Title: Divided blanking member which is destined to be applied for the purpose of blanking transverse elements for use in a push belt for a continuously variable transmission

The present invention relates to a blanking member which is destined to be applied for the purpose of a blanking process in which transverse elements for use in a push belt for a continuously variable transmission are blanked out of basic material, which transverse elements are having a relatively broad ^' basic portion having pulley sheave contacting surfaces for contact with pulley sheaves of pulleys of the continuously variable transmission, and supporting surfaces for supporting carriers of the push belt, a top portion, and a relatively narrow neck portion interconnecting the basic portion and the top portion, which blanking member is having a basic portion, a neck portion and a top portion in a similar manner, and two parts being placeable against each other, each comprising another portion of the basic portion, wherein one of the blanking member parts comprises exclusively a portion of the basic portion, and wherein an imaginary plane for making a separation between the blanking member parts is located exclusively in the basic portion.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a blanking device in which the blanking member is applied, a method for manufacturing transverse elements for use in a push belt for a continuously variable transmission, wherein the blanking member is being applied to blank the transverse elements out of basic material, a transverse element which is manufactured by applying that method, and a push belt having a number of such transverse elements.

A push belt for a continuously variable transmission is generally known. Usually, such a push belt comprises two endless, ribbon-like carriers shaped like a closed loop for carrying a relatively large number of transverse elements. The transverse elements are arranged along the entire circumference of the carriers, wherein, during operation of the continuously variable transmission, they are capable to transmit forces which are related to a movement of the push belt.

In the following description of a transverse element, the directions as mentioned refer to the situation in which the transverse element is part of the push belt. A longitudinal direction of the transverse element corresponds to a circumferential direction of the push belt. A vertical transverse direction of the transverse element corresponds to a radial direction of the push belt. A horizontal transverse direction of the transverse element corresponds to a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the vertical transverse direction. In the horizontal transverse direction, at opposite sides, the transverse element is provided with recesses for at least partially receiving the carriers of the push belt. For the purpose of supporting the carriers, the transverse elements comprises supporting surfaces. In the horizontal transverse direction, at opposite sides, for the purpose of contact between the transverse element and pulley sheaves of a pulley of the continuously variable transmission, the transverse element is provided with pulley sheave contacting surfaces which, in the direction of the supporting surfaces, are divergent with respect to each other. The terms "top" and "bottom" which are used in the following are related to the direction of divergence; this is defined as being from bottom to top.

In the vertical transverse direction, from bottom to top, the transverse element comprises successively a basic portion, a neck portion whose dimensions in the horizontal transverse direction are smaller than those of the basic portion, and a top portion whose dimensions in the horizontal transverse direction are larger than those of the neck portion at the position of the connection to the neck portion. The basic portion comprises the supporting surfaces and the pulley sheave contacting surfaces. In the push belt, the basic portion is located at the side of the inner circumference of the push belt, whereas the top portion is located at the side of the outer circumference of the push belt.

The transverse element is manufactured from sheet-shaped basic material by means of a blanking process. In particular, this blanking process is a so-called fine blanking process, wherein two blanking members, namely a cutting member and a supporting member are applied, wherein the cutting member is destined to cut the transverse element out of the basic material under the influence of

a cutting force, and wherein the supporting member is destined to support the transverse element by a supporting force -during the blanking process. During the blanking process, the cutting member penetrates the basic material under the influence of pressure, wherein a relative movement of the blanked transverse element and the basic material is allowed. In this way, the transverse element is completely detached from a surrounding portion of the basic material.

In both the cutting member and the supporting member, similar to the transverse element to be blanked, a basic portion, a neck portion and a top portion are distinguishable. A circumference of both the cutting member and the supporting member is substantially equal to a desired circumference of the transverse element. In the ^• following, it is assumed that the various directions which are defined in relation to the transverse element relate to the blanking members in a similar way.

