And Ball Or Roller Bearing For Mounting Pulley Or Guide Roll On Support Patents (Class 474/199)
  • Patent number: 11454310
    Abstract: A pulley device for supporting a belt of chain tensioning idler or a runner roller includes a bearing having an outer ring mounted for rotation relative to a coaxial inner ring and at least one pulley part that is C-shaped in cross section. The pulley part has an inner portion with a frustoconical inner surface mounted on an outer cylindrical surface of the outer ring, an outer cylindrical portion having an outer cylindrical surface configured to support a belt or a chain, and an intermediate portion extending radially inward from the cylindrical outer portion to the inner portion. The pulley part is integral and has an open end on an axial side opposite the intermediate portion. The frustoconical surface extends inwardly towards the outer ring, and the inner surface is force fitted onto the outer cylindrical surface of the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Benoit Arnault, Mickael Chollet, Benoît Hauvespre, Nicolas Tronquoy
  • Patent number: 11371597
    Abstract: A pulley device for a belt tensioner or winder roller having a bearing, a pulley mounted to the bearing, a protection flange and a screw. The protection flange includes an axial portion that is able to pass from an undeformed first configuration for positioning the flange on the bearing to a deformed second configuration for axial and radial retention of the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Benoit Arnault, Nicolas Tronquoy
  • Patent number: 11346436
    Abstract: A pulley device configured to support a belt of a chain tensioning idler or runner roller includes a bearing having a rotatable outer ring and a coaxial fixed inner ring and a pulley having at least one C-shaped pulley part that has an inner portion with an inner surface mounted on an outer cylindrical surface of the bearing outer ring, an outer cylindrical portion having an outer cylindrical surface configured to contact the belt or the chain, and a radial intermediate portion between axial outer ends of the inner and outer cylindrical portions and an axial outer end of the outer cylindrical portion, wherein the intermediate portion in cross section has a shape of an arc circle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Benoit Arnault, Mickael Chollet, Kévin Lefort, Simon Prevost
  • Patent number: 11306808
    Abstract: A pulley device configured to support a belt of a chain tensioning idler or a runner roller includes a bearing having inner and outer rings and a pulley having at least one C-shaped pulley part mounted on the bearing outer ring with an inner cylindrical portion of the pulley part press-fitted on the bearing outer ring, the bearing outer ring having a material projection and the inner cylindrical portion of the pulley part having an axial groove configured to allow the material projection to slide axially through the groove when the pulley part is slid axially onto the outer ring, the material projection forming an axial stop for the pulley part when the pulley part is rotated relative to the bearing outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Benoit Arnault, Mickael Chollet, Benoît Hauvespre, Nicolas Tronquoy
  • Patent number: 11204088
    Abstract: A pulley device provides a pulley and a bearing. The pulley has at least one C-shaped pulley part having an inner portion mounted on the bearing, an outer portion having an outer cylindrical surface dedicated to interact with a belt or a chain, and an intermediate portion extending substantially radially between axial ends of inner and outer portions on one axial side of pulley device. The outer cylindrical surface of outer ring is provided with at least one material deformation forming an axial stop for the pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Benoît Hauvespre, Gwenael Hingouet, Thomas Perrotin, Nicolas Tronquoy
  • Patent number: 11162571
    Abstract: A pulley device for supporting a belt of a chain tensioning idler or a runner roller includes a bearing having an outer ring mounted for rotation relative to a coaxial inner ring and first and second C-shaped pulley parts mounted on the radially outer surface of the outer ring with their openings facing each other. The radially outer portion of the first and/or second pulley part includes at least one radial through opening, and a first portion of at least one of the pulley parts radially inward of the through opening is deformable from a first configuration in which the first pulley part is axially movable relative to the outer ring to a second configuration in which the first pulley part forms an interference fit with the outer ring or with the second pulley part. Also a method of connecting the pulley parts to the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Mickael Chollet, Thomas Perrotin, Simon Prevost, Nicolas Tronquoy
  • Patent number: 10632248
