Granted Patent B2

US 7,186,196 · App. 10/198,214 · Granted Mar 6, 2007

Abstract

Claims (59)

1. A belt tensioner with integral damping for use in conjunction with a pulley assembly for tensioning an endless drive belt of a drive system, said belt tensioner comprising: a housing, a pivot shaft, a pivot bushing, a spring element, a disc-shaped spring bushing, a lever arm assembly, a friction element, an armplate, and a pulley assembly;

wherein said housing comprises a cup-shaped body having a closed circumferential end, a cylindrical wall extending perpendicularly from said circumferential end along a longitudinal axis, and an open circumferential end opposite said closed circumferential end, said closed circumferential end including a plurality of ribs radially disposed on an inner surface thereof, said plurality of ribs including securing means for securing said pivot bushing to said housing

wherein said pivot shaft comprises a cylindrical member having a proximal end, a distal end and an outer surface extending axially from said proximal end to said distal end, said pivot shaft further comprising a coupling means on said distal end thereof for fixedly mounting said armplate onto said distal end of said pivot shaft, said pivot shaft being fixedly secured to said closed circumferential end of said housing along said longitudinal axis, said coupling means configured to prevent axial rotation of said armplate with respect to said pivot shaft;

wherein said pivot bushing comprises a cylindrical body portion having an outer cylindrical wall surface, said pivot bushing further comprising a flared end, said flared end facing said closed circumferential end of said housing, said pivot bushing further comprising a plurality of grooves extending the longitudinal length of said pivot bushing, said pivot bushing being axially disposed on said outer cylindrical surface of said pivot shaft and secured to said housing by said securing means;

wherein said spring element is disposed in said housing between said cylindrical body portion of said pivot bushing and said cylindrical wall of said housing, a first end of said spring element being operatively connected to said housing and a second end of said spring element being operatively connected to said lever arm;

wherein said disc-shaped spring bushing is axially disposed between said spring element and said lever arm, said spring bushing having an outer circumferential surface commensurate with the circumferential surface of the outer edge of the circumferential wall of said housing, and a central circular opening having an inner circumferential surface commensurate with the outer circumferential wall of the tubular proximal end of said lever arm;

wherein said lever arm is pivotally mounted on said outer surface of said pivot bushing, said lever arm comprising a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end including a cup-shaped damping cavity having an open end extending longitudinally from said distal end for accepting said armplate and said friction element, said proximal end further comprising a tubular member extending oppositionally from said cup-shaped damping cavity and longitudinally onto and operatively connected to said pivot bushing, whereby said lever arm is pivoted about said longitudinal axis in a belt tensioning direction, said lever arm further having,

wherein said friction element comprises a first cup-shaved cavity having a flat bottom surface and a circumferential side surface, said friction element further including a centrally located aperture in said circumferential surface configured to prevent axial rotation of said friction element with respect to said lever arm, said friction element further comprising a cylindrical wall extending perpendicularly outward from said circumferential surface along a longitdinal axis, said friction element further comprising a cut-out portion extending from an outer rim of said cylindrical wall of said friction element to said centrally located aperture in said circumferential surface, such that said friction element tensionally fits into said cup-shaped damper cavity, said friction element providing a contact area having a high degree of damping on said cup-shaped damping cavity;

wherein said armplate comprises a second cup-shaved cavity having a flat bottom surface and a circumferential edge, said circumferential edge having a plurality of spaced apart finger elements extending radially outward from said circumferential edge and angularly with respect to said flat bottom surface, each of said finger elements having a surface area exhibiting one or more angular contours configured to enhance spring-like characteristics of said finger elements and provide a more uniform and enduring pressure as well as increased damping on said damping cavity in a radial direction, said armplate further comprising a centrally located aperture in said flat bottom surface, said aperture configured to mate with said coupling means on said axial end of said pivot shaft to prevent axial rotation of said armplate with respect to said lever arm; and

wherein said pulley assembly is mounted on said distal end of said lever arm, said pulley assembly including a pulley for receiving an endless drive belt and applying a tensioning force on said endless drive belt upon pivoting said lever arm in said belt tensioning direction,

and wherein said damping is independent of the axial force of said tensioner and said spring element.