It is possible that at least one of the cutting member and the supporting member comprises at least two parts. For example, WO 2004/004942 shows a supporting member having two parts, wherein one of the supporting member parts comprises the basic portion and a portion of the neck portion which is adjacent to the basic portion, whereas another of the supporting member parts comprises the top portion and a portion of the neck portion which is adjacent to the top portion.

An application of a supporting member which is divided in two parts has a number of advantages with respect to an application of a one-piece supporting member. In that way, a formation process of the transverse elements during the blanking process can be controlled in a better way, because tilting movements of both supporting member parts, which are taking place in practice under the influence of the forces prevailing during the blanking process, are having less effect on an accuracy with which the transverse elements are being formed than a total tilting movement of a single supporting member part. Another positive aspect is the fact that both supporting member parts can be separately loaded, by means of which the total accuracy with which the transverse elements are being formed increases. Moreover, both supporting member parts can be optimized independently, which also contributes to a more accurate formation process of the transverse elements. In general, it is true that it

is easier to manufacture a divided supporting member with a desired accuracy than a one-piece supporting member, especially because in the latter case, recesses which are hard to access are present in the supporting member. EP 1 132 648 discloses a cutting member having two parts, wherein one cutting member part specifically serves for forming a recess in the top portion of a transverse element to be blanked.

It. is an objective of the present invention to provide a divided blanking member having at least two parts, wherein the division is chosen such that the divided blanking member according to the present invention has some more advantages than the divided blanking member known from WO 2004/004942. This objective is achieved by a blanking member which comprises two parts being placed against each other, which are each comprising another portion of the basic portion, wherein one of the blanking member parts comprises exclusively a portion of the basic portion, and wherein an imaginary plane for making a separation between the blanking member parts is located exclusively in the basic portion. For sake of completeness, it is noted that the imaginary separating plane is defined at the location where surfaces of the blanking member parts are contacting each other. In practice, at a position corresponding to this place where the blanking member parts are contacting each other, i.e. at a position corresponding to a position of the imaginary separating plane, a line-shaped bulge is obtained on a surface of the transverse element against which the blanking member is being pressed during the blanking process. When the divided blanking member according to the present invention is applied, it is guaranteed that this bulge is being formed exclusively in the basic portion of the transverse element. In view of the strength and lifespan of the transverse element, this appears to be more advantageous than when this bulge is obtained in the neck portion, as is the case in an application of the divided blanking member known from WO 2004/ 004942. An advantage of the application of a divided blanking member in general is that a height difference between blanking surfaces of the blanking member parts can be created in a relatively simple manner, wherein the size of the height difference can be adjusted to features of the basic material out of which the transverse elements are being blanked in an optimal manner if so desired. For sake of

completeness, it is noted that the surfaces of the blanking member parts which are contacting the transverse element to be formed during the blanking process, and which are extending substantially- perpendicular to a direction of the relative movement between the transverse element to be formed and the basic material are meant by means of the term blanking surfaces. The application of the blanking member according to the present invention allows for realizing a surface of the transverse element at a somewhat recessed level than the major part of the basic portion, over at least a portion of the top portion and the neck portion, which is desirable in many cases in order to prevent fatigue phenomena of the transverse elements in the push belt by guaranteeing that particularly free parts of the relatively broad basic portion of successive transverse elements are contacting each other. In a preferred embodiment of the blanking member according to the present invention, one of the blanking member parts is adapted to retain another of the blanking member parts in at least one direction, so that the blanking member parts are fixable with respect to each other in that direction. For example, one of the blanking member parts can have a protrusion, wherein a width of the protrusion at a certain portion is larger than a width of the protrusion at a basis of the protrusion. In that case, another of the blanking member parts has a recess in which the protrusion fits exactly, so that the blanking member parts may be joined like jigsaw pieces in one direction, and are detachable exclusively in that direction.

An advantage of the embodiment of the blanking member in which the blanking member parts are fixable with respect to each other in at least one direction is that the blanking member parts are retaining each other in that at least one direction when the blanking member is being handled, for instance in a situation in which the blanking member is removed from a blanking device. For example, by doing so, it is prevented that a blanking member part can fall on the ground unexpectedly and receive damage. For example, the imaginary plane for making a separation between the blanking member parts may be U-shaped, wherein it may be so that a bottom portion of the separating plane is planar. In a practical embodiment of the blanking member, a surface of the basic portion and a surface of the neck portion are connected to each other through a corrugated surface, at two sides of the blanking

member. In this embodiment/ it is advantageous when end portions of the U-shaped imaginary separating plane are ending at the corrugated surfaces. The reason is that in this way, it is guaranteed that the imaginary separating plane is not located at a place of the blanking member corresponding to a critical place at the transverse element to be blanked, i.e. a place at the transverse element whose surface quality is important to a standing time of the transverse element and also a standing time of a push belt in which the transverse element is being applied. It is also practical when the corrugated surface extending between a surface of the basic portion and a surface of the neck portion comprises a convex portion and a concave portion, wherein the end portion of the U-shaped imaginary separating plane ends at the corrugated surface at a position where a transition between the convex portion and the concave portion is present. Moreover, it is advantageous when at a position where the imaginary separating plane ends at a surface of the blanking member, the separating plane is extending substantially perpendicular with respect to that surface. A proper position of the imaginary separating plane contributes to an advantageous load of the separate blanking member parts during a blanking process in which the blanking member is being applied, wherein the chance of breakage of the blanking member parts can be minimal .

The blanking member according to the present invention can be a cutting member or a supporting member. In a practical embodiment, the blanking member is suitable to being applied as cutting member, and one of the blanking member parts is adapted to form a recess in the transverse elements to be blanked.

The present invention will be explained in more detail on the basis of the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawing, in which equal reference signs indicate equal or similar components, and in which: figure 1 is a diagrammatical side view of a continuously variable transmission with push belt; figure 2 is a view of a main body surface of a transverse element for a push belt for a continuously variable transmission; figure 3 is a side view of the transverse element shown in figure 2;

figure 4 diagraitimatically shows a longitudinal section of a blanking area of a blanking device, and of basic material being placed in there; figure 5 diagrammatically shows a phase of a blanking movement; figure 6 is a front view of a divided blanking member according to the present invention, wherein the blanking member is shown in an assembled state; figure 7 is a diagrammatical and perspective exploded view of the divided blanking member shown in figure 6; figure 8 is a diagrammatical and perspective view of the divided blanking member shown in figure 6, wherein the blanking member is shown in an assembled state; and figure 9 is a side view of the divided blanking member shown in figure 6, wherein blanking member parts of the blanking member are arranged in a configuration which is suitable for blanking a transverse element.

Figure 1 diagrammatically shows a continuously variable transmission, which is particularly suitable for utilization in a motor vehicle. The continuously variable transmission is indicated in general by the reference numeral 1.

The continuously variable transmission 1 comprises two pulleys 4, 5 being arranged on separate pulley shafts 2, 3. An endless push belt 6 being shaped like a closed loop is arranged around the pulleys 4, 5, and serves for transmitting torque between the pulley shafts 2, 3. Each of the pulleys 4, 5 comprises two pulley sheaves, wherein the push belt 6 is positioned and clamped between said two pulley sheaves, so that a force can be transmitted between the pulleys 4, 5 and the push belt 6 with the help of friction. The push belt 6 comprises at least one endless carrier 7, which is usually composed of a number of rings. Along the entire length of the carrier 7, transverse elements 10 are being arranged, wherein the transverse elements 10 are mutually adjacent to each other and are moveable with respect to the carrier 7 in the circumferential direction. For sake of simplicity, only a number of these transverse elements 10 is shown in figure 1. Both the carrier 7 and the transverse elements 10 are manufactured from metal.

Figures 2 and 3 show a transverse element 10. A first main body surface of the transverse element 10 is indicated in general by the

reference numeral 11, whereas a second main body surface of the transverse element 10 is indicated in general by the reference numeral 12. The main body surfaces 11, 12 are extending in general perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the transverse element 10. A circumferential surface 13 is located between the main body surfaces 11, 12.

