Belt tensioner with pivot bushing
AssigneeDayco Products, Inc.
InventorJames G. Quintus
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A belt tensioner for a power transmission belt is provided that operates on an endless path and that utilizes asymmetric motion control. The belt tensioner has an arm with a belt engaging section and a drum section, a support member for securing the tensioner relative to the belt, where the arm pivots about the support member, and a tension spring that urges the arm to pivot about the support member in a first direction and urges the belt engaging section against the belt with a force to tension the belt. The belt tensioner further comprises a cavity between the arm and the support member and a bushing comprising a bowed flange positioned in the cavity.
Claims18
A tensioner for a power transmission belt that operates on an endless path, the tensioner comprising:
- an arm comprising a belt engaging section and a housing section;
- a support member for securing the tensioner relative to the belt, the arm pivoting about the support member;
- a spring that urges the arm to pivot about the support member in a first direction and urges the belt engaging section against the belt with a force to tension the belt;
- a cavity between the arm and the support member;
- and
- a bushing comprising a bowed flange positioned in the cavity wherein the bowing of the flange biases the bushing axially along a longitudinal axis.
A method of utilizing a tensioner for a power transmission belt that operates on an endless path, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an arm comprising a belt engaging section and a housing section;
- providing a support member for securing the tensioner relative to the belt, the arm pivoting about the support member;
- providing a spring that urges the arm to pivot about the support member in a first direction and urges the belt engaging section against the belt with a force to tension the belt;
- providing a cavity between the arm and the support member;
- and
- providing a bushing comprising a bowed flange positioned in the cavity wherein the bowing of the flange biases the bushing axially along a longitudinal axis.
A tensioner for a power transmission belt that operates on an endless path, the tensioner comprising an arm including a belt engaging section and a housing section, a support member securing the tensioner relative to the belt, the support member comprising a hub having a longitudinal axis and being fixed from movement relative to the belt engaging section, the hub moveably holding the arm, a spring operatively interconnected to the arm and the support member, the spring being configured to urge the belt engaging section relative to the support member and against the belt with a force to tension the belt, the improvement wherein the tensioner further comprises:
- a cavity between the arm and the support member;
- and
- a bushing comprising a bowed flange positioned in the cavity wherein the bowed flange biases the bushing against the arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.