Supercharger Pulley Assembly for Small-Diameter Slip Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing supercharger pulley systems experience slippage due to the small diameter of the pulley, leading to inefficiencies and noise issues.
Innovation Solution
A pulley assembly with a shaft mount and a body attached by bolts, featuring counter-sunk holes for precise alignment and laser-infused friction material on the outer surface to increase friction between the pulley and the belt, reducing slippage and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a small diameter pulley is used, then the supercharger system is more compact, but slippage between the pulley and belt increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies friction lines only to specific regions of the pulley surface where belt contact occurs, rather than modifying the entire pulley. This localized modification increases friction where needed while maintaining the small overall pulley diameter, thus resolving the contradiction between compact size and slippage resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface friction parameter by adding friction lines to the pulley surface. This increases the coefficient of friction between the belt and pulley, allowing the small diameter pulley to maintain adequate grip and prevent slippage despite its reduced size
2Volume of moving object
If a small diameter pulley is used, then the system is more compact, but noise increases due to slippage
Solution Approach 1:
By applying friction lines only to the belt contact areas of the pulley, the patent locally increases friction to prevent slippage-induced noise while maintaining the compact small diameter design, thus resolving the contradiction between size and noise generation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of slippage (which causes noise) into a benefit by using laser-induced friction lines to control and reduce slippage. The same small diameter pulley that would normally cause noise through slippage now operates quietly due to the enhanced friction surfaces
3Manufacturing precision
If tight tolerancing is used for bolt alignment, then alignment precision is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates alignment features (counterbored holes with specific tolerances) directly into the pulley manufacturing process. By pre-establishing precise alignment geometry during pulley fabrication, the need for complex post-assembly alignment procedures is eliminated, resolving the contradiction between alignment precision and manufacturing complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively mitigates slippage and noise by ensuring precise alignment and enhancing frictional forces between the pulley and the belt, improving the efficiency and performance of the supercharger system.
Implementation Method 1
The heat may be generated by a laser beam that traces a desired pattern of friction lines
Implementation Method 2
fusing the applied particulate matter to the outer surface by heating the outer surface and the particulate matter
Implementation Method 3
The increased friction mitigates noise by reducing slippage between a belt and the pulley
Data Source
AI summary
A pulley assembly having a body, a shaft mount and a plurality of bolts is disclosed. The body is aligned to the shaft mount by providing a tight tolerance between a shoulder portion of the bolt and a neck portion of a counter sunk hole formed in the body. Additionally, an outer surface of the body may have a pattern of friction lines or patches formed by fusing particulate matter to the outer surface with heat generated by a laser beam.