In the vertical transverse direction, the transverse element 10 comprises successively a basic portion 14, a relatively narrow neck portion 15, and a top portion 16. In the push belt 6, the basic portion 14 is located at the side of the inner circumference of the push belt 6, whereas the top portion 16 is located at the side of the outer circumference of the push belt 6. Furthermore, in a push belt 6, at least a portion of the first main body surface 11 of the transverse element 10 contacts at least a portion of the second main body surface 12 of an adjacent transverse element 10, whereas at least a portion of the second main body surface 12 of the transverse element 10 contacts at least a portion of the first main body surface 11 of another adjacent transverse element 10. At the transition to the neck portion 15, the basic portion 14 of the transverse element 10 as shown in figure 2 comprises two supporting surfaces 17 which serve for supporting two carriers 7 of the push belt 6. Furthermore, the basic portion 14 comprises two pulley sheave contacting surfaces 18. When the transverse element 10 moves over a pulley 4, 5 of the continuously variable transmission 1, contact between the transverse element 1,0 and contacting surfaces of the pulley sheaves of the pulley 4, 5 is realized through said pulley sheave contacting surfaces 18. Both the supporting surfaces 17 and the pulley sheave contacting surfaces 18 are part of the circumferential surface 13. The top portion 16 comprises two retaining surfaces 19 which are located opposite to the supporting surfaces 17, and which are part of the circumferential surface 13. When the transverse element 10 is being received in a push belt 6, a space in which the carriers 7 are present is delimited in the vertical transverse direction by the supporting surfaces 17 on one side and -by the retaining surfaces 19 on another side.

At the first main body surface 11 of the transverse element 10, a projection 21 is arranged. In the shown example, the projection 21 is located at the top portion 16, and corresponds to a hole 22 in the second main body surface 12. In the push belt 6, the projection

21 of the transverse element 10 is at least partially located in the hole 22 of an adjacent transverse element 10. The projection 21 and the corresponding hole 22 serve to prevent mutual displacement of adjacent transverse elements 10 in a plane perpendicular to the circumferential direction of the push belt 6.

The transverse element is manufactured by means of a blanking process, in particular a so-called fine blanking process, wherein a cutting member 30 and a supporting member 40 are applied. The cutting member 30 serves to cut the transverse element 10 out of sheet-shaped basic material 50 during the blanking process, whereas the supporting member 40 serves to support the transverse element 10 during the blanking process. Surfaces of the basic material 50 can be completely planar, but this is not necessary. Therefore, it is also possible to apply stepped basic material 50.

A blanking surface 31 of the cutting member 30, in other words, a surface 31 of the cutting member 30 which is destined to be pressed against the basic material 50 during the blanking process, at a portion which is destined to be shaping a main body surface 11, 12 of the transverse element 10 to be blanked, has substantially the same circumference as the transverse element 10 to be blanked. The same applies to a blanking surface 41 of the supporting member 40. Therefore, like in the transverse element 10, it is possible to distinguish a basic portion, a relatively narrow neck portion and a top portion in the cutting member 30 and the supporting member 40. In the following description of the cutting member 30 and the supporting member 40, a vertical direction corresponds to the direction in which the basic portion, the neck portion and the top portion are successively located. A longitudinal direction corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the blanking surface 31, 41. A horizontal direction corresponds to a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction.

In the following, a blanking process of the transverse element 10 known per se will be elucidated on the basis of figures 4 and 5.

In figure 4, a blanking area of a blanking device 60 and sheet- shaped basic material 50 being placed in there are diagrammatically depicted. The blanking device 60 comprises both the cutting member 30 and the supporting member 40, wherein the cutting member 30 is being received in a guiding space 61 in a guiding plate 62 which is

having as an important function guiding the cutting member ^* 3O' 'dfø?r4nf a blanking movement. The supporting member 40 is arranged in line with the cutting member 30, and is being received in a receiving space 63 in a mould 64 which is having as an important function guiding both the supporting member 40 and the transverse element 10 during a blanking movement. An inner circumference of the receiving space 63 corresponds substantially to the circumference of the cutting member 30, the supporting member 40 and the transverse element 10. Initially, the basic material 50 is located between the cutting member 30 and the guiding plate 62 on the one hand, and the supporting member 40 and the mould 64 on the other hand. A portion of the basic material 50 which is located between the cutting member 30 and the supporting member 40 is destined to constitute the transverse element 10, and will hereinafter be referred to as blanking portion 51. Another portion of the basic material 50, namely the portion which is located between the guiding plate 62 and the mould 64, will hereinafter be referred to as rest portion 52.

