Pendulum damping device

Abstract

A pendulum damping device including a support that rotates about an axis, at least one pendulum body and at least one rolling member guiding the movement of the pendulum body relative to the support, the rolling member engaging with at least one rolling track rigidly connected to the support and with at least one rolling track rigidly connected to the pendulum body. The rolling member includes a first part defining a first axial end, a second part defining a second axial end, and a resilient element arranged in the rolling member so as to axially separate these two parts so that the rolling member exerts an axial clamping force on one of the pendulum body and the support during the movement of the pendulum body relative to the support.

Claims

1. A pendulum damping device, comprising: a support configured to rotate about an axis, at least one pendulum body and at least one rolling member guiding the movement of the pendulum body relative to the support, the rolling member engaging with at least one rolling track rigidly connected to the support and with at least one rolling track rigidly connected to the pendulum body, the rolling member comprising: a first part defining a first axial end, a second part defining a second axial end, and an elastic element arranged in the rolling member so as to axially separate the first part and the second part so that the rolling member exerts an axial clamping force on one of the pendulum body and the support during the movement of the pendulum body relative to the support.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic element includes at least one portion received axially inside a cavity in one of the first part and the second part of the rolling member.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cavity extending from a bottom wall, the bottom wall being closed or comprising a hole, and the cavity extending along a side wall, the side wall having a cylindrical shape or otherwise moving away from the bottom wall.

4. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elastic element includes a first portion received axially inside a cavity made in the first part of the rolling member and including a second portion received axially inside a cavity in the second part of the rolling member.

5. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of the first part and the second part of the rolling member being arranged inside the other of the first part and the second part of the rolling member.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the part of the rolling member inside which the other part of the rolling member is arranged including an outer surface engaging with the rolling track rigidly connected to the support and with the rolling track rigidly connected to the pendulum body.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic element locally defining the periphery of the rolling member, between the first part and the second part of the rolling member.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the elastic element is a washer squeezed between the first part and the second part of the rolling member when the axial clamping force is exerted.

9. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first part includes a first fastening part and a rolling part, the second part including a second fastening part, and the rolling member includes axially in succession: the first fastening part, the rolling part, the elastic element and the second fastening part.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the rolling part is hollow and the first fastening part and the second fastening part are fastened inside the rolling part.

11. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first fastening part and the second fastening part are configured to establish a removable fastening between them.

12. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first and the second fastening parts being plastic and the rolling part being metal.

13. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the rolling part includes an outer surface engaging with the rolling track rigidly connected to the support and with the rolling track rigidly connected to the pendulum body.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pendulum body includes first and second pendulum masses axially spaced apart from each other and mobile relative to the support, the first pendulum mass being arranged axially on a first side of the support, and the second pendulum mass being arranged axially on a second side of the support, and at least one connecting member of the first and second pendulum masses pairing said masses, the first end of the rolling member being axially facing the first pendulum mass and the second end of the rolling member being axially facing the second pendulum mass, and the axial clamping force being exerted on at least one of the pendulum masses of the pendulum body.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the rolling member exerts on the pendulum body or on the support axial clamping corresponding to a tangential force of between 0.15 N and 1.5 N.

16. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the elastic element axially separates the first part and the second part of the rolling member so that the rolling member exerts an axial clamping force on each pendulum mass of the pendulum body during the movement of the pendulum body relative to the support.

17. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic element is a single part with at least one of the first part and the second part.

18. A vehicle power train component, being one of a dual mass flywheel, a clutch disc, a single wet clutch, a dry or wet dual clutch, a hydrodynamic torque converter and a hybrid component, comprising a pendulum damping device as claimed in claim 1.

19. The device as claimed in claim 1, comprising two rigidly connected supports configured to rotate about an axis, defining an axial space between them, at least one pendulum body arranged in this axial space, and at least one rolling member guiding the movement of the pendulum body relative to the support, the rolling member engaging with a rolling track rigidly connected to each support and with at least one rolling track rigidly connected to the pendulum body.

20. The device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first part of the rolling member axially facing the first of the two supports, the second part of the rolling member axially facing the second of the two supports, and the elastic element arranged in the rolling member so as to axially separate these two parts so that the rolling member exerts an axial clamping force on at least one of the two supports during the movement of the pendulum body relative to the supports.

