Polygonal elastic coupling

Abstract

A polygonal coupling couples a torque source to a torque consumer such that the input and output portions of the coupling can elastically rotate relative to one another to accommodate changes in rotational speed as the torque source delivers torque. In one embodiment, the torque source is an internal combustion engine with an integrated switchable coupling between the engine crankshaft and a torque delivery segment that supports an electric motor generator. The polygonal coupling includes axially overlapping polygonal male and female portions that mate to deliver torque between the output of the integrated switchable coupling and the input of the torque delivery segment. At least one of the male and female portions includes a recess that forms flexible arms adjacent to the lobes of the polygonal shape, allowing the portions to rotate relative to one another over a small angular displacement, thereby increasing the damping of crankshaft rotational vibrations.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application Serial No. 16 / 008,679, filed June 14, 2018, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62 / 546, 1 19, filed August 15, 2017.

[0002] The present invention relates to couplings that transmit torque, and in particular to couplings used in various industrial applications, such as in hybrid electric and storage systems associated with internal combustion engines. BACKGROUND

[0003] Hybrid electric vehicles having internal combustion engines combined with motor generators and electrical energy storage systems have become a focal point of considerable interest in the automotive field, particularly in the passenger car field. Development of hybrid electric vehicle systems has only recently begun to attract great interest in commercial and off-highway vehicles, such as Class 2-8 trucks and buses, earth moving equipment and railway applications, and stationary internal combustion engine-powered installations.

[0004] U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 378, 139 (assigned to the assignee of the present application and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) discloses a novel approach to providing the benefits of hybrid electric technology in which the hybrid electric vehicle system is located at the front end of the engine, with the motor generator arranged in a manner that extends little or no length of the front of the vehicle. This system is referred to as a front end motor generator, or "FEMG" system.

[0005] As used in this specification, the "front end" of an engine is the end opposite the end from which the torque output generated by the engine is transmitted to the primary torque consuming device, such as the transmission and drive shaft of a vehicle or a stationary engine-mounted load, such as a pump drive. Typically, the rear end of an engine is the location of the engine flywheel, and the front end is the location of components such as engine driven accessories, such as air conditioning and compressed air compressors, engine cooling fans, coolant pumps, power steering pumps.

[0006] In this front end motor generator system, the motor generator is located in the front region of the engine, laterally offset to one side of the rotational axis of the engine crankshaft, and supported on a torque transfer section (also referred to as a "drive unit") between the motor generator and the region forward of the front end of the engine crankshaft. The torque transfer section can take the form of a narrow-depth parallel shaft gear box arranged with its input rotational axis coaxial with the engine crankshaft.

[0007] An important feature of the front end generator system is that the motor generator exchanges torque with the engine crankshaft via a torque transfer segment and a switchable coupling (i.e., disengageable) between the torque transfer segment and the crankshaft front end. The switchable coupling includes an engine side portion that is directly coupled to the engine crankshaft, a drive portion that can be engaged with the engine side portion to transfer torque therebetween, and an engagement device, preferably an axially actuated clutch between the drive portion and the engine side portion. The engine side portion of the coupling includes a crankshaft vibration damper (hereinafter referred to as "damper") that is distinct from a conventional crankshaft damper that is traditionally a separate element that is fixed to the crankshaft as a dedicated crankshaft vibration suppression device. This arrangement enables the transfer of torque between the accessory drive, the motor generator, and the engine in a flexible manner (e.g., having the accessory drive driven by different torque sources (e.g., the engine and / or the motor generator), having the engine drive the motor generator as a generator, and / or having the motor generator coupled to the engine and operating as a motor to act as a supplemental vehicle propulsion torque source).

