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US 9,464,697 B2Granted
Intelligent belt drive system and method
AssigneeLitens Automotive Partnership
InventorsJohn R. Antchak, Gary J. Spicer, Warren J. Williams, Zbyslaw Staniewicz, Andrew M. Boyes, Gerald J. Hamers, Ron Farewell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In the one aspect, a tensioner that incorporates a fluid actuated cylinder and that is capable of precognitively anticipating when is desirable to increase the tension in a belt or other endless drive element so as to prevent belt slip prior to events that would raise the risk of it.
Claims20
A tensioning system for tensioning an endless drive member, comprising:
- a tensioner pulley that is movable between a free arm stop position and a load stop position;
- a tensioner arm which supports the tensioner pulley;
- a tensioner actuator that includes a fluid actuated cylinder positioned to exert a force on the tensioner arm to drive the tensioner pulley towards the free arm stop position;
- a tensioner biasing member positioned to bias the tensioner pulley towards the free arm stop position;
- and
- a motor that is operatively connected to the fluid actuated cylinder to control the force exerted by the fluid actuated cylinder on the tensioner arm,
- wherein the tensioner actuator acts in parallel with the tensioner biasing member.
4 more elements
A tensioning system for tensioning an endless drive member, comprising:
- a tensioner pulley that is movable between a free arm stop position and a load stop position;
- a tensioner arm which supports the tensioner pulley;
- a tensioner actuator operatively connected to the tensioner arm and including a fluid actuated cylinder that is controllable to adjust a force exerted on the tensioner arm so as to control a force exerted by the tensioner pulley on the endless drive member;
- and
- a tensioner biasing member positioned to bias the tensioner pulley towards the free arm stop position;
- wherein the tensioner actuator acts in parallel with the tensioner biasing member.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.