Torque transmitting and torsion damping apparatus for use in motor vehicles

Claim 2

A torque transmitting and torsion damping apparatus, especially for taking up and compensating for fluctuations of torque which is transmitted between an internal combustion engine and a change-speed transmission in a motor vehicle, comprising first and second flywheels movable angularly relative to each other, said first flywheel being connectable to the engine and said second flywheel being connectable to the transmission; bearing means comprising an antifriction bearing interposed between said flywheels and having coaxial first and second races and at least one row of antifriction rolling elements between said races; a friction clutch operable to receive torque from said second flywheel and to transmit torque to the transmission with attendant generation of heat, said secod flywheel and said clutch having cooperating first and second friction- and heat-generating surfaces; means for yieldably opposing angular movements of said flywheels relative to each other; and means including at least one thermal barrier for impeding the transfer of heat from said first surface to said bearing means, said one barrier constituting a ring-shaped thermal barrier including an axially extending section overlapping said first race and a radial section extending from said axially extending section toward said second race, and means for biasing said second section axially of said flywheels against said second race, said biasing means comprising a spring.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier is installed between said bearing means and said second flywheel.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein one of said races is non-rotatably installed in said second flywheel.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier contains a synthetic plastic material.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier contains a ceramic material.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier contains a thermosetting resin.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said resin is a phenoplast.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said phenoplast is hard paper.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier contains a thermoplastic material.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide and polyamidimide.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier contains a polycarbonate.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said thermal barrier contains fiber-reinforced polycarbonate.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of said flywheels has a central protuberance and the other of said flywheels has a centrally disposed recess receiving at least a portion of said protuberance, said bearing means and said thermal barrier being disposed in said recess and surrounding said protuberance.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of said flywheels has a central protuberance and the other of said flywheels has a centrally disposed recess receiving at least a portion of said protuberance, said bearing means being located in said recess and surrounding said protuberance.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second flywheel has a centrally located recess and said first flywheel has a central protuberance at least a portion of which extends into said recess, one of said races being arranged to rotate with said second flywheel.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the other of said races surrounds said protuberance.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier is integral with said bearing means.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said thermal barrier is bonded to said bearing means.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said impeding means contains sintered material which is integral with said bearing means.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier is a press fit on said bearing means.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said bearing means and one of said flywheels constitute a prefabricated unit, said second flywheel having a centrally located recess receiving said bearing means with an annular clearance and further comprising a mass of hardened plastic material filling said clearance and constituting or forming part of said impeding means.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 21, wherein one of said races is surrounded by the hardened plastic material.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier includes means for sealingly surrounding at least a portion of said bearing means.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said impeding means includes at least one seal for said bearing means.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of said races surrounds the other of said races and said thermal barrier has a substantially L-shaped cross-sectional outline.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said impeding means comprises two coaxial rings each having a cylindrical section overlapping with said first race and a radial section extending from the respective cylindrical section toward said second race, said first race being disposed between the radial sections of said rings.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said rings are at least substantially mirror symmetrical to each other with reference to a plane which is normal to the common axis of said flywheels and each of said rings has a substantially L-shaped cross-sectional outline.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first race surrounds said second race and said radial sections extend radially inwardly from the respective cylindrical sections.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said spring comprises a diaphragm spring.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said diaphragm spring has an outer marginal portion and an inner marginal portion and said outer marginal portion reacts against said second flywheel, said inner marginal portion bearing against the radial section of said thermal barrier.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said radial section includes an annular lip and the inner marginal portion of said diaphragm spring bears against said lip to urge the latter against said second race.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of said flywheels has a centrally located recess and said thermal barrier includes a sleeve-like section which is a press fit in said recess.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said bearing means and said sleeve-like section constitute a prefabricated unit which is received in said recess.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said thermal barrier includes a sleeve-like section which surrounds said bearing means and whose thickness, as considered in the radial direction of said bearing means, varies in the axial direction of said bearing means.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 34, wherein one of said flywheels has a centrally located recess for said section and the relatively thick portion of said section is a press fit in said recess.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of said races and said thermal barrier define an annular chamber, and further comprising sealing means installed in said chamber.

Claim 38

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said one race has a cylindrical surface and an end face extending radially of said cylindrical surface, said chamber being the region where said end face extends radially of said cylindrical surface.

Claim 39

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said sealing means comprises an O-ring.

