Wegele
  • Patent number: 6945891
    Abstract: A power transmission belt, and more particularly a toothed power transmission belt, comprising a longitudinally extending tensile member composed of one or more carbon fiber cords, wherein the belt exhibits belt growth of not more than 0.1% based on its original length after 48 hours under High Temperature Belt Growth Analysis performed at 100° C., a method for producing such belts exhibiting reduced belt growth, and a method for reducing the angular vibration of a camshaft in relation to a crankshaft in an internal combustion engine wherein the camshaft is driven by a timing belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Paul S. Knutson
  • Patent number: 6945892
    Abstract: A power transmission belt is disclosed in which the exterior of the overcord section is generally flat in contour and bears an outer seamless tubular knit textile material adhered to an adjacent rubber layer material interposed between the exterior belt back surface and a strain-resisting tensile section. The belt is adapted to be run against backside idlers or tensioners with minimized noise generation. A simplified process including use of a tubular knit stretched over and applied to the building drum is disclosed, thereby eliminating conventional calendaring and Bannering operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Paul S. Knutson
  • Patent number: 6942590
    Abstract: A belt fabric which is provided at a part of a power transmission belt on which frictional forces act is formed by dipping into a rubber solution prepared by dissolving a non cross-linked hydrogenated nitrile rubber composition, mixed with a polyethylene powder having a molecular weight in excess of 1 million and an organic peroxide as a cross-linking agent, in a solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Bando Chemical Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeki Okuno, Keizo Nonaka, Kimichika Ohno
  • Patent number: 6942752
    Abstract: The application discloses a belt formed of first and second portions of thermoplastic sheet including, respectively, first and second pluralities of tabs spaced apart so as to define first and second pluralities of openings along corresponding first and second edges of the first and second portions of thermoplastic sheet, wherein the first plurality of tabs are joined to the second plurality of tabs so as to join the first edge to the second edge. Also disclosed is a method for forming a belt of a thermoplastic material, including forming angles on a first edge of a first portion of thermoplastic sheet and on a second edge of a second portion of thermoplastic sheet, forming first and second pluralities of openings, respectively, in the first and second portions of thermoplastic sheet, placing together the first and second edges such that they overlap, and joining the first and second portions of thermoplastic sheet together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Separation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Whitlock, Bulent Sert
  • Patent number: 6921449
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing on a continuous basis quantities of seamed belts with imageable seams for printing systems from a continuous supply web of belt material, which seamed belts need to be manufactured to a desired circumference and width. In the disclosed embodiment the sides of the incoming supply web are cut in seam-forming mating edges and the web is fed in at an angle to a pair of rollers, at least one of which is tapered, to spirally wrap the web into a cylinder of the desired circumference of the seamed belts and providing mating engagement and gluing of the seam-forming edges. Then by sequentially transversely cutting off cylindrical segments of that spirally formed cylinder into the desired width, multiple seamed belts are formed with both the desired circumference and width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Paul F. Mastro
  • Patent number: 6921572
    Abstract: A transmission belt is made of a cord, a rubber or thermoplastic matrix, and an adhesion material which is able to adhere the cord to the rubber or thermoplastic matrix. The cord is made of at least two yarns, such that a first yarn has a melting or decomposition point T1 and a second yarn has a melting point T2, wherein T1>T2. A ratio of a linear density of the first yarn to a linear density of the second yarn is between 1,000:1 and 1:1, wherein the second yarn is fused to the first yarn. A method of making such cords includes intertwining the first and the second yarn and then heating to a temperature between T1 and T2, with the heating step being integrated with or followed by a step wherein the cord is subjected to a dipping treatment with a rubber adhesion material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Teijin Twaron GmbH
    Inventor: Jan Van Campen
  • Patent number: 6918849
    Abstract: An endless power transmission belt having (1) a tension section; (2) a cushion section; and (3) a load-carrying section disposed between the tension section and cushion section; and the belt containing an elastomeric composition comprising (a) cross-linked elastomer; and (b) from 5 to 60 phr of chopped carbon fibers that have a sizing agent applied to the surface of the fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Michael John William Gregg, Thomas George Burrowes