2. The belt tensioner of claim 1 wherein said armplate is made of spring steel.

3. The belt tensioner of claim 1 wherein said spring element is a coil spring.

4. The belt tensioner of claim 1 wherein said spring element is made of steel.

5. The belt tensioner of claim 1 wherein said friction element is a wear resistant plastic material selected from the group consisting of polyamides (PA); polyetherimides (PEI); polysulfones (PS) polyether sulfones (PES); polyoxymethylenes (POM), polyacetals; polyetheretherketones (PEEK); polyphenylene sulfides (PPS); polyphthalamides (PPA); polyphthalimides (PPI); and mixtures thereof.

6. The belt tensioner of claim 5 wherein said wear resistant plastic material is a polyamide.

7. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein said centrally located aperture of said friction element is configured to mate with said coupling means on said axial end of said pivot shaft, said coupling means configured to prevent axial rotation of said frictional element with respect to said pivot shaft.

8. The belt tensioner of claim 1 wherein said friction element and said armplate comprise a unitary assembly, wherein said friction element is molded onto said armplate.

9. The belt tensioner of claim 1 wherein said armplate assembly provides sealing of said armplate cavity to prevent contaminants from entering said damping cavity.

10. The belt tensioner of claim 1 further comprising a fixing member for fixedly securing said armplate to said pivot shaft.

11. The belt tensioner of claim 10 , wherein said fixing member is a bolt or pin.

12. The belt tensioner of claim 1 further comprising a cover plate configured to mate with a circumferential rim of said cup-shaped damping cavity of said lever arm.

13. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , further comprising a sleeve over said pivot shaft to aid in maintaining alignment of said lever arm.

14. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein said lever arm further comprises at least one stop extending radially outward from an outer periphery thereof to limit rotation of said lever arm.

15. A method for assembling a belt tensioner having integral damping, wherein said damping is independent of the axial force of said tensioner, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a housing including a pivot shaft, wherein said housing comprises a cup-shaped body having a closed circumferential end, a cylindrical wall extending perpendicularly from said circumferential end along a longitudinal axis, and an open circumferential end opposite said closed circumferential end, said closed circumferential end including a plurality of ribs radially disposed on an inner surface thereof, said plurality of ribs including securing means for securing a pivot bushing to said housing said pivot shaft comprising a cylindrical member and having a poroximal end, a distal end and an outer cylindrical surface extending axially from a central location on said proximal end to said distal end, said pivot shaft further comprising a coupling means on said distal end thereof for mounting a friction element and an armplate onto said distal end of said pivot shaft, said pivot shaft being fixedly secured to said closed circumferential end of said housing along said longitudinal axis, said coupling means configured to prevent axial rotation of said friction element and said armplate with respect to said lever arm;

providing a pivot bushing having a cylindrical body portion including a cylindrical wall surface to aid in maintaining alignment of said lever arm, and a flared end, said pivot bushing having a purality of grooves extending the longitudinal length of said pivot bushing;

mounting said pivot bushing on said pivot shaft wherein said pivot bushing is axially disposed on said outer cylindrical surface of said pivot shaft and secured to said housing by said securing means;

providing a coiled spring element having a first end and a second end;

mounting said coiled spring element in said housing wherein said first end is operatively connected to said housing;

providing a spring bushing having a flat circumferential surface and a centrally located aperture therein;

mounting said spring bushing on said open circumferential end of said housing enclosing said pivot bushing and said spring element therein;

providing a lever arm comprising a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end including a cup-shaped damping cavity having an open end extending longitudinally from said distal end, said proximal end further comprising a tubular member extending oppositionally from said cup-shaped cavity and longitudinally and operatively connected onto said pivot bushing and to said spring element, whereby said lever arm is pivoted about said longitudinal axis in a belt tensioning direction, said lever arm further having at least one stop extending radially outward from an outer periphery thereof to limit rotation of said lever arm

mounting said lever arm on said pivot bushing in said housing wherein said cup-shaped damping cavity extends longitudinally outward from said housing and said tubular member extends into said housing an on said pivot bushing;

operatively connecting said second end of said spring element to said tubular member;