Description

(1) The invention will be more clearly understood on reading the following description of a non-limitative embodiment thereof and with reference to the attached drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a pendulum damping device to which the invention applies,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a rolling member according to a first embodiment of the invention,

(4) FIGS. 3 to 6 show in isolation different variants of the first part of the rolling member in FIG. 2,

(5) FIGS. 7 and 8 are exploded and assembled views respectively of a pendulum damping device with a rolling member according to a second embodiment of the invention, and

(6) FIGS. 9 to 11 show the rolling member in FIGS. 7 and 8 in different states, and

(7) FIG. 12 shows a rolling member according to a variant of the second embodiment of the invention, and

(8) FIG. 13 shows in isolation a cross-section of another variant of the rolling member in FIG. 2, and

(9) FIG. 14 shows a cross-section of a rolling member according to a variant of the first embodiment of the invention, and

(10) FIGS. 15 and 16 show in isolation another variant of the rolling member according to a first embodiment of the invention, and

(11) FIG. 17 shows an example of a shape of an elastic element, and

(12) FIGS. 18 to 24 show in isolation different elastic elements incorporated into the second part of the rolling member according to variants of the second embodiment of the invention, and

(13) FIG. 25 shows in isolation a cross-section of another variant of the rolling member in FIG. 2, and

(14) FIGS. 26 to 34 show variants comprising a tapered coil spring.

(15) FIG. 1 shows a pendulum damping device 1.

(16) The damping device 1 is of the oscillating pendulum type. The device 1 is particularly capable of being provided in a motor vehicle transmission system, being for example incorporated into a component, not shown, of such a transmission system, this component being for example a dual mass flywheel, a hydrodynamic torque converter or a clutch disc of a clutch.

(17) This component can form part of a power train of a motor vehicle, this power train comprising an internal combustion engine particularly with two, three or four cylinders.

(18) In FIG. 1, the device 1 is at rest, that is, it is not filtering the torsional oscillations transmitted by the drive chain due to the acyclisms of the internal combustion engine.

(19) In a known manner, such a component can comprise a torsion damper having at least one input element, at least one output element, and circumferentially acting elastic return members that are inserted between said input and output elements.

(20) In the present application, the terms “input” and “output” are defined relative to the direction of transmission of torque from the internal combustion engine of the vehicle to the wheels thereof.

(21) In the example under consideration, the device 1 comprises: a support 2 capable of rotating about an axis X, and a plurality of pendulum bodies 3 mobile relative to the support 2.

(22) According to the embodiments of the invention described hereinafter, there is just one support 2. In addition, it will be observed in FIG. 1 that three pendulum bodies 3 are provided, being distributed evenly about the circumference of the axis X.

(23) The support 2 of the damping device 1 can be made up of: an input element of the torsion damper, an output element, an intermediate phasing element arranged between two series of springs of the damper, or an element rotatably connected to one of the aforementioned elements and separate therefrom, being in this case for example a support belonging to the device 1.

(24) The support 2 is particularly a drive washer or a phase washer. The support can also be another member, for example a flange of the component.

(25) In the examples under consideration, the support 2 is generally annular, including two opposite sides 4 that here are flat faces.

(26) As can particularly be seen in FIG. 1, each pendulum body 3 comprises in the examples under consideration: two pendulum masses 5, each pendulum mass 5 extending axially facing one side 4 of the support 2, and two connecting members 6 rigidly connecting the pendulum masses 5.

(27) The connecting members 6, also called “spacers” are angularly offset in the examples under consideration.

(28) In the example in FIG. 1, each connecting member 6 is rigidly connected to the pendulum masses 5 by being force-fitted via each of its ends into an opening 17 made in one of the pendulum masses 5. In variants not shown, each connecting member 6 can be screwed or riveted onto each pendulum mass 5, or each end of a connecting member 6 is rigidly connected to one of the pendulum masses 5 by welding.

(29) The device 1 also comprises rolling members 11 guiding the movement of the pendulum bodies 3 relative to the support 2. Here, the rolling members 11 are rollers having several different successive diameters or otherwise. Each rolling member 11 thus has a longitudinal axis Y parallel to the axis of rotation X of the support 2. These rolling members 11 will be described in greater detail below.

(30) In the example described, the movement of each pendulum body 3 relative to the support 2 is guided by two rolling members 11.

(31) Each rolling member 11 is received in a window 19 made in the support 2. In the examples under consideration, each window 19 only receives one rolling member 11.

(32) Each rolling member engages with a rolling track 12 rigidly connected to the support 2 and here formed by a portion of the edge of the window 19, and with a rolling track 13 rigidly connected to the pendulum body 3 and defined by a portion of the radially outer edge of the connecting member 6.