  • Patent number: 6918978
    Abstract: There is provided a process for producing a seamed, flexible electrostatographic imaging member belt comprising providing a flexible, substantially rectangular, electrostatographic imaging sheet having a first major exterior surface opposite and parallel to a second major exterior surface and a first marginal end region of said sheet opposite and parallel with a second marginal end region; shaping said first marginal end region at an angle to form a first new sloping surface between the first major exterior surface and the second major exterior surface; shaping said second marginal end region at an angle to form a second new sloping surface between the first major exterior surface and the second major exterior surface, wherein the second new sloping surface is substantially parallel with the first new sloping surface; forming the sheet into a loop and overlapping said first new sloping surface with said second new sloping surface to form a mated region; and, joining said first new sloping surface to said seco
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Robert C. U. Yu
  • Patent number: 6916393
    Abstract: A multi-layered endless belt having an arbitrary layer thickness by the thickness of the film and the winding number, a medium conveying belt using the same, and a method and apparatus by which these can be stably produced without various residues in the production process and can be produced with a high general-purpose properties and at a low cost. There are provided a multi-layered endless belt made by winding and heat-welding a polymer material film and a production method thereof, and further a production method of medium conveying belts of various forms fundamentally having a construction in which an electrode pattern and a protective film are laminated thereon, and a novel production method and molding apparatus for molding the multi-layered endless belt by heat-pressing a wound tubular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ohzuru, Hitoshi Nojiri, Yoshio Sakata, Koji Sezaki
  • Patent number: 6902640
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing an intermediate transfer belt and a fixing belt with high quality used in copying machines, printers and the like. An unvulcanized rubber is formed into a sheet and adhered to a resin film with low stretchability forming a seamless laminate. The laminate is formed into a cylindrical form where the solid rubber sheet is arranged outside of the resin film or vice versa. The cylindrical composite is placed between an outer casing mold and a core mold. A pneumatic pressure is applied to the cylindrical composite outside of the core mold for vulcanizing the rubber and adhering the rubber to the resin film so as to form a laminated cylinder into one piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Kokoku Intech, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin-ichi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Asano, Masateru Fujimori
  • Patent number: 6896634
    Abstract: The power transmission striated belt includes an elastomeric matrix (21) and a lengthwise supporting structure consisting of polyamide 4.6 twisted strands (20). The supporting structure (21) is selected so that the stress-elongation diagram of the belt exhibits an average slope ranging from 12 to 20 daN/% of elongation per width centimeter. The twisted strands are wound with an almost null nominal tension, and the curing operation and the cooling operation after curing are carried out without any belt tensioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Hutchinson
    Inventors: Alain Winninger, Jean Claude Sedilleau, Jean-Jacques Robert
  • Patent number: 6872159
    Abstract: A power transmission belt, and more particularly a toothed power transmission belt, comprising a longitudinally extending tensile member composed of one or more carbon fiber cords, wherein the cords are treated with an elastomer latex coating, and that the cord treatment composition further comprises a resorcinol-formaldehyde reaction product, and that such cord treatment composition possesses an elastic modulus at a temperature of 20° C. to be within the range of from about 1.0×107 dynes/cm2 to about 5.0×108 dynes/cm2, and at a temperature of 100° C. to be within the range of from about 5.0×108 dynes/cm2 to about 4.0×108 dynes/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Paul S. Knutson
  • Patent number: 6869376
    Abstract: A metal push belt (1) for application in a continuous variable transmission, includes at least one endless tensile member (2), and transverse elements being provided freely moveable in the endless direction of the tensile member (2). The tensile member is produced of steel, containing non-metallic inclusions of predetermined sizes as observed in the micro-structure of a material section, in accordance with a specified diameter Dcircle of a circle relating to the surface occupation of such an inclusion observed in such micro structure, in which the steel is produced in a constitution having a nominal inclusion size distribution with diameters ranging up to 30 ?m, the inclusion diameter range between 10 ?m and 30 ?m being less than 20% of the total number of inclusions per square unit of sliced material counted by inclusions having a size larger than 2 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Van Doorne's Transmissie B.V.
