Tensioner with increased damping
AssigneeLitens Automotive Partnership
InventorsMarek Frankowski, Dino Farronato, Rares I. Comsa, Frank C. Schimpl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an aspect, a tensioner for an endless drive member, comprising a shaft and base that are mountable to be stationary relative to an engine, a tensioner arm that is pivotable relative to the shaft about a tensioner arm axis, a pulley on the tensioner arm rotatable about a pulley axis that is offset from the tensioner arm axis, and that is engageable with an endless drive member, a tensioner spring that is positioned to urge the tensioner arm towards a free arm position, a damping element that engages the tensioner arm and that is engaged by a plurality of axially spaced segments of the tensioner spring.
Claims20
A tensioner for an endless drive member, comprising:
- a shaft and a base that are mountable to be stationary relative to an engine;
- a tensioner arm that is pivotable relative to the shaft about a tensioner arm axis;
- a pulley on the tensioner arm rotatable about a pulley axis that is offset from the tensioner arm axis, wherein the pulley is engageable with the endless drive member;
- a tensioner spring having a first end on a first end coil that is positioned to exert a force on the shaft and the base and a second end on a second end coil that is positioned to exert a force on the tensioner arm to urge the tensioner arm towards a free arm position;
- and
- a damping element that engages the tensioner arm and that is engaged by a plurality of axially spaced segments of the tensioner spring, including a segment that is on the second end coil having the second end,
- wherein the tensioner is in a belt-in-oil arrangement.
A drive arrangement, comprising:
- a crankshaft;
- an endless drive member driven by the crankshaft;
- and
- a tensioner for the endless drive member, including a shaft and a base that are mountable to be stationary relative to an engine;
- a tensioner arm that is pivotable relative to the shaft about a tensioner arm axis;
- a pulley on the tensioner arm rotatable about a pulley axis that is offset from the tensioner arm axis, wherein the pulley is engageable with the endless drive member;
- a tensioner spring having a first end on a first end coil that is positioned to exert a force on the shaft and the base and a second end on a second end coil that is positioned to exert a force on the tensioner arm to urge the tensioner arm towards a free arm position;
- and
- a damping element that engages the tensioner arm and that is engaged by a plurality of axially spaced segments of the tensioner spring, including a segment that is on the second end coil having the second end,
- wherein the damping element and the tensioner spring are lubricated with oil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.