Abstract
A dual mass flywheel coupling member for selectively coupling a primary mass and a secondary mass of a dual mass flywheel, the coupling member comprising: a central aperture for enabling axial alignment with the primary mass and the secondary mass; at least one resiliently deformable member, the resiliently deformable member comprising a fixing point attachable to the primary mass to rigidly couple one end of the resiliently deformable member to the primary mass; and at least one engagement feature coupled to the coupling member at a point remote from the fixing point, wherein the engagement feature is configured to engage the secondary mass upon deformation of the resiliently deformable member in an installed configuration.
Claims
1.-19. (canceled)
20. A dual mass flywheel coupling member for selectively coupling a primary flywheel and a secondary flywheel of a dual mass flywheel, the coupling member comprising: a central aperture for enabling axial alignment with the primary flywheel and the secondary flywheel; at least one resiliently deformable member, the resiliently deformable member comprising a fixing point attachable to the primary flywheel to rigidly couple one end of the resiliently deformable member to the primary flywheel; and at least one engagement feature coupled to the coupling member at a point remote from the fixing point, wherein the engagement feature is configured to engage the secondary flywheel upon deformation of the resiliently deformable member, in an installed configuration.
21. The coupling member of claim 20, wherein deformation of the resiliently deformable member causes the engagement feature to be urged away from the secondary flywheel, in an installed configuration.
22. The coupling member of claim 20, wherein at least one of the at least one engagement features comprises a protrusion for engaging the secondary flywheel.
23. The coupling member of claim 20, wherein the protrusion is cylindrical.
24. The coupling member of claim 22, wherein the protrusion is a geometric shape.
25. The coupling member of claim 22, wherein the protrusion is an irregular shape.
26. The coupling member of claim 20, wherein at least one of the at least one engagement features extends axially through the primary flywheel, in an assembled configuration.
27. The coupling member of claim 20, wherein at least one of the at least one or more of the engagement features comprises a friction surface for engaging the secondary flywheel.
28. The coupling member of claim 20, wherein the central aperture is circular.
29. The coupling member of claim 20, wherein the resiliently deformable member further comprises a tab that extends away from the resiliently deformable member and attaches the resiliently deformable member to an outer portion of the coupling member.
30. The coupling member of claim 29, wherein the resiliently deformable member is located towards a center of the coupling member with respect to the outer portion.
31. The coupling member of claim 29, wherein the outer portion of the coupling member is circular.
32. A primary flywheel of a dual mass flywheel, wherein the coupling member of claim 20 is attached to a first face of the primary flywheel of the dual mass flywheel via the fixing point of each of the at least one resiliently deformable members.
33. The primary flywheel of a dual mass flywheel of claim 32, wherein the primary flywheel comprises a ring gear.
34. A secondary flywheel of a dual mass flywheel, wherein a first face of the secondary flywheel is configured to be engaged by the at least one engagement feature of the coupling member of claim 20.
35. A dual mass flywheel assembly comprising the coupling member of claim 20, wherein the coupling member is attached to a first face of the primary flywheel of the dual mass flywheel via the fixing point of each of the at least one resiliently deformable members and wherein a first face of the secondary flywheel is configured to be engaged by the at least one engagement feature of the coupling member.
36. A vehicle comprising at least one coupling member of claim 20.
37. The vehicle of claim 36, wherein: the primary flywheel comprises a ring gear; and the vehicle further comprises: a starter motor; and a retractable starter motor pinion gear comprising a flange.
38. A method for reducing relative movement between a primary flywheel and a secondary flywheel of a dual mass flywheel during vehicle start-up, the dual mass flywheel having the coupling member of claim 20 attached to a first face of the primary flywheel via the fixing point of each of the at least one resiliently deformable members, and wherein the method comprises urging a starter motor pinion in a first pinion direction such that it impinges on the protruding portion of the coupling member, thereby moving a part of the coupling member in a first coupling member direction away from the first face of the primary flywheel and towards a first face of the secondary flywheel such that the at least one engagement feature engages with the first face of the secondary flywheel, thereby engaging the primary flywheel and the secondary flywheel.
39. The method of claim 38 further comprising: moving the starter motor pinion in a second pinion direction that opposes the first pinion direction; and allowing at least one of the at least one resiliently deformable members to urge the part of the coupling member in a second coupling member direction opposing the first coupling member direction and towards the first face of the primary flywheel, thereby disengaging the at least one engagement feature from the first face of the secondary flywheel and thereby disengaging the primary flywheel and the secondary flywheel.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] The above and other objects and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0034] FIG. 1 shows a first example of a coupling member attached to a first face of a primary mass of a dual mass flywheel, in accordance with an example of the disclosure.
