Supercharger Pulley Assembly for Small-Diameter Slip Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing supercharger pulleys experience slippage due to their small diameter, leading to inefficiencies and noise issues, necessitating an improved method to mitigate slippage and enhance frictional engagement between the pulley and the belt.
Innovation Solution
A pulley assembly with a shaft mount and a body attached by bolts, featuring counter-sunk holes for precise alignment and a surface pattern of friction lines created by laser-infused particulate matter to increase friction, reducing slippage and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a small diameter pulley is used in the supercharger, then the supercharger size is reduced, but slippage between the pulley and belt increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies friction lines only to the specific contact area between the pulley and belt, rather than modifying the entire pulley. This localized modification increases friction where needed while maintaining the small overall pulley size, thus resolving the contradiction between compact size and slippage prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface friction parameter by adding friction lines to the pulley surface. This parameter change increases the coefficient of friction between the pulley and belt, preventing slippage while keeping the pulley diameter small
2Volume of moving object
If a small diameter pulley is used in the supercharger, then the supercharger size is reduced, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The friction lines are applied locally to the contact surface between pulley and belt, addressing the noise source at its origin without requiring changes to the entire supercharger assembly, thus maintaining compact size while reducing noise
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of slippage (which causes noise) into a beneficial controlled friction interface through the friction lines. The increased friction prevents unwanted slippage and associated noise while maintaining the small pulley size
3Manufacturing precision
If tight tolerancing is used for bolt alignment, then alignment precision is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The counter sunk holes are pre-formed in the pulley body at precise locations and angles before final assembly. This preliminary action establishes the alignment geometry in advance, allowing for tight tolerancing without significantly increasing overall manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex alignment mechanisms with a simplified system using counter sunk holes and bolts. The counter sunk geometry provides self-centering and alignment functions that would otherwise require more complex mechanical alignment systems
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 reduces slippage and noise by enhancing the frictional engagement 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.