    Inventors: Bert Pennings, Hendrikus Van Den Boomen, Arjen Brandsma
  • Patent number: 6863761
    Abstract: A power transmission belt using an open mesh textile material in the belt overcord which is stabilized with a material promoting permeation of an underlying gum rubber layer through interstices in the textile material during vulcanization of the belt. The coefficient of friction of the backside of the belt is sufficient to enable the belt to drive backside pulleys, tensioners and other mechanical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Paul S. Knutson
  • Patent number: 6855082
    Abstract: An endless power transmission belt having (1) a tension section; (2) a cushion section; and (3) a load-carrying section disposed between the tension section and cushion section; and the belt containing a free radically-cured elastomeric composition comprising the reaction product of (a) an ethylene-alpha-olefin elastomer; (b) from 10 to 100 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of total rubber (phr) of a non-migratory internal lubricant selected from the group consisting of graphite, molybdenum disulfide, polytetrafluoroethylene and mixtures thereof; and (c) from 0.1 to 100 phr of curative coagent selected from the group consisting of organic acrylates, organic methacrylates, metal salts of an alpha-beta saturated organic acid and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Darren Blaine Moncrief, Delyn Marlowe Stork
  • Patent number: 6848571
    Abstract: A method is provided for splicing a conveyor belt having vulcanized rubber with steel strands embedded in the vulcanized rubber, comprising the steps of exposing a plurality of strands at two belt ends, and applying a vulcanizable rubber composition to the exposed strands to form a spliced joint between the two belt ends, the vulcanizable rubber composition comprising 100 parts by weight of rubber, and the rubber comprising from about 1 to about 40 parts by weight of a polyoctenamer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Terry Frank Allen, Kevin Xie
  • Publication number: 20040217519
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a power transmission belt having a body with a length and a cushion rubber layer in which at least one carrying member is embedded so as to extend lengthwise of the body. The method includes the steps of: extrusion molding (a) a first rubber composition including rubber with short fibers therein and (b) a second rubber composition that is different than the first rubber composition to produce a first sheet in which the second rubber composition defines at least a part of the cushion rubber layer; applying the at least one load carrying member to the second rubber composition to produce a preform assembly; and processing the preform assembly to produce a power transmission belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Tagawa, Tomohiro Miwa, Toshihiro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6802212
    Abstract: A system for producing tires having a toroidal carcass, a tread and defined internally by two annular beads. The system includes a production line for manufacturing the tires and a control station for measuring the electrical conductivity of each tire. The production line includes a conveyor which transports the tires between successive parts of the system. A pair of gripping bodies engages the bead portion of the tires and moves the tires vertically from a start position to a measuring position. At least one of the gripping bodies being electrically connected to a first terminal of a measuring instrument. A conducting element is electrically connected to a second terminal of the measuring instrument and is moved into contact with the tread of the tires. The measuring instrument measures the electrical conductivity between the tread and the bead portion of the tires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Maurizio Farnè
  • Publication number: 20040168757
    Abstract: Monolithic belts (i.e. without woven fabric insert), in particular monolithic conveyer belts and drive belts, which consist of a thermoplastic material, containing a copolymer with a ratio of weight average molecular weight Mw to number average molecular weight Mn of 5.0:1 to 1.5:1, which show creep resistance while at the same time having significantly reduced material costs. The copolymer can in particular be produced by means of a metallocene “single-site” catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Jurg Vogt, Willi Toggenburger
  • Patent number: 6780268
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing endless reinforced belts is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of laying up on a flat build table at least one sheet of curable material and at least one sheet of reinforcement material forming a carcass, curing a central portion of the carcass, and then splicing and curing the uncured ends of the carcass to form the endless lugged track. The manufacturing system has three cells: a building cell, a flat cure press cell, and a splice cure press cell. Each cell is operated in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Ronald Alan Wellman, Kent Alan Stubbendieck, Thomas Goodsell Hutchins, Mario Antonio Rago
  • Publication number: 20040155375
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a belt having a region comprising a non-woven material on a pulley engaging surface. The non-woven region has a random coverage of the non-woven material to reduce natural frequency harmonics, control frictional characteristics, permeation and thermal resistance. The non-woven may comprise a combination of softwood and hardwood pulp, as well as synthetic fibers applied in a random matrix to a body having a fiber loading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventors: Phil Patterson, Doug Sedlacek, Bobbie E. South
  • Patent number: 6739996
    Abstract: An endless tension belt is formed by spirally winding a tension member comprising a cord that serves as a core coated with a rubber-like resilient material in such a manner that flat clamp faces of adjacent tension members are pressedly joined with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Ueno, Tomohisa Yoshida, Takahiro Kataoka
  • Patent number: 6740182