[0008] Particularly preferably, the switchable coupling is an integrated clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit that has a clutch between the engine side damper portion and the drive portion. The drive side portion includes a drive flange that is configured to be coupled to the engine end of the torque transfer segment, the drive flange further including one or more drive pulley segments on an outer periphery thereof. This preferred configuration also has all three of the pulleys, clutch, and damper arranged concentrically, with at least two of these elements partially overlapping one another along their axes of rotation. This arrangement results in the disengageable coupling having a greatly reduced axial depth to facilitate the installation of the FEMG in a space-constrained environment forward of the engine. The axial depth of the coupling can be further minimized by reducing the axial depth of the clutch, pulleys, and damper to the point where the drive pulleys extend concentrically around all or at least substantially all of the clutch and engine side damper portion of the coupling.

[0009] Alternatively, one or more of the three clutch, pulley, and damper portions can be arranged coaxially with, but not axially overlapping, the other portions as needed to accommodate the particular front end arrangement of the engine from different engine suppliers. For example, in engine applications where the belt drive is not aligned with the damper (i.e., the damper does not have a belt drive groove around its outer periphery, such as in certain In engine arrangements where the belt drive surface of the pulley portion of the coupling does not need to axially overlap the damper (e.g., in some Detroit Diesel engine applications), the belt drive surface can be on the outer periphery of the damper, and the other belt drive surface is on a pulley that is mounted forward of the damper. In the case of an engine, the couplings that would be used in place of the original dampers and pulleys can be arranged either with both belt drive surfaces located on pulley members that extend axially on the damper (i.e., the damper is axially substantially overlapped by both the damper and the clutch), or with one belt drive surface located on the outer periphery of the damper, for example to drive an engine accessory that is never disconnected from the crankshaft (e.g., an engine coolant pump), and the other belt drive surface located on a pulley member that extends axially on the clutch.

[0010] Previously, crankshaft dampers were typically designed with an outer portion, often a concentric ring, that was flexibly connected to an inner hub of the damper that was directly mounted on the front end of the crankshaft. Such damper designs were intended such that the inertia of the outer portion would allow the outer portion to oscillate concentrically about the inner hub at a frequency that effectively matched and damped the rotational vibrations of the crankshaft (i.e., small angular irregularities in the rotation of the crankshaft caused by "micro" accelerations and decelerations of the crankshaft, associated with individual force pulses applied to the crankshaft, such as individual cylinder combustion events, individual cylinder compression stroke resistances, etc.). If left unaddressed, these crankshaft rotational oscillations could severely damage internal components of the engine.

[0011] The addition of a switchable coupling to the front end of the crankshaft, such as the clutch-pulley-damper unit disclosed in application number 15 / 378,139, has the potential to change the torsional stiffness seen by the crankshaft when the switchable coupling is closed and the torque transfer section is thereby coupled to the crankshaft. When so coupled, the torque transfer section gear train and attached motor-generator can impart increased inertia to the crankshaft, which can affect the natural frequency of the mass-spring system. The result can be that the effective damping of the crankshaft vibrations is lower than desired.

[0012] The present invention provides a switchable coupling that addresses this issue by including a flexible portion in the clutch-pulley-damper unit that effectively isolates the added inertia of the torque transfer section and motor-generator from the engine crankshaft.

[0013] Preferably, at the point where the drive input of the torque transfer section is coupled to the output of the switchable coupling (via the male-female spline connection in the clutch-pulley-damper unit and gear case of application number 15 / 378,139), a polygonal coupling is provided in which at least one of the male and female polygonal portions has a region of incorporated additional flexibility. For example, on the male side of a triangular polygonal coupling, near each of the three corners, a slot (or other geometric structure) can be provided that allows each corner to flex slightly when loaded by an angular vibration pulse from the crankshaft. Such an arrangement would allow the male portion of the torque transfer section to the switchable coupling arrangement to rotate slightly relative to the female portion in response to crankshaft vibrations. The present invention is not limited to a slot configuration, but any aperture geometry can be used to provide the desired amount of flexible response to crankshaft acceleration / deceleration pulses.

[0014] As the present invention uses a polygonal drive arrangement with vibration absorbing features, the crankshaft is effectively isolated from the inertia of the torque transfer section and the motor generator by the vibration absorbing features. As a result, the clutch-belt-damper unit can be designed in such a way that the range of vibration responses seen by the crankshaft is kept within the range of crankshaft vibrations, while ensuring that the crankshaft is still able to transfer its full drive torque to the torque transfer section and the motor generator.

