Belt tensioner

Abstract

A belt tensioner (1) for a generator belt drive of an internal combustion engine is provided. The belt tensioner includes a tensioning arm (5) with a tensioning roller (7) mounted thereon, and a tensioning spring which acts on the tensioning arm and is intended for pretensioning the belt (11) is designed for mounting onto the generator (2) and, in the mounted state of the belt drive, engages annularly around the belt pulley (6) of the generator and encompasses the belt in a plane which is spaced apart from the plane of the belt and runs on the far side of the belt plane with respect to the generator. The belt tensioner has an open ring-shaped construction, and therefore, in the mounted state of the belt tensioner on the generator, the belt can be mounted axially through the ring opening (9, 10) in the belt tensioner onto the belt pulley of the generator.

Claims

1. A belt tensioner for a generator belt drive of an internal combustion engine, the belt tensioner comprising: a tensioning arm with a tensioning roller supported on the arm, a tensioning spring applying a load on the tensioning arm adapted for pretensioning a belt, a tensioner housing adapted for mounting on the generator, the belt tensioner and the tensioner housing each have an open ring-shaped construction for mounting on the generator and, in a mounted state of the belt drive, the belt tensioner and the tensioner housing are each adapted to encompass a pulley of the generator and cover the belt in a plane that is spaced apart from a belt plane and runs on an other side of the belt plane with respect to the generator, the open ring-shaped construction, is adapted to allow the belt to be mounted in an assembled state of the belt tensioner on the generator axially through a ring opening of the belt tensioner and a ring opening of the tensioner housing onto the pulley of the generator.

2. The belt tensioner according to claim 1, further comprising: the tensioning arm being supported on the tensioner housing to pivot about a position where the pulley of the generator is adapted to be located, the tensioning roller extends axially between a pivot bearing of the tensioning arm on the tensioner housing on one side and a position where the generator is adapted to be located on the other side, and the tensioning spring is clamped between the tensioner housing and the tensioning arm, and the tensioning arm is provided with a tensioning arm ring opening for the axial belt assembly.

3. The belt tensioner according to claim 2, wherein the tensioning spring is a bow spring that runs parallel to the belt plane in an axial extension area of the tensioning roller.

4. The belt tensioner according to claim 3, further comprising or more sliding blocks fixed to a periphery of the bow spring that support a reaction force of the bow spring on the tensioner housing, and at least one of the sliding blocks supports the spring reaction force in sliding contact with the tensioning arm.

5. The belt tensioner according to claim 3, wherein the tensioner housing has a bow-shaped spring receptacle defined peripherally by two walls for holding the bow spring that is clamped between one of the walls on a tensioner housing-side spring end and a driver of the tensioning arm that projects into the spring receptacle on a tensioning arm-side spring end.

6. The belt tensioner according to claim 5, wherein the tensioner housing ring opening is defined by the wall on the tensioner housing-side spring end.

7. The belt tensioner according to claim 6, wherein the tensioning arm has a pivot area in which an end section of the tensioning arm defining the tensioning arm ring opening is located peripherally within the tensioner housing ring opening.

8. The belt tensioner according claim 2, wherein the tensioner housing has multiple parts including a housing cover on which the tensioning arm is supported axially.

9. The belt tensioner according to claim 2, wherein the tensioning arm is provided with a slide lining for axial and radial support on the tensioner housing.

