Drive belt tensioner systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11493113-B2
Application number	US-201916595232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2019
Priority date	Apr 25, 2019
Publication date	Nov 8, 2022
Grant date	Nov 8, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a drive belt tensioner configured to adjust tension in a drive belt of a blower assembly for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system. The drive belt tensioner includes a mounting bracket configured to couple directly to a blower housing that is configured to house a blower of the blower assembly. The drive belt tensioner further includes an idler pulley configured to contact the drive belt. A position of the idler pulley is adjustable relative to the mounting bracket to enable adjustment of the tension in the drive belt.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A belt tensioner for a blower assembly, comprising:
a mounting bracket configured to couple directly to the blower assembly;
an idler arm configured to couple to the mounting bracket at a connection point and in an angular position relative to a base of the blower assembly, wherein the idler arm comprises an idler pulley mounting portion and an adjustment plate disposed crosswise to the idler pulley mounting portion, and wherein the angular position is adjustable about the connection point;
a bolt configured to extend through the mounting bracket and engage with the adjustment plate of the idler arm, wherein the angular position of the idler arm is adjustable via rotation of the bolt; and
an idler pulley coupled to the idler pulley mounting portion of the idler arm, wherein the idler pulley is configured to engage with a drive belt of the blower assembly.

2. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket is configured to couple directly to a blower housing of the blower assembly.

3. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the bolt extends through the adjustment plate.

4. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment plate has an elongated slot, and wherein the bolt extends through the elongated slot.

5. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , comprising a spring disposed about the bolt between the adjustment plate and the mounting bracket to bias the adjustment plate and the mounting bracket away from one another.

6. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , comprising:
a curved cup coupled to the mounting bracket, and
a curved washer disposed about and along the bolt, wherein the curved washer is configured to slide within the curved cup to enable angular movement of the bolt relative to the mounting bracket.

7. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the idler pulley mounting portion has an L-shaped configuration, and wherein a fastener extends through a fulcrum of the L-shaped configuration to couple the idler arm to the mounting bracket.

8. The belt tensioner of claim 7 , wherein the L-shaped configuration of the idler pulley mounting portion has a first portion coupled to the idler pulley and a second portion extending crosswise to the first portion relative the fulcrum.

9. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the idler pulley mounting portion and the adjustment plate are integrally formed as one piece.

10. The belt tensioner of claim 1 , wherein the bolt is configured to abut a surface of the adjustment plate.

11. A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a blower assembly including a blower, a blower housing configured to house the blower, a motor configured to provide rotational power, and a drive belt configured to transfer the rotational power from the motor to the blower; and
a belt tensioner including an L-shaped support having a first arm coupled to an idler pulley and having a second arm, wherein the second arm includes an arcuate slot formed therethrough, wherein the first arm and the second arm are coupled to one another at a bend, wherein the L-shaped support is rotatably coupled to the blower housing via a mounting bracket, wherein the idler pulley is configured to contact the drive belt to facilitate tensioning of the drive belt.

12. The HVAC system of claim 11 , wherein the idler pulley is coupled to a distal end of the first arm.

13. The HVAC system of claim 11 , wherein the L-shaped support is configured to rotate about a fulcrum, disposed at the bend between the first arm and the second arm, to facilitate the tensioning of the drive belt.

14. The HVAC system of claim 11 , wherein the belt tensioner includes a bolt extending through the arcuate slot, and wherein the arcuate slot is configured to slide along the bolt during rotation of the L-shaped support.

15. The HVAC system of claim 11 , wherein the belt tensioner includes a bolt extending through the bend of the L-shaped support and through the mounting bracket.

16. A blower assembly for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:
a blower fan;
a blower housing containing the blower fan;
a drive belt coupled to the blower fan and configured to drive rotation of the blower fan;
a belt tensioner including an L-shaped bracket that is coupled to the blower housing via a mounting bracket, wherein the L-shaped bracket is rotatably coupled to the mounting bracket at a bend of the L-shaped bracket;
an adjustment plate disposed crosswise to the L-shaped bracket; and
an adjustment assembly having a bolt extending through the mounting bracket, wherein the bolt is adjustable to apply a force to the adjustment plate to rotate the L-shaped bracket.

17. The blower assembly of claim 16 , wherein the adjustment plate is integrally formed with the L-shaped bracket.

18. The blower assembly of claim 16 , wherein the bolt is a threaded bolt configured to be linearly translated relative to the mounting bracket to cause the L-shaped bracket to rotate about the bend.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co
• Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP

Inventors

• Salunkhe Ravindra B
• Bidari Siddappa R
• Y R Praveen
• Gandevia Kunal J
• Buller Kevin D

Classifications

• F16H7/1209

  with vibration damping means · CPC title

• F04D25/02

  Units comprising pumps and their driving means · CPC title

• F16H2007/088

  Manual adjustment · CPC title

• F04D29/4226

  Fan casings · CPC title

• F04D29/403

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title