It is known to provide a decoupler assembly on an accessory, such as an alternator, that is driven by a belt from an engine in a vehicle to permit the associated accessory to overrun the pulley that is engaged to the belt as needed. Exemplary decoupler assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,618,337, 7,712,592, 7,975,821, 8,047,920 and 8,132,657 and International Patent Application Publication No. WO 2011/160208 (John R. Antchak, Warren Williams & James Dell). The benefits of such decoupler assemblies are well known in the art, and include, for example, a lowering of the belt tension needed to drive the decoupler assembly-equipped accessory so that less energy is needed to drive the operate the accessory. In the context of a vehicle accessory drive, the lowering of belt tension is commensurate with an improvement in fuel economy.
While the known decoupler assemblies work well for their intended purpose, decoupler assemblies are nonetheless susceptible to improvement and such improvements may beneficially lower the cost of a decoupler assembly.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds