Guiding device for a belt means of a belt-driven conical pulley transmission

1. A guiding device for a connecting belt of a belt-driven conical-pulley transmission, said guiding device comprising:

a pair of guiding device halves that are connected with each other to define a first, upper guiding section having a first sliding surface, and a second, lower guiding section having a second sliding surface that is spaced from the first sliding surface of the first, upper guiding section and between which first and second sliding surfaces a connecting belt is guided in a running direction,

wherein the respective sliding surfaces of the first and second guiding sections extend in a longitudinal direction corresponding to the running direction of the connecting belt, and also extend in a transverse direction perpendicular to the running direction of the connecting belt,

wherein the first and second guiding sections are each connected to a connecting section that extends between the first, upper guiding section and the second, lower guiding section and includes an inwardly-facing surface which delimits the extent of the guiding sections and of the respective sliding surfaces in a direction transverse to the connecting belt running direction, the connecting section having an outwardly-facing surface spaced laterally outwardly from the inwardly-facing surface,

wherein the guiding device includes at least one longitudinal rib that extends in the running direction of the connecting belt as the belt passes between the sliding surface of the first, upper guiding section and the sliding surface of the second, lower guiding section,

a longitudinally extending outer panel that is spaced from and that overlies the sliding surface of the first, upper guiding section, wherein a middle region of the outer panel is spaced further from the sliding surface of the first, upper guiding section than it is spaced from that sliding surface at longitudinal end regions of the outer panel,

wherein the longitudinal rib is spaced laterally outwardly from the outwardly-facing surface of the connecting section and is connected to and extends between each of the outer panel and the first, upper guiding section,

wherein the outwardly-facing surface of the connecting section includes a plurality of outwardly-extending reinforcing ribs, and

wherein the guide device halves are each formed from the same single material.

2. The guiding device according to claim 1 , wherein the first, upper guiding section has a guide tongue and the outer panel is spaced above the guide tongue, and the longitudinal rib is positioned between and is connected to each of the guide tongue of the first, upper guiding section and the outer panel.

3. The guiding device according to claim 2 , wherein the guide tongue, the outer panel, and the longitudinal rib form a double-T profile cross-section of the first, upper guiding section.

4. The guiding device according to claim 3 , wherein the guide tongue, the outer panel, and the longitudinal rib are each of an at least approximately equal material thickness.

5. The guiding device according to claim 2 , wherein the first, upper guiding section includes at least one transverse rib that extends between the first, upper sliding surface and the outer panel.

6. The guiding device according to claim 5 , wherein the guide tongue, the outer panel, and the at least one transverse rib are each of an at least approximately equal material thickness.

7. The guiding device according to claim 2 , wherein the first, upper guiding section includes a plurality of transverse ribs that extend between the first, upper sliding surface and the outer panel.

8. The guiding device according to claim 1 , wherein the guiding device is made of a single material.

9. The guiding device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting section includes a plurality of external, outwardly-extending reinforcing ribs extending in the longitudinal direction of the guiding sections at an upper position of the connecting section opposite the first, upper guiding section, relative to an upper surface of the connecting belt, and at a lower position of the connecting section opposite a lower guiding section, relative to a lower surface of the connecting belt.

10. The guiding device according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing ribs include a longitudinally-extending reinforcing rib extending along each longitudinally spaced, upper and lower outer end surface of the connecting section.

11. The guiding device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the connecting section includes external reinforcing ribs extending in the longitudinal direction of the guiding sections at an upper position of the connecting section opposite an upper guiding section, relative to an upper surface of the connecting belt, and at a lower position of the connecting section opposite a lower guiding section, relative a lower surface of the connecting belt; and

wherein the reinforcing ribs of the connecting section include a longitudinally-extending reinforcing rib extending along each longitudinally extending upper and lower end surface of the connecting section.

12. The guiding device according to claim 11 , wherein the connecting section includes a pair of external, diagonally-extending reinforcing ribs, each of which extends between a respective upper outer end surface of the connecting section and a respective lower outer end surface of the connecting section.

13. The guiding device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting section includes a pair of external, diagonally-extending reinforcing ribs, each of which extends between a respective upper outer end surface of the connecting section and a respective lower outer end surface of the connecting section.