During a blanking movement, the cutting member 30 and the supporting member 40 on the one hand, and the guiding plate 62 and the mould 64 on the other hand, are moved with respect to each other. As a consequence of this relative movement, the cutting member 30 is pressed through the basic material 50, wherein the transverse element 10 is being formed because the blanking portion 51 is detached from the rest portion 52. During the blanking movement, the blanking portion 51 remains supported by the supporting member 40.

In figure 5, a longitudinal section of the blanking area of the blanking device 60 is diagrammatically depicted, wherein the. various components of the blanking device 60 are depicted in a relative position which is representative of a phase of the blanking process in which the cutting member 30 has already been pushed so far in the mould 64 that the blanking portion 51 has been completely cut loose from the rest portion 52, and is located in the mould 64, while being clamped between the cutting member 30 and the supporting member 40. As soon as the blanking portion 51 is released from the blanking device 60, it may be subsequently applied as transverse element 10 in a push belt 6, after having been processed further if so desired.

According to a preferred option existing within the framework of the present invention, the cutting member 30 is divided, wherein the cutting member 30 comprises two cutting member parts 30a, 30b. Figure 6 is a front view of this divided cutting member 30 according to the present invention, wherein the cutting member parts 30a, 30b are contacting each other. Figures 7 and 8 are perspective views of the divided cutting member 30, wherein in figure 7, the cutting member parts 30a, 30b are shown at a distance from each other. For sake of clarity, in figures 7 and 8, a projection 32 of the cutting member 30, which serves for making the recess 22 in the transverse element 10, is not shown. In this respect, it is noted that it is a practical possibility to apply a separate element for forming the recess 22 in the transverse element 10, wherein the cutting member 30 has a recess in which the element is being received, and wherein the element is movably arranged with respect to the other parts of the cutting member 30.

In figures 6-8, it is clearly shown that a first cutting member part 30a comprises the top portion 33, the neck portion 34, and a portion 35a of the basic portion 35 of the cutting member 30. On the other hand, a second cutting member part 30b comprises exclusively a portion 35b of the basic portion 35, wherein this portion 35b is the major part of the basic portion 35. The other portion 35a of the basic portion 35 is exclusively a part of the basic portion 35 which is connected to the neck portion 34. For sake of clarity, and taking into account the orientation of the divided cutting member 30 as shown in figure 6, the portion 35a of the basic portion 35, which is connected to the neck portion 34, and which is part of the first cutting member part 30a, will be referred to as top portion 35a of the basic portion 35, whereas the other portion 35b of the basic portion 35, which is the major part of the basic portion 35, and which is part of the second cutting member part 30b, will be referred to as bottom portion 35b of the basic portion 35.

The configuration of the cutting member parts 30a, 30b as shown in figures 6 and 8 is a configuration which is related to the application of the cutting member 30 during a blanking process. In this configuration, it is important that the cutting member parts 30a, 30b are accurately contacting each other, practically without play at the position of an imaginary plane 36 for making a separation between the cutting member parts 30a, 30b. When this would not be the case, an irregularity would be obtained in the

transverse element 10, which could lead to premature breakage of the transverse element 10 or could cause other problems when applying the transverse element 10 ^" in a push belt 6.

