US 2006/0217222 A1Published application

Two-arm belt tensioner for a belt drive

AssigneeDayco Europe S.R.L.

InventorsSergio Lolli, Luca D'Amiucantonio

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A belt tensioner (20) for a belt drive (1) is designed to connect an engine shaft (6) of an internal-combustion engine (2) to a reversible electric machine (4) which has the function of starting motor and current generator, the belt tensioner (20) comprises a fixed part (21) and a pair of arms (23, 24), hinged on a common pin (31) carried by the fixed part (21) and provided with respective idle pulleys (25, 26), and a spring (27), which forces the two arms (23, 24) towards one another so as to load the pulleys (25, 26) elastically against respective branches (15a, 15b) of the belt (15). The two arms (23, 24) of the belt tensioner are provided with respective first arrest elements (37, 47), which are designed to interact with the fixed portion (21) to define respective positions of arrest of the arms themselves under the action of the spring (27), and respective second arrest elements (38, 48), which are designed to interact with the fixed portion (21) to define respective positions of end-of travel of the arms (23, 24) under the action of the pull of the belt (15).

Claims7

Dependent claims

A two-arm belt tensioner for a belt drive (1), comprising:

a fixed portion (21), designed to be fixed to a supporting structure (22);
a first arm (23) and a second arm (24), carried by said fixed portion (21) and hinged thereto about a common axis (A);
a first pulley (25) and a second pulley (26), mounted idle on respective ends (60, 61) of said arms (23, 24) and designed to co-operate with respective branches (15a, 15b) of a belt (15) of said drive (1);
and elastic means (27), which force said arms (23, 24) towards one another to maintain said pulleys (25, 26) in contact with said respective branches (15a, 15b) of the belt (15), said arms (23, 24) comprising respective first arrest elements (37, 47), which are designed to interact with said fixed portion (21) to define respective first positions of arrest of said arms (23, 24) under the action of said elastic means (27), and respective second arrest elements (38, 39;
48, 49), which are designed to interact with said fixed portion (21) to define respective second positions of end-of-travel of said arms (23, 24) under the action of the pull of said belt (15), said fixed portion (21) comprising a base plate (30), a pin (31) fixed to said plate (30) and defining said common axis (A) of rotation of the two arms (23, 24), said belt tensioner being characterized in that said fixed portion (21) includes an appendage (32) fixed to said base plate (30) and defining an element of contrast for said first and second arrest elements (38, 39;
48, 49) of said arms (23, 24).

3 more elements

A belt drive (1) for connecting a reversible electric machine (4) to an engine shaft (6) of an internal-combustion engine (2), said electric machine (4) being operable as an electric machine for starting said internal-combustion engine (2) or as generator, said drive (1) comprising:

at least one first pulley (7) fitted on the engine shaft (6) of said internal-combustion engine (2);
a second pulley (8) fitted on a shaft (9) of said electric machine (4);
and a belt (15) wound around said pulleys (7, 8), said belt (15) comprising:
a first branch (15a) and a second branch (15b) set respectively between said first pulley (7) and said second pulley (8) and between said second pulley (8) and said first pulley (7) in the direction of motion of the belt (15) itself;
and a two-arm belt tensioner (20), which comprises:
a fixed portion (21), designed to be fixed to a supporting structure (22);
a first arm (23) and a second arm (24), carried by said fixed portion (21) and hinged thereto about a common axis (A);
a first pulley (25) and a second pulley (26), mounted idle on respective ends (60, 61) of said arms (23, 24) and designed to co-operate respectively with said first branch (15a) and with said second branch (15b) of said belt (15);
and elastic means (27), which force said arms (23, 24) towards one another to maintain said pulleys (25, 26) in contact with said respective branches (15a, 15b) of the belt (15);
said arms (23, 24) comprising respective first arrest elements (37, 47), which are designed to interact with said fixed portion (21) to define respective first positions of arrest of said arms (23, 24) under the action of said elastic means (27);
and respective second arrest elements (38, 39;
48, 49), which are designed to interact with said fixed portion (21) to define respective second positions of end-of-travel of said arms (23, 24) under the action of the pull of said belt (15);
said fixed portion (21) comprising a base plate (30), a pin (31) fixed to said plate (30) and defining said common axis (A) of rotation of the two arms (23, 24), said belt drive being charaterised in that said fixed portion (21) includes an appendage (32) fixed to said base plate (30) and defining an element of contrast for said first and second arrest elements (38, 39;
48, 49) of said arms (23, 24).

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/541,259Filed 29 Dec 2003
Priority: IT TO2002A00113330 Dec 2002
Published: 28 Sep 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F16H 7/1281
Without vibration damping means: where the axis of the pulley moves along a substantially circular path
F02B 67/06
Of mechanically-driven auxiliary apparatus: driven by means of chains, belts, or like endless members
F16H 2007/081
Actuators for final output members: torsion springs
F16H 2007/0846
Means for varying tension of belts, ropes or chains: comprising a mechanical stopper