The invention relates to a tensioner, and more particularly, to a tensioner having a first pivot arm and a second pivot arm mounted to a base, a flexible member trained between the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm so the pivot arms move in a coordinated manner, and a tensioner assembly mounted to the base engaging the flexible member.

Background of the Invention

In most belt drive applications the ability to maintain proper belt tension is important to ensure power transmission without slippage of the belt. The lowest tension span in a belt drive is commonly referred to as the slack side span. Tensioners are traditionally positioned on the slack side span of a belt drive and are tasked with maintaining the proper minimum belt tension in this span. Using the belt rotation direction as a guide, this span is the span located just after the power providing pulley or crankshaft in this case. For instance, as the crankshaft rotates, the slack side span will be the span where the belt has just left the crankshaft pulley and the tight side span will be the span approaching the crankshaft pulley.

Belt alternator starter (BAS) systems utilize an alternator that also functions as motor. This is sometimes referred to as a motor-generator. The operation of the BAS system is such that when the engine is running, the alternator primarily behaves in a traditional manner and the belt is loaded normally with the power being provided by the engine crankshaft pulley and loaded by the alternator. In BAS systems the drive is typically arranged to position the alternator as the next accessory after the belt passes over the crankshaft. In this arrangement, the belt tensioner should be located between the crankshaft pulley and the alternator. The tensioner is located just before the alternator using the belt rotation direction as a guide.

BAS systems bring a unique problem to the belt drive. The alternator acts as both a load on the belt drive and a power provider for the belt drive. The BAS system alternator is used to start the engine and the alternator is used to provide power to the engine. In start instances, the alternator pulley becomes a power provider for the drive. This typically transforms the location of the slack span in the drive to the span following the alternator pulley. Additionally, the tight side span is now the span between the alternator and the crankshaft. Since a traditional tensioner is designed to simply maintain a minimum level of slack side tension, the now high tension in the belt at the tensioner location causes extreme movement of the tensioner. Additionally, this situation creates the need for a second tensioner in a location on the new slack side span.

The traditional approach to solving this problem is to create a belt drive with two tensioners. This second tensioner is typically a tensioner with high resistance to movement away from the belt. The second tensioner is often an expensive hydraulic tensioner. This two tensioner arrangement also requires an excessively long belt to accommodate the multiple tensioners in the drive. This often results in an expensive solution.

Representative of the art is US patent no. 7,494,434 which discloses an accessory drive for an engine with a belt driven starter generator adapted for driving and being driven by the engine. In an exemplary embodiment, the drive includes a first engine drive pulley and a second starter drive pulley. A drive belt engages the drive pulleys for driving either pulley from the other. A dual belt tensioner made as a preassembled unit has a carrier with a central pivot mounted to the engine and first and second carrier arms extending radially from the central pivot. A first tensioner mounted on the first arm carries a first tensioner pulley biased against a first belt run adjacent the second drive pulley that is slack during engine starting. A second tensioner pulley carried on the second arm is biased against a second belt run adjacent the second drive pulley that is taut during engine starting A hydraulic strut connected to the second arm, and preferably included in the preassembled unit, provides moderate biasing for the second tensioner pulley during normal engine operation and velocity sensitive resistance, to increased belt forces, that limits reactive movement of the second tensioner pulley during engine starting and transient engine operation.

What is needed is a tensioner having a first pivot arm and a second pivot arm mounted to a base, a flexible member trained between the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm so the pivot arms move in a coordinated manner, and a tensioner assembly mounted to the base engaging the flexible member. The present invention meets this need.

Summary of the Invention

The primary aspect of the invention is to provide a tensioner having a first pivot arm and a second pivot arm mounted to a base, a flexible member trained between the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm so the pivot arms move in a coordinated manner, and a tensioner assembly mounted to the base engaging the flexible member .

Other aspects of the invention will be pointed out or made obvious by the following description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.