    Abstract: Examples include a medicament delivery device including a housing, a medicament delivery member assembly configured to be moved from an initial position to a penetration position and from the penetration position back to the initial position, a penetration and withdrawal mechanism, an activation mechanism, and a stop mechanism, where the penetration and withdrawal mechanism includes a driver operably connected to the medicament delivery member assembly and to the activation and stop mechanism, a drive element operably connected to the driver, a biased force element connected to the drive element, and a switching element arranged between the driver and the drive element, where operation of the stop mechanism allows the biased force element to interact with the drive element, causing movement of the switching element such that the driver is moved in an opposite direction and moves the medicament delivery member assembly back to the initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: SHL Medical AG
    Inventors: Slobodan Stefanov, Daniel Scott, Johnathan Weiss
  • Patent number: 10132399
    Abstract: A pulley device for a tensioner roller provides a pulley, a bearing, a spacer supporting the bearing. The spacer is provided with a through bore, and a securing bolt extending to the inside of the bore in the spacer. The device includes at least one means for the temporary locking of the securing bolt in relation to the spacer, the temporary locking means being separable and inserted between the bolt and the spacer. A pulley device for a winding roller is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Mickael Chollet, Alain Gezault, Torbjorn Hedman, Romuald Lescorail, Frederic Liege, Flavien Tesniere, Nicolas Tronquoy
  • Patent number: 10082200
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pulley device for tensioner or idler for a belt or a chain having a pulley, a bearing, a spacer supporting the bearing and including a through bore, a fastening screw extending in the bore, and an axial retention member for the screw, the axial retention member being fixed to the spacer and providing a retention member that cooperates with the screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Romuald Lescorail, Frederic Liege
  • Publication number: 20150141185
    Abstract: The inventive pulley device for one of a chain and belt provides an inner ring, an outer ring, at least one row of rolling elements mounted in a rolling chamber defined between the inner ring and the outer ring, a pulley secured in rotation with the outer ring and provided with an outer radial surface for engagement with one of a chain and a belt. A screw for mounting on a support is housed radially inside the inner ring and a mounting support element is provided with a passage opening for the screw. The opening is tapped, with a complementary tapping of a thread arranged on the screw, the screw is provided with a groove, offset relative to the thread along a longitudinal axis (X40) of the screw and in which the tapping of the opening is received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Dirk Albrecht, Romuald Lescorail, Gwenoel Leteil, Thomas Nicaud
  • Patent number: 8790018
    Abstract: The invention comprises a drum motor comprising a drum tube, a spatially fixed shaft in the interior of the drum tube. To provide a drum motor in particular for use in hygiene areas a drum motor (10) according to the invention comprises: a drum tube (11), a spatially fixed shaft (13) in the interior of the drum tube (11), an inner cover (13) for accommodating a bearing (14) to support the drum tube (11) rotatably about the shaft (13) and for internally sealing off the interior (12), and an outer cover (30) for covering a drum tube end and for externally sealing off the interior (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Interroll Holding AG
    Inventors: Helmut Leuver, Frank Heinen, Martin Priefert
  • Patent number: 8715123
    Abstract: A rotation urging mechanism includes an outer member which includes an outer raceway surface on an inner periphery thereof and is rotatable about a first axis, an inner member which includes, on an outer periphery thereof, an inner raceway surface disposed on a radially inner side of the outer raceway surface and is rotatable about the first axis, and a ball disposed rollably between the outer raceway surface and the inner raceway surface. One of the outer and inner raceway surfaces is formed about a second axis which is inclined with respect to the first axis, and the other raceway surface is formed about a third axis which is inclined with respect to the second axis and is disposed so as to cross the one raceway surface. The ball is disposed at a portion of intersection between the outer and inner raceway surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8651988
