Patent ID: 7297081

Claim:
An idler pulley with an integral bearing carrier insert consisting of: a pulley body having an outer peripheral surface for accepting and retaining an endless belt, and an inner circumferential surface, said pulley body being manufactured from a moldable polymeric material; a tubular bearing carrier insert integrally formed in said pulley body, said tubular bearing insert defining a central hub along a perpendicular axis of said idler pulley for accepting a bearing, said insert having an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface, wherein said outer circumferential surface of said insert is coated with brass or zinc to fixedly adhere said tubular bearing carrier insert to said inner circumferential surface of said pulley body, said tubular bearing carrier insert being manufactured from a rigid material; and a bearing member having an outer bearing race surface fitted within said central hub such that said outer race surface of said bearing member is circumferentially adjacent said inner circumferential surface of said hub, wherein said idler pulley is free to rotate in either direction about said bearing member during use.