Isolation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10823232-B2
Application number	US-201615578826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2016
Priority date	Jun 3, 2015
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

In an aspect an isolation device is provided, comprising a hub that is connectable to a shaft; a pulley that is rotatable relative to the hub; at least one isolation spring positioned to transfer torque between the hub and the pulley, wherein each of the at least one isolation spring is an arcuate helical compression spring having an isolation spring axis that is arcuate; and a spring shell that is monolithic and that receives the at least one isolation spring and transfers torque between the at least one isolation spring and the pulley. The spring shell surrounds more than 180 degrees of the at least one isolation spring in a plane that is perpendicular to the isolation spring axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An isolation device for engagement between a shaft of a rotating member and an endless drive member, comprising:
a hub that is mountable to the shaft of the rotating member;
a pulley that is configured to engage the endless drive member;
at least one isolation spring that transfers torque between the hub and the pulley; and
a damping member that cooperates with the pulley to define a fluid chamber having an outlet, wherein the damping member has at least one damping member projection and the pulley has at least one pulley projection thereon, wherein the at least one damping member projection cooperates with the at least one pulley projection to at least in part determine a size of a flow restriction to fluid flow from the fluid chamber, and determine a size of the fluid chamber,
wherein movement of the pulley and hub relative to one another in at least one direction causes movement of the at least one damping member projection and the at least one pulley projection towards each other so as to reduce the size of the flow restriction, and also reduces the size of the fluid chamber so as to cause fluid to flow through the flow restriction and out of the fluid chamber.

2. An isolation device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one isolation spring is at least one helical compression spring and wherein the damping member is a spring shell that at least partially defines a chamber for the at least one isolation spring.

3. An isolation device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one damping member projection is angled non-radially.

4. An isolation device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one pulley projection extends axially from a surface of the pulley.

5. An isolation device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the isolation device is a decoupler.

6. An isolation device, comprising:
a hub that is connectable to a shaft;
a pulley that is rotatable relative to the hub;
at least one isolation spring positioned to transfer torque between the hub and the pulley, wherein each of the at least one isolation spring is an arcuate helical compression spring having an isolation spring axis that is arcuate; and
a spring shell that is monolithic and that receives the at least one isolation spring and transfers torque between the at least one isolation spring and the pulley, wherein the spring shell surrounds more than 180 degrees of the at least one isolation spring and extends in a plane that is perpendicular to the isolation spring axis, and the spring shell has a first circumferential end defined by at least one projection on a first side of the spring shell and a second circumferential end on a second side of the spring shell, wherein the at least one projection extends farther circumferentially than a portion of the spring shell adjacent to the at least one projection, such that the first and second circumferential ends define an aperture in the plane that is smaller than a diameter of the at least one isolation spring.

7. An isolation device as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising:
a one-way clutch that is in series with the at least one isolation spring and the spring shell, wherein, the one-way clutch operatively connects the hub and the pulley to one another when the hub rotates faster than the pulley in a first rotational direction, and substantially operatively disconnects the hub and the pulley from one another when the pulley rotates faster than the hub in the first rotational direction.

8. An isolation device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the one-way clutch is a wrap spring clutch having a first helical end, a second helical end and a plurality of coils between the first and second helical ends.

9. An isolation device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first helical end of the wrap spring clutch extends into a spring slot in the spring shell and has a tip that engages a force spreader that transfers force between the tip and the spring shell, and wherein a radially outer surface of the coils of the wrap spring clutch are engageable with the pulley to operatively connect the pulley and the spring shell.

10. An isolation device as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising a clutch retainer is received in the spring slot and includes a plurality of metal tabs that are bent to retain clutch retainer in position to prevent axial removal of the first helical end of the wrap spring clutch from the spring slot.

11. An isolation device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the spring shell forms a complete ring about a spring shell axis.

Assignees

• Litens Automotive Inc

Inventors

• Dell James W

Classifications

• F16F15/16

  using a fluid {or pasty material}(F16F9/53, F16F15/13157 take precedence; devices connecting input and output members F16D) · CPC title

• F16F15/1442

  with a single mass · CPC title

• F16F15/123

  Wound springs {(F16F15/1213, F16F15/1216, F16F15/127 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F16D41/206

  having axially adjacent coils, e.g. helical wrap-springs · CPC title

• F16H2055/366

  with means providing resilience or vibration damping · CPC title