Abstract: In an aspect, an endless drive arrangement for an engine is provided and includes a crankshaft pulley that is drivable by a crankshaft of the engine, a secondary motive device that is operable to drive a secondary motive device pulley; an endless drive member that is engaged with the crankshaft pulley and the secondary motive device pulley, wherein the endless drive arrangement is operable in a first mode in which tension in a first span of the endless drive member is lower tension than a second span of the endless drive member and in a second mode in which tension in the second span of the endless drive member is lower than tension in the first span of the endless drive member; first and second tensioners may move as needed to maintain tension in first and second spans of the belt.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a tensioner is provided which includes: an arm, including a pivot mount; a pulley rotatably mounted to the arm; and a strut pivotally connected to the arm. The strut includes: a base, having a pivot mount; a first body moveable relative to the base; a first resilient element connected between the base and the first body, the first resilient element having a first stiffness coefficient; a second body moveable relative to the first body, the second body having a pivot mount; a second resilient element connected between the first body and the second body, the second resilient element having a second stiffness coefficient that is lower than the first stiffness coefficient; and an actuator, connected to the base and first body, for selectively moving the first body towards the base and compressing the first resilient element.

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: In a first aspect, a tensioner is provided which includes: an arm, including a pivot mount; a pulley rotatably mounted to the arm; and a strut pivotally connected to the arm. The strut includes: a base, having a pivot mount; a first body moveable relative to the base; a first resilient element connected between the base and the first body, the first resilient element having a first stiffness coefficient; a second body moveable relative to the first body, the second body having a pivot mount; a second resilient element connected between the first body and the second body, the second resilient element having a second stiffness coefficient that is lower than the first stiffness coefficient; and an actuator, connected to the base and first body, for selectively moving the first body towards the base and compressing the first resilient element.

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.