Dayco IP Holdings, LLC

James Kevin Lindstrom

Anthony Eugene Lannutti

Kevin Gerard Dutil

Robert J Crist

Jeffrey A Swane

Zachary Fittro

Donald B Brown

Chester E Duffield, Iii

Kevin G Dutil

Robert James Crist

Chester E Duffield

A tensioning system including a base and an arm pivotally coupled to the base, the arm having an engagement surface and being configured to pivot relative to the base about a pivot axis. The system further includes a biasing mechanism operatively coupled to the arm to bias the arm relative to the base, and a seal assembly sealingly positioned between the arm and the base. The seal assembly is coaxial with the pivot axis and configured to accommodate relative axial movement between the base and the arm and relative radial movement between the base and the arm while still maintaining a seal therebetween.

Sealed belt tensioning device

Zed-type belt tensioners are described that include an arm having a first end rotatable about a first axis to move a second end of the arm into engagement with a belt, a tensioner component coupled to the first end of the arm, and a supplemental force element positioned between the arm and the tensioner component. The second end of the arm while tensioning a belt experiences a hub load applied by the belt and the supplemental force element is positioned at a point to apply a force that counteracts the hub load thereby reducing cocking of the arm. Also described herein are methods of counteracting the hub load using such belt tensioners and methods of assembly of such belt tensioners.

Belt tensioner with supplemental force element

Retaining clamps for retaining an over-molded plastic component to a substrate are disclosed herein that include a generally annular band having an inner surface, which defines an inner cavity for receiving a substrate rotatable about a central axis, and an opposing outer surface, which receives an over molded plastic component. The clamps have a plurality of axially extending retaining features formed in the annular band. The retaining features define a trough in the inner surface and a first crest in the outer surface or define a coupling portion forming a second crest. The retaining features are evenly spaced a distance apart along the generally annular band. A pulley body assembly is disclosed having a retaining clamp seated about an outer ring of a bearing for retaining a pulley body over-molded thereto. A method for over-molding a plastic component to a substrate using the retaining clamp is also disclosed herein.

Retaining clamp for molded plastics

Low-noise pulleys and methods of constructing low-noise pulleys are disclosed. In a first aspect, first and second pluralities of arms extending radially outward from the outer hub to the outer rim are angularly offset from each other about the axis of rotation to eliminate symmetry across the lateral midline of the pulley. In a second aspect, the radially outermost ends of a plurality of arms are arcuately spaced apart according to a pitch sequence describing a pseudo-random pattern of relative spacings so as to reduce or eliminate rotational symmetry of the pulley. In a third aspect, features of the first and second aspects are combined, and in one embodiment, first and second pluralities of arms are, respectively, approximately oppositely canted so as to vary the arcuate spacings of the laterally outermost ends of the arms.

Low noise pulley

A tensioner is disclosed that may be part of a power system where the tensioner provides tension to an endless power transmitting element such as a belt, chain, or other continuous loop. The tensioner has an arm that is rotatable about a first axis. The tensioner also includes an outer spring and at least one inner spring. The outer spring has an outer coil that defines an outer diameter. The inner spring has an inner coil that defines an inner diameter. The inner diameter of the inner coil is less than the outer diameter of the outer coil such that at least a portion of the inner spring is received by the outer spring. The outer spring and the inner spring both urge the arm to rotate about the first axis and into tensioning engagement with the power transmitting element.

Tensioner with multiple nested torsion springs

A tensioner may be part of a power system to tension an endless power transmitting element. The tensioner includes an arm having an arm arbor with a slot therethrough that is rotatable about a first axis, a bushing having a sleeve that includes a cut-out and a removable sleeve-segment that has a protrusion thereon, the sleeve-segment being receivable in the cut-out with the protrusion in the slot, and a spring coupled to the arm for rotation of the arm about the first axis into tensioning engagement with a power transmitting element. The spring is positioned where it can radially expand into contact with the protrusion of the bushing, at least the protrusion on the sleeve-segment, as the arm is rotated in a direction opposite the direction of tensioning engagement such that the bushing is urged radially outward relative to the arm arbor to provide frictional damping.

Growing community of inventors

Springdale, AR, United States of America

James Kevin Lindstrom