[0035] FIG. 2 shows a second example of a coupling member attached to a first face of a primary mass of a dual mass flywheel, in accordance with an example of the disclosure.
[0036] FIG. 3 shows method steps, in accordance with an example of the disclosure.
[0037] FIG. 4 shows method steps, in accordance with a second example of the disclosure.
[0038] FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a dual mass flywheel coupling member for selectively coupling a primary mass and a secondary mass of a dual mass flywheel, in accordance with an example of the disclosure.
[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a dual mass flywheel 1 comprising a primary mass 2, a secondary mass 3 and a coupling member 5 for engaging the primary mass 2 with the secondary mass 3. The primary mass 2 comprises a ring gear 4. In use, the pinion of a starter motor engages with the ring gear 4 to turn the primary mass 2. In this example, the coupling member 5 comprises resiliently deformable members 6, and the resiliently deformable members 6 comprise fixing points 7 which are used to fix the coupling member 5 to a first face of the primary mass 2. In use, it is the deformation of resiliently deformable members 6 about the fixing points 7, when the coupling member 5 is urged away from the first face of the primary mass, that stores energy to urge the coupling member 5 back towards the first face of the primary mass 2 when the pinion gear is retracted. In some examples (not shown) there may be a single resiliently deformable member or any other number of resiliently deformable members. In this example, the resiliently deformable member 6 comprises a tab 8 which extends away from the resiliently deformable member 6 and attaches the resiliently deformable member 6 to the outer portion 9 of the coupling member 5. In this example, the resiliently deformable member 6 is located towards the center of the coupling member 5 with respect to the outer portion 9. The coupling member 5 also comprises engagement features in the form of cylindrical protrusions 10, which, in use, engage the secondary mass 3. In this example, the tab 8 is located at the center of the resiliently deformable member 6 such that fixing point 7 and the engagement feature 10 are located the same, or a similar, distance away from the tab 8. However, in other examples the tab may be located off-center, such that either the fixing point 7 or the engagement feature 10 is located closer to the tab. In some examples (not shown) there may be a single engagement feature or any other number of engagement features. The engagement features may comprise any geometric shape, such as a cube, cuboid, cylinder, pyramid, prism or an irregular shape, a non-geometric shape or mix of these shapes (again, not shown). Alternatively, the engagement feature may comprise a friction surface (again, not shown). A first face of the secondary mass 3 comprises receiving portions 11 that receive the engagement features 10. In use, when the receiving portions receive the engagement features, the primary and the secondary masses are engaged such that relative rotational movement between the two masses is reduced or eliminated entirely. In use, the crankshaft of an engine is typically attached to the primary mass 2. In use, when the starter motor pinion disengages from the ring gear 4, the resiliently deformable member causes the coupling member to move away from the first face of the secondary mass 3, thereby causing engagement features to disengage from the secondary mass 3 and thereby disengaging the primary mass 2 and the secondary mass 3.
[0040] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an alternative dual mass flywheel 1 comprising a primary mass 2, a secondary mass 3 and a coupling member 5 for engaging the primary mass 2 with the secondary mass 3. The primary mass 2 comprises a ring gear 4. In use, the pinion of a starter motor engages with the ring gear 4 to turn the primary mass 2. In this example, the coupling member 5 comprises resiliently deformable members 6, and the resiliently deformable members 6 comprise fixing points 7 which are used to fix the coupling member 5 to a first face of the primary mass 2. In use, it is the deformation resiliently deformable members 6 about the fixing points 7, when the coupling member 5 is urged towards the first face of the primary mass, that stores energy to urge the coupling member 5 away from the first face of the primary mass 2 when the pinion gear is retracted. In some examples (not shown) there may be a single resiliently deformable member or any other number of resiliently deformable members. In this example, the resiliently deformable member 6 comprises a tab 8 which attaches the resiliently deformable member to the outer portion 9 of the coupling member 5. Cylindrical members 10 are received in channels or in the primary mass 2. In use, a portion of the coupling member 5 engages with one or more engagement features, in this example cylindrical members 10. When the starter motor pinion 14 engages with the ring gear, the flange 13 of the starter motor pinion 14 engages with a portion of the coupling member 5 and urges the coupling member 5 towards the first face of the primary mass 2. This in turn causes the portion of the coupling member 5 that is engaged with the one or more engagement features to urge the engagement features towards the secondary mass 3. In some examples, the engagement features are attached to the coupling member 5. In other examples, the engagement features 10 are separate to the coupling member 5. In some examples there may be a single engagement feature or any other number of engagement features. The engagement features may comprise any geometric shape, such as a cube, cuboid, cylinder, pyramid, prism or an irregular shape, a non-geometric shape or mix of these shapes (again, not shown). Alternatively, the engagement feature may comprise a friction surface (again, not shown). A first face of the secondary mass 3 comprises receiving portions 11 that receive the engagement features 10. In use, when the receiving portions receive the engagement features, the primary and the secondary masses are engaged such that relative rotational movement between the two masses is reduced or eliminated entirely. When the starter motor pinion 14 disengages from the ring gear 4, the flange 13 is no longer engaged with a portion of the coupling member 5 and the resiliently deformable member causes the coupling member to move away from the first face of the secondary mass 3. Where the engagement features are attached to the coupling member 5, this causes engagement features to disengage from the secondary mass 3, thereby disengaging the primary mass 2 and the secondary mass 3. Where the engagement features comprise an energy storing member, the movement of the coupling member 5 away from the first face of the primary mass 2 creates a gap between the coupling member 5 and the first face of the primary mass 2 for the energy storing member 10 to move into, in a similar manner, this causes engagement features to disengage from the secondary mass 3, thereby disengaging the primary mass 2 and the secondary mass 3.
