Abstract:
A mounting bracket assembly in the engine compartment of a moving vehicle is provided. The assembly includes an object to be tensioned, a movable tension adjuster that when moved exerts a tensioning force and a fixed surface. Moving the tension adjuster against the fixed surface causes the object to be tensioned.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to brackets for mounting engine components and tensioning engine belts. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Mounting brackets in truck engines must be rigid and durable in order to withstand the conditions to which they are subjected over the life of the engine. Engine vibrations and the weight of the rigid objects attached to the brackets cause the brackets to fatigue. Conventional engine component mounting brackets often suffer premature failure due to the fatigue caused by these harsh conditions. 
     Mounting brackets that are used to mount components such as air/vacuum pumps and the like often are slotted for tensioning engine belts. To tension the belts of such components leverage must be placed on the mounting bracket to which the component is affixed to move the bracket and component in a direction which will cause the belt to be tensioned. However, when tensioning the belt, it is often difficult for the user to place any leverage on the bracket due to the substantially planar construction of the prior art brackets. A pry bar or other extended lever are often used to place a force on the bracket to move the bracket and tension the belt. Use of an extraneous lever can be awkward and often is difficult to maneuver in the confines of the engine compartment and hold the belt tight while retightening the bolt(s) to hold the bracket in place. Examples of mounting brackets and tensioning devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,713 to Seats, No. 4,877,984 to Colwell et al., No. 4,980,589 to Ochi et al., No. 5,705,870 to Thomsen et al., No. 4,726,557 to Heurich et al., No. 2,909,074 to Scheiterlein and No. 5,125,376 to Williams et al. However, the devices taught in these patents are either simply mounting brackets or tensioning devices. None of them perform both functions without the use of an outside implement, such as a pry bar. 
     A long felt need exists for engine mounting brackets that are durable and provide a simplified belt tensioning function that does not require extraneous components such as a pry bar. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting bracket assembly in the engine compartment of a moving vehicle. The assembly includes an object to be tensioned, a movable tension adjuster that when moved exerts a tensioning force and a fixed surface. Moving the tension adjuster against the fixed surface causes the object to be tensioned. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting bracket assembly that includes first and second brackets mountable to an object and a tension adjuster. The first bracket includes a tensioning flange extending therefrom and at least one tensioning slot defined therein. The tension adjuster extends from the second bracket to the tensioning flange of the first bracket. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a bracket for mounting engine components. The bracket includes a main body portion and a tensioning flange extending from the main body portion. The main body portion has defined therein at least one mounting hole, and a tensioning slot. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a bracket for mounting engine components. The bracket includes a first wall having defined therein at least one mounting hole and a second wall extending from the first wall. The second wall has defined therein a tensioning opening adapted to receive a tension adjuster. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. It is to be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may be more readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in which 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a mounting bracket assembly showing first and second mounting brackets and a threaded tension adjuster in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the mounting bracket assembly of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a left side elevation of the first mounting bracket of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a right side elevation of the second mounting bracket of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevation of an invention including the mounting bracket assembly of FIG. 1 with an air/vacuum pump, air/vacuum pump pulley and belt affixed thereto. 
    
    
     Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a preferred embodiment of a mounting bracket assembly  10  for mounting and/or tensioning vehicle engine components or belts is shown. Mounting bracket assembly  10  generally includes a first mounting bracket  12 , a second mounting bracket  14  and a threaded tension adjuster  16 . 
     It will be appreciated that terms such as “front,” “rearwardly,” and “forwardly” used hereinbelow are merely for ease of description and refer to the orientation of the components as shown in the Figures. It should be understood that any orientation of mounting bracket assembly  10  described herein is within the scope of the present invention. 
     For exemplary purposes only, described hereinbelow is a preferred embodiment wherein first mounting bracket  12  is provided for mounting an air/vacuum pump  66  and tensioning an air/vacuum pump belt  60 , wherein the second mounting bracket  14  is mounted to a water pump and provides a fixed mounting point for the air/vacuum pump belt-tension adjustment screw (threaded tension adjuster  16 ). It will be understood, however, that mounting bracket assembly  10  can be used to mount other engine components as desired. The engine  68 , and engine components are all conventional and need only be described to enable a complete understanding of the invention. It will be understood that the mounting bracket assembly described herein can be used to mount components and/or tension belts other than those in an engine. 
     First mounting bracket  12  includes a main body portion  18  that is preferably substantially flat, and has defined therein a plurality of mounting holes  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c , and  20   d  running transversely therethrough, as shown in FIG.  1 . It should be understood that main body portion  18  can contain any number of mounting holes  20 . Mounting holes  20   a ,  20   b  and  20   c  are provided for mounting the air/vacuum pump  60  (via the air/vacuum pump mounting ears  62 ) to first mounting bracket  12 . Main body portion  18  includes an ear  19 , the end of which has mounting hole  20   a  formed therein. 
