Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16F—SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION
  • F16F15/00—Suppression of vibrations in systems; Means or arrangements for avoiding or reducing out-of-balance forces, e.g. due to motion
  • F16F15/10—Suppression of vibrations in rotating systems by making use of members moving with the system
  • F16F15/12—Suppression of vibrations in rotating systems by making use of members moving with the system using elastic members or friction-damping members, e.g. between a rotating shaft and a gyratory mass mounted thereon
  • F16F15/121—Suppression of vibrations in rotating systems by making use of members moving with the system using elastic members or friction-damping members, e.g. between a rotating shaft and a gyratory mass mounted thereon using springs as elastic members, e.g. metallic springs
  • F16F15/123—Wound springs
  • F16F15/1232—Wound springs characterised by the spring mounting

Definitions

• This invention relates to torsional vibration dampers, hereinafter referred to as of the kind specified, for use in drive lines, the dampers comprising an input member for connection with an associated engine and an output member for connection with an associated driveline, said members being relatively rotatable via a support bearing acting therebetween against the action of a torsional damping means to damp torsional vibrations in the associated driveline
• dampers may be used, for example, in the drivelines of all types of vehicles or in stationary drive applications such as, for example, generators or pumps
• Such torsional vibration dampers may be in the form of twin mass flywheels in which the input and output members are each of significant mass or may have relatively light input and output members which possess relatively little mass Such dampers may be positioned at any convenient point in the driveline
• Electro-magnetic combined Starter, Alternator and Damping units hereinafter referred to as being “ESAD units of the kind specified", comprising an engine driven inner rotor element and an outer stator element which, under the control of an electronic controller, can function as a starter motor for an associated engine, an alternator for generating electrical power and an electrical damper for damping torsional vibrations emanating from the associated engine
• ESAD units of the kind specified
• Such an ESAD unit can be used to provide a temporary boost to the torque provided by the engine to facilitate, for example, overtaking or hill starting in vehicular applications
• a torsional vibration damper of the kind specified in which the torsional damping means comprises a plurality of circumferentially disposed springs acting to oppose relative rotation of the input and output members and a linkage means interconnecting the input and output members and which generates a speed dependent damping effect, the springs and linkage means being located side by side in a axial sense
• the radial extent of the damper is significantly reduced, compared to a traditional speed sensitive torsional vibration damper of the kind specified, making the damper particularly suitable for use with ESAD units of the kind specified
• the speed dependent damping effect can be used to accommodate the torque boost capability of such ESAD units at higher engine speeds since, for example, typically the torque capacity of the linkage means can be arranged to increase from say 200- 300 NM at idle speed to say 800 NM at 5000 r p m
• the input member may be formed from sheet metal with a portion which at least partially encircles the springs, one end of the linkage being attached to the spring encircling portion of the input member
• the springs may react between abutments on the input member (e g the encircling portion) and a generally disc-shaped member with radially extending fingers which extend between the springs so that the springs can be stressed in drive and/or overrun conditions of the damper
• the disc-shaped member may be connected to a first end of a first generally tubular member the other end of which is connected with the output member, the main bearing being supported between the first generally tubular member and a radially inner second generally tubular member which is connected to the input member
• the main bearing is a plain bearing sleeve which may be formed in situ between the first and second generally tubular members in accordance with the Applicant's co-pending application No 9918716 3
• the input member and the second generally tubular member are connected with the associated engine by the same attachment bolts
• These bolts may be semi-captive
• the first generally tubular member may be attached to the output member by pins on which parts of the linkage means pivot Additionally or alternatively the first generally tubular member may be attached to the output member by separate rivets or other fasteners positioned circumferentially in between the linkage means pivot pins
• the linkage means will comprise a bob weight and link arrangement as disclosed in, for example, the Applicant's patent GB 2229793
• Other linkage arrangements as, for example, the flexible linkage arrangement disclosed in the Applicant's co-pending applications WO99/41524 (see claim 19 of the present invention), the speed dependant mass and link arrangements of co-pending application WO 98/51940 track (see claim 15 of the present application) and the multiple link arrangements of co-pending application WO 97/30298 track (see claim 18 of the present application) may also be used Accordingly the relevant disclosures of the above referred to patent and co-pending applications are hereby incorporated in the present application.