providing a friction element having a first cup-shaped cavity corresponding to said cup-shaped damping cavity in said proximal end of said lever arm, wherein said friction element comprises a circumferential surface having a centrally located aperture configured to prevent axial rotation of said friction element with respect to said lever arm, said friction element further comprising a cylindrical wall extending perpendicularly outward from said circumferential surface along a longitudinal axis, and a cut-out portion extending from an outer rim of said cylindrical wall of said friction element to said centrally located aperture in said circumferential surface;

installing said friction element into said cup-shaped damping cavity in said proximal end of said lever arm such that said friction element tensionally fits into said cup-shaped damper cavity, and said coupling means on said pivot shaft fixedly secures said friction element to said pivot shaft to prevent rotation of said friction element relative to said lever arm, said friction element providing a contact area having a high degree of damping on said cup-shaped damping cavity in said proximal end of said lever arm;

providing an armplate comprising:

a second cup-shaped cavity corresponding to said first cup shaped cavity in said friction element, said armplate including a flat bottom having a circumferential edge, said circumferential edge having a plurality of spaced apart finger elements extending radially outward from said circumferential edge and angularly with respect to said flat bottom, each of said finger elements having a surface area exhibiting one or more angular contours configured to enhance spring-like characteristics of said finger elements and provide a more uniform and enduring pressure as well as increased damping on said cup-shaped damping cavity in a radial direction, said armplate further comprising a centrally located aperture in said flat bottom, said aperture configured to mate with said coupling means on said distal end of said pivot shaft; and

installing said armplate into said first cup-shaped cavity in said friction element such that said centrally located aperture in said flat bottom of said armplate, configured to mate with said coupling means on said distal end of said pivot shaft in said flat bottom of said armplate, engages said coupling means on said distal end of said pivot shaft to prevent axial rotation of said armplate with respect to said lever arm;

providing a pulley assembly including a pulley for receiving an endless drive belt; and

mounting said pulley assembly on said distal end of said lever arm, wherein said pulley assembly applies a tensioning force on said endless drive belt upon pivoting said lever arm in a belt tensioning direction, and wherein said damping is independent of the axial force of said tensioner and said spring element.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising installing a sleeve over said pivot shaft to aid in maintaining alignment of said lever arm.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said coil spring element is operatively connected to said housing and to said lever arm for pivoting said lever arm about said longitudinal axis in a belt tensioning direction.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said angular spring bushing has an outer circumference commensurate with the circumference of said outer circumferential surface of said circumferential wall in said housing, and an inner circumference commensurate with the outer circumferential wall of said tubular proximal end of said lever arm.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein said steps of providing a friction element, installing said friction element, providing an armplate, and installing said armplate, comprise providing an armplate assembly comprising said friction element and said armplate, wherein said friction element is molded onto said outer cup-shaped surface of said armplate, and installing said armplate assembly, wherein said armplate assembly provides sealing of said armplate cavity to prevent contaminants from entering said cup-shaped damping cavity.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein said centrally located aperture of said friction element is configured to mate with said coupling means on said axial end of said pivot shaft, said coupling means configured to prevent axial rotation of said frictional element with respect to said lever arm.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of

providing a fixing member for fixedly securing said armplate to said pivot shaft; and

installing said fixing member such that said armplate is fixedly secured to said pivot shaft.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein said fixing member is a bolt or pin.

23. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

providing a cover plate configured to mate with a circumferential rim of said cup-shaped damping cavity of said lever arm; and

installing said cover plate onto said circumferential rim of said cup-shaped damping cavity in said lever arm.

24. The method of claim 15 , wherein said coiled spring element is a steel coiled spring element.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein said steel coiled spring element further includes an anti-friction material between said steel coils.

26. The method of claim 15 , wherein said friction element is a wear resistant plastic material selected from the group consisting of polyamides (PA); polyetherimides (PEI); polysulfones (PS) polyether sulfones (PES); polyoxymethylenes (POM), polyacetals; polyetheretherketones (PEEK); polyphenylene sulfides (PPS); polyphtbalamides (PPA); polyphthalimides (PPI); and mixtures thereof.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein said wear resistant material is a polyamide.

28. The method of claim 15 , wherein said armplate is a spring steel armplate.

Assignments (14)