Recent developments in the automotive industry have resulted in an increase in the demands on the properties of power transmission belts. As a result, power transmission belts on these engines have been required to operate under higher loads, at higher speeds and at higher temperatures while reducing belt width and noise. The automotive industry demands a high quality belt capable of withstanding these severe conditions. One method to improve the properties of such belts has been to improve the materials from which the belts are made. For example, conventional polychloroprene rubber has been replaced with hydrogenated nitrile rubber and chlorosulfonated polyethylene. In addition, solid lubricants have been added to the rubber compositions to improve the abrasion properties of the belt by reducing the coefficient of friction.
The present invention relates to a power transmission belt that is characterized by a layer of thermoplastic located between a fabric layer on the drive surface and the cushion section of the belt.