The invention comprises a tensioner comprising a base, a first pivot arm pivotally engaged to the base, a first pulley journalled to the first pivot arm, a second pivot arm pivotally engaged to the base, a second pulley journalled to the second pivot arm, a flexible tensile member having a toothed engagement with the first pivot arm and a toothed engagement with the second pivot arm whereby the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm move in a coordinated manner, and a tensioner assembly pivotally engaged to the base and engaged with the flexible tensile member.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with a description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the device. Figure 2 is a cross-section view of the device.

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the device.

Figure 4 is a detail of a damping assembly.

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the damping assembly Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail of a damping assembly.

Figure 7 is an exploded view of the damping assembly Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a top perspective view of a synchronous tensioner assembly.

Figure 9 is an exploded view of the synchronous tensioner assembly in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an exploded view of an idler assembly.

Figure 11 is an exploded view of an idler assembly.

Figure 12A is a detail of a pivot arm.

Figure 12B is a detail of a pivot arm.

Figure 13A is a detail of a pivot arm.

Figure 13B is a detail of a pivot arm.

Figure 14 is a top perspective view of the internals of the device.

Figure 15 is a detail of the device in an operating position on an engine.

Figure 16 shows the orientation of pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 and the hub load in the at rest position.

Figure 17A is a detail of the pivot arm load conditions .

Figure 17B is a detail of the pivot arm load conditions .

Figure 18 shows the orientation of pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 and the hub load in the alternator starting mode position.

Figure 19 is a detail of a clutch spring.

Figure 20 is a detail of a clutch spring.

Figure 21 is a detail of the base.

Figure 22A illustrates pivot arm position during an operating condition.

Figure 22B illustrates pivot arm position during an operating condition.

Figure 22C illustrates pivot arm position during an operating condition.

Figure 22D illustrates pivot arm position during an operating condition.

Figure 23 is an underside view of the tensioner assembly in Figure 8.

Figure 24 is a detail of a tensioner spring.

Figure 25 is a detail of the base.

Figure 26 is a rear detail of the tensioner mounted to the alternator.

Figure 27 is a rear top view detail of the tensioner mounted to the alternator.

Figure 28 is a bottom view of the tensioner arm.

Figure 29 is a perspective view of section 29-29 from Figure 2.

Figure 30 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment .

Figure 31 is a plan view of the embodiment in Figure 30.

Figure 32 is an exploded view of the embodiment in Figure 30.

Figure 33 is cross-sectional view of the embodiment in Figure 30.

Figure 34 is a side view of an eccentric arm cam.

Figure 35 is a perspective view of the arm in Figure

34.

Figure 35a is a perspective view of the arm in Figure 34.

Figure 36 is a perspective view of the arm in Figure

37.

Figure 36a is a perspective view of the arm in Figure 37.

Figure 37 is a side view of an eccentric arm cam. Figure 38 is a side view of an eccentric upper arm.

Figure 39 is a perspective view of the arm in Figure

38.

Figure 40 is a side view of an eccentric upper arm.

Figure 41 is a perspective view of the arm in Figure

40.

Figure 42 is a side cross section of the embodiment in Figure 31.

Figure 43 is a detail of an idler assembly.

Figure 44 is a detail of the damping mechanism for the embodiment in Figure 30.

Figure 45 is the damping mechanism for the embodiment in Figure 30.

Figure 46 is a cross section of the embodiment in

Figure 31.

Figure 47 is a detail of the base of the embodiment in Figure 30.

Figure 48 is a detail of the spring of the embodiment in Figure 30.

Figure 49 is a detail of the spring of the embodiment in Figure 30.

Figure 50 is a plan view of the tensioner of the embodiment in Figure 30.

Figure 51 is a side view of the tensioner in Figure

50.

Figure 52 is a side view of the tensioner in Figure

50.

Figure 53 is a cross section of the tensioner in Figure 50.

Figure 54 is an exploded view of the tensioner in Figure 50.

Figure 55 is a detail of the base in Figure 47.

Figure 56 is a detail of the base in Figure 47.

Figure 57 is a detail of the base in Figure 47.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the device. The inventive tensioner 1000 comprises a first tensioner assembly 501 and a second tensioner assembly 502 each pivotally mounted to a base 1.

