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US 5,348,514 AGranted
Belt tensioner, components therefor and methods of making the same
AssigneeDayco Products, Inc.
InventorMark P. Foley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeDayco Products, Inc.
InventorMark P. Foley
Estimating the term…
A tensioner for a power transmission belt is provided that is adapted to be operated in an endless path, the tensioner comprising a support for being fixed relative to the belt, a belt engaging means carried by the support and being movable relative thereto. The tensioner has a mechanical spring operatively associated with the support and the belt engaging means for urging the belt engaging means relative to the support and against the belt with a force to tension the belt. The tensioner has a frictional dampening device operatively associated with the support and the belt engaging means to dampen the movement of the belt engaging means relative to the support in at least one direction of movement thereof, tile dampening device having a longitudinal axis, the support comprising a shaft having a longitudinal axis and being fixed from movement relative to the belt engaging means. The belt engaging means has a portion thereof being rotatably carried by the shaft so as to rotate relative to the shaft, the dampening device has a pair of frictionally engaging first and second surfaces. The mechanical spring provides the force for urging the belt engaging means relative to the support and against the belt to tension the belt and further provides a certain force for urging the first surface against the second surface to dampen the movement of the belt engaging means.
In a tensioner for a power transmission belt that is adapted to be operated in an endless path, said tensioner comprising a support means for being fixed relative to said belt, a belt engaging means carried by said support means and being movable relative thereto, mechanical spring means operatively associated with said support means and said belt engaging means for urging said belt engaging means relative to said support means and against said belt with a force to tension said belt, and frictional dampening means operatively associated with said support means and said belt engaging means to dampen the movement of said belt engaging means relative to said support means in at least one direction of movement thereof, said dampening means having a longitudinal axis, said support means comprising a shaft means having a longitudinal axis and being fixed from movement relative to said belt engaging means, said belt engaging means having a portion thereof being rotatably carried by said shaft means so as to rotate relative to said shaft means, said dampening means comprises at least one pair of frictionally engaging first and second surfaces, the improvement wherein said mechanical spring means provides said force for urging said belt engaging means relative to said support means and against said belt to tension said belt and provides a certain force for urging said first surface against said second surface to dampen the movement of said belt engaging means thereof.
In a tensioning system comprising a tensioner and a power transmission belt that is adapted to be operated in an endless path, said tensioner comprising a support means for being fixed relative to said belt, a belt engaging means carried by said support means and being movable relative thereto, mechanical spring means operatively associated with said support means and said belt engaging means for urging said belt engaging means relative to said support means and against said belt with a force to tension said belt, and frictional dampening means operatively associated with said support means and said belt engaging means to dampen the movement of said belt engaging means relative to said support means in at least one direction of movement thereof, said dampening means having a longitudinal axis, said support means comprising a shaft means having a longitudinal axis and being fixed from movement relative to said belt engaging means, said belt engaging means having a portion thereof being rotatably carried by said shaft means against said second surface to dampen the movement of said belt engaging means thereof, the improvement wherein said mechanical spring means provides said force for urging said belt engaging means relative to said support means and against said belt to tension said belt and provides a certain force for urging said first surface against said second surface to dampen the movement of said belt engaging means thereof.
In a method of making a tensioner for a power transmission belt that is adapted to be operated in an endless path, said method comprising the steps of forming a support means for being fixed relative to said belt, forming a belt engaging means to be carried by said support means and being movable relative thereto, forming frictional dampening means to be operatively associated with said support means and said belt engaging means to dampen the movement of said belt engaging means relative to said support means in at least one direction of movement thereof, said dampening means having a longitudinal axis, forming said support means to comprise a shaft means having a longitudinal axis and being fixed from movement relative to said belt engaging means, said belt engaging means having a portion thereof being rotatably carried by said shaft means so as to rotate relative to said shaft means, forming said spring means to have a longitudinal axis and be spiraled about said axis thereof, forming said dampening means to comprise at least one pair of frictionally engaging first and second surfaces, the improvement comprising the step of operatively associating mechanical spring means with said support means and said belt engaging means for urging said belt engaging means relative to said support means and against said belt with a force to tension said belt and urging said first surface against said second surface with a certain spring force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.