Abstract: A decoupler assembly with an input hub, an output member, and a one-way clutch. In one form, the decoupler assembly includes an annular bearing mount with a needle bearing disposed between the bearing mount and the input hub to support the output member for rotation on the input hub. In another form the decoupler assembly further comprises a torsional vibration damper that is received within an internal cavity that is bounded on opposite axial ends by the output member and a cover that is coupled to the output member.

Abstract: A driven accessory having a clutch that permits selective operation of an accessory portion. The clutch employs rotational inertia to control driving engagement of a wrap spring to an interior clutch surface on a drive member and/or driving disengagement of the wrap spring from the interior clutch surface.

Abstract: In an aspect, a tensioner is provided, comprising a base, a tensioner arm, a tensioner spring, a wheel, and a damping structure. The base is mountable to an engine. The tensioner arm is pivotally connected to the base for movement about a tensioner arm axis. The tensioner spring is connected between the base and the tensioner arm and is positioned to urge the tensioner arm towards a free arm position. The wheel is rotatably mounted to the tensioner arm and is engageable with an endless drive member. A friction surface is provided on one of the base and the tensioner arm. The damping structure is provided on the other of the base and the tensioner arm and engages the friction surface to generate friction during rotation of the tensioner arm. The damping structure includes a sleeve that contains at least one aperture and a damping element that contains at least one lug that engages the at least one aperture with no circumferential clearance therebetween.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is directed to a belt tensioner for tensioning a belt, comprising a pivot shaft that is fixedly mountable with respect to an engine block of an engine, a tensioner arm rotatably mounted to the pivot shaft for pivoting about a tensioner arm axis in a first direction and in an opposing second direction, a pulley rotatably mounted to the tensioner arm for rotation about a pulley axis, and a tensioner spring positioned to bias the tensioner arm in the first direction, wherein the tensioner spring has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is engaged with the tensioner arm, and a micro adjustment mechanism that is operatively connected to control the position of the second end of the tensioner spring so as to control the tension in the tensioner spring.

Abstract: A decoupler having a hub, a drive member and an isolator. The drive member is disposed about the hub for rotation about a rotational axis and includes an inner clutch surface. The isolator couples the hub and the drive member and includes a carrier, a plurality of arcuate springs, and a wrap spring. The carrier is received between the hub and the drive member and includes a carrier member, which defines a pair of apertures, and a pair of reaction blocks that are mounted in the apertures. The arcuate springs are mounted in the carrier member and are disposed between the hub and an associated one of the reaction blocks. The wrap spring has an end and a plurality of helical coils that are engaged to the inner clutch surface of the drive member. The end has an end face that is abutted against one of the reaction blocks.

Abstract: A tensioner for tensioning flexible drives employs an extruded shaft which can provide a relatively complex cross sectional shape to provide anti-rotation features to inhibit rotation of a pivot bushing located on the shaft. The pivot bushing has a frustoconical outer shape, as does the pivot surface of the hub of the tensioner arm which pivots on the pivot bushing. A dampening spring urges the pivot bushing towards the tensioner arm's pivot surface, providing for wear compensation and for dampening. The degree of dampening which is generated between the pivot bushing and the tensioner hub can be selected in a variety of manners: by varying the spring force; by changing the effective contact surface area between the pivot bushing and pivot surface; and/or by changing the coefficient of friction between the pivot bushing and the pivot surface.

Abstract: An electromagnet may comprise a pole piece (20) and coil assembly (30). The pole piece (20) may be magnetically susceptible and have a channel structure and a first flange member (22). The channel structure may have an annular inner side wall (24), an annular outer side wall (26) and an annular end wall (28) that fixedly couples the inner and outer side walls (24, 26) to one another on a first axial end (27) of the pole piece (20). The channel structure may be open on a second axial end (29) of the pole piece (20) that is opposite the first axial end (27). The first flange member (22) may be coupled to an end of one of the inner and outer side walls (24, 26) on the second axial end (29) and extend in a radial direction of the pole piece (20) towards an interior of the channel structure. The coil assembly (30) may be fixedly coupled to the channel structure between the inner and outer side walls (24, 26).

Abstract: In a first aspect, the invention is directed to a multi-speed drive for controlling the speed of a load that is driven from a crankshaft of an engine. The multi-speed drive permits the speed of the load to be adjusted based on one or more parameters, such as vehicle speed, engine RPM, battery charge level (e.g. when the load is an alternator), coolant temperature (e.g. when the load is a cooling fan), engine power demand from the vehicle driver, water level in which the vehicle is driving (e.g. when the load is a cooling fan whose blades could be damaged or could cause damage to other vehicle components if they impact water during use). The speeds provided by the multi-speed drive may include two or more non-zero rotational speeds, or two or more non-zero rotational speeds and a zero speed, or one non-zero rotational speed and a zero speed.

Abstract: A tensioner having a closing-type torsion spring that is employed to bias a pivot arm about a pivot shaft. The tensioner includes a damper, which contacts an inside surface of the torsion spring to dampen torsional vibration transmitted through the torsion spring, and a one-way clutch that is configured to permit unencumbered rotation of the pivot shaft in one rotational direction but to resist rotation of the pivot shaft in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A clutch assembly having a driver, an output member, a clutch spring, an armature and an actuator. The clutch spring includes a plurality of coils that are configured to be drivingly engaged with the driver. The clutch spring further includes first and second ends. The first end is configured to drivingly engage the output member to facilitate the transmission of rotary power from the driver, through the clutch spring and into the output member. The second end is engaged to the armature. The actuator is selectively operable for rotating the armature relative to the driver in a rotational direction opposite a predetermined rotational direction in which the driver is driven to thereby initiate at least partial disengagement of the coils of the clutch spring from the driver.

