Belt tensioner with pivot bushing

• US 6,682,452 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2002
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dayco IP Holdings, LLC (Dayco Products LLC)
• Original Assignee: Dayco Products LLC
• Inventors: Quintus, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Charles, Marcus
• Application Number:
  US10/075,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20030153422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 474/135, 474/133, 474/138, 474/109, 474/117, 403/33, 403/16, 403/28, 403/225
• US Class Current: 474/135
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 67/06 driven by means of chains, belts, or like endless members
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2007/081 Torsion springs
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/1281 where the axis of the pulley moves along a substantially circular path

Abstract

A belt tensioner for a power transmission belt is provided that operates on an endless path and that utilizes asymmetric motion control. The belt tensioner has an arm with a belt engaging section and a drum section, a support member for securing the tensioner relative to the belt, where the arm pivots about the support member, and a tension spring that urges the arm to pivot about the support member in a first direction and urges the belt engaging section against the belt with a force to tension the belt. The belt tensioner further comprises a cavity between the arm and the support member and a bushing comprising a bowed flange positioned in the cavity.

Claims

1. A tensioner for a power transmission belt that operates on an endless path, the tensioner comprising:

an arm comprising a belt engaging section and a housing section;

a support member for securing the tensioner relative to the belt, the arm pivoting about the support member;

a spring that urges the arm to pivot about the support member in a first direction and urges the belt engaging section against the belt with a force to tension the belt;

a cavity between the arm and the support member; and

a bushing comprising a bowed flange positioned in the cavity wherein the bowing of the flange biases the bushing axially along a longitudinal axis.

2. The tensioner of claim 1, the bushing further comprising cutout sections in the bowed flange.

3. The tensioner of claim 1, wherein the bushing is made of a nylon material.

4. The tensioner of claim 1, wherein the bushing is made of a moldable material.

5. The tensioner of claim 1, wherein the bushing has an inner surface comprising a fixed diameter and an outer surface that is tapered.

6. The tensioner of claim 1, wherein the spring is a flat, spiral wound spring.

7. The tensioner of claim 1, wherein the spring comprises a free wound end.

8. The tensioner of claim 1, wherein the support member comprises a housing for the spring.

9. The tensioner of claim 1, wherein the support member comprises a hub about which the arm pivots.

10. The tensioner of claim 1, wherein the belt engaging section includes a pulley.

11. A method of utilizing a tensioner for a power transmission belt that operates on an endless path, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an arm comprising a belt engaging section and a housing section;

providing a support member for securing the tensioner relative to the belt, the arm pivoting about the support member;

providing a spring that urges the arm to pivot about the support member in a first direction and urges the belt engaging section against the belt with a force to tension the belt;

providing a cavity between the arm and the support member; and

providing a bushing comprising a bowed flange positioned in the cavity wherein the bowing of the flange biases the bushing axially along a longitudinal axis.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of cutting out sections from the bowed flange.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of making the bushing from a nylon material.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of making the bushing from a moldable material.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of biasing the bushing axially along its longitudinal axis based on the bowed shape of the flange.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of forming the bushing with a an inside surface comprising a fixed diameter and an outside surface that is tapered.

17. A tensioner for a power transmission belt that operates on an endless path, the tensioner comprising an arm including a belt engaging section and a housing section, a support member securing the tensioner relative to the belt, the support member comprising a hub having a longitudinal axis and being fixed from movement relative to the belt engaging section, the hub moveably holding the arm, a spring operatively interconnected to the arm and the support member, the spring being configured to urge the belt engaging section relative to the support member and against the belt with a force to tension the belt, the improvement wherein the tensioner further comprises:

a cavity between the arm and the support member; and

a bushing comprising a bowed flange positioned in the cavity wherein the bowed flange biases the bushing against the arm.

18. The tensioner of claim 17, wherein the bushing comprises an inside surface with a fixed diameter and a tapered outer surface.