DAMPER, IN PARTICULAR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE CLUTCH

Abstract

The invention relates to a damper, in particular for an automobile clutch, comprising:

an input element and an output element rotationally movable with respect to one another around a rotation axis (X); and one of the input and output elements is equipped with a cam follower (21);

damping means interposed between the input and output elements; the damping means have a flexible blade (17a; 17b), and the flexible blade is provided with a cam surface (20) arranged to interact with the cam follower, that cam surface extending over an opening angle (A) greater than 30°, in particular 45°.

Claims

1. A damper, in particular for an automobile clutch, comprising: an input element and an output element rotationally movable with respect to one another around a rotation axis (X); and one of the input and output elements is equipped with a cam follower (21); damping means interposed between the input and output elements; the damping means have a flexible blade (17a; 17b; 17c; 17d), and the flexible blade is provided with a cam surface (20) arranged to interact with the cam follower, that cam surface extending over an opening angle (A) greater than 30°, in particular 45°.

2. The damper according to claim 1, wherein said cam surface has a substantially concave shape when observed along the rotation axis (X), that concavity being on the side of the rotation axis.

3. The damper according to claim 2, wherein said cam surface is concave over its entire length, that concavity being on the side of the rotation axis.

4. The damper according to claim 1, wherein said opening angle (A) is greater than 60° or 90°, in particular greater than 110° or 115°.

5. The damper according to claim 1, wherein said opening angle (A) is between 90° and 180°.

6. The damper according to claim 1, wherein the flexible blade (17a; 17b; 17c; 17d) is metallic.

7. The damper according to claim 1, wherein the flexible blade (17a; 17b; 17c; 17d) comprises a stack of strips.

8. The damper according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the flexible blade (17a; 17b; 17c; 17d) is greater than 1 mm, in particular greater than 3 mm, for example between 3 mm and 50 mm.

9. The damper according to claim 1, wherein the flexible blade (17a; 17b; 17c; 17d) is rotationally coupled to one of the input and output elements.

10. The damper according to claim 1, wherein said cam surface (20) is arranged so that, for an angular deflection between the input element and output element (3) with respect to an inactive angular position, the cam follower (21) exerts a flexural force on the flexible blade (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d), producing a reaction force capable of returning said input and output elements toward said inactive angular position.

11. The damper according to claim 1, wherein the cam follower is a roller (21) mounted rotationally movably on one of the input and output elements.

12. The damper according to claim 1, wherein the cam follower (21) is disposed radially externally from the flexible blade (17a; 17b; 17c; 17d).

13. A damper for a motor vehicle, having: a primary inertial flywheel intended to be fastened to the end of a crankshaft, and a secondary inertial flywheel, rotationally movable with respect to one another around a rotation axis X; a damper for transmitting torque and for damping rotational irregularities between the primary and secondary inertial flywheels, said damper having friction members arranged to exert a resistive frictional torque between the primary and secondary inertial flywheels upon an angular deflection between said primary and secondary inertial flywheels; said damper being notable in that the damper has a flexible blade, rotationally coupled to one of said primary and secondary inertial flywheels and provided with a cam surface; and in that the damper has a cam follower carried by the other of said primary and secondary inertial flywheels and arranged to interact with said cam surface; said cam surface being arranged so that, for an angular deflection between the primary inertial flywheel and the secondary inertial flywheel with respect to an inactive angular position, the cam follower exerts a flexural force on the flexible blade, producing a reaction force capable of returning said primary and secondary inertial flywheels to said inactive angular position.

14. A dual mass flywheel damper comprising a damper according to claim 1.

15. The damper according to claim 2, wherein said opening angle (A) is greater than 60° or 90°, in particular greater than 110° or 115°.

16. The damper according to claim 3, wherein said opening angle (A) is greater than 60° or 90°, in particular greater than 110° or 115°.

17. The damper according to claim 2, wherein said opening angle (A) is between 90° and 180°.

18. The damper according to claim 3, wherein said opening angle (A) is between 90° and 180°.

19. The damper according to claim 4, wherein said opening angle (A) is between 90° and 180°.

Description

[0046] The invention will be better understood, and other objectives, details, characteristics, and advantages thereof will emerge more clearly, in the course of the description below of several particular embodiments of the invention, provided solely for illustrative purposes and non-limiting, with reference to the attached Figures.

[0047] In these Figures:

[0048] FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a dual mass flywheel damper, in which the secondary inertial flywheel is depicted as being transparent so the damping means are visible.

[0049] FIG. 2 is a section view along II-II of the dual mass flywheel damper of FIG. 1.

[0050] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the dual mass flywheel damper of FIG. 1.

[0051] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the dual mass flywheel damper of FIGS. 1 to 3, in which the secondary inertial flywheel is shown partly detached and disassembled from the primary inertial flywheel.

