Machine element or mechanism – Elements – Flywheel – motion smoothing-type
Patent
1998-08-14
2000-02-29
Graysay, Tamara L.
Machine element or mechanism
Elements
Flywheel, motion smoothing-type
74572, F16F 1510, G05G 100
Patent
active
060295392
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a twin mass flywheel for transmitting torque and absorbing or compensating for torsional vibrations such as can arise in a vehicle transmission assembly and in particular in a commercial vehicle transmission assembly.
Link type twin mass flywheels are known for example from UK patent GB2229793 in which two co-axial flywheels are rotatable relative to each other to a limited extent, with a plurality of pivotal linkages interconnecting the two flywheel masses to resist relative rotation.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a link type twin mass flywheel with an improved linkage which torsionally stiffens the twin mass flywheel at relatively lower rotational speeds.
Thus according to the present invention there is provided a a twin mass flywheel comprising first and second co-axially arranged flywheel masses which are mounted for limited angular rotation relative to each other, the flywheel masses being interconnected by at least one linkage arrangement the or each linkage arrangement comprising multi-link linkage having two or more circumferentially spaced main links pivotally mounted on one of the flywheel masses with the or each circumferentially adjacent pair of main links interconnect via a generally circumferentially extending connecting linkage, and an anchor link which connects the multi-link linkage with the other flywheel mass, relative rotation of the flywheel masses causing the multi-link linkage to be pivotted relative to said one flywheel mass by the anchor link, so that when the twin mass flywheel is rotating, relative rotation of the flywheel masses is resisted by centripetal forces acting on the linkage arrangement.
The twin mass flywheel may have two or more linkage arrangements which are disposed at circumferentially spaced locations around the twin mass flywheel.
The twin mass flywheel may have at least one main link or connecting link, or anchor link which is in the form of a pair of axially spaced plates.
The invention shall now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a partial axial cut-away view of a twin mass flywheel according to the present invention taken along the line BB of FIG. 2 showing the linkage arrangement 40 in its centrifugally neutral position;
FIG. 2 is a radial cross-section taken along the line XX of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a radial-cross section taken along the line YY of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a section view of a second embodiment of a twin mass flywheel according to the present invention taken along the line RR of FIG. 5 showing the linkage arrangement 240 in its centrifugally neutral position.
FIG. 5 is a radial cross section taken along the line SS of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of the twin mass flywheel of FIG. 1, and
FIGS. 7 to 12 are further diagrammatic representations of further embodiments of the present invention with first, second, third and fourth pivots being labelled from 100 to 600 greater than corresponding pivots 1, 2, 3, 4 of FIG. 6.
With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 there is illustrated a twin mass flywheel 10 which is formed from two flywheel masses 11 and 12.
One flywheel mass 11 (also known as an input flywheel mass) is fixed to a crankshaft (not shown) of an internal combustion engine by way of a central hub 14 and bolts (not shown) which pass through holes 18. In use a friction clutch (not shown) is secured to the second flywheel mass 12 (also known as an output flywheel mass) to connect the second flywheel mass with an associated gearbox (not shown).
Under normal drive and over-run conditions the twin mass flywheel 10 rotates in an clockwise direction in the view shown in FIG. 1 as indicated by arrow E about axis A.
The flywheel mass 11 comprises the central hub 14, a main housing plate 15, a cover plate 13 and a starter ring 27 which is welded to the main housing plate 15. An inner bearing retaining plate 28 is fixed to the hub 14 by rivets (not shown) to retain a bearing 19 on which second flywheel mass 12 is mounted. Housing
REFERENCES:
patent: 3296887 (1967-01-01), Larsen
patent: 3477311 (1969-11-01), McGreary
patent: 4317435 (1982-03-01), Kohlhage
patent: 4325472 (1982-04-01), Steeg et al.
patent: 4635776 (1987-01-01), Billet et al.
patent: 4714449 (1987-12-01), Woerner et al.
Automotive Products plc
Germain Lee A
Graysay Tamara L.
Milliken Paul E
Stallman Brandon C
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