GB2117461A

GB2117461A - Torque transmitting unit

Info

Publication number: GB2117461A
Application number: GB08209537A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rudolf Richard Castens
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-03-31
Filing date: 1982-03-31
Publication date: 1983-10-12

Abstract

The torque transmitting unit (10) comprises a drive input shaft (12) and an output driven shaft (14). A cylindrical casing (16), fixedly connected to the driven shaft (14), has torque transmitting guide walls (18 and 20) fixedly mounted thereon which extend normal to the axis of rotation of the driven shaft (14). An inertia member or weight (28) is rotated by the input shaft (12) with the walls (18 and 20) guiding the inertia member (28) for linear movement relative to the casing 16 during rotation of the input shaft (12). During each revolution of inertia member (28), the axis (26a) of the member (28) is constrained by a link (32) to reciprocate about the axis of the driven shaft such that torque is transmitted to a part of one guide wall (18) and then to a part of the other guide wall (20) located on the opposite side of the axis of the driven member so providing uni-directional torque transmission. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An improved torque transmitting unit The present invention relates to a torque transmitting unit and is a development of the arrangements disclosed in mycopending British Patent Application Nos. 2,078,908A and 8207598.

The latter specification discloses a torque transmitting unit comprising a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a plurality of inertia members positioned for rotation about their respective axes and operatively connected to the drive shaft, the inertia members transmitting torque to the driven shaft through a clutch, means being provided for disengaging the clutch as necessary to ensure uni-directional transmission of the torque.With this arrangement, the torque transmitted by each inertia weight rises from zero to maximum after rotation through 90" about its axis and then returns to zero after a further 90" rotation, whilst during the following 1800 of rotation a similar, but "negative torque" is generated which requires disengagement of the clutch to prevent such "negative torque" acting against the direction of rotation.

The object of the present invention is to provide a compact torque transmitting unit having all the advantages set out in Application No. 8207598 and which, in addition, obviates the necessity for a clutch either to transmit torque, or prevent transmission of the "negative torque", to the output shaft.

The present invention consists in a torque transmitting unit comprising a drive input shaft and a driven output shaft, an output member operatively connected to said driven shaft with torque transmitting guide members fixedly mounted thereon and an inertia member operatively connected to, and rotated by said input shaft with said guide members guiding said inertia member for linear movement upon rotation of said input shaft, the arrangement being such that torque is transmitted to the respective guide members on opposite sides of the driven shaft axis during each revolution of the intertia member which provides a uni-directional transmission of the torque.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic end view of a torquetransmitting unit according to the present invention showing the inertia member in a maximum torque transmitting position, Figure 2 is a cross-section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view, similar to Figure 1 but showing the inertia member in a minimum torque transmitting position, Figure 4 is a cross-section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3 with the guide discs also shown in section for clarity.

Figure 5 is a schematic end view of another embodiment ofatorque transmitting unit according to the present invention showing the inertia member in a maximum torque transmitting position, Figure 6 is a cross-section taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5, Figure 7 is a view, similar to Figure 5, but showing the inertia member in a position of zero torque transmission, and Figure 8 is a view, also similar to Figure 5, but showing the inertia member displaced through 1800 to a second maximum torque transmitting position.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode, by way of example, the torque transmitting unit 10 comprises a drive input shaft 12 and a driven output shaft 14 coaxial therewith. A cylindrical casing 16, fixedly connected to the driven shaft 14 is provided with a pair of spaced, torque-transmitting guide walls 18, 20 which are parallel with one another and extend from opposite sides of the casing with the longitudinal axis of the walls coincident with a diameter of the casing 16.

