Torsional Vibration Control Coupling

Abstract

A torsional vibration control coupling having a rotation axis includes a first coupling part as the input side of the coupling, a second coupling part as the output side of the coupling and a damping unit. The damping unit has at least one spring arrangement that is designed as a nonlinear spring arrangement having a degressive load deflection curve.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A torsional-vibration-insulated coupling having a rotation axis, comprising: a first coupling portion as an input side of the coupling; a second coupling portion as an output side of the coupling; and a damping unit, wherein the damping unit comprises at least one non-linear resilient arrangement having a degressive spring characteristic curve.

13. The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to claim 12, wherein the at least one non-linear resilient arrangement comprises at least one resilient element having a positive spring rigidity k.sub.PSE and at least one resilient element having a negative spring rigidity k.sub.NSE.

14. The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to claim 13, wherein the first coupling portion as the input side of the coupling and the second coupling portion as the output side of the coupling are coupled via the damping unit to the at least one non-linear resilient arrangement.

15. The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to claim 14, wherein the at least one non-linear resilient arrangement forms an interface in the form of a plate between the at least one non-linear resilient arrangement which cooperates with the plate and the first coupling portion of the coupling for bidirectional force transmission and movement transmission.

16. The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to claim 15, wherein the plate is coupled, via a connecting rod, to the second coupling portion of the coupling.

17. The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to claim 15, wherein the plate is displaceably guided in a receiving space of the first coupling portion of the coupling in a translation direction (u), and the translation direction (u) extends in a tangential direction of the first coupling portion of the coupling.

18. The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to claim 17, wherein the at least one resilient element having the negative spring rigidity k.sub.NSE comprises two resilient elements which are arranged in pairs and in an inclined manner with respect to the translation direction (u), first ends of the two resilient elements are articulated with spacing from each other to the first coupling portion of the coupling, and other ends of the two resilient elements, in a state joined at a common articulation location, are articulated to the plate or to an intermediate plate which cooperates with the plate.

19. The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to claim 18, wherein the spacing of the first ends of the resilient elements extends in a direction at right-angles with respect to the translation direction u.

20. The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to claim 18, wherein the intermediate plate is arranged on an end face of the plate in a state not connected to the plate.

21. The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to claim 12, wherein the first coupling portion of the coupling and the second coupling portion of the coupling are arranged coaxially with respect to each other.

22. The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to claim 12, wherein the coupling is a coupling of a drive train of a stationary-operated application.

23. The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to claim 22, wherein the stationary-operated application is a stationary-operated internal combustion engine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIGS. 1-2 are schematic illustrations of a first exemplary embodiment of a torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to the invention in a non-loaded state;

[0032] FIGS. 3-4 are schematic illustrations of the first exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1-2 in a loaded state;

[0033] FIGS. 5-6 are schematic illustrations of a second exemplary embodiment of a torsional-vibration-insulated coupling according to the invention in a non-loaded state;

[0034] FIGS. 7-8 are schematic illustrations of the second exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 5-6 in a loaded state;

[0035] FIGS. 9-10 are schematic illustrations of resilient arrangements; and

[0036] FIG. 11 is a graph having spring characteristic lines of a resilient arrangement.

[0037] Below, terms such as outer or inner refer to the respective drawing plane and axial and radial refer to a rotation axis 1a of a torsional-vibration-insulated coupling 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic radial sectioned view of a first exemplary embodiment of a torsional-vibration-insulated coupling 1.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section of the torsional-vibration-insulated coupling 1 according to FIG. 1 in a non-loaded state.

[0040] The torsional-vibration-insulated coupling 1 comprises a first coupling portion 2 as the input side in the form of a disk having a central recess 2a, a second coupling portion 3 as the output side in the form of a hub or a circular cylinder and a damping unit 4.

[0041] The first coupling portion 2 and the second coupling portion 3 are arranged concentrically with respect to the rotation axis 1a of the coupling 1. The second coupling portion 3 is arranged in the recess 2a of the first coupling portion 2.

[0042] In an annular region 2b of the first coupling portion 2, a damping unit 4 is arranged in a receiving space 5.

[0043] The receiving space 5 is in this instance formed in a parallelepipedal manner in the annular region of the first coupling portion 2 and has in a tangential direction with respect to the rotation axis 1a opposing inner side walls 5a and 5b. In a radial direction with respect to the rotation axis 1a, the receiving space 5 is defined by an inner base wall 5c and an inner covering wall 5d.

[0044] The damping unit 4 comprises in this first exemplary embodiment a plate 6 and a resilient arrangement 10.

[0045] The plate 6 is displaceably guided in the receiving space 5 by the base wall 5c and the covering wall 5d in a translation direction u.