Abstract: A tensioner having a closing-type torsion spring that is employed to bias a pivot arm about a pivot shaft. The tensioner includes a damper that continuously contacts an inside surface of the torsion spring to dampen torsional vibration transmitted through the torsion spring.

Abstract: A clutched device that includes a driving member, a driven member and a clutch assembly that is disposed between the driving and driven members. The clutch assembly includes a carrier, a wrap spring and a spacer. The carrier is configured to coupled the wrap spring to one of the driving and driven members to permit the transmission of rotary power there between. The spacer is configured to limit elongation of the wrap spring in an axial direction.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to improve a belt tensioner for a belt drive of an internal combustion engine, having a central bearing device which serves to define a pivot axis for the belt tensioning arm, and having a bearing sleeve which is connected to the tensioning arm, wherein the bearing device extends through the bearing sleeve and the bearing sleeve is mounted in a friction-damping manner by means of a plain bearing arrangement, so as to be pivotable about the bearing device, with said improvement being such that a good function of the belt tensioner is maintained despite a simplification of the design and a reduction in differently designed parts. Said problem is solved by means of a generic belt tensioner for a belt drive of an internal combustion engine, in which the plain bearing arrangement has at least two opposite sliding faces which have the same material.

Abstract: An electromagnet may comprise a pole piece and a coil assembly. The pole piece may be monolithically formed of a magnetically susceptible material and have a channel structure and a first flange member. The channel structure may have an annular inner side wall, an annular outer side wall and an annular end wall that fixedly couples the inner and outer side walls to one another on a first axial end of the pole piece. The channel structure may be open on a second axial end of the pole piece that is opposite the first axial end. The first flange member may be coupled to an end of one of the inner and outer side walls on the second axial end and extend radially from the channel structure. The coil assembly may be fixedly coupled to the channel structure between the inner and outer side walls.

Abstract: A novel tensioner for use with flexible drives, such as serpentine accessory belts on automobiles includes a tensioner arm to spindle pivot design which employs a frustoconical bushing between an inner pivot surface of the tensioner arm and a spindle shaft. The frustoconical design of the bushing resists off axis movement of the tensioner arm and a wear take up mechanism biases the bushing into contact with the inner pivot surface to compensate for normal wear of the bushing and/or pivot surface. A thrust plate is mounted to the end of the spindle shaft and rides in a thrust washer, the thrust plate and thrust washer being held captive in the tensioner arm such that the tensioner arm can pivot about the bushing and the spindle and the thrust plate and thrust washer assist in inhibiting off-axis movement of the tensioner arm. In one embodiment, the biasing force which biases the bushing against the inner pivot surface of the tensioner arm can be varied to change the amount of dampening of the tensioner.

Abstract: A pulley has a hub and a rim. The hub is configured to be mountable on a driving shaft. A driving connection between the hub and rim is provided. In a first embodiment, a drive mechanism is operable to configure the rim between a circular profile and a non-circular profile. The non-circular profile produces a counteracting torque to offset load torques produced by the engine. The drive mechanism can be electrical, inertial, hydraulic or any combination thereof. In a second embodiment, the rim is fixed with a non-circular profile.

Abstract: A decoupler with driven and driving members, a clutch, a torsional vibration damper and a lubricant. The clutch is received in a bore in the driven member and includes a carrier, a wrap spring and at least one spring. The wrap spring is formed of spring wire and has a plurality of coils disposed between a first end, which is received in a groove in the carrier, and a second end. The portion of the wrap spring outside the carrier has an outer circumferential spring surface that is abutted against the inner circumferential surface of the bore. The at least one spring is disposed between the carrier and the driving member to transmit rotary power from the driving member to the carrier. The torsional vibration damper is coupled to the driving member for rotation therewith. The lubricant is disposed on the remaining portion of the wrap spring.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tunable engine manifold which employs sliders to form one wall of the inlet runners. The sliders can be moved to alter the cross sectional area of the runners as desired. Seals on the sliders provide an efficient means to seal the runners to prevent undesired leaks within runners and, while not required by the present invention, the overmolding of the seals onto the sliders provides a cost effective and mechanically effective manner of providing the desired seals between the inlet runners and the sliders. The tunable engine manifold can be an inlet or an exhaust manifold and can provide a crossover between the banks of inlet runners, or between individual runners, to control resonance in the manifold.

Abstract: A driven accessory having a clutch that permits selective operation of an accessory portion. The clutch employs rotational inertia to control driving engagement of a wrap spring to an interior clutch surface on a drive member and/or driving disengagement of the wrap spring from the interior clutch surface.

Abstract: A decoupler having an output member, a one-way clutch, a spring and a spring limiter. The spring is disposed between an output portion of the one-way clutch and the output member to bias the output portion in a predetermined rotational direction relative to the output member. The spring limiter can be configured to lock an output of the one-way clutch to the output member to transmit rotary power between the one-way clutch and the output member without stressing the spring beyond a predetermined point and/or to limit rotational movement of the output portion and an associated end of the spring relative to the output member in the predetermined rotational direction. A method for operating a decoupler is also provided.