10. An assembly comprising a generator of a generator belt drive and the belt tensioner according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Additional features of the invention are given from the following description and from the drawings in which an embodiment of a belt tensioner according to the invention is illustrated. Shown are:

(2) FIG. 1 the generator of a generator belt drive with the belt tensioner mounted on this generator in perspective view,

(3) FIG. 2 the belt tensioner in perspective view,

(4) FIG. 3 a schematic top view of the mounted belt drive,

(5) FIG. 4 a schematic top view of the belt tensioner during the belt assembly,

(6) FIG. 5 the belt tensioner in perspective, exploded view,

(7) FIG. 6 the tensioner housing of the belt tensioner in perspective, individual part view,

(8) FIG. 7 the tensioning arm of the belt tensioner in perspective front view,

(9) FIG. 8 the tensioning arm of the belt tensioner in perspective rear view,

(10) FIG. 9 the bow spring of the belt tensioner with sliding blocks in perspective view,

(11) FIG. 10 one of the sliding blocks in perspective view,

(12) FIG. 11 a top view of the belt tensioner in tensioned end position of the tensioning roller,

(13) FIG. 12 a top view of the belt tensioner in nominal operating position of the tensioning roller, and

(14) FIG. 13 a top view of the belt tensioner in non-tensioned end position of the tensioning roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a belt tensioner 1 according to the invention assembled with the generator 2 of a generator belt drive of an internal combustion engine and as an individual part, respectively. The belt tensioner 1 is mounted on the belt-side end of the generator 2 and here bolted to the generator 2 on three mounting eyes 3. The belt tensioner 1 comprises a ring-shaped tensioner housing 4 and a similarly ring-shaped tensioning arm 5 that each encompass the pulley 6 of the generator 2. Because it is a conventional generator 2 without motor operation, i.e., without a starting function for the internal combustion engine, the belt tensioner 1 has, for pretensioning the belt, only a single tensioning roller 7 in its slack belt section. This roller is supported on the tensioning arm 5 that is supported on its side on the tensioner housing 4 so that it can pivot about the pulley 6. The pivot bearing is concentric to the pulley 6, but could also be arranged in an alternative according to the invention with a slight axial offset, as long as the belt wrapping around the pulley 6 can move freely in the axial direction.

(16) Cooling air is fed into the generator 2 both axially through the ring gap between the interior of the tensioner housing 4 and the pulley 6 and also radially through the gap between the generator 2 and the tensioner housing 4 that springs back by a considerable degree relative to its mounting eyes 3.

(17) The belt tensioner 1 is located in its so-called mounting position in which the tensioning arm 5 and the tensioning roller 7 are located in their clamped end position, without pretensioning the belt. The fixing of this assembly position is realized by pins of the tensioning arm 5 in the tensioner housing 4 by means of a removable locking pin 8.

(18) From FIG. 2 it is clear that both the tensioning arm 5 and also the tensioner housing 4 have open, ring-shaped constructions. This is because, without the ring openings 9 and 10 of the tensioning arm 5 or the tensioner housing 4 according to the invention, the assembly of the belt on the structural unit formed of the generator 2 and the belt tensioner 1 according to FIG. 1 would not be possible. This is illustrated by the assembly view with FIG. 3 that shows the mounted belt drive with crankshaft, generator, and air conditioner compressor. The pretensioned poly-V belt 11 with already removed locking pin 8 wraps around the pulleys 6, 12, and 13 of the generator 2, the crankshaft, and the air conditioner compressor. According to the circulating direction of the belt 11 shown on the pulley 12 of the crankshaft, the tensioning roller 7 pretensions the slack section of the belt, which is covered (axially) by the belt tensioner 1. This is because the tensioning roller 7 located in the plane of the belt extends axially between the generator 2 and a plane that is formed by the pivot bearing of the tensioning arm 5 in the tensioner housing 4 and runs on the other side with respect to the generator 2 and in FIG. 3 in front of the plane of the belt.

(19) FIG. 4 shows the belt 11 for the axial passage through the ring openings 9 and 10 aligned with each other. Here, the belt 11 is shaped in the area of the pulley 6 into a loop 14 that is significantly larger than the diameter of the pulley 6 before the belt 11 is placed. Therefore, it is possible without a problem to the move the belt 11 with its doubling 15 next to the loop 14 axially through the ring openings 9, 10 and simultaneously over the pulley 6 and then to place its slack section on the tensioning roller in the plane of the belt behind the pivot bearing of the tensioning arm 5 in the tensioner housing 4.