Figure 2 is a cross-section view of the device. Extending from base 1 is shaft 2 and shaft 22. Pivot arm 5 is pivotally journalled to shaft 2 through a bushing 6. The pivot axis of pivot arm 5 is coaxial with shaft 2. Pivot arm 55 is pivotally journalled to shaft 22 through a bushing 66. The pivot axis of pivot arm 55 is coaxial with shaft 22. Shaft 2 and shaft 22 are not coaxial. The pivot axis of arm 5 is not coaxial with the pivot axis of arm 55.

Clutch spring 3 is engaged between damping assembly 4 and base 1. Clutch spring 33 is engaged between damping assembly 44 and base 1. Pulley 101 is journalled to pivot arm 55 through bearing 102. Pulley 10 is journalled to pivot arm 5 through bearing 12. Clutch spring 3 and clutch spring 33 are used to activate the damping function.

Fastener 14 and fastener 144 retain cover 9 on base 1. Arm 5 is retained on base 1 by retaining ring 7. Tensioner assembly 15 is retained on base 1 by cover 9. Cover 9 protects the internal components from debris.

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the device. Washer 120 is disposed between retaining ring 7 and bushing 6. Washer 122 is disposed between retaining ring 77 and bushing 66. Arm 5 pivots about bushing 6 and bushing 661. Arm 55 pivots about bushing 660 and bushing 66. Fastener 13 engages arm 5. Fastener 133 engages arm 55.

Figure 4 is a detail of a damping assembly. Figure 5 is an exploded view of the damping assembly in Figure 4. Damping assembly 4 comprises damping shoe 41 and damping ring 42. Damping ring 42 is coaxial with damping shoe 41. Damping ring 42 is cylindrical in shape with a gap 421 in an axial direction. Damping ring 42 has a plurality of tabs 420 and 430 projecting inwardly for containing damping shoe Damping shoe

cylindrical in shape with a gap 410 in an axial direction. The outer surface 422 of damping ring 42 frictionally engages inner surface 51 of pivot arm 5.

Figure 6 is a detail of a damping assembly. Figure 7 is an exploded view of the damping assembly in Figure 6. Damping assembly 44 comprises damping shoe 441 and damping ring 442. Damping ring 442 is coaxial with damping shoe 441. Damping ring 442 is cylindrical in shape with a gap 4440 extending axially. Damping ring 442 has a plurality of tabs 4420 and tabs 4430 projecting inward for containing damping shoe 441. Damping shoe 441 is cylindrical in shape with a gap 4410 extending axially. The outer surface 4421 of damping ring 442 frictionally engages inner surface 551 of pivot arm 55.

Figure 8 is a top perspective view of a tensioner assembly. Figure 9 is an exploded view of the tensioner assembly in Figure 8. Synchronous tensioner assembly 15 comprises a rotatable belt guide 151, fastener 152, arm 153 and spring 154. Belt guide 151 is journalled to arm 153 by shaft 155. Shaft 155 engages hole 1532 in arm 153. Arm 153 is pivotally attached to base 1 by fastener 152. Spring 154 is fixedly attached to arm 153 by tab 1530 and tab 1531, see Figure 28. Spring 154 acts as a biasing member to apply a torque to arm 153, which then applies load to belt 8. Figure 23 is an underside view of the tensioner assembly in Figure 8. Figure 24 is a detail of a tensioner spring. Figure 25 is a detail of the base. Spring end 1540 is engaged between tab 912 and tab 913 in base 1 which prevents rotation of spring 154 when loaded, see Figure 21 and Figure 25.

Shaft 2 is fixedly attached to base 1. Clutch spring 3 is fixedly attached to base 6 through tang which engages slot 911 of base 1, see Figure 19 and Figure 21. Pivot arm 5 and bushing 6 and bushing 661 are journalled to shaft 2 through bore 54. Washer 120 is coaxial with shaft 2. Retaining ring 7 is fixedly located on shaft 2 in groove 21. Damping assembly 4 is coaxial with pivot arm 5.

