Automatic tensioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12492739-B2
Application number	US-202218722259-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2022
Priority date	Dec 23, 2021
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

An auto-tensioner includes: a base having a cylindrical part; an arm; a pulley around which a belt is to be wound; a friction member sandwiched between an inner circumferential surface of a cylindrical part and the arm; and a coil spring pressing the friction member against the arm in the axial direction and rotationally biasing the arm in one direction with respect to the base, in which the friction member includes: an arcuate surface, a first locking part, locked to the arm, and inclined with respect to the radial direction so as to face the one direction side as the first locking part goes toward an outside in the radial direction, and a second locking part, and the friction member and the arm include a restricting unit which restricts the friction member from moving toward the one direction side with respect to the arm.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An auto-tensioner comprising:
a base having a cylindrical part; an arm supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the base; a pulley which is rotatably provided at the arm and around which a belt is to be wound; a friction member sandwiched between an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical part and the arm in a radial direction of the cylindrical part; and a coil spring which has one end locked to the friction member and the other end locked to the base and is disposed in a state of being compressed in an axial direction of the cylindrical part, thereby pressing the friction member against the arm in the axial direction and rotationally biasing the arm in one direction with respect to the base through the friction member, wherein the friction member comprises:
an arcuate surface capable of sliding along the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical part,
a first locking part located further toward the one direction side than the arcuate surface in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical part, locked to the arm, and inclined with respect to the radial direction so as to face the one direction side as the first locking part goes toward an outside in the radial direction, and
a second locking part locked to the one end of the coil spring further on the outside in the radial direction than the first locking part, and
the friction member and the arm comprise a restricting unit which restricts the friction member from moving toward the one direction side with respect to the arm, and the restricting unit is configured such that the first locking part of the friction member and a locking surface of the arm mesh with each other.

2 . An auto-tensioner comprising:
a base having a cylindrical part; an arm supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the base; a pulley which is rotatably provided at the arm and around which a belt is to be wound; a friction member sandwiched between an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical part and the arm in a radial direction of the cylindrical part; and a coil spring which has one end locked to the friction member and the other end locked to the base and is disposed in a state of being compressed in an axial direction of the cylindrical part, thereby pressing the friction member against the arm in the axial direction and rotationally biasing the arm in one direction with respect to the base through the friction member, wherein the friction member comprises:
an arcuate surface capable of sliding along the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical part,
a first locking part located further toward the one direction side than the arcuate surface in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical part, locked to the arm, and inclined with respect to the radial direction so as to face the one direction side as the first locking part goes toward an outside in the radial direction, and
a second locking part locked to the one end of the coil spring further on the outside in the radial direction than the first locking part,
the friction member and the arm comprise a restricting unit which restricts the friction member from moving toward the one direction side with respect to the arm, and the restricting unit is configured such that a side surface portion on the one direction side of the friction member near the first locking part and a protruding piece portion which is formed on the arm and faces the side surface portion are in contact with each other.

3 . The auto-tensioner according to claim 1 , wherein the friction member and the arm are formed such that an inclination angle (θ) representing a degree of an inclination of the first locking part with respect to the radial direction so as to face the one direction side as the first locking part goes toward the outside in the radial direction is in a range of 35° or more to 70° or less.

4 . The auto-tensioner according to claim 2 , wherein the friction member and the arm are formed such that an inclination angle (θ) representing a degree of an inclination of the first locking part with respect to the radial direction so as to face the one direction side as the first locking part goes toward the outside in the radial direction is in a range of 35° or more to 70° or less.

Assignees

• Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd

Inventors

• Dan Ryosuke

Classifications

• F16H2007/0895

  Internal to external direction · CPC title

• F16H2007/0893

  Circular path · CPC title

• F16H2007/0865

  Pulleys · CPC title

• F16H2007/081

  Torsion springs · CPC title

• F16H7/0831

  of the dry friction type · CPC title