Influence of pin profile curve on continuously variable transmission (CVT) chain noise and vibration

CVT chains have become widely used in vehicles because the slip between parts is very small, which enables efficient power transmission. However, the motion caused by the pins of the CVT chain entering and leaving the pulleys one after another during the power transmission process results in periodic motion of the whole chain. This behavior is known to affect noise and other basic performance aspects of CVTs. Therefore, it is important to study the geometrical specifications of the chain that affect periodic motion, such as the shape and dimensions of the parts. This research focused on the cross-sectional curve of the pins of a CVT chain and studied the optimal shape to reduce the vibration of the chain chord. The influence of differences in the pin cross-sectional curve on noise performance was predicted by a geometric model. The validity of this geometric model was verified by measuring the noise of a prototype chain. (c) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.