Torsional vibration damper with centered flanges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11525493-B2
Application number	US-201916720954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2019
Priority date	Dec 19, 2019
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A torsional vibration damper, including: an output flange supported for rotation around an axis of rotation and including a first drive surface and a second drive surface; an intermediate flange including a first drive tab aligned in series with the first drive surface in a circumferential direction around the axis of rotation and a second drive tab aligned in series with the second drive surface in the circumferential direction; a first spring including a first end directly engaged with the first drive surface and a second end directly engaged with the first drive tab; and a second spring including a first end directly engaged with the second drive tab and a second end directly engaged with the second drive surface. In an example embodiment, the intermediate flange includes a centering tab in contact with the output flange and arranged to center the intermediate flange with respect to the output flange.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A torsional vibration damper, comprising:
an output flange supported for rotation around an axis of rotation and including a first drive surface and a second drive surface;
an intermediate flange including:
a first drive tab aligned in series with the first drive surface in a circumferential direction around the axis of rotation; and
a second drive tab aligned in series with the second drive surface in the circumferential direction;

a first spring including:
a first end directly engaged with the first drive surface; and
a second end directly engaged with the first drive tab; and

a second spring including:
a first end directly engaged with the second drive tab; and
a second end directly engaged with the second drive surface, wherein the output flange includes a radially outwardly facing surface; and the intermediate flange includes a centering tab:
in contact with the radially outwardly facing surface; and
arranged to center the intermediate flange with respect to the output flange.

2. The torsional vibration damper of claim 1 , wherein:
the first drive tab overlaps the first drive surface and the second drive surface in the circumferential direction; and
the second drive tab overlaps the first drive surface and the second drive surface in the circumferential direction.

3. The torsional vibration damper of claim 1 , wherein:
the intermediate flange includes a first surface facing at least partially in a first axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation; and
the first drive tab and the second drive tab extend from the first surface at least partially in a second axial direction, opposite the first axial direction.

4. The torsional vibration damper of claim 3 , wherein:
the intermediate flange includes a circumferentially continuous annular portion; and
the first surface extends radially inwardly from the circumferentially continuous annular portion.

5. The torsional vibration damper of claim 1 , wherein a hypothetical center line of the first spring and of the second spring passes through in the circumferential direction and in sequence:
the first drive surface;
the first drive tab;
the second drive tab; and
the second drive surface.

6. The torsional vibration damper of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first cover plate overlapping the output flange and the intermediate flange in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation, the first cover plate including:
a first surface directly engaged with the first end of the first spring; and
a second surface directly engaged with the second end of the second spring.

7. The torsional vibration damper of claim 6 , wherein:
the first cover plate is arranged to:
receive a rotational torque in the circumferential direction; and
transmit the rotational torque to the first spring;

the first spring is arranged to transmit the rotational torque to the intermediate flange;
the intermediate flange is arranged to transmit the rotational torque to the second spring; and
the second spring is arranged to transmit the rotational torque to the output flange.

8. The torsional vibration damper of claim 6 , further comprising:
a second cover plate non-rotatably connected to the first cover plate, the second cover plate including:
a first surface directly engaged with the first spring; and
a second surface directly engaged with the second spring, wherein the output flange and the intermediate flange are axially disposed between the first cover plate and the second cover plate.

9. A torsional vibration damper, comprising:
an output flange supported for rotation around an axis of rotation and including a radially outwardly facing surface;
an intermediate flange including a centering tab in contact with the radially outwardly facing surface and arranged to center the intermediate flange with respect to the output flange;
a first spring including:
a first end directly engaged with the output flange; and
a second end directly engaged with the intermediate flange; and

a second spring including:
a first end directly engaged with the intermediate flange; and
a second end directly engaged with the output flange.

10. The torsional vibration damper of claim 9 , wherein:
the output flange includes a first drive surface and a second drive surface;
the intermediate flange includes:
a first drive tab overlapping the first drive surface in a circumferential direction around the axis of rotation; and
a second drive tab overlapping the first drive surface in the circumferential direction;

the first end of the first spring is directly engaged with the first drive surface;
the second end of the first spring is directly engaged with the first drive tab;
the first end of the second spring is directly engaged with the second drive tab; and
the second end of the second spring is directly engaged with the second drive surface.

11. The torsional vibration damper of claim 10 , wherein:
the first drive tab overlaps the first drive surface in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation; and
the second drive tab overlaps the first drive surface in the axial direction.

12. The torsional vibration damper of claim 10 , wherein:
the intermediate flange includes a first surface facing at least partially in a first axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation; and
the first drive tab and the second drive tab extend from the first surface at least partially in a second axial direction, opposite the first axial direction.

13. The torsional vibration damper of claim 12 , wherein:
the intermediate flange includes a circumferentially continuous annular portion; and
the first surface of the intermediate flange extends radially inwardly from the circumferentially continuous annular portion.

14. The torsional vibration damper of claim 10 , wherein:
the centering tab is circumferentially located between the first drive tab and the second drive tab; or
the centering tab is radially inward of the first drive tab and the second drive tab.

15. The torsional vibration damper of claim 10 , wherein a hypothetical center line of the first spring and of the second spring passes through in the circumferential direction and in sequence:
the first drive surface;
the first drive tab;
the second drive tab; and
the second drive surface.

16. The torsional vibration damper of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first cover plate overlapping the output flange and the intermediate flange in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation, wherein the first cover plate includes:
a first surface directly engaged with the first end of the first spring; and
a second surface directly engaged with the second end of the second spring.

17. The torsional vibration damper of claim 16 , wherein:
the first cover plate is arranged to:
receive a rotational torque in a circumferential direction around the axis of rotation; and
transmit the rotational torque to the first spring;

the first spring is arranged to transmit the rotational torque to the intermediate flange;
the intermediate flange is arranged to transmit the rotational torque to the second spring; and
the second spring is arranged to transmit the rotational torque to the output flange.

18. A method of operating a torsional vibration damper, comprising:
receiving, with a cover plate of the torsional vibration damper, a rotational torque in a circumferential direction; rotating, in the circumferential direction, the cover plate around an axis of rotation of the torsion

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Hoff Austin

Classifications

• F16F15/134

  Wound springs {(F16F15/1333, F16F15/1337, F16F15/137 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F16H2045/0294

  Single disk type lock-up clutch, i.e. using a single disc engaged between friction members · CPC title

• F16F15/12353 Primary

  Combinations of dampers, e.g. with multiple plates, multiple spring sets, i.e. complex configurations · CPC title

• F16F15/1232

  characterised by the spring mounting (F16F15/12306, F16F15/12313 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16H2045/0231

  arranged in series · CPC title