(33) The device 1 also comprises damping stop members 20 that can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 7. In the examples described, a single damping stop member is associated with the same connecting member 6, this single damping stop member damping the impacts between the pendulum body 3 and the support 2: following a movement in a counter-clockwise direction of this pendulum body 3 from the rest position to filter a torsional oscillation, and following a movement in a clockwise direction of this pendulum body from the rest position to filter a torsional oscillation, and if the pendulum body drops radially, for example when the internal combustion engine of the vehicle stops.

(34) As can be seen for example in FIG. 7, pads 22 can be provided, one pad being held here by each pendulum mass 5 to dampen the axial impacts between the pendulum masses and the support.

(35) Two embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 12, enabling axial clamping to be exerted by each rolling member 11 on the pendulum body 3 the movement of which it guides in order to limit or even prevent any relative radial and/or angular movement between this rolling member 11 and the connecting member 6 of this pendulum body on which it rolls, when the internal combustion or electric engine of the vehicle stops.

(36) According to the first embodiment, described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6, the rolling member 11 includes an elastic element 30 housed inside this rolling member. According to this first embodiment, the elastic element 30 does not thus define the periphery of the rolling member 11.

(37) According to this first embodiment, the rolling member 11 comprises a first part 32 and a second part 33. The first part 32 defines the end of the rolling member 11 arranged facing the first pendulum mass 5 of the pendulum body 3 while the second part 33 defines the end of the rolling member 11 arranged facing the second pendulum mass 5 of this pendulum body 3.

(38) In the example under consideration, each of the first part 32 and the second part 33 is hollow, being C-shaped in the plane of FIG. 2. The first part 32 thus comprises a bottom wall 35 that defines the end of the rolling member arranged facing the first pendulum mass 5 and that is capable of rubbing against this first pendulum mass 5. A side wall 36 extends from this bottom wall 35 towards the second pendulum mass 5. Similarly, the second part 33 comprises in the example under consideration a bottom wall 38 that defines the end of the rolling member arranged facing the second pendulum mass 5. A side wall 39 extends from this bottom wall 38 towards the first pendulum mass 5. It will be noted in FIG. 2 that the side wall 36 of the first part is cylindrical and has an outer surface that rolls alternately on the aforementioned first rolling track 12 and second rolling track 13.

(39) As shown in FIG. 2, the first part 32 defines a cavity 40 and the second part 33 defines a cavity 42. The cavity 40 receives a fraction of the second part 33, but also a portion of the elastic element 30 another portion of which is received in the cavity 42. Each of these portions of the elastic element 30 can be fixed in the corresponding cavity 40, 42. The outer face of the fraction of the second part 33 received in the cavity 40 rubs for example against the inner face facing the side wall 36 of the first part 32.

(40) Different variants of the first part 32 of the rolling member 11 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6. In FIG. 3, the bottom wall 35 is flat and solid, that is, it is not provided with holes or bosses. In FIG. 4, the bottom wall 35 is still solid but it has a stepped shape, the central area 44 thereof being closer to the second part 33 of the rolling member 11 than the rest of this bottom wall 35. In FIG. 5, the bottom wall 35 is flat but it comprises a through-hole 50.

(41) The first part 32 in FIGS. 3 to 5 has a side wall 36 with a constant thickness. The invention is not limited to this, as shown in FIG. 6, in which this side wall narrows moving away from the bottom wall 35. In other variants not shown, a side wall 36 according to FIG. 6 can be provided on the first parts 32 in FIGS. 3 to 5.

(42) As a variant or in addition, the second part 33 of the rolling member 11 can be produced in a similar way to that described above with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

(43) In FIG. 2, the elastic element 30 is a coil spring but other embodiments are possible.

(44) This elastic element 30 axially separates the first part 32 from the second part 33 so that each of these parts 32, 33 rubs against the pendulum mass 5 of the pendulum body 3 facing which it is arranged.

(45) According to FIGS. 3 to 6, the side wall 36 can have a thickness of at least 1.5 mm, this thickness being able to be up to half of the axial dimension of the rolling member 11.

(46) A second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 12.

(47) According to this second embodiment, the elastic element is no longer arranged inside the rolling member 11, but this elastic element 30 defines part of the periphery of the rolling member 11.

