Active tensioner
AssigneeThe Gates Corporation
InventorsRoger Stone, Brian Knight, Daniele Zecchetti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic tensioner having a load cell for detecting and controlling a power transmission belt tension. The tensioner comprises a lead screw driven by an electric motor for setting a lever arm/pulley position and thereby a belt load. The tensioner also comprises a load cell engaged with a tensioner lead screw for detecting a belt load. The tensioner motor is controlled loop using a load cell signal. The controller compares a detected belt load from the load cell with a predetermined belt load value to identify a desired belt load and thereby set a tensioner lever arm position corresponding to said desired belt load. The tensioner may also be controlled by an engine operating condition.
Claims30
A tensioner comprising:
- an electric actuator;
- a force imparting member engaged with a lever arm;
- a pulley journalled to the lever arm, the pulley engagable with a belt;
- the force imparting member engaged with the electric actuator whereby the force imparting member is axially moveable by the electric actuator;
- a load sensor coaxially engaged with the force imparting member, the load sensor detecting and transmitting a load signal to a controller;
- and
- the controller using the load signal to control a force imparting member position.
A system for adjusting a tension of an endless belt comprising:
- a tensioner having a toroid load sensor and a pulley journalled to a lever arm, the pulley in contact with an endless belt for applying a belt load to the endless belt;
- the toroid load sensor detecting a belt load and transmitting a belt load signal to a controller;
- and
- the controller using the belt load signal to select a pulley position for a belt load.
A method of controlling a belt load comprising the steps of:
- engaging a belt with a pulley, the pulley journalled to a pivoting lever arm;
- positioning the lever arm for a belt load;
- using a toroid load cell to detect a belt load;
- selecting a belt load value corresponding to a desired belt load;
- comparing the belt load to the belt load value;
- determining a new lever arm position based upon said belt load value;
- and
- moving the lever arm to the new lever arm position to set the belt load to the belt load value.
A method of tensioning a belt comprising the steps of:
- engaging a tensioner having a toroid load sensor with a belt;
- adjusting the tensioner position to impart a belt load to the belt;
- detecting the belt load with the toroid load sensor;
- comparing the detected belt load with a desired belt load;
- and
- adjusting the tensioner position with a controller until the detected belt load is substantially equal to the desired belt load.
A method of computing a belt modulus comprising the steps of:
- engaging a tensioner having a load sensor with a belt;
- adjusting the tensioner to a first position (P1) to impart a first belt load (L1) to the belt;
- detecting the first belt load (L2) with the load sensor;
- adjusting the tensioner to a second position (P2) to impart a second belt load (L2) to the belt;
- detecting the second belt load (L2) with the load sensor;
- and
- computing a belt modulus using (L1), (L2), (P1), (P2).
A method of computing a belt modulus comprising the steps of:
- engaging a tensioner having a load sensor with a belt;
- adjusting the tensioner to impart a first belt load (L1);
- detecting the first belt position (P1) with a limit switch;
- adjusting the tensioner to impart a second belt load (L2);
- detecting the second belt position (P2) with a limit switch;
- and
- computing a belt modulus using (L1), (L2), (P1), (P2).
A tensioner comprising:
- an electric actuator;
- a lead screw engaged with a lever arm;
- a pulley engagable with a belt, the pulley journalled to the lever arm;
- the lead screw engaged with the electric actuator whereby the lead screw is inoveable by the electric actuator;
- a load sensor coaxially engaged with the lead screw, the load sensor transmitting a load signal to a controller;
- and
- the controller using the load signal to control a lead screw position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.