HYDRAULIC DAMPING CARTRIDGE FOR A BELT TENSIONER

摘要

A damper for a lever arm belt tensioner (10) is provided. The tensioner includes a lever arm (11) that carries a belt-engaging unit (12) and is adapted to be pivotably mounted to a support unit (13). A mechanical spring (14) is operatively associated with the base unit and the lever arm for urging the tensioner against the belt for tensioning the belt. A hydraulic damper (15) is operatively associated with the base and the lever arm to dampen movement of the arm relative to the support unit. The damper is a unitary component comprising a body that defines at least one fluid chamber, the chambers (30, 31) being connected by at least one damping channel (33, 34). As the lever arm oscillates, relative to the base of the tensioner, fluid is forced through the damping channel to counteract the forces and dampen the oscillation.