    Abstract: A flexible imaging member seam treatment method comprising bonding a thermoplastic polymer film to the seam of the flexible imaging member after placing the film on the seam. The film is bonded by heating the film above a glass transition temperature of at least one of a thermoplastic polymer from which the film is made and a polymer from which an imaging layer of the flexible imaging member is made. The film can be formed on a flexible, removable substrate. Treatment according to embodiments significantly improves seam region physical properties, greatly reducing cracking and delamination resulting from bending stresses induced by traversal of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Robert C. U. Yu
  • Patent number: 6723208
    Abstract: A papermaker's fabric is manufactured by spirally winding a laminated structure in a plurality of turns. The laminated structure has a bottom layer and a top layer, both of which are strips having a common width. The bottom layer and the top layer are laminated to one another in a transversely offset manner, so that an unlaminated portion of the bottom layer is along one lateral edge of the laminated structure and an unlaminated portion of the top layer is along the other lateral edge. When the laminated structure is spirally wound, the unlaminated portion of the top layer in one turn overlies the unlaminated portion of the bottom layer in an adjacent turn. These are joined to one another to form the papermaker's fabric from the spirally wound structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Robert A Hansen
  • Patent number: 6720084
    Abstract: A heat-resistant resin film having a metallic thin film accumulated thereon or an endless belt having a metallic thin film accumulated thereon having good mechanical characteristics is produced in a simple process. A metallic thin film is formed on an inner surface of a cylindrical substrate, and a layer of a heat-resistant resin is formed thereon. An accumulated body of the heat-resistant resin and the metallic thin film is peeled off from the substrate. The metallic thin film may be formed by electroplating, electroless plating or vapor deposition, or may also be formed by attaching a metallic foil having been prepared on an inner surface of the substrate. The heat-resistant resin layer is formed by injecting a polyamide acid solution in a rotational drum, and then formed by centrifugal forming by rotating the rotational drum on rollers under heating. After forming, imidization is conducted by heating and baking to form a film member of a thermosetting polyimide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichiro Maeyama, Yasuhiro Uehara, Michiaki Yasuno, Makoto Omata
  • Patent number: 6709076
    Abstract: An elastic crawler including a crawler body (6) made of a rubbery elastic material in a form of an endless belt, and a tension cord (10) being buried in the crawler body (6) along the circumferential direction A thereof and having opposite ends (10a), (10b) which are joined together by overlapping one upon the other so as to arrange the tension cord (10) as an endless cord having an overlapped joint portion (12). The overlapped joint portion (12) of the tension cord (10) is formed into an arcuate shape protruding on the outer circumferential side of the crawler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Sakai
  • Patent number: 6695133
    Abstract: A preformed strip (20) of unvulcanized rubber having a plurality of strand receiving grooves (22) for splicing the ends (11, 12) of steel cord or strand reinforced rubber conveyor belts (10) is disclosed along with a method of forming the spliced joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Robin Bovaird Steven, David Joseph Maguire, Steven Andrew Lederer, William James Head, Larry James Gehrett, James Alfred Benzing, II
  • Patent number: 6689247
    Abstract: A preformed strip (20) of unvulcanized rubber having two-strand receiving grooves portions (22A and 22B) for splicing the ends (11, 12) of steel cord or strand reinforced rubber conveyor belts (10) is disclosed along with a method of forming the spliced joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Robin Bovaird Steven, Houston Channing Brown
  • Patent number: 6685785
    Abstract: A belt (1), and a method of forming a belt (1), with at least one row of teeth (5) formed on at least one surface of the betling (1). To improve the tooth formation of the belting (1), and the abrasion of the belting (1), the outer surface of the teeth (4) are formed with the disclosed bi-directional stretch woven fabric (7). The warp (10) and weft (11) yarns are formed of a core yarn (12) about which is helically wrapped at least one yarn (13 or 14), forming a scaffold construction. The bi-directional stretch characteristics of the fabric (7) permit greater deformation of the fabric (7) while forming the belt teeth (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Matthew Thomas Morris, Wei Willie Chien
  • Patent number: 6679962
    Abstract: Extruded sections of synthetic fibers extruded from a side face of each rib in a V-ribbed belt are plastically deformed in the shape of sectors gradually broadened toward their distal ends. The extruded sections of the synthetic fibers are not heated beyond their melting point during a grinding process so as to be kept unmelted. The extruded sections of the synthetic fibers are raised from the side face of the rib so that microscopic unevenness is formed over the side face of the rib. The synthetic fiber is formed of nylon with a filament diameter of 20 &mgr;m or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Bando Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Kurose, Kazuyoshi Tani, Koji Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20040007311