(48) Here, the first part 32 is no longer a single piece, unlike in the first embodiment as described above. Here, this first part comprises a first fastening part 50a and a rolling part 51. Here, the rolling part 51 is hollow, extending between an outer cylindrical surface 52 and an inner cylindrical surface 53. In the example described, the outer cylindrical surface 52 rolls alternately on the first rolling track 12 and the second rolling track 13. The inner cylindrical surface defines a recess 60 that will be described below.

(49) Here, the second part 33 is a single piece, defining a second fastening part. In the example under consideration, the first and second fastening parts are made from plastic while the rolling part 51 is made from steel.

(50) It will be noted in FIGS. 8 and 9 that the elastic element 30 locally defines the periphery of the rolling member 11, between the first part 32 and the second part 33 of the latter.

(51) Here, the elastic element 30 is a washer squeezed between the first part 32 and the second part 33 when the axial clamping force is exerted. As can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the rolling member comprises axially in succession: the first fastening part 50a, the rolling part 51, the elastic element 30 and the second fastening part 33.

(52) Here, this washer 30 has an annular central part 68 from which a plurality of arms 69 extend radially outwards. These arms 69 are distributed evenly about the longitudinal axis Y of the rolling member.

(53) In the example under consideration, the first fastening part 50a and the second fastening part 33 are configured to establish a removable fastening between them through the rolling part 51. Here, each of the first fastening part 50a and the second fastening part 33 comprises an axial extension extending in the recess 60 and holds catches 70 and lugs 71, so as to establish this removable fastening. The axial dimension of each lug 71 can make it possible to prevent the catch 70 from abutting axially against the edge of this lug furthest away from the fastening part holding this catch 70.

(54) In one variant, a part 50a, 33 can include a single catch 70 and a single lug 71 respectively.

(55) FIGS. 10 and 11, in which the washer 30 is not shown, show that a relative movement is possible between the first fastening part 50a and the second fastening part 33, including when the catches 70 are received in the lugs 71. The amplitude of this relative movement is determined by the axial dimension of the lugs 71.

(56) According to the second embodiment as described above, the elastic element 30 pushes the second fastening part 33 against the second pendulum mass 5 of the pendulum body 3. This second fastening part 33 has a surface orthogonal to the axis Y that will rub against the second pendulum mass 5 to exert the axial clamping.

(57) In all of the above, each rolling member 11 can have a mass of the order of 3 g to 11 g, for example 10 g, and the axial clamping can correspond to a tangential force of the order of 0.5 N.

(58) FIG. 12 shows a variant of the second embodiment in which the rolling member 11 is not provided with a first fastening part 50a. Here, the catches 70 of the second fastening part 33 engage directly with the wall of a boss 75 made in the rolling part 51.

(59) In other examples, the pendulum damping device 1 comprises two supports 2 axially offset from and rigidly connected to each other. A pendulum body 3 is axially received between these two supports 2 and its movement is guided relative to the supports 2 by two rolling members 11. Each of the latter is provided with an elastic element 30 that enables axial clamping to be exerted by each rolling member 11 on the supports 2.

(60) As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the first part 32 defines a cavity 40 and the second part 33 defines a cavity 42. The cavity 40 receives a first portion of the elastic element 30 and the cavity 42 receives a second portion of the elastic element 30. Each of these portions of the elastic element 30 can be fixed in the corresponding cavity 40, 42.

(61) In one alternative, one of the parts 32, 33 can be allowed to roll independently relative to the other, and as a result the elastic element 30 can only be fixed in one of the cavities 40, 42. In one variant, the elastic element 30 can also be held by the side walls 36, 39 and the force that it exerts on the bottom wall 35 only. An outer face 45, 46 can extend radially from the ends of the side walls 36 and 39 respectively. The outer face 45 of the side wall 36 faces the outer face 46 of the side wall 39.

(62) In the example shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the rolling member 11 comprises at least one pad 47, 48 and preferably pads 47, 48. The pads 47, 48 can be made from plastic. Each pad 47, 48 can be rigidly connected to the first or the second axial end respectively. The pads 47, 48 prevent direct contact between the rolling member 11 and at least one of the pendulum masses 5. The noise and wear are thus further reduced.

