Patent ID: 8690718

Claim:
A tightener for a belt drive for driving an internal combustion engine crankshaft, comprising: (i) a pin having a first axis; (ii) a base plate integral with said pin, (iii) a cam arm having an eccentric axis, wherein said cam arm is connected in a rotary manner to said pin and movable with respect to said base plate; (iv) a contact member carried by said cam arm and rotating on said eccentric axis, said contact member including a ring member radially surrounding said cam arm, and a shoe protruding radially away from an outer annular surface of said ring member; (v) an elastic member connected to said arm to activate said contact member against a belt; (vi) a friction member supporting said arm on said base plate; (vii) axial elastic means for loading said friction member against said base plate; and (viii) a securing member extending through said tightener including through said pin, wherein said friction member is made of an oil-resistant polymer material and interposed between said elastic member and said contact member.