Belt tensioner
AssigneeThe Gates Corporation
InventorAlexander Serkh
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Abstract
The invention is an improved tensioner for tensioning a power transmission belt. The tensioner is of the type having a track, a carrier mounted in sliding relation with the track with two degrees freedom of movement, a pulley rotatably mounted upon the carrier and for engaging the power transmission belt, a spring biasing the carrier in longitudinal relation to the track, and a damping mechanism that modifies the biasing of the spring based upon movement of the carrier in relation to the track. It is improved by the damping mechanism having a shoe placed in asymmetrical damping relation to the carrier and the track. Further, the shoe includes a first friction bearing surface in mating relationship with a second friction bearing surface of the track.
Claims5
An improved tensioner for tensioning a power transmission belt of the type having a track, a carrier mounted in sliding relation with said track with two degrees freedom of movement, a pulley rotatably mounted upon said carrier and for engaging said power transmission belt, a spring biasing said carrier in longitudinal relation to said track, and a damping mechanism that modifies the biasing of said spring based upon movement of said carrier in relation to said track, the improvement comprising:
- said damping mechanism including a shoe placed in asymmetrical damping relation to said carrier and said track, and including a first friction bearing surface in mating relationship with a second friction bearing surface of said track.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.