    Abstract: A tensioning device for a traction element, such as a belt, band or chain, is provided having a tensioning arm (1) arranged on a machine part on which an idler pulley or deflection pulley for the traction element is rotatably mounted via a roller bearing (2), and includes a protective cap (15) which is in a frictionally locking or positively locking manner on the idler pulley and covers the bearing region of the idler pulley. The idler pulley is a sheet-metal sheave (16) and includes, for securing the protective cap (15), a snap-in groove (17) which is formed in an end region of the sheet-metal sheave (16) which has an outwardly conical shape, with the end region having a thickness (A) which is less than a thickness (E) of the sheet metal of the sheet-metal sheave (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benoit Kapfer, Jacky Herrmann, Constant Einsetler
  • Patent number: 8512185
    Abstract: A switchable drive pulley system that allows driving engagement or disengagement of a pulley from the shaft of an accessory drive. The pulley is mounted to the shaft by a bearing having an inner ring that rotates with the shaft and an outer ring that rotates with the pulley. A friction disk is arranged adjacent to the bearing inner and outer ring. When axial pressure is applied to the friction disk, relative motion between the inner and outer bearing rings is stopped, allowing transfer of torque from the pulley to the shaft to drive the accessory drive, with the pulley and shaft rotating at the same speed. When pressure is removed from the friction disk, the pulley and the outer bearing ring can spin independently of the inner ring and shaft. The shaft can therefore remain stationary while the pulley continues to turn driven by the accessory belt drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Baer, Thomas Gillespie
  • Patent number: 8506434
    Abstract: An isolating decoupler comprising a hub, a one-way clutch engaged with the hub, a pulley rotationally engaged with the hub, a spring operationally engaged between the one-way clutch and the pulley, and an inertia member engaged with the hub through an elastomeric member, the inertia member substantially disposed within a width of the pulley, the inertia member moveable independently of the pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: John Harvey
  • Patent number: 8439019
    Abstract: A compressed air delivery system in which power from a power supply is transmitted to a rotary air compressor through a dry running, continuous variable transmission (CVT) utilizing a belt coupled between two pulleys enclosed within a CVT housing. The air pressure differential created by the rotary air compressor is used to urge cooling air through the CVT to cool the CVT belt. The pressure differential may be utilized to push cooling air into the CVT housing or to draw cooling air through the CVT housing. In one embodiment, a portion of the compressed air discharged from a supercharger may be routed through a bleed line and into the CVT housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Accessible Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Carlson, Kenneth C. Jones
  • Patent number: 8418316
    Abstract: A friction wheel includes a hub, two bearings mounted in the hub and each having an axle, and a friction member mounted between the hub and the axle of each of the two bearings. Thus, the friction member is mounted between the hub and the axle of each of the two bearings to increase the friction between the hub and the axle of each of the two bearings so that the user has to apply a larger force to overcome the friction between the hub and the axle of each of the two bearings so as to move the cart forward, thereby preventing the cart from being moved freely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Der Sheng Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ching-Tsun Chen
  • Patent number: 8308591
    Abstract: A resin pulley includes an outer cylindrical portion including an outer circumferential surface on which a belt is to be wound, an inner cylindrical portion, and a plurality of ribs connecting an inner circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical portion and an outer circumferential surface of the inner cylindrical portion, which are formed of a resin material. The ribs are provided so as to be inclined towards a circumferential direction relative to a radial imaginary line as viewed in an axial direction. Radially outer end portions of the ribs are formed such that inclination angles of the respective radially outer end portions relative to the radial imaginary line increase as the ribs extend radially outward, and radially inner end portions of the ribs are formed such that inclination angles of the respective radially inner end portions relative to the radial imaginary line increase as the ribs extend radially inward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Hamada, Hiroshi Ueno, Kunio Yanai, Masanori Shinohara, Tomoki Uno
  • Publication number: 20120283058
