METHOD FOR DETERMINING BELT WEAR IN A BELT DRIVE

Abstract

A method for determining belt wear in a belt drive, wherein the belt is loaded with a defined torque and the rotation angle of a pulley is determined.

Claims

1. A method for determining belt wear in a belt drive that has a pulley (4) and at least one tensioning arm (8, 9) which is mounted pivotably on the pulley (4) and which is connected to a tensioning roller (6, 7), wherein a belt (5) is guided around the pulley (4) and the tensioning roller (6, 7), wherein the belt (5) is loaded with a defined torque and the rotation angle (φ) of the pulley (4), or a variable that correlates therewith, is determined as a measure for the belt wear.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the belt drive has two tensioning arms (8, 9) which are mounted pivotably on the pulley (4) and which are each connected to a tensioning roller (6, 7), wherein the belt (5) is guided around the pulley (4) and the two tensioning rollers (6, 7) and the belt (5) is loaded in opposite directions with defined torques, wherein the overall rotation angle (φ) of the pulley (4), or the variable that correlates therewith, is determined as a measure for the belt wear.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the torques in the opposite directions have the same magnitude or are in a defined relationship to one another.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in addition to or instead of the rotation angle (φ) of the pulley (4), the time that the pulley (4) takes to reach a deflection corresponding to the torque is determined as a measure for the belt wear.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the belt drive is configured as a belt-driven starter generator (3) of an internal combustion engine (1), wherein the magnitude of the defined torque is lower than a breakaway torque of a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine (1).

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the torque is applied only when the internal combustion engine (1) is not running.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the belt drive is configured as a belt-driven starter generator (3) of an internal combustion engine (1), wherein the torque is applied only in defined operating states of the internal combustion engine (1).

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the torque is applied only when the internal combustion engine (1) is not running.

9. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, depending on the determined belt wear, the magnitude of the maximum permitted starting moment in the starter generator (3) is restricted.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the belt (5) is loaded multiple times with defined torques, wherein the belt wear is determined from multiple measurements of the rotation angle (φ) of the pulley (4), or the variable that correlates therewith.

11. A belt drive for carrying out the method according to claim 1, having a pulley (4) and at least one pivotably mounted, pre-tensioned tensioning arm (8, 9) which is connected to a tensioning roller (6, 7), wherein a belt (5) is guided around the pulley (4) and the tensioning roller (6, 7).

12. The belt drive according to claim 11, characterized in that the belt drive has two pivotably mounted tensioning arms (8, 9) to respective tensioning rollers (6, 7), wherein the belt (5) is guided around the pulley (4) and the tensioning rollers (6, 7).

13. The belt drive according to claim 12, characterized in that the two pivotably mounted tensioning arms (8, 9) are connected to each other via a spring element (10).

14. The belt drive according to claim 12, characterized in that the tensioning rollers (6, 7) apply a force in opposite directions to the belt (5).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Further advantages and expedient embodiments can be found in the other claims, the description of figures and the drawings, in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a belt-driven starter generator which is coupled to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine via a belt, shown in a first deflection of a tensioning system which is attached coaxially with the starter generator, in the case of a transmitted torque in a first direction,

[0020] FIG. 2 is an illustration that corresponds to FIG. 1, but in the case of a transmitted torque in the opposite direction, the tensioning system also being deflected in the opposite direction compared to FIG. 1,

[0021] FIG. 3 shows two illustrations of the starter generator after application of, in each case, a torque in different directions, and shows a superimposed illustration of both states for the purpose of establishing the rotation angle of the pulley as a measure of the wear of the belt.

[0022] In the figures, identical components are provided with identical reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] FIGS. 1 and 2 both show an internal combustion engine 1 which is started by a belt-driven starter generator 3, and which drives the starter generator 3 when the latter is operated as a generator. FIG. 1 illustrates the motive situation for starting and for providing motive support to the internal combustion engine, FIG. 2 shows the generative situation in which the starter generator 3 is driven by the internal combustion engine 1 and generates electricity. Accordingly, a torque MRSG in the starter generator 3 is transmitted in different directions via a pulley 4.

[0024] The internal combustion engine 1 and the belt-driven starter generator 3 are coupled via a belt 5 of the starter generator that is wrapped around a crankshaft takeoff pulley 2 of the internal combustion engine. The starter generator 3 further comprises the pulley 4 which, in particular, is fixed in rotation with an electric motor or is connected thereto via a gearing, and which operates as a drive motor in the motive situation as shown in FIG. 1, and as a generator in the generative situation as shown in FIG. 2.

