Spring retainer plate with lanced spring stops

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9625001-B2
Application number	US-201514614009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2015
Priority date	Mar 13, 2014
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A torsional vibration damper, including: an axis of rotation; a drive plate; an output flange; and a spring retainer plate including a first side facing in a first axial direction, a second side facing in a second axial direction, and a plurality of spring stops formed of a same material forming the spring retainer plate. Each spring stop: extends from the first side at least partially in the first axial direction; and includes first and second circumferentially separated end surfaces separated, in the first axial direction, from the first side by first and second gaps, and a plurality of springs. Each spring includes a first circumferential end engaged with a respective first end surface and a second circumferential end engaged with a respective second end surface. The spring retainer plate partially surrounds the plurality of springs and retains the plurality of springs in a radially outward direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A torsional vibration damper, comprising:
an axis of rotation;
a drive plate arranged to receive torque;
an output flange;
a spring retainer plate including:
a first side facing in a first axial direction;
a second side facing in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction;
first and second pluralities of holes:
passing through material forming the spring retainer plate and connecting the first and second sides; and,
aligned with each other in a circumferential direction; and,

a first plurality of spring stops, each spring stop in the first plurality of spring stops:
formed of a same material forming a remainder of the spring retainer plate;
bounded, in the circumferential direction, by a respective pair of holes from the first and second pluralities of holes; and,
extending from the first side at least partially in the first axial direction; and,

a first plurality of circumferentially disposed arc springs engaged with the drive plate and the first plurality of spring stops, wherein the spring retainer plate is arranged to partially surround the first plurality of arc springs and retain the first plurality of arc springs in a radially outward direction.

2. The damper of claim 1 , wherein:
each arc spring in the first plurality of arc springs includes respective first and second circumferential ends engaged with a respective pair of spring stops from the first plurality of spring stops.

3. The damper of claim 1 , wherein:
each arc spring in the first plurality of arc springs includes respective first and second circumferential ends;
said each spring stop in the first plurality of spring stops includes:
a respective first end surface proximate one hole from the respective pair of holes and engaged with a respective first circumferential end; and,
a respective second end surface proximate the other hole from the respective pair of holes and engaged with a respective second circumferential end.

4. The damper of claim 3 , wherein the respective first and second end surfaces are aligned in the circumferential direction.

5. The damper of claim 3 , wherein:
the spring retainer plate includes:
a first portion radially inward of the first plurality of spring stops; and,
a second portion radially outward of the first plurality of spring stops;

each first end surface is continuous from the first portion to the second portion; and,
each second end surface is continuous from the first portion to the second portion.

6. The damper of claim 1 , wherein:
the spring retainer plate includes:
a first portion radially inward of the first plurality of spring stops; and,
a second portion radially outward of the first plurality of spring stops; and,

an at least a portion of said each spring stop in the first plurality of spring stops is continuous from the first portion to the second portion.

7. The damper of claim 6 , wherein an entirety of said each spring stop in the first plurality of spring stops is continuous from the first portion to the second portion.

8. The damper of claim 1 , wherein:
the spring retainer plate includes a plurality of first portions, each first portion:
aligned with the first and second pluralities of holes in the circumferential direction;
misaligned with the first and second pluralities of holes in a radial direction; and,
arranged to receive a respective arc spring from the first plurality of arc springs; and,

a respective arc spring from the first plurality of arc springs is located in each first portion.

9. The damper of claim 1 , wherein:
said each spring stop in the first plurality of spring stops includes:
a respective first end surface proximate one hole from the respective pair of holes; and,
a respective second end surface proximate the other hole from the respective pair of holes; and,

at least a portion of said each spring stop in the first plurality of spring stops is continuous, in the circumferential direction, between the respective first and second end surfaces.

10. The damper of claim 9 wherein:
an entirety of said each spring stop in the first plurality of spring stops is continuous, in the circumferential direction, between the respective first and second end surfaces.

11. The damper of claim 1 , wherein the spring retainer plate includes a second plurality of spring stops, each spring stop in the second plurality of spring stops:
formed of the same material forming the first plurality of spring stops;
extending from the first side;
aligned with at least a portion of a respective spring stop in the first plurality of spring stops in a radial direction; and,
located outward of the first plurality of spring stops in the radial direction.

12. The damper of claim 11 , wherein:
each arc spring in the first plurality of arc springs includes respective first and second circumferential ends; and,
said each spring stop in the second plurality of spring stops includes:
a respective first end engaged with a respective first circumferential end; and,
a respective second end engaged with a respective second circumferential end.

13. A torsional vibration damper, comprising:
an axis of rotation;
a drive plate;
an output flange;
a spring retainer plate including:
a first side facing in a first axial direction;
a second side facing in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction;
a first plurality of spring stops, each spring stop in the first plurality of spring stops:
formed of a same material forming a remainder of the spring retainer plate;
extending from the first side at least partially in the first axial direction;
including respective first and second circumferentially separated end surfaces separated, in the first axial direction, from the first side by first and second respective gaps; and,

a first plurality of arc springs, each arc spring in the first plurality of arc springs engaged with the drive plate and the spring retainer plate and including:
a respective first circumferential end engaged with a respective first end surface; and,
a respective second circumferential end engaged with a respective second end surface, wherein:

the spring retainer plate is arranged to:
partially surround the first plurality of arc springs;
retain the first plurality of arc springs in a radially outward direction; and,
retain the first plurality of arc springs in the second axial direction.

14. The damper of claim 13 , further comprising:
first and second pluralities of holes:
passing through material forming the spring retainer plate and connecting the first and second sides;
aligned with each other in the circumferential direction; and,
open to the first and second respective gaps.

15. The damper of claim 13 , wherein:
the spring retainer plate includes:
a first portion located inward of the first plurality of spring stops in a radial direction; and,
a second portion located outward of the first plurality of spring stops in the radial direction; and,

in a cross-section, orthogonal to the axis of rotation, of said each spring stop in the first plurality of spring stops, said each spring stop is continuous and free of a respective discontinuity, from a first portion to the second portion.

16. The damper of claim 13 , wherein said each spring stop is continuous and free of a respective discontinuity from the respective first end to the respective second end.

17. A torque converter, comprising:
an axis of rotation;
a cover;
an impeller;
a turbine;
a stator;
a torsional vibratio

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Jimenez Perez Mitre Alfredo
• Zaugg Brian C
• Norwich Victor
• Cerreta Joshua David
• Wolf Frank

Classifications

• F16F15/1217

  Motion-limiting means, e.g. means for locking the spring unit in pre-defined positions (F16F15/1202, F16F15/1338 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16H2045/0205

  two chamber system, i.e. without a separated, closed chamber specially adapted for actuating a lock-up clutch · CPC title

• F16F15/12313

  characterised by the dimension or shape of spring-containing windows · CPC title

• F16H2045/0231

  arranged in series · CPC title

• F16H2045/0263

  the damper comprising a pendulum · CPC title