Polygonal spring coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10895286-B2
Application number	US-202016846641-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2020
Priority date	Jun 14, 2018
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

A polygonal coupling couples torque source to a torque consumer such that input and output portions of the coupling may elastically rotate relative to one another during torque transfer to accommodate rotational speed variations in delivery of torque from the torque source. In an embodiment the torque source is an internal combustion engine with an integrated switchable coupling between the engine crankshaft and a torque transfer segment supporting a motor-generator. The polygonal coupling includes axially-overlapping polygonal-shaped male and female portions which cooperate to pass torque between the output of the integrated switchable coupling and an input of the torque transfer segment. At least one of the male and female portions includes recesses which form flexible arms adjacent to the lobes of the polygonal shape that allow the portions to rotate relative to one another over small angular displacements, and thereby improve damping of crankshaft rotational vibrations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A polygonal coupling, comprising:
an input element configured to transfer torque passing through the coupling segment;
an output element configured to rotate coaxially with the input element,
wherein
one of the input element and the output element includes a polygonal-shaped male portion of the polygonal coupling and the other of the input element and the output element includes a polygonal-shaped female portion of the polygonal coupling,
the female portion of the polygonal coupling is configured to axially overlap the male portion of the polygonal coupling along a rotation axis of the input element,
the female portion is configured to cooperate with the male portion to transfer torque across the polygonal coupling,
at least one of the male and female portions of the polygonal coupling includes a plurality of recesses configured such that elastically flexible arms are formed adjacent to lobes of the polygonal coupling, and
the elastically flexible arms at each lobe are connected to one another adjacent to an apex of the respective lobe, and are configured to be displaced at least one of radially inward and radially outward in a manner permitting rotation of the male and the female portions relative to one another about the rotation axis.

2. The polygonal coupling of claim 1 , wherein:
the input element is a rotating element of a component drivable by torque transferred by the output element to the input element.

3. The polygonal coupling of claim 2 , wherein
the component is an electric motor, a compressor, a pump, a gear drive or a transmission.

4. The polygonal coupling of claim 3 , wherein:
the rotating element is a shaft or a gear.

5. The polygonal coupling of claim 2 , wherein:
the component is a torque transfer segment of a hybrid electric front end motor-generator system, and
the output element is an output of a clutch-pulley-damper unit of the hybrid electric front end motor-generator system.

6. The polygonal coupling of claim 5 , wherein
the input element is a gear of the torque transfer segment, and
the output element is a pulley of the clutch-pulley-damper unit.

7. The polygonal coupling of claim 1 , wherein
the male portion is at the input element, and
the female portion is at the output element.

8. The polygonal coupling of claim 1 , wherein
the female portion is at the input element, and
the male portion is at the output element.

9. The polygonal coupling of claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of recesses are adjacent to the lobes of the male portion.

10. The polygonal coupling of claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of recesses are adjacent to the lobes of the female portion.

11. The polygonal coupling of claim 1 , wherein
the elastically flexible arms are configured such that the arms change an amount of arm displacement in response to changes in an amount of torque being transferred across the polygonal coupling.

12. The polygonal coupling of claim 11 , wherein
the elastically flexible arms are configured such that when the polygonal coupling is coupled to a power transmission device, the elastically flexible arms change the amount of arm displacement in response to changes in an amount of torque being transferred across the polygonal coupling caused by oscillating rotational speed variations of the power transmission device.

13. The polygonal coupling of claim 12 , wherein
the power transmission device is an internal combustion engine.

14. The polygonal coupling of claim 13 , wherein
the output element is coupled to a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine.

15. A polygonal coupling, comprising:
input means for transfer of torque passing through the coupling segment;
output means for transfer the torque to the input means, the output means being arranged rotate coaxially with the input means,
wherein
one of the input means and the output means includes a first polygonal-shaped torque transfer means and the other of the input means and the output means includes a second polygonal-shaped torque transfer means,
the second torque transfer means axially overlaps the first torque transfer means along a rotation axis of the input means and is arranged to cooperate with the first torque transfer means to transfer torque across the polygonal coupling,
at least one of the first and second torque transfer means includes a plurality of recesses configured such that elastically flexible arms are formed adjacent to lobes of the polygonal torque transfer means, the elastically flexible arms at each lobe being connected to one another adjacent to an apex of the respective lobe, and
the first and second torque transfer means are rotatable relative to one another about the rotation axis.

16. A polygonal coupling, comprising:
an input element configured to transfer torque passing through the coupling segment;
an output element configured to rotate coaxially with the input element,
wherein
one of the input element and the output element includes a polygonal-shaped male portion of the polygonal coupling and the other of the input element and the output element includes a polygonal-shaped female portion of the polygonal coupling,
the female portion of the polygonal coupling is configured to axially overlap the male portion of the polygonal coupling along a rotation axis of the input element,
the female portion is configured to cooperate with the male portion to transfer torque across the polygonal coupling,
at least one of the male and female portions of the polygonal coupling includes a plurality of recesses configured such that elastically flexible arms are formed adjacent to lobes of the polygonal coupling,
the elastically flexible arms are configured to be displaced at least one of radially inward and radially outward in a manner permitting rotation of the male and the female portions relative to one another about the rotation axis, and
a damping material is located in the recesses.

17. The polygonal coupling of claim 16 , wherein
the elastically flexible arms at each lobe are connected to one another adjacent to an apex of the respective lobe.

Assignees

• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems Llc

Inventors

• Clark Sean J
• Colavincenzo David D

Classifications

• F16D3/12 Primary

  specially adapted for accumulation of energy to absorb shocks or vibration (by making use of fluid elements F16D3/80) · CPC title

• F01P2050/24

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title

• F01P5/04

  Pump-driving arrangements · CPC title

• F16D2200/0034

  non-metallic · CPC title

• F01P7/046

  using mechanical drives · CPC title