Torsional vibration damper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9856958-B2
Application number	US-201514962665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2015
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

A torsional vibration damper includes a planetary gear set connected to a transmission input shaft, including a sun gear, a carrier, and a ring gear. A spring cage includes a first spring support member connected to the ring gear having multiple first spring contact members. A second spring support member is connected to the carrier and rotates with respect to the first spring support member. The second spring support member has multiple second spring contact members angularly oriented with respect to the first spring contact members. Multiple springs having opposed ends are positioned between and are compressed by rotation of the first or the second spring support member. The springs compress and extend to absorb vehicle engine vibration pulses. Each end of the springs has one of the multiple first spring contact members and or one of the multiple second spring contact members positioned proximate thereto.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a planetary gear set connected to a transmission input shaft, the planetary gear set including at least a carrier and a ring gear; and
a spring cage including:
a first spring support member connected to the ring gear, the first spring support member having multiple first spring contact members extending away from the first spring support member and each oriented at a first angle;
a second spring support member connected to the carrier and rotatable with respect to the first spring support member, the second spring support member having multiple second spring contact members each oriented at a second angle different from the first angle, each of the second spring contact members being divided into a first contact member portion and a second contact member portion;
multiple springs each having opposed ends, the springs positioned between and compressible by rotation of one of the first spring support member or the second spring support member;
each of the opposed ends of the springs having one of each the first and the second spring contact members positioned proximate thereto, the difference between the first angle and the second angle providing even compression of each of the springs, thereby mitigating against spring lateral deflection and frictional contact between the springs and either of the first spring support member or the second spring support member;

the first spring contact members include a first member longitudinal axis which intersects with a central axis of the springs; and
the first contact member portion and the second contact member portion of individual ones of the second spring contact members are coaxially aligned and define a second member longitudinal axis which intersects with the central axis of the springs.

2. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the angular orientation is used between the second member longitudinal axis and the first member longitudinal axis.

3. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a spacing between the first contact member portion and the second contact member portion provides clearance for positioning the first spring contact member between the first contact member portion and the second contact member portion in a non-deflected condition of the springs.

4. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the planetary gear set includes a sun gear connected for rotation to the transmission input shaft;
the planetary gear set includes multiple planet gears rotatably supported on the carrier, each meshed with the sun gear; and
the ring gear is meshed with the planet gears.

5. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the sun gear is connected to a torque converter hub which is connected to the transmission input shaft.

6. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 1 , further including a connection plate directly connected to the first spring support member.

7. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 6 , further including:
a torque converter lock-up clutch plate fixed to the connection plate; and
a torque converter lock-up clutch piston coupled to the torque converter lock-up clutch plate and a torque converter lock-up clutch when the clutch is closed.

8. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein an angular orientation between individual ones of the first and the second spring contact members defines a perpendicular orientation.

9. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second spring support member has a semi-spherical shape.

10. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the semi-spherical shape defines an arc length greater than 90 degrees.

11. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 1 , further including a spring support tube connected to individual ones of the first spring contact members or the second spring contact members, the spring support tube received within a central bore of each of the springs.

12. A torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a planetary gear set connected to a transmission input shaft, the planetary gear set including a sun gear, a carrier, and a ring gear; and
a spring cage including:
a first spring support member connected to the ring gear, the first spring support member having multiple first spring contact members each aligned on a first member longitudinal axis;
a second spring support member connected to the carrier and rotatable with respect to the first spring support member, the second spring support member having multiple second spring contact members, each separable as a first contact member portion and a second contact member portion, each of the first contact member portion and the second contact member portion coaxially aligned on a second member longitudinal axis, the first spring support member extending into a space between the first contact member portion and the second contact member portion, with the first member longitudinal axis angularly oriented with respect to the second member longitudinal axis;
multiple spring sets each having nested inner and outer springs each spring of the spring sets having opposed ends, the springs positioned between and compressible by rotation of one of the first spring support member or the second spring support member; and
each of the opposed ends of the outer springs being contacted by one of the multiple first spring contact members or one of the multiple second spring contact members in a non-deflected condition of the springs.

13. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the second member longitudinal axis intersects with a central axis of the spring.

14. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the angular orientation of the first member longitudinal axis is used with respect to the second member longitudinal axis.

15. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 12 , further including a connection plate directly connected to the first spring engagement element.

16. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the connection plate is connected to the ring gear of the planetary gear set.

17. The torsional vibration damper for a motor vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the connection plate is connected to an engine drive component.

18. A powertrain for a motor vehicle comprising:
an engine disposed in the motor vehicle and having an engine output member connected to a flex plate;
an automatic transmission connected to the engine having a transmission input shaft;
a torque converter connected to the transmission input shaft of the automatic transmission; and
a torsional vibration damper connected between the engine output member and the transmission input shaft, the torsional vibration damper including:
a planetary gear set connected to a transmission input shaft, the planetary gear set including a sun gear, a carrier, and a ring gear; and
a spring cage including:
a first spring support member connected to the ring gear, the first spring support member having multiple first spring contact members each aligned on a first member longitudinal axis;
a second spring support member connected to the carrier and rotatable with respect to the first spring support member, the second spring support member having multiple second spring contact

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Basin Leonid
• Bai Shushan
• Li Dongxu
• Samie Farzad
• Napau Ioan
• Paelicke Gary H
• Carey Clinton E

Classifications

• F16F15/1206

  with a planetary gear system · CPC title

• F16D25/0635

  with flat friction surfaces, e.g. discs · CPC title

• F16H2045/0268

  the damper comprising a gearing · CPC title

• F16F15/1232

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

• F16H45/02 Primary

  with mechanical clutches for bridging a fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type (control of torque converter lock-up clutches F16H61/14) · CPC title