Shaft 22 is fixedly attached to base 1. Clutch spring 33 is attached to base 1 through tang 331 which engages slot 910, see Figure 20 and Figure 21. Pivot arm 55 and bushing 66 and bushing 660 are pivotally attached to shaft 22 through bore 554. Washer 122 is coaxial with shaft 22. Retaining ring 77 is fixedly located on shaft 22 in groove 221. Retaining ring 7 retains arm 5 on shaft 2. Retaining ring 7 is fixedly located on shaft 2 in groove 21. Retaining ring 77 retains arm 55 on shaft 22. Damping assembly 44 is coaxial with pivot arm 55. Damping assembly 44 frictionally engages pivot arm damping surface 551.

Figure 10 is a detail of an idler assembly. Figure 11 is a detail of an idler assembly. Pulley 10 is journalled to bearing 12. Bearing 12 is journalled to pivot arm 5 on surface 53. Pulley 101 is journalled to bearing 102. Bearing 102 is journalled to pivot arm 55 on surface 553.

Figure 12A is a detail of a pivot arm. Figure 12B is a detail of a pivot arm. Figure 13A is a detail of a pivot arm. Figure 13B is a detail of a pivot arm. Pivot arm bearing mounting surface 53 receives bearing 12 and is not coaxial with pivot arm bore 54, see bearing axis (A) and pivot axis (B) respectively. Pivot arm bearing mounting surface 553 receives bearing 102 and is not coaxial with pivot arm bore 554. Bore 54 engages shaft 2 which receives fastener 13. Bore 554 engages shaft 22 which receives fastener 133.

Pivot arm 5 pivots about the pivot axis (A) . Bearing 12 rotates about the bearing axis (B) . Bearing axis (B) and pivot axis (A) are not coaxial, and instead are offset from each other by a distance (X) .

Pivot arm 55 pivots about the pivot axis (A2) .

Bearing 102 rotates about the bearing axis (B2) . Bearing axis (B2) and the pivot axis (A2) are not coaxial, and instead are offset from each other by a distance (Y) .

Belt 8 engages sprocket 52 and sprocket 552 on pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 respectively. Belt 8 may be toothed, but may also comprise any flexible member suitable for bearing a tensile load. Sprocket 52 and sprocket 552 are each toothed to positively engage belt 8.

Figure 14 is a top perspective view of the internals of the device. Belt 8 engages tensioner assembly 15. All tensile loads in belt 8 and in belt 200 are imparted by tensioner assembly 15. Rotation of pivot arm 5 causes movement of belt 8 which in turn causes movement in a synchronized or coordinated manner of pivot arm 55 in the same rotational direction as pivot arm 5. Rotation of pivot arm 55 causes movement of belt 8 which in turn causes movement in a synchronized or coordinated manner of pivot arm 5 in the same rotational direction as pivot arm 55, as well. Hence, in operation pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 move substantially simultaneously by action of belt 8.

A "synchronized" movement may be described as a movement of pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 wherein each pivot arm rotates at substantially the same time through substantially the same angle. A "coordinated" movement may be described as a movement of pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 wherein each pivot arm rotates at substantially the same time, but not through an identical angle for both pivot arms. Rotation of the pivot arms through non-identical angles may be caused by stretch of belt 8 for example, as explained herein, see Figure 22.

Figure 15 is a detail of the device in an operating position on an engine. In a typical asynchronous accessory belt drive system (ABDS) the inventive device 1000 is arranged such as shown in Figure 15. Tensioner 1000 is mounted to the alternator 203 using fasteners 13 and 133. Belt 200 is routed around a crankshaft pulley 201, alternator pulley 202 and tensioner pulley 10 and pulley 101. This arrangement disposes the belt spans on either side of alternator pulley 202. Tension in belt 200 is maintained by operation of tensioner 1000 and the position of pulley 10 and pulley 101. Belt 200 is typically a multi-ribbed belt known in the art, namely, it comprises multiple ribs running in the longitudinal or endless direction.

