System for a belt tensioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11466756-B2
Application number	US-202016923575-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2020
Priority date	Jul 10, 2019
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

Systems are provided for a belt tensioner. In one example, the belt tensioner comprises a fluid chamber divided into a first portion and a second portion via a dividing wall. An eccentric housing, which defines the fluid chamber, rotates relative to the dividing wall based on a spring force and a belt force.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A belt tensioner for a belt of an engine, the belt tensioner, comprising:
a shaft;
an eccentric housing configured to rotate about the shaft;
a pulley arranged around the eccentric housing;
a dividing wall extending from the shaft;
a fluid chamber defined by the eccentric housing, wherein the dividing wall divides the fluid chamber into a first portion and a second portion, wherein fluid contained in the first portion and the second portion dampens movement of the eccentric housing relative to the shaft,
a resilient element coupled to the eccentric housing and the dividing wall, wherein the resilient element is configured to bias the pulley towards the belt; and
a first protrusion arranged within the resilient member and coupled to the dividing wall, and a second protrusion, which comprises a material more rigid than a material of the first protrusion, coupled to the eccentric housing, wherein an engagement between the first protrusion and the second protrusion reduces a speed at which the resilient member is compressed.

2. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the belt tensioner further comprises a first passage configured to allow fluid to flow between the first and second portions of the fluid chamber.

3. The belt tensioner of claim 2 , wherein the first passage is arranged in the dividing wall.

4. The belt tensioner of claim 3 , wherein the first passage is sized to adjust a dampening provided as the eccentric housing moves relative to the shaft.

5. The belt tensioner of claim 2 , wherein the belt tensioner further comprises a second passage configured to permit fluid to flow out of the second portion of the fluid chamber.

6. The belt tensioner of claim 5 , wherein the second passage comprises a cross-sectional flow through area sized to resist fluid outflow when the eccentric housing is moving relative to the shaft.

7. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is oil and the belt tensioner is fluidly coupled to a main oil gallery of the engine, wherein the first portion is fluidly coupled to the main oil gallery.

8. The belt tensioner of claim 7 , wherein a non-return valve is arranged between the first portion and the main oil gallery.

9. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the resilient element comprises a spring.

10. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion is configured to limit and slow a portion of a compression of the resilient element.

11. The belt tensioner of claim 10 , wherein the first protrusion is arranged between the dividing wall and a wall of the fluid chamber.

12. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the belt tensioner further comprises a seal arranged between the dividing wall and the eccentric housing.

13. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the fluid chamber comprises an arcuate wall that is centered on a rotational axis of the shaft.

14. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the dividing wall is fixed with respect to the shaft.

15. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the resilient element is arranged in the first portion of the fluid chamber.

16. A system, comprising:
a belt tensioner engaged with a belt of an engine, the belt tensioner comprising an eccentric housing configured to rotate about a shaft;
a pulley arranged around the eccentric housing;
a dividing wall extending from the shaft into a fluid chamber, wherein the dividing wall divides the fluid chamber into a first portion and a second portion, wherein a first passage fluidly couples the first portion to the second portion, and wherein a second passage fluidly couples the second portion to an oil sump;
a spring coupled to each of the eccentric housing and the dividing wall;
a first protrusion arranged within the spring and coupled to the dividing wall, and;
a second protrusion, which comprises a material more rigid than a material of the first protrusion, coupled to the eccentric housing, wherein an engagement between the first protrusion and the second protrusion reduces a speed at which the spring is compressed.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a third passage fluidly coupling a main oil gallery to the first portion.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the belt applies a force in a first direction and the spring applies a spring force in a second direction opposite the first direction, and wherein the first passage is sized to resist the force of the belt in the first direction and slows a fluid flow rate from the first portion to the second portion.

19. A system, comprising:
a belt tensioner engaged with a belt of an engine, the belt tensioner comprising an eccentric housing configured to rotate about a shaft;
a pulley arranged around the eccentric housing;
a dividing wall extending from the shaft into a fluid chamber, wherein the dividing wall divides the fluid chamber into a first portion and a second portion, wherein a first passage fluidly couples the first portion to the second portion, and wherein a second passage fluidly couples the second portion to an oil sump, and wherein the dividing wall is stationary and the eccentric housing moves relative to the dividing wall;
a spring coupled to each of the eccentric housing and the dividing wall; and a first protrusion is arranged within the spring and coupled to the dividing wall, and wherein a second protrusion, which comprises a material more rigid than a material of the first protrusion, is coupled to the eccentric housing, wherein an engagement between the first protrusion and the second protrusion reduces a speed at which the spring is compressed.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kaminski Allan
• Maile Kevin

Classifications

• F16H7/1236 Primary

  of the fluid and restriction type, e.g. dashpot · CPC title

• F16H2007/0812

  Fluid pressure · CPC title

• F16H2007/0895

  Internal to external direction · CPC title

• F16H7/02

  with belts; with V-belts · CPC title

• F16H2007/0865

  Pulleys · CPC title