Torsional vibration damper

Claim 2

A torsional vibration damper of the type having an annular hub adapted to be coupled to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine to damp torsional vibrations thereof, the improvement comprising, a single elastomer annulus surrounding the outer radial periphery of the hub, a plurality of annular inertia rings each of whose inner peripheries engage the elastomer annulus and are carried by the elastomer annulus on the hub, the inertia rings being frictionally coupled to each other, each of the inertia rings capable of executing angular motion relative to an adjacent inertia ring.

Claim 3

The torsional vibration damper of claim 1 wherein the elastomer annulus is of substantially uniform radial thickness throughout substantially all of its axial extent.

Claim 4

The torsional vibration damper of claim 1 wherein each inertia ring is axially spaced from its next adjacent neighbor.

Claim 5

A torsional vibration damper of the type having an annular hub adapted to be coupled to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine to damp torsional vibrations thereof, a single elastomer annulus surrounding the outer radial periphery of the hub, the improvement comprising, the outer radial surface of the hub increasing in diameter towards one axial face of the hub from a point on the said surface intermediate the axial faces of the hub, to thereby define a conical portion a plurality of annular inertia rings each of whose inner peripheries engages the elastomer annulus and are carried by the elastomer annulus on the hub, the inertia rings being frictionally coupled to each other, each of the inertia rings capable of executing angular motion relative to an adjacent inertia ring, one of said plurality of inertia rings having a conical inner radial periphery complementary to the said conical portion of the hub periphery and axially mounted therealong a flat elastomer ring and a substantially coextensive flat friction fabric ring sandwiched between and squeezed by the facing axial faces of said inertia rings.

Claim 6

A torsional vibration damper of the type having an annular hub adapted to be coupled to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine to damp torsional vibrations thereof, a single elastomer annulus surrounding the outer radial periphery of the hub, the improvement comprising, the outer radial surface of the hub increasing in diameter towards one axial face of the hub from a point on the said surface intermediate the axial faces of the hub, to thereby define a conical portion a plurality of annular inertia rings each of whose inner peripheries engages the elastomer annulus and are carried by the elastomer annulus on the hub, the inertia rings being frictionally coupled to each other, each of the inertia rings capable of executing angular motion relative to an adjacent inertia ring, one of said plurality of inertia rings having a conical inner radial periphery complementary to the said conical portion of the hub periphery and axially mounted therealong a flat elastomer ring and a substantially coextensive flat friction fabric ring sandwiched between and squeezed by the facing axial faces of said inertia rings.

Claim 7

The torsional vibration damper of claim 4, including a plate member secured to the hub, the plate member lying in a radial plane and having a portion radially coextensive with an endmost axial face of one of said inertia rings to define radially coextensive interfaces, a flat elastomer ring and a substantially coextensive friction fabric ring sandwiched between and squeezed by said radially coextensive interfaces.

Claim 8

The torsional vibration damper of claim 5, wherein said radially coextensive interfaces are located at that endmost axial face of the hub which is opposite to that endmost axial face of the hub which carries the said conical portion.

Claim 9

The torsional vibration damper of claim 5, wherein the endmost inertia ring, having said coextensive portion, is provided with an annular recess into which said last-mentioned, sandwiched elastomer and friction fabric members are at least partially positioned.

Claim 10

The torsional vibration damper of claim 5, wherein the radially outermost periphery of at least one of said plurality of inertia rings is provided with an integral, axially extending flange, which flange is received by an annular groove in the next adjacent inertia ring, whereby a labyrinth-type seal for the sandwiched, flat elastomer and friction fabric members is provided.

Claim 11

A torsional vibration damper of the type including an annular hub adapted to be coupled to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine to damp torsional vibrations thereof, the improvement comprising, means coupling at least a pair of inertia rings to the hub for limited relative rotation with respect to the hub and with respect to each other, said means defined by a single elastomer annulus, a damping member sandwiched between and contacted by the said inertia rings, said damping member being free to execute back-and-forth vibrational motion relative to the hub, whereby torque to the other of said pair of inertia rings.

Claim 12

A torsional vibration damper of the type including an annular hub adapted to be coupled to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine to damp torsional vibrations thereof, the improvement comprising, means coupling at least a pair of inertia rings to the hub for limited relative rotation with respect to the hub and with respect to each other, said means defined by a single elastomer annulus, a damping member sandwiched between and contacted by the said inertia rings, said damping member being free to execute back-and-forth vibrational motion relative to the hub, whereby torque to the other of said pair of inertia rings.

Claim 13

The torsional vibration damper of claim 9 wherein said damping member is a non-linear, elastic coupling.

Claim 14

The torsional vibration damper of claim 10 wherein said non-linear coupling includes an elastomer disc contacting a fabric friction material disc, both discs being sandwiched by said inertia rings.