[0041] FIG. 3 describes a method for reducing relative movement between a primary mass and a secondary mass of a dual mass flywheel during vehicle start-up, wherein the method comprises providing a coupling member comprising: a central aperture for enabling axial alignment of the primary mass and the secondary mass, at least one resiliently deformable member, the resiliently deformable member comprising a fixing point attachable to the primary mass to rigidly couple one end of the resiliently deformable member to the primary mass, and at least one engagement feature coupled to the coupling member at a point remote from the fixing point, wherein the engagement feature is configured to engage the secondary mass upon deformation of the resiliently deformable member in an installed configuration 301, attaching the coupling member to a first face of a primary mass of a dual mass flywheel via the fixing point of each of the at least one resiliently deformable members 302 and urging a starter motor pinion in a first pinion direction such that it impinges on the protruding portion of the coupling member, thereby moving a part of the coupling member in a first coupling member direction away from the first face of the primary mass and towards a first face of the secondary mass such that the at least one engagement feature engages with the first face of the secondary mass, thereby engaging the primary mass and the secondary mass 303.
[0042] FIG. 4 describes another method for reducing relative movement between a primary mass and a secondary mass of a dual mass flywheel during vehicle start-up, wherein the method comprises providing: a coupling member comprising: a central aperture for enabling axial alignment of the primary mass and the secondary mass, and at least one resiliently deformable member, the resiliently deformable member comprising a fixing point attachable to the primary mass to rigidly couple one end of the resiliently deformable member to the primary mass, at least one engagement member, a starter motor pinion comprising a flange, and a dual mass flywheel comprising a primary mass and a secondary mass, wherein the primary mass comprises one or more channels, each channel for receiving an engagement member 401, attaching the coupling member to a first face of a primary mass of a dual mass flywheel via the fixing point of each of the at least one resiliently deformable members 402 and urging a starter motor pinion comprising a flange in a first pinion direction such that the flange impinges on the coupling member, thereby moving a part of the coupling member in a first direction towards the first face of the primary mass and towards a first face of the secondary mass such that an engagement member is urged in the first direction through a channel of the one or more channels and the engagement member engages with the first face of the secondary mass, thereby engaging the primary mass and the secondary mass 403.
[0043] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle 500 with a dual mass flywheel coupling member 502 for selectively coupling a primary mass and a secondary mass of a dual mass flywheel, e.g., using the above described system and/or apparatus. The dual mass flywheel coupling member 502 may be used to selectively lock together the primary and secondary masses of the dual mass flywheel of the vehicle, e.g., during a start phase of the vehicle's engine. In some examples, the coupling member 502 is fixed to the primary mass of the dual mass flywheel and engaged with the secondary mass of the dual mass flywheel whilst a starter motor of the vehicle is cranking the primary mass. Once the engine has been started, the coupling member 502 remains fixed to the primary mass of the dual mass flywheel and becomes disengaged from the secondary mass of the dual mass flywheel.
[0044] The processes described above are intended to be illustrative and not limiting. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the steps of the processes discussed herein may be omitted, modified, combined, and/or rearranged, and any additional steps may be performed without departing from the scope of the disclosure. More generally, the above disclosure is meant to be exemplary and not limiting. Furthermore, it should be noted that the features and limitations described in any one example may be applied to any other example herein, and flowcharts or examples relating to one example may be combined with any other example in a suitable manner, done in different orders, or done in parallel. In addition, the systems and methods described herein may be performed in real time. It should also be noted that the systems and/or methods described above may be applied to, or used in accordance with, other systems and/or methods.
