TORQUE FLUCTUATION ABSORBER

• US 20120077605A1
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: NAKAGAITO, Satoshi, SAEKI, Tomohiro, OGAWA, Kazumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,469,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 464/68.8
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 13/64 Clutch-plates; Clutch-lamellae brake-plates, brake-lamellae F16D65/12
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/12 specially adapted for accumulation of energy to absorb shocks or vibration by making use of fluid elements F16D3/80
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/12313 characterised by the dimension or shape of spring-containing windows
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/12326 End-caps for springs

Abstract

A torque fluctuation absorber includes a seating member having a pivoting portion at an inner portion in a radial direction and a supporting portion, which rotationally supports the pivoting portion, at an end surface in a circumferential direction of a first and a second opening portion. When no relative rotational torsion existing between a first and a second rotational member, the pivoting portion is in contact with the supporting portion and a clearance is defined between a portion on each seating member positioned outwardly in a radial direction relative to the pivoting portion and a portion of the first and the second opening portion positioned outwardly in a radial direction relative to the supporting portion. At a first torsion angle, the portion on each seating member contacts the portion of first or second opening portion in a state where the pivoting portion is in contact with the supporting portion.

Claims

1. A torque fluctuation absorber comprising:

a first rotational member including a first opening portion;

a second rotational member aligned on a same axis of the first rotational member and including a second opening portion;

a coil spring placed within the first opening portion and the second opening portion for buffering a relative rotational torsion between the first rotational member and the second rotational member;

seating members placed at opposing ends of the coil spring, each seating member selectively contacting an end surface in a circumferential direction of the first opening portion and of the second opening portion;

the seating member including a pivoting portion at an inner portion in a radial direction; and

a supporting portion at the end surface in the circumferential direction of the first opening portion and of the second opening portion, the supporting portion which rotationally supports the corresponding pivoting portion;

wherein

when no relative rotational torsion existing between the first rotational member and the second rotational member, the pivoting portion on the corresponding seating member is in contact with the corresponding supporting portion of the first opening portion and of the second opening portion and a clearance is defined between a portion on each of the seating members positioned outwardly in a radial direction relative to the pivoting portion and a portion of the first opening portion and of the second opening portion positioned outwardly in a radial direction relative to the supporting portion; and

when a relative rotational torsion exists between the first rotational member and the second rotational member and when the relative rotational torsion angle between the first rotational member and the second rotational member reaches a first torsion angle, the portion on the seating member positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the pivoting portion comes in contact with the portion of the first opening portion or the second opening portion positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the pivoting portion in a state where the pivoting portion on the corresponding seating member is in contact with the corresponding supporting portion of the first opening portion and of the second opening portion.

2. The torque fluctuation absorber according to claim 1, wherein,

when a relative rotational torsion exists between the first rotational member and the second rotational member and when the relative rotational torsion angle between the first rotational member and the second rotational member is less than the first torsion angle, the portion on the seating member positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the pivoting portion approaches the corresponding portion of the first opening portion or of the second opening portion positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the supporting portion by a pivotal movement of the pivoting portion at the corresponding supporting portion of the first opening portion or of the second opening portion.

3. The torque fluctuation absorber according to claim 1, wherein,

when a relative rotational torsion exists between the first rotational member and the second rotational member and when the relative rotational torsion angle between the first rotational member and the second rotational member becomes larger than the first torsion angle, the portion of the first opening portions or of the second opening portions positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the supporting portion biases the corresponding portion on the seating member positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the pivoting portion.

4. The torque fluctuation absorber according to claim 1, the torque fluctuation absorber including

a third opening portion on the first rotational member at a circumferentially shifted position relative to the first opening portion;

a fourth opening portion on the second rotational member at a circumferentially shifted position relative to the second opening portion;

a separate coil spring placed within the third opening portion and the fourth opening portion for buffering the relative rotational torsion between the first rotational member and the second rotational member;

separate seating members placed at opposing ends of the separate coil spring, each of the separate seating members selectively contacting an end surface in a circumferential direction of the third opening portion and of the fourth opening portion;

the separate seating member including a separate pivoting portion at an inner portion in a radial direction; and

a separate supporting portion at the end surface in a circumferential direction of the third opening portion and of the fourth opening portion, the separate supporting portion which rotationally supports the corresponding separate pivoting portion;

wherein

when no relative rotational torsion exists between the first rotational member and the second rotational member, a clearance is defined between each of the separate seating members and the end surface in the circumferential direction of one of the third opening portion or the fourth opening portion, and in the other one of the third opening portion or the fourth opening portion, the separate pivoting portion on the corresponding separate seating member is in contact with the corresponding separate supporting portion, and furthermore, a clearance is defined between a portion on each of the separate seating members positioned outwardly in a radial direction relative to the corresponding separate pivoting portion and a portion of the aforementioned other one of the third opening portion or the fourth opening portion positioned outwardly in a radial direction relative to the corresponding separate supporting portion;

when a relative rotational torsion exists between the first rotational member and the second rotational member and when the relative rotational torsion angle between the first rotational member and the second rotational member becomes larger than the first torsion angle and reaches a second torsion angle, the separate pivoting portion on the corresponding separate seating member comes in contact with the corresponding separate supporting portion of one of the third opening portions or the fourth opening portion.

5. The torque fluctuation absorber according to claim 4, wherein

when a relative rotational torsion exists between the first rotational member and the second rotational member and when the relative rotational torsion angle between the first rotational member and the second rotational member becomes larger than the second torsion angle and reaches a third torsion angle, the portion on each of the separate seating members positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the corresponding separate pivoting portion comes in contact with the corresponding portion of the third opening portion or of the fourth opening portion positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the corresponding separate supporting portion.

6. The torque fluctuation absorber according to claim 5, wherein

when a relative rotational torsion exists between the first rotational member and the second rotational member and when the relative rotational torsion angle between the first rotational member and the second rotational member is between the second torsion angle and the third torsion angle, the portion on each of the separate seating members positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the pivoting portion approaches the corresponding portion of the third opening portion or of the second opening portion positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the separate supporting portion by a pivotal movement of the pivoting portion at the corresponding supporting portion of the third opening portion or of the fourth opening portion.

7. The torque fluctuation absorber according to claim 4, wherein

when a relative rotational torsion exists between the first rotational member and the second rotational member and when the relative rotational torsion angle between the first rotational member and the second rotational member becomes larger than the third torsion angle, the portion of the third opening portions or of the fourth opening portion positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the supporting portion biases the corresponding portion on the separate seating member positioned outwardly in the radial direction relative to the corresponding separate pivoting portion.