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US 11,378,172 B2Granted
Clutch for belt drive system
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsJacqueline Norman Gray, Javier Reyna Gándara, Joey A. Mock, Nicholas M. Barden
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems, apparatus, and methods for tensioning systems of a drive belt are disclosed. Particularly, tensioning systems for a drive belt of a rotary screen of a harvester combine are disclosed. The tensioning system provides for avoiding over-tensioning the drive belt when the drive belt is disengaged from a drive shaft. The tensioning system may also provide for maintaining continuous operation of the drive shaft as the drive belt is moved between engagement and disengagement with the drive shaft.
Claims20
A tensioning device comprising:
- a tensioner pivotable about a first axis, the tensioner comprising:
- a first arm rotatable about the first axis;
- a second arm rotatable about the first axis, the first arm and the second arm pivotable relative to each other;
- a biasing assembly that couples the first arm and the second arm, the biasing assembly elastically coupling the first arm and the second arm;
- and
- a first wheel disposed at an end of the second arm, the first wheel configured to engage a drive belt;
- a third arm pivotable about the first axis;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the tensioner and the third arm, the tensioner and the third arm moveable about the first axis between a first configuration in which the third arm is configured to be disengaged from the drive belt when the actuator is in a first position and an second configuration in which the third arm is configured to be engaged with the drive belt when the actuator is in a second position, different from the first position.
6 more elements
A belt drive system comprising:
- a rotatable screen defining a circumferential surface;
- a drive belt engaged with a portion of the circumferential surface;
- a shaft comprising a first wheel that is selectively engageable with the belt, the rotatable screen rotatable in response to rotation of the shaft that is transmitted to the rotatable screen by the belt;
- a tensioning device comprising:
- a tensioner pivotable about a first axis, the tensioner comprising a second wheel that engages the drive belt to produce a selected amount of tension in the drive belt;
- a clutch arm pivotable about the first axis;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the tensioner and the clutch arm, the actuator movable between a first position in which the tensioner and the clutch arm are pivoted into a first configuration in which the clutch arm is free from engagement with the drive belt and a second position in which the tensioner and the clutch arm are pivoted into a second configuration in which the clutch arm engages the drive belt to disengage the drive belt from the first wheel.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.