(20) Depending on the spatial relationships on the generator 2 and the belt tensioner 1 mounted on the generator and also as a function of the bending stiffness of the belt 11 in the transverse direction, it is basically also possible to dimension the ring openings 9, 10 smaller and then to guide the two belt sections in a non-doubled state of the correspondingly limited belt 11 one after the other axially through the ring openings 9, 10.

(21) FIG. 5 shows the inner construction of the belt tensioner 1 in an exploded view. The tensioner housing 4 has multiple parts and comprises a housing part 16 and a housing cover 17 that is screwed (alternatively riveted or swaged) to the housing part and has a corresponding open, ring-shaped construction in the area of the ring opening 10 with the housing part 16. The illustration shows the belt tensioner 1 in the assembled position as per FIG. 1 in which the locking pin 8 passes through holes 18 and 19 in the housing part 16 or in the housing cover 17 and a recess 20 aligned with these holes 18, 19 in the tensioning arm 5. The pretensioning introduced into the belt 11 by the tensioning roller 7 is generated by the force of a tensioning spring that is clamped between the housing part 16 and the tensioning arm 5 and applies a force to the tensioning arm 5. The torque generated about the pivot bearing of the tensioning arm 5 acts on the tensioning roller 7, in the counterclockwise direction when viewed toward the front side of the belt tensioner 1 facing away from the generator.

(22) The tensioning spring is a bow spring 21 that runs parallel to the plane of the belt in the axial projection area of the tensioning roller 7 and is held in a corresponding bow-shaped spring receptacle 22 in the housing part 16. The spring receptacle 22 concentric to the pivot bearing of the tensioning arm 5 isas also shown in FIG. 2formed by a bulge 23 of the housing part 16 extending axially to the generator 2 and is limited peripherally by two walls 24 and 25. The bow spring 21 is clamped between the wall 24 on the tensioner housing-side spring end 26 and a driver 27 of the tensioning arm 5 projecting axially into the spring receptacle 22 on the tensioning arm-side spring end 28. The ring opening 10 of the tensioner housing 4 is limited by the wall 24.

(23) The bow angle of the un-tensioned bow spring 21 (contrary to the illustration) is approximately 180. In particular, but nevertheless not only for the case that a larger bow angle is desired, the bow spring is not favorable for this angle, and two or more bow springs could also be provided in series with a correspondingly adapted spring receptacle. Independently, bow springs connected in parallel in the form of a spring assembly with an outer and an inner bow spring are also possible. With the help of these parameters, the overall characteristics of the tensioner suspension on the desired torque profile of the tensioning roller 7 can vary within wide limits.

(24) The peripheral angle of the bulge 23 is also approximately 180 and has a center that runs in the nominal operating position of the belt tensioner 1 according to FIG. 12 essentially diametrically opposite the tensioning roller 7. Because the bulge 23 and the bow springs 21 held therein run completely outside of the pivot area of the tensioning roller 7, both the tensioning roller 7 and also the bow springs 21 can be arranged in the plane of the belt to the benefit of the axially very compact construction of the belt tensioner 1.

(25) The housing part 16 shown individually in FIG. 6 is an aluminum die-cast part (alternatively, depending on strength requirements, a steel cast part) and the housing cover 17 is a stamped sheet-metal part. The axial bearing of the tensioning arm 5 in the tensioner housing 4 is formed on the side of the generator 2 by an axial end face 29 in the housing part 16 and on the opposite, front side by the inner end face 30 of the housing cover 17. The axial end face 29 is reduced in the area of the spring receptacle 22 to a relatively narrow offset on the inner periphery of the housing part 16. The radial bearing of the tensioning arm 5 in the tensioner housing 4 is formed by the outer lateral surface 31 of the tensioning arm 5 and by the bow-shaped inner lateral surface 32 of an outer ring collar 33 of the housing part 16. The peripheral extension of the radial bearing in the housing part 16 is limited essentially to the bow area between the hole 18 for the locking pin 8 and a step 34 on which the driver 27 is located peripherally in the installation position of the belt tensioner 1.