The position of pivot arm 5 and thus pulley 10 is controlled by belt 8. The position of pivot arm 55 and thus pulley 101 is also controlled by belt 8. Tension in belt 8 is controlled by the position of pulley 10 and pulley 101. Tension in belt 8 is maintained by tensioner assembly 15. The span of belt 8 that engages tensioner assembly 15 is the tight side span of belt 8. The remaining span 81 of belt 8 does not require any tensioning. The tension in belt 8 creates torque on pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 through its engagement with sprocket 52 and sprocket 552 respectively.

Figure 16 shows the orientation of pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 and the hub load in the "at rest" position. When the engine accessory drive is in the at rest position, the tension in belt 200 is equalized throughout the belt. Tension of belt 200 in this condition is the initial belt tension and it is established by the inventive tensioner. Pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 are each urged to rotate into belt 200 due to the torque induced on them by the tension in belt 8 caused by tensioner assembly 15 bearing on belt 8. The tension in belt 8 causes pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 to rotate until the torque is opposed equally by the torque created by the hub load from belt 200. The belt 200 hub load acts against pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 through the center axis of bearing 12 and bearing 102 respectively. This causes a torque to be induced on each pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 based on the direction of the load on the respective arm and the effective arm length. Each pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 will rotate until the hub load torque is equal and opposite the belt 8 torque on the respective pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55.

The length of the moment arm from belt 8 acting on pivot arm 5 is equal to ½ the pitch diameter of sprocket 52 (for example, 26.3mm) . The length of the moment arm acting on pivot arm 5 from the belt 200 hub load is equal to the arm length times the sine of the angle of the force to the pivot arm 5 which is referred to as the effective arm length. Figure 17A is a detail of the pivot arm load conditions. Figure 17B is a detail of the pivot arm load conditions.

The length of the moment arm of belt 8 acting on pivot arm 55 is equal to ½ the pitch diameter of sprocket 552 (for example, 26.3mm) . The length of the moment arm acting on pivot arm 55 from the belt 200 hub load is equal to the arm length times the sine of the angle of the force to the pivot arm 55 which is also referred to as the effective arm length.

In a belt drive, when the torsion angle of a belt around a pulley is 60 degrees the hub load created by the tension in the belt is roughly equal to the tension in the belt. For instance, if the tension in each span of the belt is 100N, then the hub load on a pivot arm 5 would equal 100N when the torsion angle is 60 degrees.

The torque created in pivot arm 5 is then the hub load 100N times the effective arm length. If the effective arm length is 7mm, then the torque on pivot arm 5 from the hub load is 100N x 0.007m = 0.70 Nm.

The tension in belt 8 would then need to be 0.7 Nm/0.0263m = 26.6N to create an equal and opposite torque on pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55.

As can be seen from the previous example, the tension in belt 8 need only be roughly ¾ that of the belt 200 slack side tension. This is the ratio of the effective arm length to the radius of sprocket 52 and sprocket 552.

Figure 18 shows the orientation of pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 and the hub load in the alternator starting mode position. During a starting event in which the alternator becomes the driver pulley in the system instead of the crankshaft, the upper span (C) in Figure 18 becomes the slack side span and the lower belt span (D) the tight side span. If the alternator supplies 60Nm of torque for a starting event, the tight side tension must rise to a level capable of supporting this level of power transmission. During a start event, the lower pivot arm 55 is forced to rotate by the increased tension in belt 200. The tension in belt 200 rises to a level that is sufficient to start the engine rotating, that is, driving the crankshaft.

In belt drives, the ratio of the tight side tension to the slack side tension about a pulley is known as the tension ratio. To maintain proper belt function in an ABDS drive, it is necessary that the tension ratio be approximately 5.