    Abstract: A rotation urging mechanism includes an outer member which includes an outer raceway surface on an inner periphery thereof and is rotatable about a first axis, an inner member which includes, on an outer periphery thereof, an inner raceway surface disposed on a radially inner side of the outer raceway surface and is rotatable about the first axis, and a ball disposed rollably between the outer raceway surface and the inner raceway surface. One of the outer and inner raceway surfaces is formed about a second axis which is inclined with respect to the first axis, and the other raceway surface is formed about a third axis which is inclined with respect to the second axis and is disposed so as to cross the one raceway surface. The ball is disposed at a portion of intersection between the outer and inner raceway surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideki FUJIWARA
  • Patent number: 8257210
    Abstract: A rotation urging mechanism includes: an outer member which has an outer raceway surface on its inner periphery and is rotatable about a first axis; an inner member which has on its outer periphery an inner raceway surface disposed in face-to-face relation to a radially inner side of the outer raceway surface over an entire circumference thereof and is rotatable about the first axis; and a plurality of balls disposed rollably between the outer raceway surface and the inner raceway surface. The outer raceway surface is formed about a second axis which is inclined with respect to the first axis, and the inner raceway surface is formed about a third axis which is inclined with respect to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8235851
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tensioning or deflector pulley, in particular for the belt drive on an internal combustion engine, essentially comprising a plastic or steel running pulley, formed by an inner hub ring, an outer running ring and a pulley disc, connecting both rings to each other, with a radial roller bearing fixed in the hub ring of the running pulley, made up of an inner bearing ring and an outer bearing ring with a number of rolling bodies running between the bearing rings in channeled running tracks, retained at regular separations from each other by a bearing cage with a seal to both sides of the roller bodies, by means of which the cavity, formed between the bearing rings and designed as a grease reservoir, is sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Rainer Eidloth, Rainer Schenk, Georg Goppelt
  • Patent number: 8210502
    Abstract: A wireline hay pulley has a support with front and back plates extending therefrom. A sheave disposed between the plates can rotate on an axle. The front plate is affixed to the support, while the back plate is removably connected to the support. The front plate has a round opening in which an eccentric bushing on the axle can rotate. When the back plate is disconnected from the support, the back plate can turn the axle fixed in a slotted opening. An eccentric bushing on the axle rotates in an opening of the front plate, thereby shifting the sheave away from the support. With the back plate moved away and the sheave shifted downward, an operator can readily rig up a wireline in the sheave's slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: James Fogg, Jeremy Ward
  • Publication number: 20120142470
    Abstract: In a method for fitting a preassembled pulley subassembly (1) on a rotary machine (2), the preassembled subassembly comprising a pulley (7), a rolling bearing (8), a plate (9) and an elastic ring (23) positioned around a shoulder (9a) of the plate (9), the following steps are carried out:—the bearing (8) is mounted on a hollow shaft (10) of the rotary machine (2) and, at the same time, a hub (20) of the plate (9) is mounted on a rotary spindle (4) of the rotary machine (2), that passes through the hollow shaft (10),—the elastic ring (23) of the plate (9) is slid axially until it enters a groove (10a) in the hollow shaft (10) of the rotary machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Laurent Varnnoux, Romuald Lescorail
  • Patent number: 8172056
    Abstract: Disengageable pulley device comprising a pulley mounted on a shaft by means of a rolling bearing and of a freewheel, the pulley comprising a rim mounted on the periphery of a one-piece outer race of substantially tubular shape comprising, on an inner surface, at least one raceway for rolling elements and at least one contact seat of cylindrical revolution for lock-up elements of the freewheel, a one-piece inner race forming a torque transmission shaft and including, on an outer surface coming opposite the outer race, at least one raceway for the rolling elements and at least one contact seat of cylindrical revolution for the lock-up elements of the freewheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Pierre-Julien Barraud, Gwenael Hingouet, Jean-Philippe Gaborel
  • Patent number: 8167750
