Patent ID: 6855079
Filing Date: 2005-02-15
Classification: F16H

Abstract:
1. A tensioner for tensioning a drive belt, comprising: a housing having a generally open lower end; a base closing the open lower end of the housing; a first connector on either the housing or the base; a shaft disposed within the housing, projecting upwardly from the base and fixedly attached to the base; an arm formed separately from the base and the housing, having first and second ends with a second connector on the first end that is cooperable with the first connector to attach the arm to the first connector; a bearing disposed within the housing and connected with the shaft and the housing so that the housing is rotatable relative to the base about the shaft; a fastener detachably connecting the housing to the base; and a reversible biasing element disposed within the housing and providing a torque to bias the housing relative to the base, wherein when the biasing element is disposed in a first orientation, the biasing element is operable to bias the housing in a clockwise direction relative to the base, and when the biasing element is reversed into a second orientation, the biasing element is operable to bias the housing in a counter-clockwise direction relative to the base.