[0025] The belt 5 is wrapped around the pulley 4, which is rotatably mounted. On the starter generator 3, two tensioning arms 8 and 9 are mounted so as to be able to pivot coaxially with the pulley 4, the pivot axis of the tensioning arms 8 and 9 coincides with the axis of rotation of the pulley 4. The pivotability of the tensioning arms 8 and 9 is independent of the rotatability of the pulley 4 about its axis of rotation.

[0026] The tensioning arms 8 and 9 each bear, on their side oriented away from the pulley 4, a tensioning roller 6 and 7, which each apply, from outside, an inward-oriented force on the belt 5, in order to tension the belt 5. The tensioning forces exerted on the belt 5 by the tensioning rollers 6 and 7 are oriented toward one another. The tensioning arms 8 and 9 with the tensioning rollers 6 and 7 represent a tensioning system or a belt tensioner, in which the belt 5 is loaded with a tensioning force transversely to its longitudinal extent. In order to generate the tensioning force, the tensioning rollers 6 and 7, or the associated tensioning arms 8 and 9, are provided with a pre-tension which is in particular calibrated such that, even when not in operation, the belt 5 is loaded with a tensioning force by the tensioning rollers 6 and 7.

[0027] In the exemplary embodiment, the two tensioning arms 8 and 9 are mounted on the pulley 4 so as to be able to pivot independently of one another, and are coupled in terms of force by a spring element 10, which is for example designed as a tension spring.

[0028] In addition, the belt 5 can be wrapped around and drive one or more auxiliary assemblies 11. The auxiliary assemblies 11 can for example be a power steering assembly, the water pump or the air-conditioning in the vehicle.

[0029] In the driving situation as shown in FIG. 1, the belt section between the crankshaft takeoff pulley 2 and the pulley 4 constitutes the tight run, and the belt section between the pulley 4 and the auxiliary assembly 11 constitutes the slack run. By contrast, in generative operation as shown in FIG. 2, the belt section between the crankshaft takeoff pulley 2 and the pulley 4 is the slack run and the belt section between the pulley 4 and the auxiliary assembly 11 is the tight run.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows three individual images, of which the left-hand image illustrates motive operation after application of a defined torque, and the middle image illustrates generative operation after application of the torque, but in the opposite direction. The right-hand image is a superposition of the left-hand and middle images, with the pulley 4 and the two tensioning rollers 6 and 7 of the belt tensioner.

[0031] The torque is applied in order to determine the belt wear. The magnitude of the torque is smaller than the breakaway torque of the internal combustion engine. Both in motive operation and in generative operation, the torque is preferably applied when the internal combustion engine is not running. For motive and generative operation, the torque can be equal both with respect to its duration and its magnitude, but is of opposite orientation. The torque is generated by actuation of the electric motor connected to the pulley 4. The duration of the torque is preferably at most one second, for example half a second. The magnitude of the torque is preferably at most 10 Nm, for example 5 Nm.

[0032] In order to determine the belt wear, it is expedient to apply a torque at regular time intervals, preferably in immediate succession in both opposite directions of the motive and generative operation, and to establish the rotation angle of the pulley 4. A change in the rotation angle can be used to identify the current wear state of the belt. If reference values are available, it is also possible to use the absolute values of the rotation angle of the pulley to identify the current belt wear.

[0033] Once the belt wear has been established, it is possible to restrict the maximum torque acting in the belt drive in order to prevent failure of the belt drive.

[0034] The right-hand image of FIG. 3 illustrates, in superposition, the motive and generative situations when applying the torques for the purpose of determining belt wear, wherein the motive situation is shown with dashed lines and the generative situation is shown with solid lines. The rotation angle φ of the pulley between the motive and generative situations after application of a positive or, respectively, negative torque can be detected by means of sensors and serves as a measure for the belt wear. Additionally or alternatively, it is also possible to use another variable that correlates with the rotation angle φ, for example the time that the pulley 4 needs to reach its respective deflection.

[0035] The right-hand image of FIG. 3 also shows the angle α traversed by the tensioning roller 6 of the belt tensioner when passing from the motive situation to the generative situation. It is also possible for this angle α to be used to determine the belt wear.