[0046] Between the plate 6 and one inner side wall 5a (in this instance, arranged at the left side of the plate 6), the resilient arrangement 10 connects the plate 6 to one inner side wall 5a of the receiving space 5 of the first coupling portion 2.

[0047] The resilient arrangement 10 is in the form of a non-linear resilient arrangement 10 having a resilient element 8 having a positive spring rigidity k.sub.PSE and having a resilient element 9 having a negative spring rigidity k.sub.NSE. The resilient element 8 having the positive spring rigidity k.sub.PSE and the resilient element 9 having the negative spring rigidity k.sub.NSE are arranged in a parallel connection.

[0048] The resilient element 8 with the positive spring rigidity k.sub.PSE is articulated with a first spring end to the inner side wall 5a of the receiving space 5 of the first coupling portion 2 and consequently coupled to the first coupling portion 2.

[0049] The other spring end of the resilient element 8 with the positive spring rigidity k.sub.PSE is articulated to the plate 6.

[0050] The resilient element 9 with the negative spring rigidity k.sub.NSE is produced from two resilient elements 9a and 9b which are arranged in pairs and in an inclined manner with respect to the translation direction u. The first ends of the resilient elements 9a, 9b are articulated with spacing from each other to the inner side wall 5a of the receiving space 5 of the first coupling portion 2. This spacing extends in a direction at right-angles with respect to the translation direction u. In this instance, the two resilient elements 9a, 9b are articulated to the plate 6 with the other spring ends thereof in a state joined at a common articulation location.

[0051] A connecting rod 7 couples the plate 6 and the second coupling portion 3. In this manner, the first coupling portion 2 as the input side of the coupling 1 and the second coupling portion 3 as the output side of the coupling 1 are coupled in this instance to the resilient arrangement 10 by means of the connecting rod 7 via the damping unit 4.

[0052] The plate 6 forms in this manner an interface to the bidirectional force transmission between the first coupling unit 2, the resilient arrangement 10 and the second coupling portion 3, in this instance via the connecting rod 7. In addition, the plate 6 forms a movement redirection of the movement of the connecting rod 7 which transmits the rotational movement of the second coupling portion 3 to the plate 6.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows the coupling 1 in a non-loaded state in which a torque T has the value 0 and a torsion angle .sub.t between the first coupling portion 2 and the second coupling portion 3 about the rotation axis 1a also has the value 0. In the non-loaded state, all the resilient elements 8a, 9a, 9b of the resilient arrangement 10 are completely untensioned. In this instance, the plate 6 is located at the center of the receiving space 5 in which it has the same spacings in the translation direction u with respect to both inner side walls 5a, 5b of the receiving space 5.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows the coupling 1 as in FIG. 1 as a schematic radial section.

[0055] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section of the torsional-vibration-insulated coupling 1 according to the invention according to FIG. 3 in a non-loaded state.

[0056] In FIG. 4, the coupling 1 is illustrated by way of example at a working point (WP, see also FIG. 11) during loading by a positive static torque T. In the example shown, the torque T acts in a counter-clockwise direction about the rotation axis 1a. In this instance, the torsion angle .sub.t between the first coupling portion 2 and the second coupling portion 3 is not equal to 0.

[0057] The plate 6 is displaced with respect to the left inner side wall 5a of the receiving space 5 of the first coupling portion 2, wherein the resilient elements 8, 9a, 9b of the resilient arrangement 10 are compressed.

[0058] The resilient arrangement 10 shown enables the transmission of the static torque T regardless of the direction thereof. The torsional vibration insulation by the torsional-vibration-insulated coupling 1 is in this instance exclusively achieved for a static torque T which acts in a positive direction (in this instance, in the counter-clockwise direction about the rotation axis 1a). The term positive direction is intended in this instance to be understood to mean that the torque T brings about a displacement of the plate 6 of the damping unit 4 in a positive translation direction u, wherein the plate 6 compresses the resilient elements 8, 9a, 9b against the left inner side wall 5a of the receiving space 5 of the first coupling portion 2.

[0059] FIG. 5 shows the coupling 1 as in FIG. 1 as a schematic radial section. In FIG. 6, a schematic cross section of a second exemplary embodiment of the torsional-vibration-insulated coupling 1 according to the invention is illustrated in a non-loaded state (T=0).

[0060] In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the damping unit 4 of the coupling 1 has two non-linear resilient arrangements 10 and 10 which are arranged in a mirror-symmetrical manner with respect to a notional radial center line of the plate 6 in the receiving space 5 of the first coupling portion 2.

