Drive belt with surface texture for minimizing vibrations

1. A pulley belt for transmitting force from a first pulley to a second pulley, comprising:

(a) a belt member having a contact surface configured to be in contact with the first pulley and the second pulley;

(b) a plurality of projections extending from the contact surface, the projections having a predetermined height/diameter aspect ratio in a range of from 0.01 to 1.0,

wherein the predetermined height/diameter aspect ratio is defined as a height of one of the plurality of projections divided by a diameter of the one of the plurality of projections, wherein the diameter is a shortest distance across the one of the plurality of projections.

2. The pulley belt of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined height/diameter aspect ratio is 0.2.

3. The pulley belt of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of projections has a regular pattern.

4. The pulley belt of claim 3 , wherein the regular pattern has an area density of about at least 70%.

5. The pulley belt of claim 3 , wherein the regular pattern comprises selected from a list of patterns consisting of: a hexagonal pattern; a rectangular pattern; and combinations thereof.

6. The pulley belt of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of projections comprises a random pattern.

7. The pulley belt of claim 1 , wherein the belt member and the plurality of projections comprises an elastomer.

8. The pulley belt of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cords embedded lengthwise through the belt member.

9. The pulley belt of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of cords comprises cotton cords.

10. The pulley belt of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of cords comprises metal cords.

11. A pulley belt for transmitting force from a first pulley to a second pulley, comprising:

(a) a belt member having a contact surface configured to be in contact with the first pulley and the second pulley;

(b) a regularly patterned plurality of projections extending from the contact surface and having an area density of at least 70% and a 0.2 height/diameter aspect ratio; and

(c) a plurality of cords embedded lengthwise through the belt member,

wherein the predetermined height/diameter aspect ratio is defined as a height of one of the plurality of projections divided by a diameter of the one of the plurality of projections, wherein the diameter is a shortest distance across the one of the plurality of projections.

12. The belt of claim 11 , wherein the regular pattern comprises selected from a list of patterns consisting of: a hexagonal pattern; a rectangular pattern; and combinations thereof.

13. The belt of claim 11 , wherein the belt member and the plurality of projections comprise an elastomer.

14. The belt of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of cords comprises tension cords that are subjected to a pretention of substantially 0.1 N during curing of the belt member.

15. A method of making a pulley belt, comprising the steps of:

(a) placing an uncured elastomer in a mold, the mold having a shape of a belt member having an inner contact surface from which a regularly patterned plurality of projections extend inwardly from the contact surface so that the plurality of projections have an area density of at least about 70% and a height/diameter aspect ratio in a range of from 0.01 to 1.0;

(b) curing the uncured elastomer so as to form a cured belt member with an inner surface pattern of projections; and

(c) removing the cured belt member from the mold,

wherein the predetermined height/diameter aspect ratio is defined as a height of one of the plurality of projections divided by a diameter of the one of the plurality of projections, wherein the diameter is a shortest distance across the one of the plurality of projections.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of placing a plurality of cords lengthwise in the elastomer and in the mold prior to the curing step.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising the step of pre-tensioning the plurality of cords prior to the curing step.