(63) This variant of the first embodiment of the invention can be combined with the variants described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

(64) As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the first part 32 defines a concave face. To this end, the first part 32 can comprise the cavity 40 opening out axially. The elastic element 30 is fixed to the outer face 45 of the first part 32 of the rolling member 11. The outer face 45 forms an outer edge of the concave face of the first part 32. The elastic element 30 is therefore rotatably fixed to the first part 32 of the rolling member 11. The second part 33 of the rolling member 11 is captively fixed to the elastic element 30. More particularly, the second part 33 is captively arranged in the center 31 of the elastic element 30. The cavity 40 of the first part 32 of the rolling member 11 is capable of at least partially accommodating the elastic element 30 and the second part 33 of the rolling member 11. The second part 33 of the rolling member 11 includes a protuberance 49 instead of a cavity. The protuberance 49 is capable of being housed in the center 31 of the elastic element 30. The protuberance 49 can be force-fitted into the center 31 of the elastic element 30.

(65) The outer diameter D1 of the second part 33 of the rolling member is smaller than the inner diameter D2 of the first part 32 of the rolling member 11.

(66) FIG. 17 shows an elastic element 30. In particular, the elastic element 30 shown is a washer with two arms 69. The elastic element 30 includes at its center 31 a hole in order to be able to accommodate the second part 33 of the rolling member 11.

(67) Different variants of the second part 33 of the rolling member 11 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 18 to 24. In these examples, the second part 33 of the rolling member 11 is annular. The central part 68 of the elastic element 30, shown here in a simplified manner, is capable of acting as a connector to the first part 32. The first part 32 includes the rolling part 51. The rolling part 51 can comprise an outer cylindrical surface 52.

(68) In FIG. 18, the two arms 69 of the elastic element 30 incorporated into the second part 33 of the rolling member 11 are S-shaped. The two arms 69 can be arranged on either side of the central part 68.

(69) In FIG. 19, the elastic element 30 incorporated into the second part 33 of the rolling member 11 still includes S-shaped arms 69, but this is an elongated S-shape. The elastic element 30 includes for example five arms 69, distributed evenly about the central part 68.

(70) In FIG. 20, the arms 69 respectively describe an arc. The elastic element 30 includes two arms arranged on either side of the central part 68.

(71) In FIG. 21, the arms 69 include a bend 67 and there are five arms 69, distributed evenly about the central part 68.

(72) The connecting central part 68 can comprise, as shown in FIGS. 19 to 21, a central protuberance 66. The drawings are generic, and the connection can be produced as described in FIGS. 8 to 10 or 22.

(73) FIG. 22 shows a system for fastening the central part 68 of the elastic element 30 to the first part 32 of the rolling member 11. The bottom wall 35 is solid but has a stepped shape. The central area 44 of the bottom wall 35 can be closer to the second part 33 of the rolling member 11 than the rest of this bottom wall 35. The central area 44 is in the form of an annular catch 56, in order to be able to accommodate and hold captive the central part 68 of the elastic element 30.

(74) In FIGS. 23 and 24, the elastic element 30 incorporated into the second part 33 of the rolling member 11 has arms 69. A plurality of arms 69 extends radially outwards from the central part 68. These arms 69 are distributed evenly about the longitudinal axis Y of the rolling member 11.

(75) FIG. 25 shows a cross-section of a variant of a first embodiment of the invention. The second part 33 no longer includes a cavity, but a protrusion forming the bottom wall 35. The bottom wall 35 has a stepped shape, the central area 44 thereof being closer to the first part 32 of the rolling member 11 than the rest of this bottom wall 35. The central area 44 acts as a fastener for the elastic element 30. The elastic element 30 is shown as a tapered coil spring.

(76) FIG. 26 shows a cross-section and FIG. 27 shows a perspective view of a variant of the first embodiment of the invention. The second part 33 of the rolling member no longer includes a bottom wall, and the side wall is incorporated into the first part 32 of the rolling member 11. The elastic element is shown as a tapered coil spring. It is held at its base 34 between the first part 32 and the second part 33 of the rolling member 11. The vertex 37 of the elastic element 30 can be in contact with the pendulum body 3, exerting an axial clamping force on the pendulum body.

(77) FIGS. 28, 29, 30 show a variant of the first embodiment of the invention similar to FIGS. 26 and 27. Only the elastic element 30, the tapered coil spring, is held at its vertex 37 in a recess 34a made between the first part 32 and the second part 33 of the rolling member 11. The base 34 of the elastic element is in contact with the pendulum body 3, exerting an axial clamping force on the pendulum body.

(78) FIG. 31 shows in isolation a tapered coil spring according to FIGS. 28 to 30. The wire from which the tapered coil spring is made can be round or flat as shown in FIGS. 29, 28 respectively.

(79) FIGS. 32 to 33 show variants of the last embodiments of a rolling member 11 having cylindrical surfaces of different diameters.

(80) The invention is not limited to the examples that have just been described.