    Abstract: Component data including data of the circumferential length values of ring components 4 stored by a component storage facility 10 are managed by a component data managing unit 15. A processing unit 16 performs combinatorial trial calculations on the component data under a plurality of kinds of combinatorial conditions, generating lamination combinatorial data of component data of all layers of a laminated ring. A combinatorial condition which maximizes the number of generated lamination combinatorial data is used as an adequate combinatorial condition. A set of ring components that make up a laminated ring to be actually assembly is selected and unloaded based on lamination combinatorial data generated under the adequate combinatorial condition, and assembled into a laminated ring. With this arrangement, an increased number of laminated rings can efficiently be produced, and the mass-productivity of laminated rings can be increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventors: Koji Saito, Yoshihiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6668440
    Abstract: A method for sequentially forming teeth in a belt that is supported on two cylinders. The method avoids having to measure the neutral plane radius by dividing the uncured belt into discrete molding sections and adjusting the length of each section prior to molding. The adjustment to the length is made so that the belt section is equivalent to a required length necessary to accommodate the proper fraction of total teeth. The first section to be molded is marked and aligned with the mold. Sequential belt sections are marked and aligned in similar fashion until teeth are molded along the entire circumference of the belt. The inventive method eliminates cumulative error by positioning each section of teeth relative to the underlying belt structure and not relative to the previous section which may have position errors within its own position tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Douglas Bruce Wood
  • Patent number: 6659898
    Abstract: An endless belt, comprising a molding in the shape of an endless belt obtained by mixing a crystalline resin having at least one hydroxyl group, carboxyl group or an ester linkage, an amorphous resin having at least one hydroxyl group, carboxyl group or an ester linkage, and a polymerization catalyst while heating, thereby preparing a resin composition; and molding said resin composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignees: Yukadenshi Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Morikoshi, Kouichi Sakogawa, Toshihiro Otsu
  • Publication number: 20030221785
    Abstract: A belt seam treatment apparatus includes a support element with a smooth surface that supports the seam region of the belt, a heat source that heats a treatment strip and the belt seam region, and a pressure applicator that forces the treatment strip against the belt seam region. The support element can be a tube over which the belt hangs and can include a vacuum belt hold system that secures the seam region against the tube during treatment. The heat source can be an infrared laser or an infrared lamp. Optics form a heat spot or a heat line on the strip and seam region, and a pressure wheel traverses the seam region after heating to compress the strip and seam and bond a thermoplastic polymer of the strip to the seam region of the belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Robert C.U. Yu
  • Patent number: 6656025
    Abstract: An integrated pad and belt for polishing a surface comprising a belt integrated with a polishing pad that forms a seamless polishing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Anil K. Pant, Rahul Jairath, Kamal Mishra, Saket Chadda, Wilbur C. Krusell
  • Patent number: 6652691
    Abstract: A process for providing an improved imaging member belt having a welded seam which exhibits greater resistance to dynamic fatigue induced seam cracking and delamination. An apparatus for achieving stress relaxation and eliminating protrusions in the seam region is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert C. U. Yu, Satchidanand Mishra, Richard L. Post, Anthony M. Horgan, Bing R. Hsieh, Edward F. Grabowski, Donald C. VonHoene, Stephen T. Avery, Scott J. Griffin, Edward A. Domm
  • Publication number: 20030201057
    Abstract: The invention is a method of joining two belt ends together, either laterally or longitudinally, and the resulting belt. The two ends can be of two different belts being joined, a short section added to replace a damaged section of a belt, or two ends of the same belt. Moreover, the belt or belts can be damaged or intentionally cut in preparation of their joining. The belt ends are stripped of their rubber or elastomeric coating that covers the cord core, and the ends can be fashioned in any shape such that one belt end complements the other end when abutted. The ends are joined and a new rubber layer is then bonded to the belt above and below the cord core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Troy D. Dolan, Joseph Gibson
  • Patent number: 6632151
    Abstract: A power transmission belt is disclosed in which the exterior of the overcord section is generally flat in contour and bears an outer seamless tubular knit textile material adhered to an adjacent rubber layer material interposed between the exterior belt back surface and a strain-resisting tensile section. The belt is adapted to be run against backside idlers or tensioners with minimized noise generation. A simplified process including use of a tubular knit stretched over and applied to the building drum is disclosed, thereby eliminating conventional calendaring and Bannering operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Paul S. Knutson
  • Publication number: 20030183323
    Abstract: When ring components 4 of layers to assemble a laminated ring 3 are unloaded from a component storage facility 10, a computer 13 generates lamination combinatorial data representing a combination of ring components of layers. A target frequency distribution of circumferential length values of ring components 4 of each layer is established, and lamination combinatorial data including ring components of a class where an error of an actual inventory frequency with respect to a target frequency is large are selected in a layer where an error between the target frequency distribution and an actual inventory frequency distribution is maximum. Ring components 4 of all layers corresponding to the selected lamination combinatorial data are unloaded from the component storage facility 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Koji Saito, Yoshihiko Suzuki, Katsumune Inaki, Tetsuo Sugizono