US 2017/0370448 A1Published application

Tensioning pulley arrangement for a belt drive and belt drive having the tensioning pulley arrangement

AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC

InventorsJoachim Hansen, Stefan Quiring, Moritz Klaus Springer

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The tensioning pulley arrangement for a belt drive in an engine, is provided. In one example, the tensioning pulley arrangement includes a first tensioning pulley and a second tensioning pulley tensioning a belt with a spring force and a spring preload force generated by a first spring device coupled to the first and second tensioning pulleys. The tensioning pulley arrangement further includes an intensifying device that decreases belt tension during low belt load conditions and increases belt tension during high belt load conditions. In this way, friction losses during low belt loads may be reduced and belt slippage caused by high belt loads and/or dynamic shifts in belt loads may also be reduced.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A tensioning pulley arrangement for a belt drive, comprising:

a first tensioning pulley rotatable about a first axis, the first tensioning pulley interacting with a first strand of a belt of the belt drive to tension the first strand;
and
a second tensioning pulley rotatable about a second axis, the second tensioning pulley interacting with a second strand of the belt to tension the second strand;
where the first and second axes are parallel to one another and can be moved at a constant or variable distance from one another along path contours, which extend parallel to a plane perpendicular to the first and second axes;
where the first and second tensioning pulleys are placed against the belt with a spring force and a spring preloading relative to one another by a first spring device, and the first and second axes are arranged at a distance from one another in an initial position;
where the tensioning pulley arrangement has an intensifying device for increasing the spring force;
and
where the intensifying device includes,
a second spring device, which is connected in parallel with the first spring device and, in the event of an increase in the distance between the first and second axes and, is designed to increase the spring force and where the second spring device is relaxed in the initial position, or
a tensioning device, which tensions the first spring device to an increasing extent, in the event of a movement of a central point of the distance from its rest position, with increasing movement of the central point, where the first spring device has a first spring and a second spring, arranged in series, and the tensioning device includes a crank, where the first spring and the second spring are coupled in each case by one of their ends to one of the first and second axes and are coupled to the crank by crank-facing ends, and the crank is configured to move in the event of a movement of the central point out of its rest position, tensioning the first spring and the second spring.

7 more elements

A belt drive comprising:

a tensioning pulley arrangement including;
a first tensioning pulley rotatable about a first axis and the first tensioning pulley interacting with a first strand to tension the first strand;
and
a second tensioning pulley rotatable about a second axis, and the second tensioning pulley interacting with a second strand of a belt of the belt drive to tension the second strand;
where the first and second axes are parallel to one another and can be moved at a constant or variable distance from one another along path contours, which extend parallel to a plane perpendicular to the first and second axes;
where the first and second tensioning pulleys are placed against the belt with a spring force and a spring preloading relative to one another by a first spring device, and the first and second axes are arranged at a distance from one another in an initial position;
where the tensioning pulley arrangement has an intensifying device for increasing the spring force;
and
where the intensifying device includes,
a second spring device, which is connected in parallel with the first spring device and, in the event of an increase in the distance between the first and second axes and, is designed to increase the spring force, where the second spring device is relaxed in the initial position, or
a tensioning device, which tensions the first spring device to an increasing extent, in the event of a movement of a central point of the distance from its rest position, with increasing movement of the central point, where the first spring device has a first spring and a second spring, arranged in series, and the tensioning device is a crank, where the first spring and the second spring are coupled in each case by one of their ends to one of the first and second axes and are coupled to the crank by crank-facing ends, and the crank is configured to move in the event of a movement of the central point out of its rest position, tensioning the first spring and the second spring.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.