In practice, despite of an accurate connection of the cutting member parts 30a, 30b to each other, it is such that a little bit of an edge is obtained at a place of the transverse element 10 corresponding to the place of the imaginary plane 36 for making a separation between the cutting member parts 30a, 30b. However, the specific division of the blanking member 30 as shown in figures 6-8 is chosen such that this does not have a notable negative effect on the strength of the transverse element 10, or can be harmful to an adjacent transverse element 10 in the push belt 6. This is related to the fact that the imaginary plane 36 for making a separation between the two cutting member parts 30a, 30b is located exclusively in the basic portion 35 of the cutting member 30. In any case, it is better for the features of the transverse elements 10 being formed with the help of the cutting member 30 that the imaginary plane 36 for making a separation between the cutting member parts 30a, 30b is located completely in the basic portion 35, than being located in the neck portion, as is the case with the divided supporting member known from WO 2004/004942, or in the top portion, as is the case with the divided cutting member known from EP 1 132 648.

In the shown example, the imaginary plane 36 for making a separation between the cutting member parts 30a, 30b is U-shaped, wherein a basic portion 36a of the U-shaped plane is substantially planar. Dimensions in the horizontal direction of the neck portion

34 of the divided cutting member 30 are smaller than dimensions in the horizontal direction of the top portion 35a of the basic portion

35 which is connected to the neck portion 34. Planar end portions 36b of legs 36c of the U-shaped imaginary separating plane 36 are facing each other in a direction toward the neck portion 34. As a consequence thereof, it is not possible to place the cutting member parts 30a, 30b against each other by a movement perpendicular to cutting surfaces 37 of the second cutting member part 30b, which serve to cut out the supporting surfaces 17 of the transverse elements 10, and which are connected at one side to a side surface 39 of the neck portion 34 through a corrugated surface 38. An entrance of a slot 45 which is located in the second cutting member part 30b, and which serves to receive the portion 35a of the first cutting member part 30a corresponding to the top portion 35a of the

basic portion 35, is not large enough for letting in the top portion

35a of the basic portion 35 at a movement in said direction. Therefore, it is only possible to place the cutting member parts 30a, 30b in the proper way against each other by a movement perpendicular to the blanking surface 31 of the cutting member 30. As a result of the specific design of the portions 35a, 35b of the basic portion 35, which are each being part of another cutting member part 30a, 30b, it is only possible to join the cutting member parts 30a, 30b as jigsaw pieces. An important advantage thereof is that the cutting member parts 30a, 30b can not be taken apart without further action. In that case, a movement along the entire length of the cutting member parts 30a, 30b is needed. Because of the fact that the cutting member parts 30a, 30b are capable of retaining each other, it is possible to treat the divided blanking member 30 mainly as a one-piece blanking member 30 in practice.

As has been noted in the foregoing, the end portions 36b of the legs 36c of the imaginary surface 36 for making a separation between the cutting member parts 30a, 30b are ending at corrugated surfaces 38 extending between side surfaces 39 of the neck portion 34 and supporting surface cutting surfaces 37 of the basic portion 35. This is advantageous in view of the fact that it can do no harm to have a little bit of an edge at a corresponding place of the transverse element 10, especially when this place is located at a transition of a convex portion of the corrugated surface 38 to a concave portion. This is therefore the case in the shown example. In general, in that case, it is furthermore advantageous when the end portions 36b of the legs 36c of the imaginary separating plane 36 end at the corrugated surfaces 38 in a substantially perpendicular fashion, and breakage of the cutting member parts 30a, 30b is prevented as a result thereof.

Figure 9 is a side view of the divided cutting member 30. In this figure, a possible relative positioning of the cutting member parts 30a, 30b for the purpose of a blanking process is shown. Apart from that, in the shown example, the cutting member parts 30a, 30b are having the same length, but that is not necessary within the framework of the present invention.

In particular, in a longitudinal direction, the cutting member parts 30a, 30b are positioned with respect to each other in a somewhat shifted fashion, wherein a blanking surface 31a of the

first cutting member part 30a is projecting somewhat further than a blanking surface 31b of the second cutting member part 30b. On the basis thereof, it is achieved that in the transverse element 10, at least a portion of the top portion 16 and the neck portion 15, and a portion of the basic portion 14 are positioned in a somewhat recessed fashion with respect to the major part of the basic portion 14. In this way, it is guaranteed that the transverse elements 10 in the push belt 6 are in contact with each other through the basic portions 14, and breakage of the transverse elements 10 as a consequence of fatigue phenomena is prevented.