For a starting event requiring 60Nm torque supplied by the alternator, the difference in tension about the alternator pulley required to create 60Nm torque is:

Torque = r *ΔΤ = r(T2-Tl) (Eq. 1)

Where T2 = tight side tension

Tl = slack side tension

R = pulley radius = 0.030m

solving for ΔΤ :

ΔΤ = Torque/r = 60/0.030 = 2000N

It is known that the slack side tension must be such that a tension ratio of 5 is maintained for proper ABDS system funtion. So:

T2/T1 = 5 (Eq. 2)

It is known that

ΔΤ = T2-T1 (Eq.3)

Solving for T2 in Eq. 3

T2 = T1 +? T

Substituting into Eq. 2 and solving for Tl

(ΔΤ+Tl) /Tl = 5

? T + T1 = 5T1

? T = 4T1

ΔΤ/4 = Tl

2000/4 = Tl

Tl = 500N

Substituting back into Eq. 2

T2 / T1 = 5

T2 / 500 = 5

T2 = 2500N

The high tension in the tight side span (T2) (see (D) Figure 18) during the starting event causes the hub load acting on pivot arm 55 to create a torque that causes the arm to rotate to a position where the arm direction is essentially parallel with the direction of the hub load, see Figure 18. This has the effect of temporarily transforming tensioner assembly 502 into a fixed idler. The amount of rotation of tensioner assembly 502 pivot arm 55 is approximately 65 degrees.

The arrangement of pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 is such that as each rotates toward belt 200 the movement of pulley 10 and pulley 101 respectively toward the belt 200 per degree of rotation is greater than when each pivot arm rotates away from belt 200. This requires that the angle of rotation of the slack side tensioner assembly 501 be less than that moved by the tight side tensioner assembly 502 in order to maintain the same belt length. Table 1 shows the amount of rotation of each pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 during a starting event with no belt stretch .

Table 1

Since belt 200 stretches due to loading, the slack side pivot arm 5 must compensate for this stretch. Assuming the amount of belt stretch due to loading is 3 mm, the slack side tensioner must rotate an additional 30 degrees to take up this additional belt length. Table 2 shows the amount of rotation of each pivot arm 5 and pivot arm 55 during a starting event and includes the information taking belt stretch into account.

Table 2

As can be seen in Table 2, the slack side tensioner pivot arm 5 must rotate an additional 30 degrees to account for the stretch of belt 200. Figure 22A illustrates pivot arm position during an operating condition. Figure 22B illustrates pivot arm position during an operating condition. Figure 22C illustrates pivot arm position during an operating condition. Figure 22D illustrates pivot arm position during an operating condition

We claim:

A tensioner comprising:

a base;

a first pivot arm pivotally engaged to the base for an eccentric movement about a first axis, a first pulley journalled to the first pivot arm;

a second pivot arm pivotally engaged to the base for an eccentric movement about a second axis, a second pulley journalled to the second pivot arm;

a flexible tensile member engaging the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm;

a tensioner assembly pivotally engaged to the base and engaged with the flexible tensile member;

a first damping assembly frictionally engaged with the first pivot arm, the first damping assembly exerting a greater damping force on the first pivot arm in a first direction than a second direction;

a second damping assembly frictionally engaged with the second pivot arm, the second damping assembly exerting a greater damping force on the second pivot arm in a first direction than a second direction; and

the first pivot arm comprising a first cam portion progressively engaging the flexible tensile member such that a first pivot arm torque is variable.

2. The tensioner as in claim 1, wherein the second pivot arm further comprises a second cam portion progressively engaging the flexible tensile member such that a second pivot arm torque is variable.

3. The tensioner as in claim 1, wherein the tensioner assembly comprises:

a tensioner pivot arm;

a tensioner pulley journalled to the tensioner pivot arm;

a tensioner torsion spring engaged between the tensioner pivot arm and the base; and

the tensioner pivot arm applying a load to the flexible tensile member through the tensioner pulley.

4. The tensioner as in claim 3, wherein a position of the tensioner is adjusted by an adjustment member with respect to the flexible tensile member.

5. The tensioner as in claim 3 further comprising an idler journalled to the tensioner pivot arm, the idler engagable with the flexible tensile member.

6. The tensioner as in claim 1, wherein the flexible tensile member comprises a toothed belt.

7. The tensioner as in claim 1 mounted to an alternator.

8. The tensioner as in claim 1, wherein the flexible tensile member is not endless.