Patent ID: 7611431

Claim:
A method of installing a belt tensioner in a motor vehicle belt drive system, said tensioner comprising an eccentric adjusting member, a pivot structure mounted on the eccentric adjusting member for eccentric pivoting movement, a belt-tensioning pulley mounted for rotation on the pivot structure, and a biasing member that biases the pivot structure in a first direction that is toward the belt drive system belt to force the pulley into tensioning engagement with the belt when the tensioner is installed on the motor vehicle engine, said method comprising: initially mounting the tensioner on the motor vehicle engine by means of a bolt or stud around which the eccentric adjusting member pivots; pivoting the eccentric adjusting member in a second direction opposite the first direction such that the eccentric adjusting member is coupled to the pivot structure for joint rotation about the bolt or stud in the second direction; continuing to pivot the eccentric adjusting member in the second direction while the pivot structure is coupled for rotation with the eccentric adjusting member in the second direction so that the pivot structure is moved in the second direction, away from the first direction, against the biasing force of the biasing member; mounting the belt on or around all components of the belt drive system; pivoting the eccentric adjusting member back in the first direction so that the pivot structure is moved back in the first direction, toward the belt, and so that biasing force in the biasing member is relieved and the pivot structure is decoupled from the eccentric adjusting member so as not to directly rotate with the eccentric adjusting member; further pivoting the eccentric adjusting member in the first direction so that the pulley is pressed into forcible engagement with the belt, thereby causing pivoting movement of the pivot structure against the biasing force of the biasing member; and tightening the bolt or stud do as to fix the eccentric adjusting member, and hence the tensioner, in place after the pivot structure has been pivoted into a predetermined tensioning position relative to the belt.