In the following, for sake of completeness, a number of general advantages of the application of a divided blanking member such as the divided cutting member 30 according to the present invention are described.

A first advantage is related to the above-described fact that it is possible to have the blanking surfaces 31a, 31b of the cutting member parts 30a, 30b at a different level, and that the level difference may be determined as desired. Changing the level difference is desired when a transverse element 10 having another shape needs to be manufactured and/or when basic material 50 having another shape and/or other dimensions is applied. In such a case, the relative position of the cutting member parts 30a, 30b may be adjusted in a simple fashion, for example, by applying a suitable filling plate, which is placed against back surfaces of the cutting member parts 30a, 30b in that case.

The fact that adjusting the configuration of the cutting member parts 30a, 30b can take place in an utmost simple fashion is of great value in practice, because this configuration is often experimentally adjusted to the desired shape of the transverse element 10.

A second advantage of the application of the divided cutting member 30 is that the cutting member parts 30a, 30b can be independently adjusted to requirements applying to the parts of the transverse element 10 to which the cutting member parts 30a, 30b are corresponding. In this way, a high accuracy can be achieved.

A third advantage of the application of the divided cutting member 30 is that the cutting member parts 30a, 30b can be loaded differently during the blanking process. In the application of an undivided cutting member 30, the top portion 33 is often so large

that the top portion 16 of the transverse element 10 is larger than necessary for absorbing the load which is experienced by the transverse element 10 during operation of the push belt 6. This is caused by the fact that during blanking with an undivided cutting member 30, there needs to be a balanced distribution of the forces acting on the cutting member 30 at the position of the basic portion 35 and at the position of the top portion 33, in order to prevent breakage of the cutting member 30. By applying a divided cutting member 30, the top portion 33 can be smaller, as a result of which weight is saved in the final transverse element 10.

A fourth advantage of the application of the divided cutting member 30 is that the cutting member 30 will not notably be loaded by a torque during the blanking process, and that an inclination to tilt, and possible factual tilting movements of the cutting member parts 30a, 30b do not occur. Therefore, there is no need to take an expected inclination to tilt and a possible factual tilting into account in the design of the cutting member parts 30a, 30b, which is beneficial to the accuracy with which transverse elements 10 are being formed. A fifth advantage of the application of the divided cutting member is that such a cutting member 30 can relatively easily be manufactured. All surfaces of the cutting member 30 may easily be reached, processed and/or provided with coatings.

It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the examples discussed above, but that various amendments and modifications thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. In the foregoing, a divided cutting member 30 has been described. However, it is also possible that the supporting member 40 is divided. Furthermore, it is not essential that the cutting member 30 is adapted to form the recess 22 in the transverse elements 10 to be blanked; the cutting member 30 could be provided with a recess itself, and on the basis thereof be applied to form the projection 21 on the transverse elements 10 to be blanked.

The present invention may be summarized as follows. In a blanking member 30 which is destined to be applied for the purpose of a blanking process in which transverse elements 10 for use in a

push belt 6 for a continuously variable transmission 1 are blanked out of basic material 50, substantially three portions can be distinguished, i.e. a relatively broad basic portion 35, a top portion 33, and a relatively narrow neck portion 34 interconnecting the basic portion 35 and the top portion 33. The blanking member 30 is divided, and comprises two blanking member parts 30a, 30b, wherein one 30b of the blanking member parts 30a, 30b comprises exclusively a portion 35b of the basic portion 35, and wherein an imaginary surface 36 for making a separation between the blanking member parts 30a, 30b is located exclusively in the basic portion 35. It is possible that the blanking member parts 30a, 30b are shaped such that they engage each other when being placed against each other to form the blanking member 30, wherein the blanking member parts 30a, 30b are fixable with respect to each other in at least one direction.