Belt tension adjustment system
AssigneeHusqvarna AB
InventorJohn Southwell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A belt tensioning assembly may include a drive belt which may be configured to transfer torque from an engine, a pulley assembly which may guide the drive belt, a pulley adjustment arm which may be configured to move at least one pulley from the pulley assembly to adjust the tension level of the drive belt, a tension keeping assembly which may set and maintain a desired level of tension in the drive belt by moving the at least one pulley, and an interface assembly which may operably couple the tension keeping assembly to the pulley adjustment arm. The tension keeping assembly may include a setting portion at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt may be set and a retaining portion at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt may be maintained.
Claims18
A belt tensioning assembly for applying tension to a drive belt, the belt tensioning assembly comprising:
- a drive belt configured to transfer torque from an engine;
- a pulley assembly to guide the drive belt;
- a pulley adjustment arm configured to move at least one pulley from the pulley assembly to adjust the tension level of the drive belt;
- a tension keeping assembly to set and maintain a desired level of tension in the drive belt by moving the at least one pulley;
- and
- an interface assembly to operably couple the tension keeping assembly to the pulley adjustment arm,
- wherein the tension keeping assembly comprises a setting portion at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt is set and a retaining portion at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt is maintained, and
- wherein the tension keeping assembly further comprises:
- a tension adjustment arm configured to rotate to a desired tension level;
- a mounting bracket operably coupled to a cutting deck;
- and
- a fastening member operably coupling the tension adjustment arm to the mounting bracket.
A riding lawn care vehicle comprising:
- a frame to which wheels of the riding lawn care vehicle are attachable;
- an engine operably coupled to the frame, wherein the engine provides power to the wheels and to at least one cutting blade of the riding lawn care vehicle;
- a cutting deck operably coupled to the frame and comprising the at least one cutting blade and a drive belt, wherein the drive belt transfers torque from the engine to the at least one cutting blade;
- and
- a belt tensioning assembly for applying tension to the drive belt to ensure the drive belt transfers torque from the engine to the at least one cutting blade,
- wherein the belt tensioning assembly comprises a tension keeping assembly to set and maintain a desired level of tension in the drive belt,
- wherein the tension keeping assembly comprises a setting portion at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt is set and a retaining portion at which the desired level of tension in the drive belt is maintained, and
- wherein the tension keeping assembly further comprises:
- a tension adjustment arm configured to rotate to a desired tension level;
- a mounting bracket operably coupled to the cutting deck;
- and
- a fastening member operably coupling the tension adjustment arm to the mounting bracket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.