Asymmetric belt construction

Claim 2

A flexible resilient belt having a body portion of asymmetric cross-section comprising: A. a first base portion; B. a second base portion spaced therefrom; C. opposite side wall portions joining said first and second base portions including: 1. a first side wall portion defining one longitudinal edge of the belt, and 2. a second side wall portion defining the opposite longitudinal edge of the belt, inclined at a greater angle than said first side wall portion as measured with reference to the vertical centerline of the belt section; and D. a stress zone disposed between said first and second base portions having unequal stress-resisting capacity across the width of the belt with the greater stress-resisting capacity concentrated in an area thereof adjacent to said second side wall portion.

Claim 3

a second side wall portion defining the opposite longitudinal edge of the belt, inclined at a greater angle than said first side wall portion as measured with reference to the vertical centerline of the belt section; and D. a stress zone disposed between said first and second base portions having unequal stress-resisting capacity across the width of the belt with the greater stress-resisting capacity concentrated in an area thereof adjacent to said second side wall portion.

Claim 4

a second side wall portion defining the opposite longitudinal edge of the belt, inclined at a greater angle than said first side wall portion as measured with reference to the vertical centerline of the belt section; and D. a stress zone disposed between said first and second base portions having unequal stress-resisting capacity across the width of the belt with the greater stress-resisting capacity concentrated in an area thereof adjacent to said second side wall portion.

Claim 5

The belt as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first side wall portion is substantially parallel to the vertical centerline of the belt section.

Claim 6

The belt as claimed in claim 2 wherein with respect to said vertical centerline, said first side wall portion is inclined at an angle of from about 0* to about 5* and said second side wall portion is inclined at an angle of from about 13* to about 20* .

Claim 7

The belt as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first side wall portion has an angle of from about 1* to about 2* and said second side wall portion has an angle of about 19* .

Claim 8

The belt as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stress zone includes at least one stress-resisting member extending longitudinally of the belt and disposed transversely thereof in at least the area of said stress zone adjacent to said second side wall portion.

Claim 9

The belt as claimed in claim 5 wherein said member is disposed in helical wraps across the belt in said stress zone with each wrap thereof positioned in spaced side-by-side relationship to form a plurality of spaced elements.

Claim 10

The belt as claimed in claim 6 wherein one group of elements terminates at a substantial distance from said first side wall portion so that the area of said stress zone adjacent thereto is at least substantially unreinforced.

Claim 11

The belt as claimed in claim 7 wherein said stress zone further includes a second group of elements therein disposed adjacent to said first side wall portion with the elements of said second group being spaced at a greater distance from each other than the elements of said first mentioned group.

Claim 12

The belt as claimed in claim 6 wherein said elements are disposed transversely across suBstantially the entire width of the belt and include one group of said elements adjacent to said first side wall portion composed of relatively low modulus material and another group of said elements adjacent to said second side wall portion composed of relatively high modulus material.

Claim 13

In a drive belt assembly including the combination of a V-belt of flexible, polymeric material having a body portion of asymmetrical cross-section, a pair of pulleys on which the belt is mounted, at least one of which includes a section having a substantially planar belt-contacting surface and an opposite section having a conical belt-contacting surface, said belt comprising first and second spaced base portions and opposite side wall portions joining said base portions including a first substantially vertical planar side wall portion for contacting the planar pulley section and a second pulley-contacting side wall portion opposite said first side wall and disposed at an oblique angle thereto for contacting the conical pulley section, the improvement wherein said belt includes a stress zone disposed between said first and second base portions having unequal stress-resisting capacity across the width of the belt with the greater stress-resisting capacity concentrated in an area thereof adjacent to said second side wall portion.

Claim 14

In a drive belt assembly including the combination of a V-belt of flexible, polymeric material having a body portion of asymmetrical cross-section, a pair of pulleys on which the belt is mounted, at least one of which includes a section having a substantially planar belt-contacting surface and an opposite section having a conical belt-contacting surface, said belt comprising first and second spaced base portions and opposite side wall portions joining said base portions including a first substantially vertical planar side wall portion for contacting the planar pulley section and a second pulley-contacting side wall portion opposite said first side wall and disposed at an oblique angle thereto for contacting the conical pulley section, the improvement wherein said belt includes a stress zone disposed between said first and second base portions having unequal stress-resisting capacity across the width of the belt with the greater stress-resisting capacity concentrated in an area thereof adjacent to said second side wall portion.

Claim 15

The belt as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first side wall portion is inclined at an angle of from about 0* to about 5* and said second side wall portion is inclined at an angle of from about 13* to about 20* .

Claim 16

The belt as claimed in claim 11 wherein said first side wall portion has an angle of from about 1* to about 2* and said second side wall portion has an angle of about 19* .

Claim 17

The belt as claimed in claim 10 wherein said stress zone includes at least one stress-resisting member extending longitudinally of the belt and disposed transversely thereof in at least the area of said stress zone adjacent to said second side wall portion.

Claim 18

The belt as claimed in claim 13 wherein said member is disposed in helical wraps across the belt in said stress zone with each wrap thereof positioned in spaced side-by-side relationship to form a plurality of spaced elements.

Claim 19

The belt as claimed in claim 14 wherein one group of elements terminates at a substantial distance from said first side wall portion so that the area of said stress zone adjacent thereto is at least substantially unreinforced.

Claim 20

The belt as claimed in claim 15 wherein said stress zone further includes a second group of elements therein disposed adjacent to said first side wall portion with the elements of said second group being spaced at a greater distance from each other than the elements of said first mentioned group.

Claim 21

The belt as claimed in claim 16 wherein said elements are disposed transversely across substantially the entire width of the belt and include one group of said elements adjacent to said first side wall portion composed of relatively low modulus material and another group of said elements adjacent to said second side wall portion composed of relatively high modulus material.

Claim 22

The belt as claimed in claim 17 wherein said first group of elements are in the form of textile cords composed of material selected from the group consisting of cotton, nylon, rayon and polyester and said second group of elements are in the form of high strength filaments composed of material selected from the group consisting of steel and fiber glass.