Belt for continuously variable transmission and manufacturing method of the same

Abstract

A belt for a continuously variable transmission (CVT) including an endless body and a plurality of V blocks attached to the endless body. The V blocks include a plurality of types of blocks having different thicknesses and are divided into a plurality of V block groups. The V block groups have different ratios of the plurality of types of V blocks, to provide a belt whose noise level is low and dispersed.

1 . A belt for a continuously variable transmission (CVT), said belt comprising: 
 an endless body;    a plurality of V blocks attached to the endless body, wherein,    said V blocks include a plurality of types of blocks having different thicknesses; and    said V blocks are divided into a plurality of V block groups, said V block groups respectively having a different ratio of said plurality of types of V blocks.    
   
   
       2 . The belt for a CVT as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said different types of V blocks are arranged at random in said V block group.  
   
   
       3 . The belt for a CVT as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said different types of V blocks are arranged with a specified and predetermined order in said V block groups.  
   
   
       4 . The belt for a CVT as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a number of V blocks of each different type is almost equal in said series of V blocks.  
   
   
       5 . The belt for a CVT as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said V blocks comprise two types of V blocks including first V blocks and second V blocks whose thicknesses are different; and 
 said plurality of V block groups is composed of a first V block group and a second V block group respectively having a different ratio of said first V blocks to said second V blocks.    
   
   
       6 . The belt for a CVT as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of said first V blocks to said second V blocks is inversive in said first and second V block groups.  
   
   
       7 . The belt for a CVT as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said endless body is a ring in which a plurality of metal sheets is laminated.  
   
   
       8 . A belt for a continuously variable transmission (CVT), said belt comprising: 
 an endless body;    a plurality of V blocks attached to said endless body, wherein said V blocks include a plurality of types of V blocks having different thickness;    said V blocks being divided into a plurality of V block groups respectively having a different ratio of said different types of V blocks; and    said V block groups are formed from a series of said V blocks.    
   
   
       9 . A method for manufacturing a belt for a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in which multiple V blocks of a plurality of types having different thicknesses are attached to an endless body, comprising: 
 forming a plurality of V block groups respectively having a different ratio of different types of V blocks; and    forming a series of V blocks by attaching a plurality of V blocks to the endless belt to provide said plurality of V block groups.    
   
   
       10 . The method for manufacturing the belt for a CVT as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein forming said V block groups comprises: 
 dividing said V blocks into a plurality of the V block groups, the V block groups respectively having a different ratio of different types of the V blocks; and    specifying an arrangement of said V blocks in said V block groups; and    said specifying an arrangement comprises, 
 assembling a series of belts using said V block groups on a computer;  
 simulating a state in which said assembled belts are respectively wound across pulleys to calculate a noise level; and  
 analyzing the calculated noise level of each belt to determine an optimum belt.  
   
   
   
       11 . A method for manufacturing a belt for a continuously variable transmission (CVT), comprising: 
 dividing V blocks into a plurality of V block groups which respectively have a different ratio of different types of V blocks;    specifying a plurality of arrangements of said V blocks for said V block groups so as to assemble a series of individual belts on a computer;    simulating a state in which said plurality of assembled belts is wound across pulleys to calculate a noise level of the individual belts on the computer; and    analyzing the calculated noise level of each belt to determine an optimum belt.