(26) The tensioning roller 7 supported on a screw 35 on the tensioning arm 5 extends axially between the pivot bearing of the tensioning arm 5 formed by the axial bearing and the radial bearing in the tensioner housing 4 on one side and the generator 2 on the other side.

(27) FIGS. 7 and 8 show the tensioning arm 5 in a perspective front view and rear view, respectively. The tensioning arm 5 has multiple parts and is made from an open ring-shaped base body 36 from die-cast aluminum and for the purpose of its axial and radial sliding bearing in the tensioner housing 4 from a two-part sliding lining made from one of the known sliding bearing plastics, in the present case, polyamide combined with integrated PTFE (polytetrafluorethylene). The sliding lining parts 37 and 38 clipped to the base body 36 cover the outer lateral surface 39 of the base body 36 in the peripheral area between the recess 20 for the locking pin 8 and the driver 27 and partially the two end sides 40 and 41 of the base body 36.

(28) The driver 27 is raised from the base body 36 starting axially on the side of the tensioning roller 7 so that the spring support 42 for the tensioning arm-side spring end 28 runs axially completely next to the base body 36 and on the same side as the tensioning roller 7. An advantage of this arrangement is in that the pair of forces introduced by the bow spring 21 and the tensioning roller 7 into the pivot bearing of the tensioning arm 5 generates a relatively small tilting moment.

(29) FIG. 9 shows the bow spring 21 with three sliding blocks 43 mounted on the spring. The sliding blocks 43 fixed on the outer bow of the bow spring 21 are formed of polyamide and support the reaction force of the bow spring 21 in the radial outward direction and in the two axial directions on the tensioner housing 4. The radial support is realized by the sliding contact of the sliding blocks 43 with the bow-shaped inner lateral surface 32 of the outer ring collar 33 in the area of the spring receptacle 22. The axial support that prevents an axial spreading or bending of the bow spring 21 is realized on the side of the generator 2 by the sliding contact of the sliding blocks 43 with the bulge 23. The opposing axial support on the front side of the belt tensioner 1 facing away from the generator 2 is realized, in contrast, not directly on the tensioner housing 4, but instead by the sliding contact of the sliding blocks 43 with the basic body 36 of the tensioning arm 5 that is supported in a sliding manner in this axial direction with the front sliding lining part 37 on the housing cover 17. The rear sliding lining part 38 facing the generator 2 is narrow in the housing part 16 in the peripheral area of the bow spring 21 corresponding to the relatively narrow axial end face 29 in the peripheral area of the spring receptacle 22 and is left open for the purposes of metal-plastic contact of the sliding blocks 43 with the base body 36.

(30) The fixing, i.e., the nearly stationary holding, with respect to the bow spring 21, of the essentially U-shaped sliding blocks 43 on the periphery of the bow spring 21 is made clear from FIG. 10. The fixing is realized by two axially spaced apart projections 44 on the inner lateral surface of the sliding blocks 43 between which there is a winding of the bow spring 21 in connection with the U-shape encompassing somewhat more than 180 and by which the sliding block 43 is snapped elastically over the spring diameter. The U-shape of the sliding block 43 is not symmetric, wherein the front-side leg has a majority flat contact surface 45 that slides on the similarly flat base body 36.

(31) Due to the plurality of sliding contacts according to the invention, which are formed in the illustrated embodiment by a plastic surface on one side and a metal surface on the other side, a significant amount of play is realized in the coordination of the friction and consequently the operating damping characteristics of the belt tensioner 1. For the coordination of the sliding contacts with respect to their material pairing, surface shape, and roughness, as well as optionally greasing, their relative movements are also to be taken into account. These are larger, for example, for the axial sliding bearing of the bow spring 21 on the base body 36 of the tensioning arm 5, if, in FIG. 5, the sliding contacts of the sliding blocks 43 on the tensioning 5 are viewed starting from the driver 27 in the clockwise direction. Conversely, the relative movements of the sliding contacts between the sliding blocks 43 and the bulge 23 of the housing part 16 are smaller.