[0052] FIG. 5 is a frontal view of a dual mass flywheel damper according to a second embodiment, in which the secondary inertial flywheel is depicted as being transparent so the damping means are visible.

[0053] FIG. 6 is a section view along VI-VI of the dual mass flywheel damper of FIG. 5.

[0054] FIG. 7 is a partly exploded perspective view of the dual mass flywheel damper of FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0055] FIG. 8 is a frontal view of a dual mass flywheel damper according to a third embodiment, in which the secondary inertial flywheel is depicted as being transparent so the damping means are visible.

[0056] FIG. 9 is a section view along VIII-VIII of the dual mass flywheel damper of FIG. 8.

[0057] FIG. 10 is a partly exploded perspective view of the dual mass flywheel damper of FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0058] FIG. 11 is an example of a characteristic curve of a dual mass flywheel damper, representing the transmitted torque as a function of angular deflection.

[0059] In the description and the claims, the terms “inner” and “outer,” as well as the orientations “axial” and “radial,” will be used to designate elements of the dual mass flywheel damper in accordance with the definitions given in the description. By convention, the “radial” orientation is directed orthogonally to the rotation axis X of the dual mass flywheel damper determining the “axial” orientation; and, proceeding from inside to outside moving away from said axis X, the “circumferential” orientation is directed orthogonally to the rotation axis X of the dual mass flywheel damper and orthogonally to the radial direction. The terms “outer” and “inner” are used to define the relative position of one element with respect to another with reference to the rotation axis X of the dual mass flywheel damper; an element close to the axis is thus referred to as “inner” as opposed to an “outer” element located radially at the periphery.

[0060] Reference is made firstly to FIGS. 1 to 4, which depict a dual mass flywheel damper 1 according to a first embodiment. Dual mass flywheel damper 1 comprises a primary inertial flywheel 2 intended to be fastened to the end of a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine (not depicted), and a secondary inertial flywheel 3 that is centered and guided on primary flywheel 2 by means of a ball-type rolling bearing 4. Secondary flywheel 3 is intended to constitute the reaction plate of a clutch (not depicted) connected to the input shaft of a gearbox. Primary inertial flywheel 2 and secondary inertial flywheel 3 are intended to be mounted movably around a rotation axis X, and are furthermore rotationally movable with respect to one another around said axis X.

[0061] Primary flywheel 2 has a radially inner hub 5 supporting rolling bearing 4, an annular region 6 extending radially, and a cylindrical region 7 extending axially, on the side opposite the engine, from the outer periphery of annular region 6. Annular region 6 is equipped on the one hand with passthrough orifices for fastening screws 8 intended for fastening primary flywheel 2 onto the engine crankshaft, and on the other hand with passthrough orifices for rivets 9 for fastening damping means onto primary wheel 2. Primary flywheel 2 carries on its external periphery a ring gear 10 for rotational driving of primary flywheel 2 with the aid of a starter.

[0062] Radially inner hub 5 of the primary flywheel has a shoulder 11, serving for abutment of the inner ring of rolling bearing 5, which retains said inner ring in the direction of the engine. Secondary flywheel 3 similarly has on its inner periphery a shoulder 12 that serves for abutment of the outer ring of rolling bearing 5 and that retains said outer ring in a direction opposite to the engine.

[0063] Secondary flywheel 3 has a planar annular surface 13 on the side opposite primary flywheel 2, forming an abutment surface for a friction lining of a clutch disk (not depicted). Secondary flywheel 3 has, close to its outer rim, studs 14 and orifices 15 that serve for mounting of a clutch cover. Secondary flywheel 3 furthermore has orifices 16 disposed facing the orifices constituted in primary flywheel 2 and intended for the passage of screws 8 upon mounting of dual mass flywheel damper 1 on the crankshaft.

[0064] Primary flywheel 2 and secondary flywheel 3 are rotationally coupled via damping means. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 to 4, these damping means have two flexible blades 17a, 17b mounted in rotationally coupled fashion to primary flywheel 2. For this, flexible blades 17a, 17b are carried by an annular body 18 equipped with orifices allowing the passage of rivets 9 for fastening to primary flywheel 2. Annular body 18 furthermore has orifices 19 for the passage of screws 8 for fastening dual mass flywheel damper 1 to the nose of the crankshaft. The two flexible blades 17a, 17b are symmetrical with respect to rotation axis X of the clutch disk.

[0065] Flexible blades 17a, 17b have, at one free end, a cam surface 20 that is arranged to interact with a cam follower carried by secondary flywheel 3. Flexible blades 17a, 17b have a curved region extending substantially circumferentially. The radius of curvature of the curved region, as well as the length of that curved region, are determined as a function of the desired stiffness of flexible blade 17a, 17b. Flexible blade 17a, 17b selectably can be made as a single piece or can be made up of a plurality of strips disposed axially against one another.