[0061] In another difference from the first exemplary embodiment, the resilient elements 8, 9a, 9b of the first resilient arrangement 10 and resilient elements 8, 9a, 9b of the second resilient arrangement 10 which is arranged in a mirror-symmetrical manner with respect to the first resilient arrangement 10 are articulated with the other ends thereof in each case to an intermediate plate 6c, 6d. In this manner, the non-linear damping unit 4 comprises in this instance two parallel connections of in each case one resilient element 8, 8 with a positive rigidity (k.sub.PSE) and one resilient element 9, 9 with negative rigidity (k.sub.NSE).

[0062] The first intermediate plate 6c is arranged at a first end face 6a of the plate 6 and the second plate 6d is arranged on a second end face 6b of the plate 6. The intermediate plates 6c, 6d are, however, not connected to the plate 6.

[0063] In the loaded states of the second exemplary embodiment of the coupling 1, of which a first loaded state is shown by way of example in FIG. 8 at the working point (WP) during loading by a positive static torque T, the intermediate plate 6d remains in the unloaded position thereof, since it is not connected to the plate 6, wherein the other intermediate plate 6c is pressed by the plate 6 against the resilient arrangement 10 and compresses the resilient elements 8, 9a, 9b against the inner side wall 5a.

[0064] In this manner, the second exemplary embodiment of the torsional-vibration-insulated coupling 1 enables a torsional vibration insulation both for positive and for negative static torques T.

[0065] FIGS. 9 and 10 show schematic illustrations of the resilient arrangements 10, 10.

[0066] The concept for torsional vibration insulation of the torsional-vibration-insulated coupling 1 is shown schematically in FIGS. 9 and 10.

[0067] The first resilient arrangement 10 comprises the resilient element 8 with a positive spring rigidity k.sub.PSE and the resilient element 9 with negative spring rigidity k.sub.NSE, comprising the resilient elements 9a and 9b. The resilient arrangement 10 is arranged between the first coupling portion 2 and the plate 6, as already described above.

[0068] The parallel connection of the resilient elements 8 (k.sub.PSE) and 9a, 9b (k.sub.NSE) results in an overall spring rigidity k.sub.total, the rigidity of which results from the addition of the spring characteristic lines 11, 12 of both resilient elements 8 (k.sub.PSE) and 9 (k.sub.NSE) and is illustrated schematically in FIG. 10. This is explained in greater detail below in connection with FIG. 11.

[0069] For the second resilient arrangement 10 having the resilient elements 8 (k.sub.PSE) and 9a, 9b (k.sub.NSE), the above description applies in the same manner.

[0070] The corresponding spring characteristic lines are shown in FIG. 11 which illustrates a graph with spring characteristic lines of the resilient arrangement 10, 10.

[0071] On the X axis of the graph, the torsion angle .sub.t in degrees between the coupling portions 2, 3 is indicated. On the Y axis, the torque T in Nm is indicated.

[0072] The graph shows a spring characteristic line 11 of the resilient element 8, 8 with the positive rigidity k.sub.PSE, a spring characteristic line 12 of the resilient element 9, 9 with the negative rigidity k.sub.NSE and a degressive spring characteristic line 13 of the resilient arrangement 10, 10 with the overall rigidity k.sub.total.

[0073] The working point of the coupling 1, at which the torque T=5000 Nm is transmitted and a static coupling torsion having a torsion angle of .sub.t=2 is reached, is designated 14. At this working point, the rigidity of the resilient element 8, 8 with the positive rigidity k.sub.PSE is compensated for by the resilient element 9, 9 with the negative rigidity k.sub.NSE so that the resulting degressive spring characteristic line 13 of the coupling 1 at this working point 14 has a negligible overall rigidity (horizontal path of the spring characteristic line 13).

[0074] Outside this working point 14, the degressive spring characteristic line 13 of the coupling 1 has a torque T which increases with increasing deflection, that is to say, with an increasing torsion angle .sub.t. This non-linearity of the degressive spring characteristic line 13 of the coupling 1 enables, on the one hand, the transmission of a statically acting coupling torque T and, on the other hand, a decoupling of the drive train from fluctuations of the torque T which occur at the stationary working point 14.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

TABLE-US-00001 Coupling 1 Rotation axis 1a First coupling portion 2 Recess 2a Annular region 2b Second coupling portion 3 Damping unit 4 Receiving space 5 Side wall 5a, 5b Base wall 5c Covering wall 5d Plate 6 End face 6a, 6b Intermediate plate 6c, 6d Connecting rod 7 Resilient (spring) element 8, 8 Resilient (spring) element 9, 9a, 9b; 9, 9a, 9b Resilient (spring) arrangement 10, 10 Spring characteristic curve 11, 12, 13 Working point 14 Spring rigidity k Translation direction u Torque T Torsion angle .sub.t