A pair of discs 22,24 coaxial with and rotatably mounted on a shaft 26 are guided for linear movement by the walls 18,20. an inertia member or weight 28 of generally semi-circular, or similar configuration, is mounted on one end of the shaft 26 with the diametric axis of the inertia member coincident with the axis of the shaft 26. The inertia member 28 has a stud 30 positioned along its diametric axis which is spaced from the axis of the shaft 26 and connected by a rod 32 to a further stud 34 mounted on an end wall 16a of the casing 16. The other end of the shaft 26 is connected to the drive input shaft 12 through a pair of Hardy-Spicer universal joints 36,38 which are interconnected by a sliding or telescopic coupling 40.

As can be clearly seen from Figures 1 and 2, during each revolution of the drive input shaft 12, the inertia member 28 also completes one revolution. In addition however, during this period the inertia member 28 is caused to rotate bodily about the stud 30 whilst the discs 22, 24 engaging the guide walls 18,20 cause the axis 26a of the shaft 26 to move in a substantially linear path "Z" between the walls 18, 20 along said diameter of the casing 16.

In the Figures, the centre of gravity of the inertia member 28 is indicated by the reference numeral 42 and the torque transmitted by the discs 22, 24, respectively, to the walls 18,20 is dependant on the weight and speed of revolution of the inertia member 28 and the distance "X" of the centre of gravity 42 from the axis of the drive shaft 12. Thus, in operation, the torque transmitted to the driven output shaft 14 by the inertia member 28 is at maximum for any given speed in the position shown in Figure 1 in which discs 22,24 are in their lowermost position (as viewed in Figure 1) and the distance "X" of the centre of gravity 42 of the member 28 from the drive shaft 12 is at its greatest.

During the next 90" of rotation of the shaft 26 in the direction of the arrow "A", the discs move upwardly (as viewed in Figure 1) the stud 30 and rod 32 move leftwardly pendulum fashion, about the casing stud 34 as indicated by the arrow "B" and the torque transmitted to the wall 20 gradually decreases and reaches zero when the centre of gravity 42 of the inertia member 28 is coincident with the linear path "Z". In this position, the centre of gravity 42 of the weight 28 lies on the line of action of the centrifugal force.

During the next 90" of rotation of the shaft 26 in the direction of arrow "A", the discs 22, 24 move further upwardly and the torque transmitted to the wall 18 gradually increases until the discs are in their uppermost position (as viewed in Figure 1) where the distance "X" of the centre of gravity 42 of the inertia member 28 from the drive shaft 12 is again at its greatest and the maximum torque is exerted by the disc 22 on the other wall 18. Thus, a unidirectional torque is transmitted to the driven output shaft 14 at all times.

Figures 3 and 4 show the position reached after the next 90" of rotation of the shaft 26 with the centre of gravity 42 of the inertia member 28 again coincident with the linear path "Z" and the torque zero.

In an alternative arrangement shown in Figures 5 to 8, the torque trasmitting unit 50 comprises a drive input shaft 52 and a driven output shaft 54 coaxial therewith. A cylindrical casing 56, fixedly connected to the driven shaft 54, is provided with a pair of spaced, parallel, torque transmitting guide walls 58, 60 with the longitudinal axis of the walls coincident with a diameter of the casing 56.

A disc 62 coaxial with the drive and driven shafts 52,54, respectively, is rotatably mounted in the casing 56 by means of an annular web 64. A pair of inertia discs 66, 68 are fixedly and eccentrically mounted on a shaft 70 and are guided for linear movement, respectively, by the guide walls 58,60.

Each disc is weighted on one side to provide, respectively, an inertia member 66a, 68a of semicircular configuration with a centre of gravity as indicated at 72.

The shaft 70 is rotatably and eccentrically mounted in the disc 62 and the end thereof remote from the intertia discs is connected to the drive input shaft 52 through a pair of universal joints 74,76 which are interconnected by a sliding or telescopic coupling 78.

