Pendulum-oscillator-type damping system comprising an improved guiding device

Abstract

A damping system (10) having a rotation axis (X) and comprising at least: one first flyweight (14) and one second flyweight (14) able to oscillate with respect to a support member (12), and at least one device (20) for guiding the first and second flyweights (14) with respect to the support member (12), having at least one bearing element (22) able to interact with a pair of opposite tracks, respectively a first guidance track (24) and a second guidance track (26) that is carried by the support member (12), wherein the first guidance track (24) is carried by said connecting means (16).

Claims

1. A damping system (10) having a rotation axis (X) and comprising: a support member (12) rotatable around the rotation axis (X); a first flyweight (14) and a second flyweight (14) configured to oscillate with respect to the support member (12) in a rotation plane orthogonal to the rotation axis (X), the first and second flyweights (14) being mounted axially on either side of the support member (12) and connected axially to one another by means of a spacer (16) passing axially through an associated opening (18) through the support member (12); and a guidance device (20) for guiding the first and second flyweights (14) with respect to the support member (12), the guiding device (20) cooperating only with the spacer (16), the guidance device (20) having a single rolling element (22) configured to interact with a pair of radially opposite tracks, respectively a single first guidance track (24) and a second guidance track (26) carried by the support member (12); the single first guidance track (24) being carried by the spacer (16); the spacer (16) non-moveably connected to each of the first and second flyweights (14) so that the first and second flyweights (14) being non-moveable relative to one another; the spacer (16) and each of the first and second flyweights being moveable relative to the support member (12); the single rolling element (22) interacting only with the first guidance track (24) of the spacer and the second guidance track (26) of the support member (12).

2. The damping system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the single spacer (16) constitutes stop abutment means formed by opposite ends (38) thereof configured to interact with an abutment surface (36) of the opening (18) of the support member (12) in order to limit the oscillations of the at least one flyweight (14) with respect to the support member (12).

3. The damping system (10) according to claim 1, comprising two associated openings (18) in the support member (12), two spacers each extending axially through one of the associated openings (18) between the first and second flyweights (14), and two guidance devices (20), respectively: a first guidance device (20A) and a second guidance device (20B), which are interposed axially between the support member (12) and the first and second flyweights (14).

4. The damping system (10) according to claim 1, wherein axially opposite distal ends the spacer (16) are passing axially through associated openings in the first and second flyweights.

5. The damping system (10) according to claim 1, the single spacer (16) is a unitary part.

6. The damping system (10) according to claim 5, the unitary part (16) is a one-piece part.

7. A damping system (10) having a rotation axis (X), the damping system (10) comprising: a support member (12) rotatable around the rotation axis (X); a first flyweight (14) and a second flyweight (14) configured to oscillate with respect to the support member (12) in a rotation plane orthogonal to the rotation axis (X), the first and second flyweights (14) being mounted axially on either side of the support member (12); a connecting member (16) axially connecting the first and second flyweights (14) to one another, the connecting member (16) passing axially through an associated opening (18) through the support member (12); and a guidance device (20) for guiding the first and second flyweights (14) with respect to the support member (12), the guidance device (20) having a bearing element (22) configured to interact with a pair of radially opposite tracks, respectively a first guidance track (24) and a second guidance track (26); the first guidance track (24) being carried by the connecting member (16); the second guidance track (26) being carried by the support member (12); the opening (18) through the support member (12) being demarcated radially by a concave external edge forming the second guidance track (26) of the bearing element (22) and, radially oppositely, by a rectilinear internal edge (27).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become evident upon reading the detailed description that will follow, which will be understood by referring to the attached drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view depicting a damping system of the pendulum oscillator type according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the damping system of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view depicting the damping system of FIGS. 1 and 2 assuming that one flyweight is transparent, illustrating the guidance devices when the damping system is at rest;

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of a damping system according to the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 to 3;

(6) FIGS. 5 and 6 are axially sectioned views depicting the damping system according to FIG. 1 and illustrating more specifically for FIG. 5, a spacer axially connecting the flyweights, and for FIG. 6, the first track which comprises said spacer and with which the bearing element interacts;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) In the description hereinafter and the claims, the terms external and internal, as well as the orientations axial and radial, will be used in non-limiting fashion, and in order to facilitate comprehension, to designate the elements of the damping system in accordance with the definitions given in the description.

