Belt tensioner with damping member
AssigneeDayco Products, Inc.
InventorsJames G. Quintus, Robert C. Joslyn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tensioner for tensioning a belt includes a support housing at least in part defining a spring cavity. A damping member having a first friction bearing surface is at least partially disposed in the spring cavity. An arm pivotally attached to the support housing has a second friction bearing surface. A spring is located in the spring cavity and operatively connected to the arm and damping member to pivot the damping member about a pivot location such that the first friction bearing surface of the damping member is biased against the second friction bearing surface of the arm to dampen relative movement between the arm and the support housing.
Claims20
A tensioner for tensioning a belt, the tensioner comprising:
- a support housing at least in part defining a spring cavity;
- a damping member at least partially disposed in the spring cavity, the damping member having a first damping portion pivotally connected to the support housing near a first end of the first damping portion and a second damping portion pivotally connected to the first damping portion at a hinged joint near a second end the first damping portion opposite the first end such that the first and second damping portions are capable of moving relative to each other;
- an arm pivotally attached to the support housing;
- and
- a spring located in the spring cavity and having a first end operatively connected to the arm and a second end operatively connected to the second damping portion of the damping member, the spring biasing the arm to pivot relative to the support housing and biasing the first and second damping portions of the damping member to pivot into frictional contact with the arm.
A tensioner for tensioning a belt, the tensioner comprising:
- a support housing at least in part defining a spring cavity;
- a damping member having a first damping portion pivotally connected to the support housing and a second damping portion pivotally connected to the first damping portion at a hinged joint such that the first and second damping portions are capable of moving relative to each other;
- an arm pivotally attached to the support housing;
- and
- a spring located in the spring cavity, the spring having a first end operatively connected to the arm and a second end operatively connected to the second damping portion of the damping member;
- wherein the damping member and spring are connected at a single location.
A tensioner for tensioning a belt, the tensioner comprising:
- a support housing at least in part defining a spring cavity;
- a damping member having a first damping portion and a second damping portion pivotally connected to each other at a hinged joint, wherein the first damping portion is pivotally connected to the support housing at a fixed pivot point;
- an arm pivotally attached to the support housing;
- and
- a spring located in the spring cavity and having a first end operatively connected to the arm and a second end operatively connected to the second damping portion of the damping member, wherein the spring biases the second damping portion of the damping member into frictional contact with the arm and wherein movement of the second damping portion causes the first damping portion to pivot about the fixed pivot point.
A method of tensioning a belt using a tensioner including a support housing at least in part defining a spring cavity and an arm pivotally connected to the support housing, the method comprising:
- biasing the arm to pivot relative to the support housing a spring;
- and
- biasing a first damping portion and a second damping portion of a damping member into frictional contact with the arm using the spring wherein the first damping portion and the second damping portion are connected to each other by a hinged joint and wherein the spring is in contact with the second damping portion but not the first damping portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.