Claim 40

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said annular chamber includes a ring-shaped groove provided in said one race and said axially extending section of said ring is a cylindrical section surrounding said one race.

Claim 41

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said one race has a shoulder and said sealing means is confined and compressed between said shoulder and said axially extending section.

Claim 42

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said axially extending section has at least one frustoconical surface, said axially extending section being in contact with said second flywheel.

Claim 43

The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said second flywheel has a surface which is complementary to and adjacent said frustoconical surface.

Claim 44

The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said bearing means has a surface which is complementary to and adjacent said frustoconical surface.

Claim 45

The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising means for biasing said axially extending section axially in the direction of the taper of said frustoconical surface.

Claim 46

The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said axially extending section is a split ring.

Claim 47

The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said thermal barrier further comprises a sealing element and one said races overlaps said axially extending section, said sealing element extending radially of said section and toward the other of said races.

Claim 48

The apparatus of claim 46, further comprising means for biasing said sealing element axially against said other race.

Claim 49

The apparatus of claim 46, wherein said one race has a frustoconical external surface which is in contact with said section and said races have aligned end faces adjacent said sealing element, said sealing element including an annular lip bearing against the end face of said other race.

Claim 50

The apparatus of claim 46, wherein said races have first and second end faces, said sealing element being adjacent the first end faces of said races and said thermal barrier further including a second sealing element integral with said section and adjacent the second end faces of said races.

Claim 51

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an engine having a crankshaft arranged to transmit torque to said first flywheel, and a change-speed transmission having a rotary input element arranged to receive torque from said second flywheel in the engaged condition of said friction clutch.

Claim 52

The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said friction clutch has a clutch disc and said second surface is provided on said clutch disc.

Claim 53

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said impeding means includes at least a portion of said means for yieldably opposing annular movements of said flywheels relative to each other.

Claim 54

The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said clutch comprises a disc and said first surface is adjacent said disc, said clutch further comprising means for biasing said first surface and said disc into frictional contact with each other so that the generated heat is transmitted to said second flywheel.

Claim 55

The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said impeding means constitutes the sole means for frictionally opposing angular movements of said flywheels relative to each other.

Claim 56

The apparatus of claim 52, wherein one of said races is adjacent said second flywheel and said opposing means includes a first portion which is interposed between said one race and said second flywheel and a second portion in at least indirect frictional engagement with said first flywheel.

Claim 57

The apparatus of claim 55, wherein said one race is arranged to rotate with said second flywheel.

Claim 58

The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the other of said races is rotatively connected with said first flywheel and said second portion of said opposing means is in frictional engagement with said other race.

Claim 59

The apparatus of claim 55, wherein said second portion of said opposing means extends substantially radially of said bearing means.

Claim 60

The apparatus of claim 55, wherein said first portion of said opposing means extends circumferentially around said one race.

Claim 61

The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said portion of said opposing means comprises at least one ring having an axially extending annular first portion and a radially extending second portion.

Claim 62

The apparatus of claim 60, wherein one of said races is arranged to rotate with said second flywheel and the other of said races is arranged to rotate with said first flywheel, said races having end faces and said second portion of said ring being adjacent the end face of one of said races.

Claim 63

The apparatus of claim 61, wherein said one race shares the angular movements of said second flywheel.

Claim 64

The apparatus of claim 60, wherein said portion of said opposing means further comprises means for at least indirectly biasing the second portion of said ring against said first flywheel, the annular portion of said ring being arranged to rotate with said second flywheel.

Claim 65

The apparatus of claim 63, wherein said biasing means includes an energy storing device which is arranged to urge said second portion of said ring in the axial direction of said flywheels.

Claim 66

The apparatus of claim 52, wherein one of said races is mounted on said first flywheel and the other of said races is mounted on said second flywheel, said opposing means including two rings having annular first portions adjacent the other race and radially extending second portions, said one race having end faces each adjacent and in direct or indirect frictional engagement with the second portion of one of said rings.

Claim 67

The apparatus of claim 65, wherein said portion of said opposing means further comprises means for biasing the second portions of said rings against the respective end faces of said one race.

Claim 68

The apparatus of claim 52, wherein said races define an annular space for said rolling elements and said impeding means comprises means for at least substantially sealing the ends of said space.

Claim 69

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first surface and said bearing means are spaced apart from one another in the radial direction of said flywheels and said impeding means includes a portion at least of said second flywheel, said portion of said second flywheel having substantially axially extending passages intermediate said bearing means and said first surface.

