Belt tensioner system
AssigneeDayco Products, Inc.
InventorRobert C. Joslyn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A belt tensioner system includes a belt tensioner and a bumper idler pulley. The belt tensioner includes an arm which is adapted to be rotatably-biased and includes a tensioner idler pulley which is supported by the arm and which travels in an arcuate path when the arm rotates. The bumper idler pulley is positioned at least partially in the arcuate path to stop the travel of the tensioner idler pulley when the arm rotates to a predetermined rotational position. In one application, the belt tensioner system is for an automotive vehicle.
Claims19
A belt tensioner system comprising:
- a) a belt tensioner including a rotatable arm which is adapted to be rotatably-biased in a first rotational direction and including a tensioner idler pulley which is supported by the arm and travels in an arcuate path when the arm rotates;
- and
- b) a rotatable pulley bumper idler that selectively contacts the tensioner idler pulley, wherein said pulley bumper idler is disposed at least partially in the arcuate path of the tensioner idler pulley, wherein the arm is rotated in a second rotational direction to a predetermined rotational position at which the tensioner idler pulley contacts the pulley bumper idler, upon contact the pulley bumper idler stops the arcuate travel of the tensioner idler pulley.
A belt tensioner system comprising:
- a) a belt tensioner including a rotatable arm which is adapted to be rotatably-biased in a first rotational direction and including a tensioner idler pulley which is supported by the arm and travels in an arcuate path when the arm rotates;
- and
- b) a rotatable pulley bumper idler that selectively contacts the tensioner idler pulley, wherein said pulley bumper idler is disposed at least partially in the arcuate path of the tensioner idler pulley, wherein the arm is rotated in a second rotational direction to a predetermined rotational position at which the tensioner idler pulley contacts the pulley bumper idler, upon contact the pulley bumper idler stops the arcuate travel of the tensioner idler pulley;
- and
- c) a closed-loop belt which rotates the tensioner idler pulley.
A belt tensioner system for an automotive vehicle having an engine crankshaft pulley comprising:
- a) a belt tensioner including a rotatable arm which is adapted to be rotatably-biased in a first rotational direction and including a tensioner idler pulley which is supported by the arm and travels in an arcuate path when the arm rotates;
- and
- b) a rotatable pulley bumper idler that selectively contacts the tensioner idler pulley, wherein said pulley bumper idler is disposed at least partially in the arcuate path of the tensioner idler pulley, wherein the arm is rotated in a second rotational direction to a predetermined rotational position at which the tensioner idler pulley contacts the pulley bumper idler, upon contact the pulley bumper idler stops the arcuate travel of the tensioner idler pulley;
- and
- c) a closed-loop belt which is operatively connected to the engine crankshaft pulley and which rotates the tensioner idler pulley, wherein the tensioner idler pulley engages the belt upstream of the engine crankshaft pulley, and wherein the only other pulley or pulleys, if any, engaging the belt upstream of the engine crankshaft pulley, and between the engine crankshaft pulley and the tensioner idler pulley, are idler pulleys.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.