(8) By convention, the radial orientation is directed orthogonally to the rotation axis (X) of the damping system which determines the axial orientation; and, moving away from said axis from inside to outside, the circumferential orientation is directed orthogonally to the axis of the damping system and orthogonally to the radial direction.

(9) The terms external and internal are used to define the relative position of one element with respect to another with reference to the rotation axis of the damping device; an element dose to the axis is thus categorized as internal as opposed to an external element located radially peripherally.

(10) In the description hereinafter, elements having similar, identical, or analogous functions will be identified with the same reference numbers.

(11) The invention relates to a damping system 10 that, having a rotation axis X, is in particular able to be part of a motor vehicle transmission, said damping system 10 having in particular at least one support member 12 and at least one flyweight 14 in order to form a pendulum oscillator.

(12) FIG. 1 depicts a damping system 10 of the pendulum oscillator type according to an embodiment of the invention, provided solely as a non-limiting example.

(13) In this embodiment, system 10 has a support member 12 and at least one pair of flyweights 14, respectively a first flyweight and a second flyweight, that are arranged axially on either side of said support member 12.

(14) Support member 12 is able to be caused to rotate around rotation axis X of damping system 10.

(15) Support member 12 is overall in the shape of a ring having two planar faces on which said first flyweight 14 and second flyweight 14 are placed.

(16) A damping system 10 of this kind is capable, for example, of being integrated into a torsional damper (not depicted).

(17) In known fashion, a torsional damper of this kind has at least one input element, at least one output element, and circumferentially acting elastic members that are interposed between said input and output elements.

(18) In the aforementioned case of utilization on a motor vehicle transmission, the input element is intended to be caused to rotate by a driving shaft (not depicted), such as the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle equipped with the transmission, while the output element is rotationally connected to a driven shaft (not depicted), such as the input shaft of the gearbox of the vehicle which is connected to the gear ratio changing means.

(19) Support member 12 of damping system 10 of the pendulum oscillator type can be constituted by an input element of said torsional damper, an output element, or an intermediate phasing element between two series of springs of said damper or, as a variant, an element rotationally linked to these elements.

(20) Damping system 10 of the pendulum oscillator type can then be carried, for example, by a guide washer or a phase washer, and is arranged on the radial external periphery of said washers.

(21) The shape of support member 12 is consequently capable of varying, depending on the application, from that of the flat ring depicted in FIG. 1.

(22) First and second flyweights 14 are able to oscillate with respect to support member 12 in a rotation plane orthogonal to rotation axis X.

(23) As illustrated in FIG. 1, first and second flyweights 14 are mounted axially on either side of said support member 12. Flyweights 14 are plate-shaped overall and extend circumferentially in a circular arc so that flyweights 14 globally follow the external and internal edges of support member 12.

(24) As illustrated in particular in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first and second flyweights 14 are connected axially to one another by means of at least one connecting means (or member) 16 passing axially through an associated opening 18 of the support member 12.

(25) The oscillations of flyweights 14 are accompanied by at least one device 20 for guiding first and second flyweights 14 with respect to support member 12.

(26) Guidance The at least guidance device 20 has a single bearing (or rolling) element 22 that is able to interact with a pair of opposite tracks.

(27) According to the invention, the rolling element 22 interacts respectively with a first guidance track 24 carried by the connecting member 16 located between said first and second flyweights 14 and a second guidance track 26 that is carried by the support member 12.

(28) Advantageously, the connecting member 16 form a spacer that in particular determines the axial spacing between flyweights 14 and the clearance with respect to support member 12.

(29) The connecting member 16 are constituted preferably by at least two spacers that are arranged respectively at one and the other end of flyweights 14.

(30) According to the embodiment depicted in the Figures, spacer 16 has the overall shape of an H and comprises respectively two axially oriented bars 28 that are connected to one another by an intermediate bar 30.

(31) Intermediate bar 30 centrally connects said axial bars 28 to one another, and has an external surface forming said first guidance track 24 with which bearing element 22 interacts.

(32) Each of the axial bars 28 of spacer 16 has an end that is received in a complementary hole 32 of one of flyweights 14.

(33) Holes 32 are through holes, and flyweights 14 are advantageously fastened to each spacer 16 by riveting, the heads 34 resulting therefrom being more particularly visible in FIG. 1.

(34) The ends of each of the axial bars 28 of spacer 16 are thus integral with one or the other of the first and second flyweights 14.