• the second generally tubular member may have a radially outwardly extending flange against which an axially acting spring reacts to bias the output member axially thus biasing a radially extending portion of the bearing sleeve against the input member to control the axial position of the input and output members during relative rotation
• the spring may react against the output member via an annular plate and friction disc
• This contact between the bearing sleeve flange and the input member and between the spring means and the output member may be used, if required, to generate significant friction to oppose the relative rotation of the input and output members
• a torsional vibration damper as described above may be in the form of a twin mass flywheel with the input inertia mainly constituted by the rotor element of an associated ESAD unit of the kind specified
• the damper may carry a pilot bearing for an input shaft of an associated drive-line transmission unit This pilot bearing may be carried in a sleeve on which the damper is centred relative to the associated engine
• the invention also provides an ESAD unit of the kind specified in combination with a twin mass flywheel in which the input inertia of the twin mass flywheel is mainly/significantly constituted by the rotor element of the ESAD unit
• the invention also provides an ESAD unit of the kind specified in combination with a twin mass flywheel in which the twin mass flywheel includes a speed sensitive torsional damping means
• the invention further provides an ESAD unit of the kind specified in which the rotor element of the unit is in the form of a hollow dish within which a torsional vibration damper of the kind specified is at least partially disposed
• part of the output member of the torsional vibration damper (e g that part engaged by a transmission clutch) may be disposed outside the stator element
• part of the input member may also extend outside the stator element, for example, engine management features such as sensor teeth etc
• the invention also provides an arrangement in which the rotor element of an ESAD unit of the kind specified and an associated torsional vibration damper are secured to an associated engine by the same attachment bolts
• the torsional vibration unit may be secured to the ESAD unit which is then separately secured to the engine
• a torque limiting device may be provided between the two
• the invention also provides an ESAD unit of the kind specified with a torsional vibration damper of the kind specified mounted within the rotor element and sealing means operative between the rotor and output member to control the egress of potentially damaging particles from the damper onto the ESAD unit
• the invention further provides the pre-assembled combination of an ESAD rotor element containing a torsional vibration damper of the kind specified with a drive clutch attached to the output member of the damper
• Figure 1 is a first radial half section through a torsional vibration damper in accordance with the present invention mounted within an ESAD unit of the kind specified,
• Figure 2 is a second radial half section through the same damper on a different radial plane
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the same damper
• Figure 4 is a side view of a spring-engaging disc-shaped member used in the above damper
• Figure 5 is a part sectional perspective view of the same damper with part of the input member removed
• Figure 6 is a radial perspective view of the same damper
• Figure 7 shows an alternative centring arrangement
• Figures 8 and 9 show alternative sealing arrangements
• FIGS. 1 to 6 show part of an ESAD unit 10 of the kind specified which has an inner rotor element 11 which is secured to an engine crankshaft flange 12 by bolts 13 and a rotor element, part of which is indicated at 14, which surrounds the rotor element and is non- rotationally supported from the associated engine Since the details of the ESAD unit do not form part of the present invention no further description of this unit will be provided in the present application
• Rotor element 11 is generally dish-shaped having a central recess 15 within which a torsional vibration damper 16 is mounted
• Damper 16 comprises an input member 17 formed from sheet metal material which has a radially extending inner portion 17a and a generally channel-shaped encircling portion 17b within which are housed six generally circumferentially extending coil springs 18
• Encircling portion 17b includes pressed out portions 17c which form cut-outs 19 which house the springs 18
• springs 18 are of three different types Type 18A is relatively long and of a relatively low spring rate, type 18B is of medium length and of a medium spring rate, and type 18C is of relatively short length and relatively high spring rate There are two springs of each type with the ends of the springs contacting the ends 20 and 21 of each respective cut-out Between adjacent cut-outs 19 extend radial fingers 22 formed on a disc-shaped member 23
• Disc member 23 is riveted at 24 to a first generally tubular member 25 which is secured at its other end to output member 26 by rivets 25a
• a second inner generally tubular member 25a is provided which has a radially inwardly extending flange portion 29 which is bolted to the crankshaft flange 12 by bolts 13 which also extend through input member 17