Claim 70

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein at least one of said passages is elongated.

Claim 71

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein at least one of said passages is a slot.

Claim 72

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein said passages are elongated and together form an annulus surrounding said bearing means.

Claim 73

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein each of said passages has a slot-shaped portion in the region of said first surface and the cross-sectional area of at least one of said passages increases in a direction away from said first surface.

Claim 74

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein said portion of said second flywheel has internal surfaces bounding said passages shaped to induce air flow.

Claim 75

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein said passages are adjacent said bearing means.

Claim 76

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein said second flywheel has an additional surface opposite said first surface and said passages extend between said first and additional surfaces, said passages having end portions provided in said additional surface and extending substantially radially outwardly away from said bearing means.

Claim 77

The apparatus of claim 75, wherein said first surface has a predetermined width in the radial direction of said second flywheel and said end portions extend radially outwardly in register with a portion at least of said first surface.

Claim 78

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein said second flywheel has internal surfaces bounding said passages and each of said internal surfaces has an inner portion nearer to the axes of said flywheels and extending in substantial parallelism with said axes and an outer portion more distant from said axes and extending in a direction from said first surface and radially of and away from the axes of said flywheels.

Claim 79

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein said passages are substantially equidistant from each other in the circumferential direction of said second flywheel.

Claim 80

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein said passages form an annulus with a center on the axes of said flywheels.

Claim 81

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the combined length of the passages in the circumferential direction of said second flywheel is between 20 and 70 percent of the corresponding portion of said second flywheel.

Claim 82

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein said passages together form an annulus and said second flywheel comprises webs alternating with said passages, the width of said webs in the circumferential direction of said second flywheel being between 0.5 and 2.5 the width of said passages.

Claim 83

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein said passages form an annulus and said second flywheel has heat barriers between said passages.

Claim 84

The apparatus of claim 82, wherein said heat barriers are webs forming integral parts of said second flywheel.

Claim 85

The apparatus of claim 68, wherein said opposing means comprises an annulus of fasteners affixed to said second flywheel and said passages alternate with said fasteners in the circumferential direction of said second flywheel.

Claim 86

The apparatus of claim 84, wherein said opposing means comprises an output member and said fasteners include rivets which secure said output member to said second flywheel.

Claim 87

The apparatus of claim 84, wherein said passages together form a second annulus whose diameter equals or approximates the diameter of said annulus of fasteners.

Claim 88

The apparatus of claim 84, wherein said second second flywheel has webs alternating with said passages in the circumferential direction of said one flywheel and said fasteners are provided in said webs.

Claim 89

The apparatus of claim 84, wherein said fasteners alternate with pairs of passages.

Claim 90

The apparatus of claim 84, wherein said second flywheel has webs alternating with said passages in the circumferential direction of said second flywheel, said webs including wider webs and narrower webs and said fasteners being secured to said wider webs.

Claim 91

The apparatus of claim 89, wherein the width of said wider webs is approximately twice the width of said narrower webs.

Claim 92

A torque transmitting and torsion damping apparatus, especially for taking up and compensating for fluctuations of torque which is transmitted between a internal combustion engine and a change-speed transmission in a motor vehicle, comprising first and second flywheels movable angularly relative to each other, said first flywheel being connectable to the engine and said second flywheel being connectable to the transmission; damper means arranged to yieldably resist angular movements of said flywheels relative to each other; bearing means interposed between said flywheels and having at least one row of antifriction rolling elements; a friction clutch operable to receive torque from said second flywheel and to transmit torque to the transmission with attendant generation of heat, said second flywheel and said clutch having cooperating first and second friction- and heat-generating surfaces; and means including a thermal barrier for impeding the transfer of heat from said first surface to said bearing means, said impeding means including means for yieldably opposing angular movements of said flywheels relative to each other and said opposing means comprising at least one ring having an axially extending annular first portion and a radially extending second portion, said opposing means further comprising means for at least indirectly biasing the second portion of said ring against said first flywheel and said biasing means comprising a dished spring, the annular portion of said ring being arranged to rotate with said second flywheel.

