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:
Aug. 27, 2013
Filed:
Oct. 01, 2009
Thorsten Liebel, Furth, DE;
Fred G. Seebeck, Royal Oak, MI (US);
Scott Thompson, Warren, MI (US);
Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach, DE;
Abstract
A tensioning device for a traction mechanism drive for a belt drive that is incorporated in an internal combustion engine, in order to drive components of the engine or installed accessories. The tensioning device has a construction that is advantageous under production and construction viewpoints, by a high degree of robustness, and also by an advantageous mechanical operating behavior. The tensioning device includes a base part, a swivel arm, a torsion spring with a first winding end section that is allocated to the swivel arm and a second winding section that is allocated to the base part for applying a pivoting moment acting between the base part and the swivel arm and forcing the swivel arm in a tensioning direction, and a damping device for generating a damping force that counteracts a pivoting of the swivel arm directed against the tensioning direction. This damping device includes a first friction surface element that is arranged in a region of the winding end section of the torsion spring allocated to the swivel arm, and forms a friction surface that is used for applying friction force and that sits on a counter friction surface. In the region of the second winding end of the torsion spring for the base part, there is a second friction surface element that forms a friction surface that sits on a counter friction surface, and the counter friction surface is formed by a friction surface structure that can pivot together with the swivel arm.