滾子鏈與靜音鏈是工業界在動力傳輸方面應用廣泛的兩種鏈條。在較高速度和高負荷需求下，靜音鏈是較佳的選擇。此外，靜音鏈擁有較高的效率且所造成的噪音也較低。但是在學術界，靜音鏈的相關研究相對於滾子鏈較少見。靜音鏈一般可分為圓柱銷靜音鏈和搖動銷靜音鏈兩種。
　　本文著重於搖動銷靜音鏈分析方法的研究並與圓柱銷靜音鏈作比較，本文設定一些條件以簡化靜音鏈的模型，並且不考慮磨耗和公差的影響。本文根據嚙合曲面理論進行靜音鏈的運動分析，主要是採用齒面接觸分析方法搭配幾何拘束和力量平衡限制條件。
　　針對內接觸式靜音鏈，出現最多單一鏈目和最多雙鏈目同時與鏈輪齒進行嚙合等兩種狀態。運動分析當中也提出了五種鏈片接觸狀態：緊邊期、嚙合期、暫時固定期、懸浮期、和固定期。其中，暫時固定期只出現在最多單一鏈目嚙合的內接觸式圓柱銷靜音鏈的案例。至於外接觸式靜音鏈，由於鏈片與鏈輪齒剛接觸也同時進入固定期，則無任何嚙合過程。
　　本文並探討鏈片固定位置和靜音鏈的弦線作用，並將圓柱銷靜音鏈和搖動銷靜音鏈進行比較，發現搖動銷靜音鏈較晚固定在鏈輪齒上，而且其弦線作用也較低。本文更進一步研究搖動銷的尺寸和弦線作用之間的關係。本文提供有系統性的靜音鏈運動分析方法，研究結果可延伸應用在多剛體的接觸運動分析。

　　Two of the most popular chain drives in power transmission applications are roller chains and silent chains. Silent chains are mostly used for higher speed and higher load requirements. In addition, silent chains are quieter and more efficient than roller chains. However, research reports on silent chains in literature are limited. Two types of silent chains are used in industry: round pin jointed and rocker-pin jointed silent chains. This thesis explores the tooth contact analysis of rocker-pin jointed silent chains.
　　Simplified models of silent chains are established based on some assumptions, ignoring the effects of wear and tolerance. Based upon conjugate theory, the motion analysis of silent chains has been studied. Silent chains are analyzed by using the techniques of tooth contact analysis with geometric constraints and force constraints incorporated.
　　For silent chains with internal contacts, two cases are investigated: at most one link in contact and at most two links in contact. Five phases have been identified throughout the analysis: tight span phase, conjugate-contact phase, stationary phase, suspended phase, and fixed phase. The stationary phase only occurs at round pin types with at most one links in contact. For silent chains with external contacts, the conjugate-contact stage doesn’t exist, since the link plates are fixed as soon as they are in contact with the sprocket.
　　In addition, the real fixed position of the link plates and the chordal actions of silent chains are investigated. The real fixed position of the rocker-pin link plate is found to be later than that of the round pin link plate. The chordal actions of rocker-pin silent chains are smaller than those of round pin silent chains. Furthermore, the relationship between the rocker-pin size and the chordal action is also studied. This thesis purposes a systematic approach for analyzing the motion of silent chains, and the result of this research can also be applied to mechanical system with multiple bodies in contact.

1. American Chain Association, Design Manual for Roller and Silent Chain Drives, New York, Ch. 7, 1974.

2. ANSI B29.2M, Inverted Tooth (Silent) Chains and Sprockets, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 1982.

3. Bucknor, N. K., Kinematic and Static Force Analysis of Silent Chain Drives, Doctoral Dissertation, Columbia University, New York, 1991.

4. Hall, W. C., "Getting the Most from Silent Chain," Power Transmission Design, Jul. 1986.

5. Hermeling P. G., "Don’t Overlook the Merits of Silent Chain Drives," Plant Engineering, pp. 108-110, Apr. 1974.

6. Horie et al., Patent No. US 6,387,003 B2, "Chain with Improved Rocker Pin Joint Structure," United States Patent, May 2002.

7. Jeffrey, Patent No. 4,010,656, "Power Transmission Drive," United States Patent, Mar. 1977.

8. Kanehira et al., Patent No. 6,260,345 B1, "Silent Chain," United States Patent, Jul. 2001.

9. Kolhatkar, Patent No. 5,562,559, "Rocker Joint Chain with Crescent Shaped Aperture," United States Patent, Oct. 1996.

10. Lin, Y., Hwang, S. J., McDonald II, S. F., and Weidman, J. R., "The Dynamic Analysis of An Automotive Timing Chain System," ASME, Design Engineering Divison (Publication) DE, Vol. 88, pp. 759-764, 1996.

11. Litvin, F. L., Theory of Gearing, 2nd edition, Nauka, Moscow, 1968.

12. Litvin, F. L., Gear Geometry and Applied Theory, Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1994.

13. McCarty, A. M. and Stevenson, R., "Higher Load and Speed Limits for Silent Chain," Machine Design, pp. 121-125, Jan. 1978.

14. Morse Product Catalog, United States of America, n.p., n.d..

15. Okuda, T., Patent No. 5,651,746, "Power Transmission Chain," United States Patent, Jul. 1997.

16. Ramsey Online Product Catalog, United States of America, n.p., n.d..

17. Ramsey, J. H., Patent No. 1,488,710, "Silent Chain," United States Patent, Apr. 1924.

18. Riopelle, E. F. et al., Patent No. 2,725,755, "Power Transmission Chain Drive," United States Patent, Dec. 1955.

19. Terepin, R. H., Patent No. 3,213,699, "Power Transmission Chain," United States Patent, Oct. 1965.

20. 黃超俊，靜音鏈的嚙合分析，國立成功大學機械工程研究所碩士論文，九十二年七月。