    Abstract: A resin pulley includes: an outer cylindrical portion having an outer circumferential surface on which a belt is to be wound; an inner cylindrical portion which is disposed radially inwards of and concentrically with the outer cylindrical portion; and a plurality of ribs connecting an inner circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical portion and an outer circumferential surface of the inner cylindrical portion. The outer cylindrical portion, the inner cylindrical portion and the ribs are formed integrally from a resin material, and the ribs are provided in such a manner as to be inclined towards a circumferential direction relative to a radial imaginary line as viewed in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Hamada, Hiroshi Ueno, Kunio Yanai, Masanori Shinohara, Tomoki Uno
  • Patent number: 8012053
    Abstract: A rotatable device, such as a pulley, includes an annular rotatable member having a bore extending therethrough and an outer surface disposed about the bore. A bearing is located in the bore. The bearing is operably connected to the annular rotatable member to form an axis of rotation about which the annular rotatable member can rotate relative to an inner race of the bearing. A combination dust cover and bearing retaining member spans the bore at a location spaced axially from the bearing. The cover includes a flange received by a groove extending outwardly from the bore in a direction toward the outer surface of the rotatable member to attach the combination dust cover and bearing retaining member to the rotatable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Dayco Products, LLC
    Inventor: Ethan L. Filip
  • Patent number: 7993228
    Abstract: A power transmission device includes a pulley 1 and a hub 2 having an inner hub 21, a rubber damper 22 and an outer hub 23. A hub side engagement portion 24 formed of an elastic material and arranged either one, or both, of inner peripheral surface and outer peripheral surface of the outer hub engages with a pulley side engagement portion 12, arranged at a position corresponding to the outer hub, of the pulley in concavo-convex fitting to thereby constitute a torque transmission structure between the hub and the pulley. The hub side engagement portion and the pulley side engagement portion have a concavo-convex outer shape and mesh with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiyasu Nosaka, Yasuo Tabuchi, Motohiko Ueda, Yoshiki Tada, Hiroshi Nagae, Masahiro Yamashita, Kouji Kida, Mitsuhiro Tanabe
  • Patent number: 7980976
    Abstract: A tensioner for tensioning a flexible drive means, such as a timing belt or chain, includes a pulley to contact the belt. The pulley is mounted on a tensioner arm and the tensioner arm can be rotated about a pivot shaft mounted to the tensioner by a spring. The axis about which the pulley rotates is spaced from the axis of the rotation of the tensioner arm with respect to the pivot shaft and the spacing of these axes of rotation results in the pulley moving through an eccentric towards or away from the belt when the tensioner arm is rotated. A stop is used to limit the range of movement of the tensioner arm between a desired range of movement defined by a free arm stop and a backstop. The position of the stop is adjustable by an installer. The angular range of movement of the tensioner arm is adjustable from a position suitable for installation of the tensioner to a position suitable for operation of the installed tensioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Litens Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Jacek Stepniak, Jorma J. Lehtovaara, Marek Frankowski
  • Publication number: 20110147332
    Abstract: The invention provides a trolley wheel assembly for a conveyor system, e.g., an overhead conveyor system. In certain embodiments, the wheel assembly includes at least one wheel face having a contour (optionally a funneling configuration and/or one or more surface features) configured to facilitate flow of a fluid toward an open bearing assembly of the wheel assembly. In some embodiments, the wheel assembly includes an inner race, outer race, and bearings having a particular hardness arrangement, optionally together with a polymer wheel having certain filler features. Methods for cleaning such a trolley wheel assembly are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Scott T. Breyer, Kyle C. Stoehr
  • Patent number: 7850558
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus for a compressor used in an air conditioner for a vehicle including a damper mounted to one side of a pulley rotated by a driving power transmitted from an engine wherein the damper and an elastic portion is formed between an outer ring and an inner ring, and wherein a mounting flange of the outer ring is coupled to the pulley and a mounting flange of the inner ring is coupled to a limiter. The limiter has a plate shape and comprises: a middle portion in a ring shape, an outside portion in a ring shape around the edge of the middle portion, and a neck portion connecting the middle portion and the outside portion, whereby upon overload, the neck portion is broken. The middle portion of the limiter is coupled to a hub, and the hub penetrates the center of the inner ring and is coupled to the limiter between the damper and the pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Halla Climate Control Corp.