As can be seen from Figures 5 to 8 during each revolution of the drive input shaft 52, the discs 66,68 and integral inertia members 66a and 68a also complete one revolution and are guided for linear movement by the walls 58,60 along said diameter of the casing 56. Again, the torque transmitted by the inertia members 66a and 68a of the discs 66, to the guide walls 58, 60 is dependent on the weight and speed of the inertia members and the distance "X" of the centre of gravity 72 from the axis of the drive shaft 52.

in operation, the torque transmitted to the driven output shaft 54 by the inertia members 66a and 68a is at maximum for any given speed in the position shown in Figure 5 in which the discs 66, 68 are in their lowermost position and the distance "X" of the centre of gravity 72 of the members 66a and 68a from the axis of the drive shaft 52 is at its greatest.

During the 90" of anti-ciockwise rotation of the drive shaft 52 from the position shown in Figure 5, the discs 66,68 are also rotated anti-clockwise by the shaft 70, whilst the disc 62 is rotated clockwise. Thus, the discs 66,68 move linearly upwardly under the rotative movement of the shaft 70 which orbits about the axis of the drive shaft 52 and, constrained by the guide walls 58, 60, the discs move to the position shown in Figure 7. During this movement the torque transmitted to the driven output shaft 54 gradually decreases and reaches zero when the centre of gravity 72 is coincident with the linear path "Z".

During the next 90" of anti-clockwise rotation of the drive shaft 52 from the position shown in Figure 7, the disc 66,68 move further upwardly and the torque transmitted to the other wall 58 (and therefore the output shaft 54) gradually increases until the discs are in their uppermost position (as viewed in Figure 8) where the distance "X" of the centre of gravity 72 of the inertia members 66a and 68a from the axis of the drive shaft 52 is again at its greatest and maximum torque is transmitted to the wall 58.

Thus, a uni-directional torque is transmitted to the driven output shaft 54 at all times.

It will be appreciated that two or more torque transmitting units, suitably phased, can be housed in the casing 56 if required.

The units described above are particularly, although not exclusively, intended for use as a power transmission unit for engine driven vehicles.

In the motor vehicle field it can replace the conventional clutch and gearbox, or torque converter, or transmission gearir:; depending on the position and number of units used.

Claims

1. A torque transmitting unit comprising a drive input shaft and a driven output shaft, an output member operatively connected to said driven shaft with torque transmitting guide members fixedly mounted thereon and an inertia member operatively connected to, and rotated by, said input shaft with said guide members guiding said inertia member for linear movement upon rotation of said input shaft, the arrangement being such that torque is transmitted to the respective guide members on opposite sides of the driven shaft axis during each revolution of the inertia member which provides a unidirectional transmission of the torque.

2. A torque transmitting unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inertia member imparts a maximum torque to the guide members for any given speed at the respective limits of its linear movement.

3. A torque transmitting unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the torque-transmitting members extend normal to the axis of rotation of the driven shaft and are arranged in spaced parallel relationship with at least one rotatable guide disc positioned therebetween, said inertia member being connected to, or integral with, said disc or discs.

4. A torque transmitting unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inertia member is mounted on a support shaft coaxially and rotatably mounted in said disc or discs.

5. A torque transmitting unit as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the drive from the drive shaft is transmitted to the inertia member through universal coupling means.

6. A torque transmitting unit as claimed in claim 4 and 5, wherein a rod having one end pivotally mounted on said output member is also pivotally connected at its other end to said inertia member at a point spaced from the axis of said support shaft so that rotation of said drive shaft effects said linear movement of the inertia member and said guide disc or discs.

7. Atorque transmitting unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the, or each, guide disc is weighted on one side to provide the inertia member.

8. A torque transmitting unit as claimed in claim 6, including a shaft rotatably and eccentrically mounted in a disc which is itself rotatable about a fixed axis, the or each integral guide disc and inertia member being fixedly and eccentrically mounted on said shaft so that said linear movement is imparted thereto upon rotation of said shaft.

9. Atorquetransmitting unit substantially as described with reference to, and as iliustrated in Figures 1 to 4, or Figures 5 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.