     Main body portion  18  also has defined therein a tensioning slot  22 . Tensioning slot  22  is preferably arcuately shaped. However, tensioning slot  22  can also be straight. Alternatively, main body portion  18  can include a plurality of parallel tensioning slots. A threaded bolt  24 , with washer  24   a  engages tensioning slot  22 . In operation, for tensioning purposes, bolt  24  can be loosened and the first mounting bracket  12  can be slid, relative to bolt  24  and washer  24   a , along tensioning slot  22 . The belt tensioning function is described more fully herein below. 
     The shape of main body portion  18  is not a limitation on the present invention and is dependent on the configuration of the component(s) which are to be mounted by first mounting bracket  12 . 
     A tensioning flange  26 , preferably located adjacent tensioning slot  22 , as shown in FIG. 1, extends forwardly from said main body portion  18 . In a preferred embodiment, tensioning flange  26  extends from main body portion  18  at a substantially right angle, as shown in FIG.  2 . As shown in FIG. 3, tensioning flange  26  is substantially rectangular. However, any geometrically shaped tensioning flange is within the scope of the present invention. 
     Second mounting bracket  14  includes a first wall  28  and a second wall  30  extending rearwardly (oppositely from tensioning flange  26 , as described above), preferably at a substantially right angle, from said first wall  28 . First wall  28  has a plurality of mounting holes  32  defined therein, as shown in FIG.  1 . The placement of mounting holes  32  is dependent on the particular mounting configuration of second mounting bracket  14  and is not a limitation on the present invention. In an alternative embodiment, tensioning flange  26  of first mounting bracket  12  extends rearwardly, and second wall  30  of second mounting bracket  14  extends forwardly and is substantially parallel to tensioning flange  26 . 
     Second wall  30  has a tensioning opening  33  defined therein. In a preferred embodiment, tensioning opening  33  includes a hole defined in second wall  30  and a nut  33   a  affixed (via welding or the like) to second wall  30  that is coaxial with the hole. In another embodiment, tensioning opening  33  can be a threaded hole defined near the top of second wall  30 . 
     Preferably, first and second mounting brackets  12  and  14  are comprised of a rigid, durable metal, such as steel. Furthermore, first and second mounting brackets  12  and  14  can also be comprised of relatively thick metal, thereby preventing fatigue failure. 
     In a preferred embodiment, threaded tensioning adjuster  16  includes a nut  34  threaded thereon, and is threaded into tensioning opening  33  (including nut  33   a ). The nut  34  is provided for tightening and loosening threaded tension adjuster  16  as is known in the art. 
     In affixing mounting bracket assembly  10  to an engine  68 , threaded fasteners  25  having a washer  25   a  thereon are slipped through mounting holes  20  and  32  in first and second mounting brackets  12  and  14 , respectively. The fasteners  25  are threaded into corresponding holes in the engine components to which first and second mounting brackets  12  and  14  are being affixed. In a preferred embodiment, first mounting bracket  12  is affixed to an underlying mounting bracket that is already present in the engine, and second mounting bracket  14  is affixed to the engine water pump. Bolt  24  is then slipped into tensioning slot  22  and secured therein. 
     When first and second mounting brackets  12  and  14  are mounted, main body portion  18  of first mounting bracket  12  and first wall  28  of second mounting bracket  14  are preferably substantially parallel, as shown in FIG.  2 . Tensioning flange  26  of first mounting bracket  12  and second wall  30  of second mounting bracket  14  are also preferably substantially parallel, thereby causing threaded tension adjuster  16  to extend from tensioning opening  33  perpendicularly toward tensioning flange  26 . 
     The tensioning of air/vacuum pump belt  60  in accordance with the foregoing preferred embodiment will now be explained. First, bolt  24  and bolt  25  that is located in mounting hole  20   d  are loosened such that first mounting bracket  12  is movable relative to bolt  24 , and pivotable about bolt  25  in mounting hole  20   d . Nut  34  is loosened, thereby allowing threaded tension adjuster  16  to be turnable within tension opening  33 . Threaded tension adjuster  16 , the head of which is in contact with tensioning flange  26 , is turned out, thereby causing first mounting bracket  12  to pivot about bolt  25  in hole  20   d  until air/vacuum pump belt  60  is tensioned as desired. Nut  34  is then retightened, thereby locking threaded tension adjuster  16  in place, which holds first mounting bracket  12  in the desired position, thereby maintaining the desired tension on air/vacuum pump belt  60 . 
     The mounting bracket assembly  10  according to the present invention provides tensioning for engine belts without the use of outside leverage means, such as a pry bar. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the tension adjuster  16  can extend from the first mounting bracket  12  and to the second wall  30  of the second mounting bracket  14 . 
     The embodiments of the present invention recited herein are intended to be merely exemplary and those skilled in the art will be able to make numerous modifications to them without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the threads on threaded tension adjuster  16  can be omitted. The mounting brackets described herein can be used to mount any engine accessory, such as the air conditioning compressor, power steering, alternator, etc. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.