Brakes – Inertia of damping mass dissipates motion – Resiliently supported damping mass
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-30
2004-08-31
Siconlei, Robert A. (Department: 3683)
Brakes
Inertia of damping mass dissipates motion
Resiliently supported damping mass
C267S293000, C267S136000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06782981
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to antivibration apparatuses including mass dampers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
More precisely, the invention relates to an antivibration apparatus for limiting vibrations of a vibrating element, said antivibration apparatus including a support which is designed to be fixed to the vibrating element, a mass and at least one elastic connection member linking the mass to the support.
Such antivibration apparatuses are known in the art. For instance, as shown in
FIG. 1
of the drawings, one known antivibration apparatus
1
of this type includes a mass
2
, constituted for instance by two mass bodies
2
a
,
2
b
which are held together by a through-going bolt
2
c
extending parallel to a horizontal axis X.
The two mass bodies
2
a
,
2
b
delimit between themselves a groove
2
d
which extends around axis X and in which penetrates a support member
3
which is designed to be fixed to a vibrating element such as a vehicle body or frame, a portion of a powertrain, etc.
The support member
3
is constituted by a vertical metal plate, extending parallel to a vertical axis Z and to a horizontal axis Y perpendicular to said axis X. This vertical plate
3
includes a hole
3
a
which is traversed by the bolt
2
c
and by a portion of smaller diameter belonging to the mass bodies
2
a
,
2
b
, and said vertical plate
3
is connected to the mass
2
a
by two elastomer rings
4
which are disposed around the hole
3
a
and which are interposed respectively between the plate
3
and the mass bodies
2
a
,
2
b
parallel to axis X, inside the groove
2
d.
The antivibration apparatus of
FIG. 1
has the drawback of being rather bulky, especially in the vertical direction.
The known antivibration apparatus of
FIG. 2
has a mass
12
including a mass body
12
a
and a stem
12
b
which extends vertically upward, parallel to axis Z, up to a centering pin
12
c
of smaller diameter.
The antivibration device of
FIG. 2
further includes a support member
13
, in the form of a metal sheet plate. This support member
13
has:
a central flat portion
13
a
which extends horizontally parallel to axis X, Y,
and two lateral wings
13
c
,
13
d
which diverge from the central portion in opposite direction, parallel to axis X.
The central portion
13
a
of the support member includes a hole
13
b
which is traversed by the stem
12
b
of the mass
12
, so that the central portion
13
a
of the support member is close to the mass body
12
a
, while each wing includes an intermediate portion
13
c
which extends slantwise away from the mass body
12
a
parallel to axis Z and away from the central portion
13
a
parallel to axis X. Each intermediate portion
13
c
of the support member is extended outward by an end portion
13
d
which extends horizontally parallel to the central portion
13
a
and which includes a hole
13
e
for fixing the support member to a vibrating element.
The support member
13
is connected to the weight
12
by an elastomer bushing
14
which is engaged around the stem
12
b
of the mass and which includes an annular groove
14
a
in which penetrates the part of the central portion
13
a
surrounding the hole
13
b.
The elastomer bushing
14
is maintained around the stem
12
b
, firstly by abutment against the mass member
12
a
, and secondly by abutment against a washer
15
which is fixed to the stem
12
b
by crimping of the pin
12
c.
The antivibration apparatus of
FIG. 2
has the drawback of requiring a rather large space available for fixing the support member by its two end portions
13
d
. Further, this apparatus may lack stability and may enter into unsuitable vibration in rotation around axis Y, which may transmit additional vibration to the vibrating element instead of decreasing the level of vibration.
The known antivibration apparatus of
FIG. 3
has a mass
22
which includes two mass bodies
22
a
,
22
b
connected together by a bolt
22
c
or similar, extending parallel to a horizontal axis X.
The two mass bodies
22
a
,
22
b
delimit therebetween a groove
22
d
extending around the bolt
22
c
and around two portions of smaller transversal dimensions belonging to the two mass bodies
22
a
,
22
b.
The support member
23
in the form of a L-shaped metal plate, includes a vertical plate
23
a
and a horizontal fixing portion
23
b
having a hole
23
c
for fixing the support member to a vibrating element. The vertical plate
23
a
extends perpendicular to axis X et penetrates in the groove
22
d
, said vertical plate having a hole
23
d
which is traversed by the bolt
22
c
and the thinner portions of the mass bodies
22
a
,
22
b.
The vertical plate
23
a
of the support member is connected to the mass
22
by two elastomer rings
24
which are disposed around the hole
23
d
and which are interposed respectively between the plate
23
a
and the two mass bodies
22
a
,
22
b
in the direction of axis X.
The antivibration apparatus of
FIG. 3
has substantially the same drawbacks as that of FIG.
1
.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One objective of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks, for a cost as limited as possible.
To this end, according to the invention, an antivibration apparatus of the type in question includes:
a mass,
two elastic members connected to said mass,
a support member including a metal sheet plate having a central portion and two lateral wings, said lateral wings being fixed respectively to said elastic members and converging at least partially slantwise toward the central portion, away from the mass at least along a central axis which is perpendicular to the central portion, and said central portion being adapted to be fixed to the vibrating element.
In various embodiments of the invention, one may possibly have recourse in addition to one and/or other of the following arrangements:
each of the two lateral wings includes an intermediate portion extending slantwise relative to the central portion of the support member, and an end portion extending substantially parallel to said central portion;
the central portion of the support member is flat, and the end portions of the lateral wings are flat and parallel to the central portion;
the mass includes a mass body and two stems which extend parallel to said central axis and traverse two holes provided respectively in the two lateral wings of the support member, said elastic members including two elastomer bushings which are fitted around the stems of the mass, each elastomer bushing including an annular external groove which is fitted on the corresponding lateral wing of the support member around the hole of said lateral wing;
the elastomer bushing is fixed to the corresponding stem of the mass by abutment, parallel to said central axis, against the mass body and against a washer which is fixed to said corresponding stem;
the washer is fixed to said corresponding stem by crimping;
the central portion of the support member includes two holes which are adapted to receive fixing members, and the mass body includes two cutout portions which traverse said mass body parallel to the central axis in correspondence with the holes of said central portion of the support member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4641732 (1987-02-01), Andry
patent: 4744547 (1988-05-01), Hartel
patent: 5366210 (1994-11-01), Grunau et al.
patent: 5433422 (1995-07-01), Ross et al.
patent: 5444195 (1995-08-01), Dojo
patent: 1030678 (1998-02-01), None
patent: 11166570 (1999-06-01), None
Kramer Devon
Marshall & Gerstein & Borun LLP
Paulstra CRC
Siconlei Robert A.
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