(32) FIGS. 11 to 13 are a comparison of different pivot positions of the tensioning arm 5 with tensioning roller 7 in the tensioner housing 4. FIG. 11 shows the same (tensioned) assembly position of the belt tensioner 1 as in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4. FIG. 12 shows the nominal operating position of the tensioning roller 7 that is pivoted into the same position as in FIG. 3 in the counterclockwise direction and pretensions the belt 11 with nominal force. FIG. 13 shows the un-tensioned end position in which the tensioning arm 5 is extended with the tensioning roller 7 as far as possible out from the tensioner housing 4.

(33) The pivot range of the tensioning arm 5 is limited by stops. As can be seen from FIGS. 6 and 7, in the present embodiment, there is a projection 46 on the tensioning arm 5 that contacts a peripheral edge 47 on the housing part 16 when the tensioning arm 5 pivots past the assembly position. Alternatively, the ring end 48 of the tensioning arm 5 running within the tensioner housing 4 can also contact the wall 24 of the housing part 16. In the other pivot direction, a step 49 of the tensioning arm 5 contacts the ring end 50 of the tensioner housing 4.

(34) The function of an end section 51 of the tensioning arm 5 adjacent to the step 49 and limiting the ring opening 9 is that the interior of the tensioner housing 4 is to be shielded against the penetration of dirt and spray water already in the assembly position of the belt tensioner 1. In the nominal operating position according to FIG. 12 and in the untensioned end position of the belt tensioner according to FIG. 13, the end section 51 is located peripherally within the ring opening 10 of the tensioner housing 4, without obstructing the circulating belt 11. If necessary, this protective effect can be increased by an additional seal between the tensioner housing 4 and the tensioning arm 5.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(35) 1 Belt tensioner

(36) 2 Generator

(37) 3 Mounting eye

(38) 4 Tensioner housing

(39) 5 Tensioning arm

(40) 6 Pulley of the generator

(41) 7 Tensioning roller

(42) 8 Locking pin

(43) 9 Ring opening of the tensioning arm

(44) 10 Ring opening of the tensioner housing

(45) 11 Belt

(46) 12 Pulley of the crankshaft

(47) 13 Pulley of the air conditioner compressor

(48) 14 Loop

(49) 15 Doubling

(50) 16 Housing part

(51) 17 Housing cover

(52) 18 Hole

(53) 19 Hole

(54) 20 Recess

(55) 21 Bow spring

(56) 22 Spring receptacle

(57) 23 Bulge

(58) 24 Wall

(59) 25 Wall

(60) 26 Tensioner housing-side spring end

(61) 27 Driver

(62) 28 Tensioning arm-side spring end

(63) 29 Axial end face in the housing part

(64) 30 Inner end face of the housing cover

(65) 31 Outer lateral surface of the tensioning arm

(66) 32 Inner lateral surface of the outer ring sleeve

(67) 33 Outer ring sleeve

(68) 34 Step of the housing part

(69) 35 Screw

(70) 36 Base body of the tensioning arm

(71) 37 Front slide lining part

(72) 38 Rear slide lining part

(73) 39 Outer lateral surface of the base body

(74) 40 End side of the base body

(75) 41 End side of the base body

(76) 42 Spring seat

(77) 43 Sliding block

(78) 44 Projection on the sliding block

(79) 45 Smooth contact surface of the sliding block

(80) 46 Projection on the tensioning arm

(81) 47 Edge on the housing part

(82) 48 Ring end of the tensioning arm

(83) 49 Step of the tensioning arm

(84) 50 Ring end of the tensioner housing

(85) 51 End section of the tensioning arm