Patent ID: 8591358
Filing Date: 2013-11-26
Classification: F16H

Abstract:
1. A belt tensioner ( 1 ) for a belt drive of an internal combustion engine, comprising a central bearing device ( 5 ), by which a pivot axis ( 4 ) for the belt tensioning arm ( 2 ) is defined, and comprising a bearing sleeve ( 3 ) connected to the tensioning arm ( 2 ), the bearing device ( 5 ) extending through the bearing sleeve ( 3 ) and the bearing sleeve ( 3 ) being pivotable about the bearing device ( 5 ) in a friction-damping manner by means of a sliding element arrangement ( 10 ) including a damping member positionable on the bearing device to provide a selected amount of damping to the movement of the tensioning arm, wherein the damping member has a first damping surface and a second damping surface, and is mountable in a first orientation wherein the first damping surface faces towards a first axial direction and the second surface faces towards a second axial direction that is opposite the first axial direction, and is mountable in a second orientation wherein the second damping surface faces towards the first axial direction and the first damping surface faces towards the second axial direction, and wherein the first and second damping surfaces are made of the same material and have the same surface treatment resulting in the first and second damping surfaces having substantially the same surface roughness, providing the same sliding properties.