Claim 93

A torque transmitting and torsion damping apparatus, especially for taking up and compensating for fluctuations of torque which is transmitted between a internal combustion engine and a change-speed transmission in a motor vehicle, comprising first and second flywheels movable angularly relative to each other, said first flywheel being connectable to the engine and said second flywheel being connectable to the transmission; damper means arranged to yieldably resist angular movements of said flywheels relative to each other; bearing means interposed between said flywheels and having at least one row of antifriction rolling elements; a friction clutch operable to receive torque from said second flywheel and to transmit torque to the transmission with attendant generation of heat, said second flywheel and said clutch having cooperating first and second friction- and heat-generating surfaces; and means including a thermal barrier for impeding the transfer of heat from said first surface to said bearing means, said impeding means including means for yieldably opposing angular movements of said flywheels relative to each other and said opposing means comprising at least one ring having an axially extending annular first portion and a radially extending second portion, said opposing means further comprising means for at least indirectly biasing the second portion of said ring against said first flywheel and said biasing means comprising a dished spring, the annular portion of said ring being arranged to rotate with said second flywheel.

Claim 94

The apparatus of claim 91, wherein said spring has a first portion which reacts against said second flywheel and a second portion disposed radially inwardly of the first portion and bearing against the second portion of said ring.

Claim 95

The apparatus of claim 92, wherein the second portion of said spring is disposed at a predetermined distance from the axes of said flywheels and said second portion of said ring is in direct or indirect frictional engagement with said second flywheel in a region which is also disposed at or close to said predetermined distance from said axes.

Claim 96

A torque transmitting and torsion damping apparatus, especially for taking up and compensating for fluctuations of torque which is transmitted between an internal combustion engine and a change-speed transmission in a motor vehicle, comprising first and second flywheels movable angularly relative to each other, said first flywheel being connectable to the engine and said second flywheel being connectable to the transmission; damper means arranged to yieldably resist angular movements of said flywheels relative to each other; bearing means interposed between said flywheels and having first and second races and at least one row of antifriction rolling elements between said races, said first race being mounted on said first flywheel and said second race being mounted on said second flywheel; a friction clutch operable to receive torque from said second flywheel and to transmit torque to the transmission with attendant generation of heat, said second flywheel and said clutch having cooperating first and second friction- and heat-generating surfaces; and means including a thermal barrier for impeding the transfer of heat from said first surface to said bearing means, said impeding means including means for yieldably opposing angular movements of said flywheels relative to each other and said opposing means including two rings having annular first portions adjacent the second race and radially extending second portions, said first race having end faces each adjacent and in direct or indirect frictional engagement with the second portion of one of said rings, said opposing means further comprising means for biasing the second portions of said rings against the respective end faces of said first race and said biasing means comprising first and second resilient means for said first and second rings, respectively, the bias of one of said resilient means exceeding the bias of the other of said resilient means.

Claim 97

A torque transmitting and torsion damping apparatus, especially for taking up and compensating for fluctuations of torque which is transmitted between an internal combustion engine and a change-speed transmission in a motor vehicle, comprising first and second flywheels movable angularly relative to each other, said first flywheel being connectable to the engine and said second flywheel being connectable to the transmission; damper means arranged to yieldably resist angular movements of said flywheels relative to each other; bearing means interposed between said flywheels and having first and second races and at least one row of antifriction rolling elements between said races, said first race being mounted on said first flywheel and said second race being mounted on said second flywheel; a friction clutch operable to receive torque from said second flywheel and to transmit torque to the transmission with attendant generation of heat, said second flywheel and said clutch having cooperating first and second friction- and heat-generating surfaces; and means including a thermal barrier for impeding the transfer of heat from said first surface to said bearing means, said impeding means including means for yieldably opposing angular movements of said flywheels relative to each other and said opposing means including two rings having annular first portions adjacent the second race and radially extending second portions, said first race having end faces each adjacent and in direct or indirect frictional engagement with the second portion of one of said rings, said opposing means further comprising means for biasing the second portions of said rings against the respective end faces of said first race and said biasing means comprising first and second resilient means for said first and second rings, respectively, the bias of one of said resilient means exceeding the bias of the other of said resilient means.

Claim 98

The apparatus of claim 94, wherein said one resilient means is arranged to urge said first race axially of said second race by overcoming the opposition of said other resilient means so that the races tend to clamp said rollinq elements therebetween.

Claim 99

The apparatus of claim 95, wherein said clutch is disengageable in response to the application of a predetermined force acting in the axial direction of said flywheels and said one resilient means is arranged to oppose the disengagement of said clutch.