Borgwarner Inc.

J Christian Haesloop

George L Markley

Sam A Kuznets

A sprocket includes a plurality of teeth spaced about its periphery, roots located between pairs of adjacent teeth, and a cushion ring contacted by a chain engaging the sprocket teeth. The roots have root radii defined as the distance between the center of sprocket and the point along the root closest to the sprocket center in the radial direction. In some embodiments, the roots have three distinct radii. The cushioning material of the cushion ring receives the impact while engaging the chain. In some embodiments, the cushion ring has a contour substantially following the contours of the sprocket teeth geometry. In some embodiments, the cushion ring has a randomized contour to provide predetermined cushioning that varies from tooth to tooth around the sprocket.

Random elastomer cushion rings for a chain sprocket

A blade tensioner includes a blade shoe assembly with parallel stacked flat springs that pivots at one end and is supported in series by a spring loaded ramp at the opposite end. Providing a spring loaded ramp in series reduces the overall stiffness of the tensioner which enables a more uniform tensioning load as the tensioner takes up chain slack due to elongation from wear.

Series spring blade tensioner

A blade tensioner system for a chain that imparts tension to a chain that drivingly connects to a driven shaft to a drive shaft in an engine. The blade tensioner comprises a blade shoe and mating block. The blade shoe has an arcuately curved chain sliding face, a proximal end portion, and a distal end portion having a pair of tapered sides joined by a bottom and at an angle. The mating block has a channel with a pair of tapered sides joined by a bottom and at a second angle for receiving the distal end portion. When load on the chain increases, the tapered sides of the distal end portion and the bottom contact and wedge with the tapered sides of the channel of the mating block, damping chain vibration.

Wedge-damped blade tensioner

The present invention comprises a hydraulic tensioner for applying tension to a chain without external fluid pressure supply. The hydraulic tensioner includes a piston assembly comprising a piston with a hollow interior and a piston bore surrounding the piston. An end of the piston assembly is submerged in fluid. An inlet check valve, which controls an entry of fluid into the piston, is located below the fluid level. An outlet check valve, located at an opposite end of the piston assembly from the inlet check valve, controls an exit of fluid from the piston. A non-return mechanism is coupled to the piston such that the piston extends but does not retract more than an included backlash amount. Utilizing the motion allowed within this backlash amount, the tensioner acts as a self-priming pump.

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Ithaca, NY, United States of America

J Christian Haesloop