    Inventor: Seong Taek Oh
  • Patent number: 7803079
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus is disclosed. A pulley is journalled through a ball bearing on the outer periphery of a bearing support portion arranged on a housing, and a metal ring is fitted on the inner periphery of the pulley. The outer ring of the ball bearing is press-fitted into the inner periphery of the metal ring, and a punch is forcibly pushed into a front-side end surface of the ring. In this way, punched holes each having a sectional area progressively increased from the rear to front side are formed, and the portions of the metal ring near to the inner periphery than the punched holes are pushed out and caulked. Thus, caulked portions are formed to fixedly caulk the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Sakamoto, Naoto Agata, Hideo Kuroda, Toshio Kamio, Souhei Komiyama
  • Patent number: 7785220
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle has a power operated lift-gate that is opened and closed by two drive units. The typical drive unit has a guide channel, an attachment assembly that is disposed in the guide channel, a flexible drive member that is attached to the attachment assembly and formed in a loop for moving the attachment assembly in the guide channel. The flexible drive member is trained solely around two pulleys at the respective opposite ends of the guide channel to form the flexible drive member in a narrow loop. One of the pulleys is an idler pulley that is part of an adjustable pulley assembly and the other pulley is driven by a power unit that is attached to the guide channel. The adjustable pulley assembly adjusts the distance between the pulleys to take up slack in the flexible drive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Strattec Power Access LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Ciavaglia, Lloyd W. Rogers, Jr., Howard W. Kuhlman, Brian N. Orr, Eric R. Hansen, John R. Rice, Joseph M. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20100151979
    Abstract: A switchable drive pulley system that allows driving engagement or disengagement of a pulley from the shaft of an accessory drive is provided. The pulley is mounted to the shaft by a bearing having an inner ring that rotates with the shaft and an outer ring that rotates with the pulley. A friction disk is arranged adjacent to the bearing inner ring and outer ring. When axial pressure is applied to the friction disk, relative motion between the inner and outer bearing rings is stopped, allowing the transfer of torque from the pulley to the shaft in order to drive the accessory drive, with the pulley and shaft rotating at the same speed. When pressure is removed from the friction disk, the pulley and the outer bearing ring can spin independently of the inner ring and shaft. The shaft can therefore remain stationery while the pulley continues to turn driven by the accessory belt drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Baer, Thomas Gillespie
  • Patent number: 7695385
    Abstract: Belt roller device, comprising a pulley, a rolling bearing, a protective end-plate, a screw immobilized axially relative to the rolling bearing, and a retaining element mounted on a stem of the screw and forming an axial stop for the protective end-plate, the said protective end-plate being designed to come to bear against a radial face of the inner race of the rolling bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Pierre-Julien Barraud, Laurent Varnoux, Romuald Lescorail
  • Publication number: 20100016109
    Abstract: A sheave system comprising: a sheave body, the sheave body comprising: a groove; a sheave body outer diameter; a sheave body inner diameter; one sheave sleeve selected from at least four sheave sleeves fixedly attachable to the sheave body inner diameter, each of the at least four of the sheave sleeves comprising: a sleeve bore; a sleeve outer diameter that is about the same as the sheave body inner diameter as to allow a fixed attachment between the sleeve and sheave body; a sleeve inner diameter; one bearing selected from at least four bearings fixedly attachable to the sleeve inner diameter, each of the bearings comprising: a bearing outer diameter that is about the same as the sheave body inner diameter as to allow a fixed attachment between the bearing and the sleeve, and a bearing inner diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Stewart Walton, Richard Cazeault
  • Publication number: 20090298629
    Abstract: A rotation urging mechanism includes: an outer member which has an outer raceway surface on its inner periphery and is rotatable about a first axis; an inner member which has on its outer periphery an inner raceway surface disposed in face-to-face relation to a radially inner side of the outer raceway surface over an entire circumference thereof and is rotatable about the first axis; and a plurality of balls disposed rollably between the outer raceway surface and the inner raceway surface. The outer raceway surface is formed about a second axis which is inclined with respect to the first axis, and the inner raceway surface is formed about a third axis which is inclined with respect to the first axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideki Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20090298630
    Abstract: A pulley fixing structure includes a pulley with a ball bearing, and a bracket having a shaft portion on which the inner race of the bearing is pressed with an interference fit. The thermal expansion of the radially outer portion of the shaft portion of the bracket is larger than that of the radially inner portion of the inner race of the bearing. The interference thus decreases at a low temperature. Reduction of the radial clearance of the bearing 1 by pressing is thus compensated, and cold weather noise can be prevented while reducing the number of required parts and making the assembly process simple.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Katsunori MINENO, Goro Nakao
