192 clutches and power-stop control – Elements – Clutch element resiliently carried on hub
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-23
2001-01-23
Bonck, Rodney H. (Department: 3681)
192 clutches and power-stop control
Elements
Clutch element resiliently carried on hub
C192S003280, C464S063100, C464S064100, C464S067100, C464S068800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176362
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a torsion damper.
In particular, the invention relates to a torsion damper for a lock-up clutch which is adapted to work between the driving element and the driven element of a hydrokinetic coupling apparatus, especially for a motor vehicle.
In accordance with a known design, the torsion damper comprises an input element and an output element which are coaxial with each other and rotatable with respect to each other against the action of at least one compression spring.
The spring or springs are generally of the circumferentially acting type, being for example arranged substantially on a common diameter.
More precisely, the damper comprises two adjacent, radially oriented, transverse parts which are associated with the two elements, namely the input element and the output element respectively, and each of which includes a housing that receives the spring, the opposed ends of which are arranged to cooperate with the end abutment surfaces bounding the two housings for acting between the two elements.
Regardless of the type of arrangement used for the springs, it may be necessary to provide an angular course of dead travel CM between the input and output elements before the springs start to operate.
For this purpose, and in accordance with one known design which is indicated diagrammatically in
FIG. 6A
, one of the two housings, which are generally configured in the form of windows having contours substantially complementary with that of the spring, which is for example a coil-type compression spring, have a length which is substantially equal to that of the spring, while the other one has a window length LF which is generally greater than the length LR of the spring, whereby to make available, with reference to a rest position in which the spring is centred in the larger of the windows, a course of dead travel CM in each of the two directions of rotation, which is equal to one half of the difference in length LF-LR.
It is important, especially for good absorption of vibrations, to be able to provide a course of dead travel of substantial length, more particularly when the springs are springs of the so-called “second order” type, that is to say in the case where they are part of a second set of springs which act over a second period after a first set of springs of the so-called “first order” type has already acted circumferentially between the input and output elements.
In this connection, the second order springs are in some arrangements disposed radially inwardly, and the space available for mounting the springs, and more particularly for forming the windows that constitute the housings which receive them, is reduced.
It is therefore desirable, for example in the case where the springs are arranged circumferentially in a series along a common diameter, to be able to provide the greatest possible number of springs with the greatest possible angular course of dead travel, while having good mechanical strength.
With this in view, the invention proposes a torsion damper of the type mentioned above, characterised in that the length of each of the two associated housings, separating the opposed end abutment surfaces of the housing, is greater than the length of the spring at rest.
Thanks to this design, and for example in the case where the lengths of the two associated housings are equal—for the same spring length LR—the same course of dead travel CM is available, in both directions of rotation, as in the solution according to the state of the art with windows the length LF of which is reduced by a course of dead travel CM.
Thus, for the same desired course of dead travel, it is possible to provide more springs or, for the same number of springs, the components in which the windows constituting the housings are formed are more rigid because there is more material present between two consecutive windows.
The two adjacent portions of the inlet and outlet elements, in which the housings are formed, generally consist of two radially oriented, transverse and substantially flat portions.
Where the springs are second order springs arranged circumferentially on a diameter, each housing is preferably a window formed in the corresponding flat portion of the element, and the end abutment surfaces consist of the opposed terminal lateral edges of the window.
The spring is preferably a coil type compression spring.
The two adjacent parts may be, respectively, part of the input element and output element, the housings being circumferentially oriented housings which receive a circumferentially acting spring.
In this last mentioned case, the damper includes a set of circumferentially acting springs arranged substantially on a common diameter, and each of which is received in two associated housings according to the invention.
The input element comprises at least one guide ring which retains the circumferentially acting springs in position radially and which is coupled to the driven element of the lock-up clutch, and the output element comprises a radial plate or web which is coupled in rotation to the driving element of the lock-up clutch.
The input element may comprise two complementary guide rings, each of which includes a radially oriented transverse portion, the two said portions being arranged symmetrically on either side of a corresponding radially oriented transverse portion of the radial plate, the said two guide ring portions including facing windows which, being associated in pairs, constitute a housing of the input element which receives a circumferentially acting spring, which is itself received in a housing of the portion of the radial plate that extends between the two rings.
The two complementary rings include means for coupling them together in rotation, and the circumferentially acting springs, referred to as second order springs, are arranged on a diameter which is substantially smaller than the diameter on which the means coupling the two rings together in rotation are located.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5105680 (1992-04-01), Naudin
patent: 5782694 (1998-07-01), Honjo
patent: 0286213 (1988-10-01), None
patent: 2549180 (1985-01-01), None
patent: 2695975 (1994-03-01), None
International Search Report for PCT/FR98/01276.
Bonck Rodney H.
Liniak Berenato Longacre & White
Rodriguez Sa{acute over (u)}l
Valeo
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