Timing belt spacer tool

• US 9,528,577 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2012
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gates Corporation The
• Original Assignee: Gates Corporation The
• Inventors: Johnson, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Dondero, William E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reese, Robert T
• Application Number:
  US14/394,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20150080159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 474/130
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/024 Belt drive
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/02 with belts; with V-belts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/023 with belts having a toothed contact surface or regularly spaced bosses or hollows for slipless or nearly slipless meshing with complementary profiled contact surface of a pulley toothed belts F16G1/28, F16G5/20
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/08 Means for varying tension of belts, ropes, or chains pulleys of adjustable construction F16H55/52 ; gearings with endless belts F16H7/02; tensioning for chains or belts specially adapted for cycles B62M9/16; belt or chain tensioning arrangements for endless conveyors B65G23/44
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/18 Means for guiding or supporting belts, ropes, or chains construction of pulleys F16H55/36
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 7/24 Equipment for mounting belts, ropes, or chains
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53978 including means to relatively position plural work parts

Abstract

A timing belt spacer tool with an arcuate spacer portion of predetermined uniform thickness and an extension tab extending in an axial direction from the mid-section of the spacer portion. The extension tab may have a grip, which may be in the form of a protrusion, bulge, thickness variation, edging, bead, or the like. The opposing ends of the arcuate spacer portion may be flexible enough to be straightened in use but still return to their original arcuate shape.

Claims

1. A timing belt spacer tool comprising an arcuate spacer portion of predetermined uniform thickness and an extension tab extending in an axial direction from the mid-section of the spacer portion;

wherein the extension tab comprises a grip comprising a thickened edge.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein the grip further comprises a recess defined by the thickened edge.

3. The tool of claim 1 integrally formed of thermoplastic material.

4. The tool of claim 1 wherein the opposing ends of the arcuate spacer portion are flexible enough to be straightened.

5. A timing belt drive kit comprising a timing belt spacer tool and one or more additional timing drive components selected from a timing belt, an idler pulley, a tensioner, a belt guide, a bearing, a seal, another tool, and a fastener;

the timing belt spacer tool comprising an arcuate spacer portion of predetermined uniform thickness and an extension tab extending in an axial direction from the mid-section of the spacer portion.

6. The kit of claim 5 wherein the extension tab comprises a grip.

7. A method sequentially comprising:

installing a timing belt on a timing belt drive comprising a toothed pulley, said timing belt wrapped on a portion of said toothed pulley;

installing loosely a timing belt guide adjacent said portion of said toothed pulley;

inserting a timing belt spacer tool comprising an arcuate spacer portion of predetermined uniform thickness and an extension tab extending in an axial direction from the mid-section of the spacer portion;

with said spacer portion inserted between said timing belt guide and the back of said timing belt on said portion of said toothed pulley;

tightening said timing belt guide;

removing said timing belt spacer tool.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said extension tab comprises a grip.