# US 11,078,993 B2 · Orbital tensioner assembly

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,078,993 B2
- Document ID: US11078993B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/404,221
- Filed: 2019-05-06
- Published: 2019-08-22
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-26
- Assignees: Litens Automotive Partnership
- Applicants: Litens Automotive Partnership
- Inventors: Ingo Walter
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078993B2

## CPC

- F16H 7/1218: {of the dry friction type}
- B60K 25/00: Auxiliary drives (arrangement of tyre-inflating pumps mounted on vehicles B60C23/10)
- F02B 67/06: driven by means of chains, belts, or like endless members
- F16H 7/0831: {of the dry friction type}
- B60K 25/02: directly from an engine shaft
- B60K 2025/022: {by a mechanical transmission}
- F16H 2007/081: {Torsion springs}
- F16H 2007/0865: {Pulleys}
- F16H 2007/0874: {Two or more finally actuated members}
- F16H 2007/0893: {Circular path}
- F16H 2007/0897: {External to internal direction}
- F16H: GEARING
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G)

## Abstract

In an aspect, a tensioner is provided for tensioning an endless drive member that is engaged with a rotary drive member on a shaft of a motive device. The tensioner includes a base that is mountable to the motive device, a ring that is rotatably supported by the base in surrounding relationship with the shaft of the motive device and which is rotatable about a ring axis, a tensioner arm pivotally mounted to the ring for pivotal movement about an arm pivot axis, and first and second tensioner pulleys. The first tensioner pulley is rotatably mounted to the tensioner arm. The tensioner arm is biased towards a first span of the endless drive member on one side of the rotary drive member. The second tensioner pulley is rotatably mounted at least indirectly to the ring and is biased towards a second span of the endless drive member on another side of the rotary drive member. The ring is rotatable in response to hub loads in the first and second tensioner pulleys that result from engagement with the first and second spans of the endless drive member.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tensioner for an automotive engine accessory drive belt system, which system includes an endless belt entraining at least two pulleys, one pulley being connected to a crankshaft and one pulley being connected to a motor-generator unit (MGU), the tensioner comprising:
a base mountable to the MGU;
a ring slidably mounted to the base, the base retaining the ring axially and guiding the ring for rotation about an axis that is substantially coincident with a rotational axis of the MGU pulley;
a bushing disposed between the ring and the base for damping the rotational movement of the ring relative to the base;
a tensioner arm pivotally mounted to the ring for pivotal movement about an arm pivot axis that is offset from the ring rotational axis;
a first tensioner pulley rotatably mounted to the tensioner arm, the first tensioner pulley positioned for engaging an outside surface of a first belt span on one side of the MGU pulley;
a second tensioner pulley that is mounted for rotation about a rotational axis that is offset from the ring rotational axis, the second tensioner pulley positioned for engaging an outside surface of a second belt span on another side of the MGU pulley; and
a spring positioned for biasing the tensioner arm towards the first belt span and for biasing the first and second tensioner pulleys to move towards one another, thereby tending to increase the wrap of the belt around the MGU pulley;
wherein the ring is rotatable in response to hub loads received by the first and second tensioner pulleys that occur as a result of the first and second tensioner pulley engagements with the first and second belt spans.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A tensioner as claimed in claim 1, including a tensioner arm damping member disposed between the ring and the tensioner arm to dampen movement of the tensioner arm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A tensioner as claimed in claim 1, including an arm locking member configured to lock the tensioner arm in a selected angular position relative to the ring, such that the tensioner arm permits installation of the belt around the first and second tensioner pulleys and the MGU pulley.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A tensioner as claimed in claim 1, including a clamping member for clamping the bushing between the base and the ring while still permitting sliding movement of the ring relative to the base.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A tensioner as claimed in claim 4, wherein the clamping member includes a flange abutting the base and integrally formed clips attached to the ring.