Assembly comprising a fixed support, pulleys, a belt and a belt tensioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10054200-B2
Application number	US-201414894311-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2013
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

An assembly comprising: a fixed support such as an engine block, a plurality of pulleys mounted rotatably on the support a belt mounted on said pulleys a tensioner comprising: a plate a rotary element mounted on the plate via a rotating shaft fixed relative to said plate, the tensioner being capable of turning relative to the support, in a predefined direction of rotation, between an idle position in which the rotary element is separated from the belt and an operating position in which the rotary element is in contact with the belt, it being specified that, in the operating position, the belt exerts a force on the rotary element, the direction of said force tending to rotate the tensioner in said same predefined direction of rotation; at least one stop for preventing the tensioner from rotating in the predefined direction of rotation beyond the operating position of same, the latter thus being defined by the stop; wherein in order to rotate the tensioner relative to the support between the idle position and the operating position of the tensioner, the assembly comprises: at least one closed port arranged on the plate of the tensioner or on the support at least one means for engaging with the or each closed port, said engaging means being fixed relative to the support when the closed port is located on the plate or fixed relative to the plate when the closed port is located on the support.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly, comprising:
a stationary support;
a plurality of pulleys rotatably mounted on the support;
a belt mounted on said pulleys;
a tensioner, including:
a plate,
a rotating element mounted on the plate about a rotation axis stationary relative to said plate,

the tensioner being able to rotate relative to the support, in a predefined rotation direction, between an idle position in which the rotating element is moved away from the belt and an operating position in which the rotating element is in contact with the belt, wherein in the operating position, the belt exerts a force on the rotating element, the direction of that force tending to cause the tensioner to rotate in that same predefined rotation direction;
means for preventing the tensioner from rotating in the predefined rotation direction past its operating position;
wherein in order to rotate the tensioner relative to the support between the idle position and the operating position of the tensioner, the assembly comprises:
at least one closed aperture positioned on the plate of the tensioner or on the support, wherein the at least one closed aperture having a shape arranged such that when the tensioner rotates relative to the support in its idle position and its operating position, the rotational movement performed by the tensioner is not circular;
at least one means for cooperating with the at least one closed aperture, said cooperating means being stationary relative to the support when the at least one closed aperture is situated on the plate or stationary relative to the plate when the at least one closed aperture is situated on the support.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising at least two means for cooperating with the at least one closed aperture, each cooperating means being stationary relative to the support when the closed aperture is situated on the plate or stationary relative to the plate when the closed aperture is situated on the support.

3. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one closed aperture includes two closed apertures positioned on the plate or on the support.

4. The assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the two closed apertures are arranged such that when the tensioner rotates relative to the support between its idle position and its operating position, the rotational movement done by the tensioner is not circular.

5. The assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the two closed apertures have different shapes.

6. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one means for cooperating with each of the at least one closed aperture, each cooperating means being stationary relative to the support when each closed aperture is situated on the plate or stationary relative to the plate when each closed aperture is situated on the support.

7. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the means for preventing the tensioner from rotating in the predefined rotation direction past its operating position comprise a stop formed by an end of the or at least one of the closed aperture(s), which blocks any movement of the cooperating means with the closed aperture.

8. The assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one means for fixing the position of the plate of the tensioner relative to the support, when the tensioner is in the operating position.

9. The assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one means for fixing comprises at least one of the at least one cooperating means.

10. The assembly according to claim 8 , wherein to fix the position of the plate, the at least one means for fixing is provided other than the at least one cooperating means, the at least one means for fixing crossing through the plate at the stationary rotation axis of the rotating element relative to the plate and being inserted in the support.

11. An assembly, comprising:
a stationary support;
a plurality of pulleys rotatably mounted on the support;
a belt mounted on said pulleys;
a tensioner, including:
a plate,
a rotating element mounted on the plate about a rotation axis stationary relative to said plate,

the tensioner being able to rotate relative to the support, in a predefined rotation direction, between an idle position in which the rotating element is moved away from the belt and an operating position in which the rotating element is in contact with the belt, wherein in the operating position, the belt exerts a force on the rotating element, the direction of that force tending to cause the tensioner to rotate in that same predefined rotation direction;
means for preventing the tensioner from rotating in the predefined rotation direction past its operating position;
wherein in order to rotate the tensioner relative to the support between the idle position and the operating position of the tensioner, the assembly comprises:
at least one closed aperture positioned on the plate of the tensioner or on the support;
at least one means for cooperating with the or each closed aperture, said cooperating means being stationary relative to the support when the closed aperture is situated on the plate or stationary relative to the plate when the closed aperture is situated on the support,
wherein the at least one closed aperture has one of the following shapes: V shape, a shape including at least one curved part and one linear part, a curved shape not defining an arc of circle, a spiral shape, a shape including at least two curved parts, and a tri-lobe form.

12. An assembly, comprising:
a stationary support;
a plurality of pulleys rotatably mounted on the support;
a belt mounted on said pulleys;
a tensioner, including:
a plate,
a rotating element mounted on the plate about a rotation axis stationary relative to said plate,

the tensioner being able to rotate relative to the support, in a predefined rotation direction, between an idle position in which the rotating element is moved away from the belt and an operating position in which the rotating element is in contact with the belt, wherein in the operating position, the belt exerts a force on the rotating element, the direction of that force tending to cause the tensioner to rotate in that same predefined rotation direction;
means for preventing the tensioner from rotating in the predefined rotation direction past its operating position;
wherein in order to rotate the tensioner relative to the support between the idle position and the operating position of the tensioner, the assembly comprises:
at least one closed aperture positioned on the plate of the tensioner or on the support;
at least one means for cooperating with the or each closed aperture, said cooperating means being stationary relative to the support when the closed aperture is situated on the plate or stationary relative to the plate when the closed aperture is situated on the support;
wherein an open aperture is positioned on the plate, the bottom of the open aperture then forming a stop able to cooperate with cooperating means for that open aperture, provided on the stationary support.

Assignees

• Hutchinson

Inventors

• Aubertin Yannick
• Voulgaris Dimitri

Classifications

• F16H2007/0865

  Pulleys · CPC title

• F16H2007/0846

  comprising a mechanical stopper · CPC title

• F16H7/129 Primary

  with means for impeding reverse motion · CPC title

• F16H7/1281 Primary

  where the axis of the pulley moves along a substantially circular path · CPC title

• F16H7/0848

  with means for impeding reverse motion · CPC title