[0066] The cam followers are rollers 21 carried by cylindrical rods 22 fastened on the one hand to secondary flywheel 3 and on the other hand to a web 23. Rollers 21 are mounted on cylindrical rods 22 rotationally movably around a rotation axis parallel to rotation axis X. Rollers 21 are kept in abutment against their respective cam surface 20 and are arranged to roll against said cam surface 20 upon a relative motion between primary flywheel 2 and secondary flywheel 3. Rollers 21 are disposed radially externally from their respective cam surface 20 in order to retain flexible blades 17a, 17b radially when they are subjected to centrifugal force. In order to reduce parasitic friction capable of affecting damping functionality, rollers 21 advantageously are mounted rotatably on the cylindrical rods by means of a rolling bearing. As an example, the rolling bearing can be a ball bearing or roller bearing. In an embodiment, rollers 21 have an anti-friction coating.

[0067] Cam surface 20 is arranged so that, for an angular deflection between primary flywheel 2 and secondary flywheel 3 with respect to an inactive relative angular position, roller 21 moves on cam surface 20 and, by so doing, exerts a flexural force on flexible blade 17a, 17b. In reaction, flexible blade 17a, 17b exerts on roller 21 a return force that tends to return primary flywheel 2 and secondary flywheel 3 to their inactive relative angular position. Flexible blades 17a, 17b are thus capable of transmitting a driving torque from primary flywheel 2 to secondary flywheel 3 (forward direction) and a resistive torque from secondary flywheel 3 to primary flywheel 2 (reverse direction).

[0068] The torsional vibrations and torque inconsistencies that are produced by the internal combustion engine are transmitted by the crankshaft to primary flywheel 2, and generate relative rotations between primary flywheel 2 and secondary flywheel 3. These vibrations and inconsistencies are damped by the flexing of flexible blade 17a.

[0069] Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 4, it is apparent that the damping means have friction members arranged so as to exert a resistive torque between primary flywheel 2 and secondary flywheel 3 upon relative deflection thereof. The friction members are thus capable of dissipating the energy accumulated in flexible blades 17a, 17b. The friction means comprise a spring washer 24 of the Belleville washer type, a first friction washer 25 rotationally coupled to primary flywheel 2, and a second friction washer 26 capable of being rotationally driven with respect to primary flywheel 2 upon a relative deflection between primary flywheel 2 and secondary flywheel 3. Spring washer 24 is intercalated between primary flywheel 2 and first friction washer 25, and ensures a compressive force from first friction washer 25 against second friction washer 26. First friction washer 25 is rotationally coupled to primary flywheel 2 by axial fingers, depicted in FIG. 2, fitting into openings configured in primary flywheel 2. Second friction washer 26 has on its outer periphery a tooth set that meshes, with a defined circumferential play, with a tooth set shaped into the inner periphery of web 23. When the circumferential play is taken up upon a relative deflection between primary flywheel 2 and secondary flywheel 3, second friction washer 26 is thus rotationally driven by secondary flywheel 3 and a frictional torque is exerted between the first and second friction washers 25, 26.

[0070] FIGS. 5 to 7 illustrate a dual mass flywheel damper 1 according to another embodiment. In this embodiment, primary flywheel 2 has a radially inner hub 5 supporting a centering bearing 4 for secondary flywheel 3, which is provided with orifices 27 for the passage of screws for fastening dual mass flywheel damper 1 to the nose of the crankshaft.

[0071] The damping means comprise two flexible blades 17a, 17b that here are mounted in rotationally coupled fashion to secondary flywheel 3 and carry cam surfaces 20 arranged to interact with cam followers carried by primary flywheel 2. Flexible blades 17a, 17b are carried by an annular body 18. Said annular body 18 is fastened on primary flywheel 2 by means of a plurality of rivets 28 that interact with orifices configured in annular body 18 and in primary flywheel 2.

[0072] The radially inner hub 5 of primary flywheel 2 has a shoulder 29 serving for abutment of the inner ring of rolling bearing 5 and retaining said inner ring in the direction of the engine. In addition, the outer ring of rolling bearing 5 is clamped between annular body 18, which supports flexible blades 17a, 17b, and secondary flywheel 3. For this, annular body 18 has on its inner periphery a shoulder 30 retaining the outer ring in the direction of the engine, and secondary flywheel 3 has on its inner periphery a shoulder 31 retaining the outer ring in the opposite direction from the engine.

[0073] The cam followers here are rollers 21 mounted on primary flywheel 2 rotationally movably around an axis parallel to rotation axis X. Rollers 21 are mounted on cylindrical rods 22, fastened on primary flywheel 2, by means of rolling bearings.