  • Publication number: 20090191999
    Abstract: A dust shield to inhibit the ingress of foreign materials into a pulley bearing is disclosed as is a pulley including such a dust shield. The dust shield is press fit to one side of the bearing such that it is captive during assembly and/or installation of the pulley. A second dust shield can be provided on the opposite side of the bearing to further inhibit the ingress of foreign materials. Preferably, at least one of the dust shields includes a bolt retention feature which holds an installation bolt captive to the pulley prior to installation. The dust shields can be fabricated from selected materials with desired thermal characteristics to insulate the bearing from sources of undesired heat and/or to assist the removal of waste heat from the bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventors: Kacy Joseph, John R. Antchak, Gerald J. Hamers, Gary J. Spicer
  • Patent number: 7563187
    Abstract: In a drive belt system, an idler pulley 6 is formed by an auto belt alignment pulley. For example, a pulley body 60 is rotatably carried on a hollow cylindrical shaft member 62, a support rod 63 is inserted in the shaft member 62, and the pulley body 60 and the shaft member 62 are connected to each other via a pin 64 (pivot axis C2) for angular movement about the pin 64. The pin 64 is inclined orthogonally to the shaft member 62 and forward in the direction of rotation of the pulley body 60 with respect to the direction of a radial shaft load L. With this configuration, when a flat belt 8 deviates to one side, the pulley body 60 inclines to create a level difference in the direction of the radial shaft load L and angularly moves orthogonally to the flat belt 8, thereby correcting the deviation of the flat belt 8. To fulfill the auto belt alignment function, belt span lengths Si and So between the idler pulley 6 and both the adjacent pulleys 3 and 4 are each set larger than the width of the flat belt 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Bando Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Miyata
  • Patent number: 7540815
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission has an input pulley assembly connected to a first transfer pulley assembly with a first chain and a second transfer pulley assembly connected to an output pulley assembly with a second chain. The first transfer pulley assembly and the second transfer pulley assembly shaft a common shuttle disk that moves axially on a countershaft that carries the first and second transfer pulleys. The input pulley assembly and the output pulley assembly are generally axially aligned and a bearing carrier is positioned between the pulleys. A high pressure fluid supply system reduces or eliminates axial loading on the shafts of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Inventor: Albert W. Brown
  • Publication number: 20090098967
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tensioning or deflector pulley, in particular for the belt drive on an internal combustion engine, essentially comprising a plastic or steel running pulley, formed by an inner hub ring, an outer running ring and a pulley disc, connecting both rings to each other, with a radial roller bearing fixed in the hub ring of the running pulley, made up of an inner bearing ring and an outer bearing ring with a number of rolling bodies running between the bearing rings in channeled running tracks, retained at regular separations from each other by a bearing cage with a seal to both sides of the roller bodies, by means of which the cavity, formed between the bearing rings and designed as a grease reservoir, is sealed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Rainer Eidloth, Rainer Schenk, Georg Goppelt
  • Patent number: 7448806
    Abstract: A rotation support device for a compressor pulley, wherein a three-point contact radial ball bearing (14b) is used as a rolling bearing for supporting a driven pulley, the cross sectional shape of an inner ring raceway track (19b) coming into contact, at one point, with the rolling contact surface of each ball (17a) is formed in a composite arc by smoothly and continuously connecting arcs with different radii of curvature R1 and R2 to each other, and the radius of curvature R1 on a center side in the width direction is made smaller and the radii of curvature R2 on the both end sides in the width direction are made larger (R1<R2) whereby the durability of the rolling bearing for supporting the driven pulley can be assured while reducing the size of the rolling bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ishiguro, Nobuhiko Miyake, Yukihiro Akabane
  • Publication number: 20080268995
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus is disclosed. A pulley is journalled through a ball bearing on the outer periphery of a bearing support portion arranged on a housing, and a metal ring is fitted on the inner periphery of the pulley. The outer ring of the ball bearing is press-fitted into the inner periphery of the metal ring, and a punch is forcibly pushed into a front-side end surface of the ring. In this way, punched holes each having a sectional area progressively increased from the rear to front side are formed, and the portions of the metal ring near to the inner periphery than the punched holes are pushed out and caulked. Thus, caulked portions are formed to fixedly caulk the outer ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Sakamoto, Naoto Agata, Hideo Kuroda, Toshio Kamio, Souhei Komiyama
