The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 11, 1994
Filed:
Oct. 08, 1992
Richard C St John, North Canton, OH (US);
Other;
Abstract
A belt tensioning system for maintaining consistent and constant tension in a serpentine drive system consisting of a series of pulleys and an endless belt interconnecting the pulleys. The tensioning system includes a power spring with an appropriate nominal torque and rate which acts on the idler pulley, and through the idler pulley on the belt, and is suitable to maintain sufficiently constant tension over a broad range of belt length variations and pulley locations while providing damping sufficient to prevent undue pulley oscillation over a broad range of vibration conditions. In one form of the invention, the spring itself is fixed at one end to the prime mover and the other end to a tensioner arm so as to operate on the idler pulley and maintain the belt tension and provide the damping. The hysteresis of the spring responding to pulley movement thus assists in the damping. In another form of the invention additional damping is provided by a spring loaded band brake. Both the spring and the damping brake are completely enclosed within the tensioner housing. The provision of a variable anchoring point for fixing the spring to the prime mover makes it possible to alter the angular orientation of the spring to provide the optimal initial spring torque which encourages optimum initial belt tension and so improve drive life.