Belt drive cantilever tensioner
AssigneeThe Gates Corporation
InventorJohn D. Redmond
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention comprises a belt drive cantilever tensioner. The tensioner is particularly suited to belt drive systems having a high belt tension. The tensioner comprises a pulley journaled to a cantilever arm. The cantilever arm is pivotably attached to a mounting surface by a fastener at a pivot. The cantilever arm further comprises a hole disposed radially from the pivot for containing an embedded resilient member. A second fastener extends through the resilient member fixing it in a position relative to the first fastener. A load applied to the pulley causes the arm to pivot thereby causing a lever action to exert a force upon the resilient member. The resilient member has a limit of movement as well as an asymmetric force characteristic which increases in proportion to an arm rotation.
Claims4
A cantilever tensioner comprising:
- an arm;
- a pulley journaled to the arm;
- the arm having a pivot comprising a fastener for mounting the tensioner to a mounting surface, the pivot disposed a distance from the pulley;
- the arm having a hole;
- an elastomeric member disposed in the hole;
- and
- a fastener engaged through the elastomeric member for mounting the tensioner to a mounting surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.