(35) Advantageously, the spacer 16 is a unitary part, such as a one-piece part produced by forging.

(36) As a variant, the spacer is implemented in at least two parts, respectively one part that forms the intermediate bar and has at each end an axial hole for installation, in each, of one a pair of rivets constituting the other parts.

(37) In a variant of this kind, the parts are advantageously associated with one of these functions: on the one hand, for the part forming the intermediate bar, the function of guiding the bearing element; and for the rivets, the function of connecting the flyweights.

(38) The rolling element 22 is preferably a roller moveable relative to the first guidance track 24 and the second guidance track 26.

(39) The roller is preferably a solid part but, as a variant, could be a hollow part forming a tube.

(40) Each spacer 16 is received in an associated opening 18 of support member 12, said opening 18 having overall a triangular shape.

(41) Opening 18 is demarcated radially by an external edge forming second guidance track 26 of bearing element 22 and, radially oppositely, by an internal edge 27 that here is rectilinear overall.

(42) The external and internal edges of opening 18 are linked at each end by a surface 36 that constitutes an abutment capable of interacting with spacer 16 in order to limit the travel of flyweights 14 during operation.

(43) More specifically, the part of spacer 16 intended to interact with one of the abutment surfaces 36 of opening 18 is constituted by end 38 of intermediate bar 30 of spacer 16, or the one that links to the central segment of each of the axial bars 28.

(44) Spacer 16 that forms the connecting means thus has stop abutment means formed by said ends 38 which are able to limit the oscillations of flyweights 14 with respect to support member 12.

(45) According to a variant that is not depicted, absorption means are interposed between the abutment means formed respectively by ends 38 of spacer 16 and surfaces 36 of opening 18.

(46) According to another variant that is not depicted, the absorption means are interposed radially between bearing element 22 and opening 18 of support member 12.

(47) Absorption means of this kind are constituted, for example, by blocks made of elastomeric material that are interposed between intermediate bar 30 of the rolling element 22 and internal edge 27 of opening 18, in order to prevent any direct contact between the connecting member 16 and support member 12.

(48) In a section along a radial median plane of support member 12 orthogonally to rotation axis X, or as illustrated in FIG. 4 by the fact that one of flyweights 14 is made transparent, first guidance track 24 carried by intermediate bar 30 of spacer 16 exhibits a concave profile, and second guidance track 26 carried by support member 12 and formed by the external edge of opening 18 exhibits a convex profile.

(49) Advantageously, during operation bearing element 22 of guidance device 20 is stressed exclusively in compression between said first and second guidance tracks 24, 26, with the result that there is a particular reduction in stress when system 10 is experiencing centrifugal force, and in wear problems on bearing element 22.

(50) Advantageously, said at least one guidance device 20 has axial abutment means 40 in order to limit the axial displacements of each of flyweights 14 with respect to support member 12.

(51) Said abutment means 40 are preferably carried by bearing element 22 and are interposed radially between first and second guidance tracks 24, 26.

(52) As illustrated by FIGS. 2 to 4, abutment means 40 are formed by two annular rims that, extending radially, are respectively integral with the axial ends of bearing element 22.

(53) As illustrated in section in FIG. 6, abutment means 40 are capable of coming into interaction with one or the other of the surfaces of support member 12.

(54) Advantageously, abutment means 40 are integral with bearing element 22 so as to form a one-piece assembly.

(55) Damping system 10 preferably has at least two guidance devices 20, respectively at least one first guidance device 20A and one second guidance device 20B, which are interposed axially between said at least one support member 12 and said first and second flyweights 14.

(56) Advantageously, damping system 10 has a third guidance device 20C that analogous to the other two guidance devices 20A and 20B.

(57) Third guidance device 20C is arranged in a triangle with the other two guidance devices 20A, 20B; i.e. it is not aligned with the other two.

(58) Third device 20C is intended to ensure axial stability by limiting the tilting of first and second flyweights 14 with respect to said support member 12.

(59) Bearing element 22 of third guidance device 200 exhibits radially a defined clearance, for example on the order of a few tenths, and thus does not constitute a carrier element of flyweights 14, unlike bearing elements 22 of the other two guidance devices 20A and 20B.

(60) Preferably, and as illustrated in the sections of FIGS. 5 and 6, damping device 10 has a design that is symmetrical with respect to a radial median plane P of support member 12 orthogonal to rotation axis X.