[0074] In addition, the damping means of the dual mass flywheel damper of FIGS. 5 to 7 also have friction members arranged to exert a resistive torque between primary flywheel 2 and secondary flywheel 3 upon relative deflection thereof. The friction members comprise a spring washer 32 of the Belleville type, a first friction washer 33 rotationally coupled to primary flywheel 2, and a second friction washer 34 capable of being rotationally driven with respect to primary flywheel 2 upon a relative deflection between primary flywheel 2 and secondary flywheel 3. Spring washer 32 is axially immobilized in the opposite direction from the engine by a circlip. Spring washer 32 exerts an axial force on first friction washer 33 which grips second friction washer 34 between said first friction washer 33 and primary flywheel 2. First friction washer 33 has on its inner periphery tabs that interact with grooves configured on the outer periphery of hub 5 of primary flywheel 2, in order to rotationally couple first friction washer 33 with primary flywheel 2. Second friction washer 34, for its part, has on its outer periphery indentations capable of interacting, with a defined circumferential play, with the heads of rivets 28 for fastening annular body 18 to secondary flywheel 3, in order to allow a relative motion of second friction washer 34 with respect to primary flywheel 2 upon a relative deflection between primary flywheel 2 and secondary flywheel 3.

[0075] As is evident from FIG. 5, cam surface 20 extends over an opening angle A of approximately 115°.

[0076] Thanks to this relatively large opening angle, it is possible to achieve a relatively large angular deflection between the input and output elements. It is thus easily possible to obtain damping means that operate over a relatively wide range of torques while offering damping characteristic curves whose slope varies relatively progressively.

[0077] As is evident from FIG. 5, cam surface 20 has a substantially concave shape over its entire length when observed along the rotation axis, said concavity being on the side of the rotation axis.

[0078] That cam surface 20 is configured radially externally on the blade.

[0079] As applicable, flexible blade 17a, 17b is metallic and is constituted by a stack of strips.

[0080] In the example described, the thickness of the flexible blade is 16 mm.

[0081] The flexible blade is rotationally coupled to one of the input and output elements, and the cam follower is a roller 21 mounted rotationally movably on one of the input and output elements.

[0082] FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate a dual mass flywheel damper 1 according to a third embodiment. This dual mass flywheel damper 1 is substantially similar to dual mass flywheel damper 1 of FIGS. 5 to 7, with the exception of the damping means which here have two pairs of flexible blades 17a, 17b, 17c, 17c. A first pair of flexible blades 17a, 17b is carried by a first annular body 18, and a second pair of flexible blades 17c, 17d is carried by a second annular body 18. Flexible blades 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d are, for each pair, symmetrical with respect to rotation axis X. The first and second annular bodies 18 are fastened to secondary flywheel 3 via a plurality of rivets 28. Here a spacer ring 35 is positioned axially between the first and second annular bodies 18.

[0083] In the embodiment depicted, the two annular bodies 18 and the two pairs of flexible blades 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d are identical. Flexible blades 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d of one of the pairs of flexible blades are angularly offset 90° with respect to the flexible blades of the other pair. Such an arrangement allows a more even distribution of the forces exerted on rolling bearing 4.

[0084] Here the cam followers have two pairs of rollers 21 mounted rotationally movably on cylindrical rods 22 fastened to primary flywheel 2.

[0085] FIG. 11 illustrates a characteristic curve of a dual mass flywheel damper 1 implemented according to the teaching of the invention. This characteristic curve represents the transmitted torque expressed in Nm, as a function of angular deflection expressed in degrees. The relative deflection between the input and output elements in the forward direction is depicted with dashed lines, while the deflection in the reverse direction is depicted with solid lines. Note that with a dual mass flywheel damper 1 of this kind it is possible in particular to obtain damping characteristic curves whose slope varies progressively, with no discontinuity.

[0086] Since the cam surface of the flexible blade exhibits a relatively large opening angle, it is possible to achieve a relatively large angular deflection between the input element and output element. It is thus possible to obtain damping means that operate over a relatively wide range of torques while offering damping characteristic curves whose slope varies relatively progressively.

[0087] Advantageously, cam surfaces 20 and flexible blades 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d are arranged so that the characteristic function of the transmitted torque as a function of the angular deflection is a monotonic function.

[0088] For certain applications, cam surfaces 20 and flexible blades 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d could be arranged so that characteristics of the transmitted torque as a function of angular deflection are symmetrical in the reverse direction and the forward direction with respect to the inactive angular position.

[0089] Although the invention has been described in conjunction with several particular embodiments, it is quite apparent that it is in no way limited thereto, and that it encompasses all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as combinations thereof, if they are within the scope of the invention.

[0090] Use of the verbs “have,” “comprise” or “include” and of their conjugated forms does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those recited in a claim. Use of the indefinite article “a” or “an” for an element or a step does not, unless otherwise indicated, exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements or steps.

[0091] In the claims, any reference character in parentheses cannot be interpreted as a limitation of the claim.