• a main bearing sleeve 30 is provided This bearing may be manufactured by machining or may be cast in situ as per the Applicant's co-pending patent application no 9918716 3
• the other end of tubular sleeve member 25a is provided with a radially outwardly extending flange 31 against which a belleville spring 32 reacts Spring 32 bears on output member 26 via annular plate 33 which presses a friction disc 33a against member 26
• Belleville 32 presses output member 26 towards input member 17 to generate friction between a flange 34 provided on bearing sleeve 30 and the contacting input member portion 17a and disc-shaped member 23
• the frictional contact between bearing flange portion 34 and input member 17a and discshaped member 23 can be used to generate significant friction damping, if desired, to resist the relative rotation of the input member 17 and output member 26
• the friction generated by belleville 32 forcing plate 33 and disc 33a against member 26 may similarly be used to provide significant friction damping if required
• the input member 17 tends to move relative to the damper disc-shaped member 23 in direction D so that the ends 18 A' 18B' and 18C of springs 18 A, 18B and 18C tend to move towards the edges 22a of fingers 22
• the springs 18 A, 18B and 18C begin to be compressed This provides a progressively increasing spring rate as the amount of relative rotation increases
• the edges 18A", 18B" and 18C" of springs 18A, 18B and 18C tend to move towards the edges of 22b of fingers 22 so that a progressive increase in spring rate is also provided in overrun
• the clearances a, b and c may be the same in the drive and overrun condition or may be different depending on the operating characteristics required
• Input member 17 is also connected with output member 26 by a plurality of linkages, best seen in figure 3, which comprise six bob weights 28 pivoted on pins 27 and six connecting thin links 35 which are pivoted via pins 36 to the bob weights and via pins 37 to the encircling portion 17b of the input member
• linkages are described in, for example, the Applicant's co-pending patent application no WO 99/41524 These linkages produce a damping effect which has a stiffness which increases with the speed of rotation of the damper
• the output member 26 is partially disposed outside the ESAD unit and has a friction surface 36 against which a vehicle drive clutch is engaged
• the clutch which may be of the standard single plate type has a housing 37 which is secured to output flywheel member 26 by bolts or rivets extending through holes 38 to transmit drive from output flywheel 26 to an associated vehicle transmission
• the rotor element 11 which is rotationally fixed relative to input member 17 forms, in effect, the main part of the input mass of a twin mass flywheel
• a pilot sleeve 40 is supported in the central bore 41 of damper 10 to centre the damper relative to crankshaft bore 12a and also to support, via bore 42, an input shaft (not shown) into an associated drive line transmission positioned to the right of the damper as shown in figure 1
• a rod or other means could be inserted down central bore in sleeve 40 to assist in the mounting of rotor 11 and damper 16 etc on to crankshaft 12
• Figure 7 shows an alternative centring arrangement in which input member 17 and generally tubular member 25a are centred via surface 1 la on rotor 1 1 and rotor 11 is in turn centred at surface 12b on crankshaft 12
• pins 27 are extended to also replace rivets 24 and secure disc member 23 to first generally tubular member 25
• Rotor 11 also carries a sealing means in the form of sheet metal ring 50 for sealing the damper 16 against the egress of any potentially damaging particles emanating from the damper which might damage the surrounding ESAD unit Ring 50 has an inner flange 51 which is a press-fit into the rotor 11 and radially extending portion 52 and axially extending portion 53 which closely surrounds the adjacent profile of the output member 26 to control the escape of particles from the damper 16 via the clearance between relatively rotating components 11 and 26 Ring 20 could also be arranged to carry engine management features such as sensor teeth or could be extended or augmented to include extra inertia if desired
• a torque limiting device such as a slipping clutch may be positioned in the drive connection between the ESAD unit and the torsional vibration damper
• belleville spring 32 and associated plate 33 and disc 33a may be replaced by an axial thrust bearing which loads the bearing flange 34 against the input member 17

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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ID=10859282

Family Applications (1)

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• 1999
  • 1999-08-18 GB GBGB9919410.2A patent/GB9919410D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2000
  • 2000-08-15 WO PCT/GB2000/003127 patent/WO2001013004A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2000-08-15 EP EP00953310A patent/EP1129307A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-08-15 JP JP2001517067A patent/JP2003507667A/ja active Pending
  • 2000-08-15 GB GB0107309A patent/GB2358232A/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-08-15 AU AU65824/00A patent/AU6582400A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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