Orbital tensioner
AssigneeThe Gates Corporation
InventorsMichael Koppeser, Marc Cadarette, Sangkyu Kim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An orbital tensioner comprising an annular base, a ring journalled to the annular base on a ball bearing, said ring having a ring axis of rotation (A-A), a first pulley journalled to the ring, a first pulley axis of rotation (B-B) offset from the ring axis of rotation (A-A), a pivot arm pivotally mounted to the ring, a pivot arm pivot axis (C-C) offset from the ring axis of rotation (A-A), a second pulley journalled to the pivot arm, a torsion spring biasing the pivot arm in a first direction, the ball bearing having a first race and a second race, the ring fixed to the first race, the annular base fixed to the second race, and a damping mechanism frictionally disposed between the ring and the base.
Claims14
An orbital tensioner comprising:
- an annular base;
- a ring journalled to the annular base on a ball bearing, said ring having a cylindrical portion and a ring axis of rotation (A-A);
- a first pulley journalled to the ring, a first pulley axis of rotation (B-B) offset from the ring axis of rotation (A-A);
- a pivot arm pivotally mounted to the ring, a pivot arm pivot axis (C-C) offset from the ring axis of rotation (A-A), a second pulley journalled to the pivot arm;
- a torsion spring biasing the pivot arm in a first direction;
- the ball bearing having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, and an inner race and an outer race;
- wherein
- the cylindrical portion of the ring has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the ball bearing so as to be fixed to the inner race;
- and wherein
- the annular base has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the ball bearing so as to fixed to the outer race;
- and
- a damping mechanism frictionally disposed between the ring and the annular base.
An orbital tensioner comprising:
- an annular base;
- a ring rotationally engaged with the annular base with a ball bearing, the ring having a cylindrical portion and a ring axis of rotation (A-A);
- a first pulley journalled to the ring and having a first pulley axis of rotation (B-B) that is offset from the ring axis of rotation (A-A);
- a pivot arm pivotally mounted to the ring and having a pivot arm pivot axis (C-C) that is offset from the ring axis of rotation (A-A);
- a second pulley journalled to the pivot arm;
- a torsion spring biasing the pivot arm in a first direction;
- the ball bearing having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, and an inner race and an outer race;
- wherein
- the cylindrical portion of the ring has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the ball bearing so as to be fixed to the inner race;
- and wherein
- the annular base has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the ball bearing so as to fixed to the outer race;
- and
- a damping mechanism frictionally disposed between the ring and the annular base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.