  • Patent number: 7431269
    Abstract: The present invention is a sheave assembly that includes a ring supported by a support assembly instead of a solid sheave wheel supported by a central axle. The support assembly may include a plurality of rollers or a curved shoe. The ring is made of a lubricated plastic material or other similar material. The ring includes a groove for retaining the wireline or cable and an inner surface that is designed to mate with the outer surface support assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Wireline Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Carlson, Russ Vance, Kenn Dayton, Brian Mace, George Vent
  • Publication number: 20080220921
    Abstract: A resin wound component is configured such that a ring-shaped resin portion is integrally formed with the outer circumference of a ring-shaped metal member. At this time, stoppers formed of thermoplastic resin are disposed in the outer circumferential surface of the metal member so as to prevent a relative rotation between the metal member and the resin portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kunio Yanai, Kazuki Hamada
  • Publication number: 20080219607
    Abstract: A resin wound component is configured such that a ring-shaped resin portion is integrally formed with an outer circumference of a ring-shaped metal member by a film gate. The resin portion includes a ring-shaped surrounding portion for surrounding axial end surfaces of outer circumferential edges of the ring-shaped metal member. At this time, the thickness of a ring-shaped surrounding portion on the gate side is configured to be larger than that of a ring-shaped surrounding portion on an opposite side to the gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoru Murao
  • Patent number: 7419448
    Abstract: A hollow cylindrical pulley body 5 is carried rotatably by a hollow cylindrical shaft member 11. A support rod 8 is inserted in the shaft member 11 to support the shaft member 11 for rocking motion about a pivot axis C2 orthogonal to the shaft member 11. The pivot axis C2 is inclined backward in the direction of belt travel with respect to the direction of load on the shaft member 11. With this configuration, when the drive belt 3 deviates to one side, the pulley body 5 is immediately angularly moved so that it is inclined with a level difference with respect to the direction of load on the shaft member 11 and is positioned obliquely relative to the drive belt 3, thereby producing a force of returning the drive belt 3 to its normal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Bando Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Miyata, Shinichiro Nishikawa, Masashi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7387584
    Abstract: A hollow cylindrical pulley body 5 is carried rotatably by a hollow cylindrical shaft member 11. A support rod 8 is inserted in the shaft member 11, and the shaft member 11 is elastically supported to the support rod 8 through an elastic body 10. The elastic body 10 is provided within a quarter of the periphery of the support rod 8 that is located, when viewed along the axis of the shaft member 11, forward of the line of action of a radial shaft load on the shaft member 11 with respect to the direction of rotation of the pulley body 5. With this configuration, when the drive belt 3 deviates to one side, the pulley body 5 is immediately angularly moved so that it is inclined with a level difference with respect to the direction of the radial shaft load and is positioned obliquely relative to the drive belt 3. In this manner, a force of compensating for the deviation of the drive belt 3 is produced to avoid its wobbling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Bando Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Miyata, Shinichiro Nishikawa, Masashi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7384247
    Abstract: A centrifugal blower is provided which incorporates a self-contained air cooling system. The blower includes a drive assembly connected to a drive motor and disposed within a housing having inlet and outlet apertures. A centrifugal compressor is connected to the drive assembly and disposed exteriorly to the housing adjacent to the outlet apertures. Rotation of a drive pulley, including a fan, by the drive motor causes air to enter the housing through the inlet apertures, flow over components of the drive assembly, and exit through the outlet apertures. A spindle assembly having a rigid bearing arrangement is also provided. One or more bearing elements are disposed at opposite ends of a spacer and between a shaft and housing of the spindle assembly. Such rigid pre-loaded bearing arrangement eliminates “unloading” concerns, and allows load sharing between bearing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Vortech Engineering, LLC
    Inventor: Robert B. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7364522
    Abstract: A pulley body 5 is provided at its both sides with power transmission members 6, 6. When a flat belt 3 becomes misaligned relative to the center of the pulley body 5 and comes into contact with one of the power transmission members 6, a running force of the flat belt 3 is utilized to displace the pulley body 5 diagonally relative to the flat belt 3, thus producing a force for returning the flat belt 3 to its original state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Bando Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Miyata, Shinichiro Nishikawa