A tensioner comprising a base having a base aperture, the base aperture disposed to receive a driven component, a rotary arm pivotally engaged with the base, an axis of rotation of the rotary arm aligned with a base aperture center, a first pulley journalled to the rotary arm, a swing arm pivotally engaged with the rotary arm about a shaft, the shaft and swing arm each having cooperating frustoconical portions, a torsion spring biasing the pivot arm, a second pulley journalled to the swing arm, a bushing having a frustoconical portion in frictional engagement with the swing arm frustoconical portion, the bushing in fixed relation to the shaft or pivot arm, and a first damping ring frictionally engaged between the rotary arm and the base, a Belleville spring in pressing engagement whereby a normal force is applied to the first damping ring.

Ring tensioners having a plurality of rungs that extend from a first side to an opposite second side of the ring tensioner, in use, the rungs engaging between the teeth of a toothed belt. Both the first side and the second side of the ring tensioner are not continuous but have gaps. The gaps on the first side alternate with the gaps on the second side. The ring tensioners may be formed from a single length of wire.

A coupling system can include an energy transfer device and a load mitigation system. The energy transfer device can include a shaft, gear, chain or piston-cylinder arrangement to transfer the energy from a power supply to an object to be moved. The load mitigation system can be used to limit or prevent the transfer of forces from the object to the drive unit as a result of external loads being applied to the object. The load mitigation system can be pre-loaded such that external loads on the object having an excessive impulsive or resonant cyclic force greater than the pre-load force on the load mitigation system are reduced and only partially transferred to the energy transfer device and power supply. The load mitigation system can dampen both resonant loads and impulsive impact loads occurring at the object thereby preventing damage and extending life.

A tensioner uses a low rate torsion spring in a first stage and a high rate torsion spring in a second stage to maintain tension in a chain or belt. The first stage is connected to the second stage by a torque coupling. The high rate torsion spring is maintained in an energized state between a ground and a dead stop to store energy and to provide tension under high loads. In some embodiments, the torque coupling is a damper. In other embodiments, the torque coupling is a clutch. A method stores energy in a high rate torsion spring of a tensioner.

In an aspect, a tensioner is provided for tensioning a belt on an engine, and includes a base mountable to a stationary member, and a first tensioner arm pivotably connected to the base. The first tensioner arm is biased in a first pivot direction. The tensioner includes a first bumper on one of the base and the first tensioner arm, which is engageable with a first travel limiter on the other of the base and the first tensioner arm to limit travel of the first tensioner arm in a second pivot direction, and a first pulley rotatably mounted to the first tensioner arm and positioned to engage a first section of the belt. The first bumper and the first travel limiter together have a selected first combined spring rate during engagement. The first combined spring rate increases progressively with compression between the first bumper and the first travel limiter.

A coupling system can include an energy transfer device and a load mitigation system. The energy transfer device can include a shaft, gear, chain or piston-cylinder arrangement to transfer the energy from a power supply to an object to be moved. The load mitigation system can be used to limit or prevent the transfer of forces from the object to the drive unit as a result of external loads being applied to the object. The load mitigation system can be pre-loaded such that external loads on the object having an excessive impulsive or resonant cyclic force greater than the pre-load force on the load mitigation system are reduced and only partially transferred to the energy transfer device and power supply. The load mitigation system can dampen both resonant loads and impulsive impact loads occurring at the object thereby preventing damage and extending life.

A chain tensioner (50; 500) for a conveying device (70) of a machine (1; 1) for processing elements in the form of sheets (10), the conveying device (70) includes two lateral chain sets connected to the ends of transverse gripper bars (75) able to grasp the elements (10) and at least one chain-guiding device (90) configured to guide a respective chain set (80); the chain tensioner (50; 500) includes: an actuator (9) controlled by a control unit (8), a movable support (11), a transmission element (12) borne by the movable support (11), a rotary element (13) rotated by the actuator (9) and cooperating with the transmission element (12) in order to exert a thrust force on the movable support (11), the rotary element (13) being rotatable, to adjust the tension of the chain set (80). The actuator (9) is controlled in synchronism with the machine angle (MA). A machine (1; 1) for processing elements and a method for tensioning the chain sets (80) of the conveying device (70) are disclosed.

A belt tensioner (1) for a belt drive for auxiliary units in an internal combustion engine, including a tensioner housing (2), a tensioner lever (3) and a plain bearing for radially mounting the tensioner lever (3) in the tensioner housing (2) in order to allow the tensioner lever (3) to pivot; a bearing partner associated with the tensioner lever (3) is in sliding contact with a second bearing partner associated with the tensioner housing (2). One of the two bearing partners is suspended in a radially elastic manner on the associated part that supports the bearing partner in a rotationally fixed manner.

Tensioning devices with at least a portion of the tensioner face incorporating increased compliance of at least two pitch lengths in distance that meets compliance geometry requirements and applied force tensioner face stiffness requirements to decrease NVH through the incorporation of a cavity within the body of the tensioning deice, incorporation of a blade spring within the cavity of the tensioning device, incorporation of an elastomer within the cavity of the tensioning device, locating a compliance portion of the tensioner face at one end of the tensioner face of the tensioning device, and a spring utilized as a tensioning device with an elastomer face.

The belt tension idler device increases tension on a belt. A mounting foot secures the belt tension idler to a vehicle. A rotating head that extends from the body of the device contacts the belt to maintain tension against the belt. A tensioning spring biases the device to maintain tension on the belt. The tension reduces slack thereby reducing vibrations from the belt and maintaining proper alignment of the belt.