[0015] The shape of the polygonal coupling is not limited to a triangular polygon, but can have any number of sides, as long as the polygon is modified to cause the desired coupling flexibility, as in the triangular example. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to any particular shape (e.g. oval, dog bone), as long as the vibration absorbing portion of the shape allows the coupling to absorb circumferential vibrations, while still maintaining the ability to transfer torque output from the crankshaft to the torque transfer section, as does the spline coupling.

[0016] An additional factor to consider in the design of the present invention is the ratio of torsional strength to torsional stiffness of the coupling. The torsional stiffness of the coupling is reduced with the reduction in stiffness of the coupling portion at the corners of the polygon, which allows the corners to flex slightly in response to angular vibration impulses, such as by including a transverse break in the portion of the coupling radially adjacent to the circumferentially oriented recess at each apex, thereby forming separate circumferentially oriented "arms" that can flex independently. Similarly, the ratio of torsional flexibility to torsional strength can be increased by omitting such breaks, thereby forming a solid "bridge" section between the axial faces of the recess and coupling component. The result is a stiffer, but more robust arrangement that increases the ratio of torsional strength to torsional stiffness. The torsional strength / weight ratio can also be varied by varying the relative size of the thickness of the circumferentially aligned recess relative to the radially adjacent portion.

[0017] Regardless of the specific approach taken, it is desirable to optimize the ratio of torsional strength to torsional stiffness for the application, particularly where the resonant frequency is to be kept as low as possible.

[0018] Another aspect of the present invention is the opportunity to provide increased vibration damping in the coupling by including a damping medium in the recess. The elasticity of the coupling material inherently provides a small amount of damping (i.e. a small amount of energy dissipation in the form of heat generated by friction between the components, as well as hysteresis in the material as it is compressed and tensioned in response to the vibrations). This damping can be significantly increased by adding a damping medium in the recess of the coupling, particularly in embodiments where the arms are separated and thus able to move with greater relative motion. Suitable damping materials include elastomers, waxes, sponge-like materials, and / or another material capable of dissipating the kinetic energy generated by the relative motion in response to angular vibrations.

[0019] The polygonal couplings of the present invention are not limited to use in front end motor generator systems, or to applications where an internal combustion engine is present. Potential applications for the polygonal couplings of the present invention include torque transfer across a rotational coupling, such as any application where torque is transferred between a driven shaft and a driving shaft. Such applications include various industrial applications, such as torque transfer between electric motors, compressors, pumps, gear drives, transmissions, and the like. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to internal combustion engine applications, but can be used with any form of power transmission device, such as the electric motors of vehicles equipped with electric motors.

[0020] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Fig. 1A and 1B is a schematic of an overall view of the arrangement of the FEMG system according to the embodiment in application number 15 / 378, 139.

[0022] Figs. 2A-2C is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the clutch-belt-pulley-damper and assembled FEMG components according to the embodiment in application number 15 / 378, 139.

[0023] Figs. 3A-3C is a view of the components of the clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit of Figs. 2A-2C

[0024] Figs. 4A-4B is an oblique view of components of a polygonal coupling according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Fig. 5 is an oblique view of components of a polygonal coupling according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figs. 6A-6B is provided a cross-sectional view of an assembled embodiment of the polygonal coupling of the present invention.

[0027] Fig. 7 is an oblique view of another embodiment of the polygonal coupling according to the present invention.

[0028] Fig. 8 is an oblique view of an embodiment of the present invention, where damping material is integrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Fig. 1A is a schematic showing components of an embodiment of the FEMG system as in application number 15 / 378, 139. Fig. 1B ​is a schematic view of several FEMG system components in a commercial vehicle chassis. In this arrangement, the engine accessories (including an air compressor 1, an air conditioning compressor 2, and an engine cooling fan 7, arranged to draw cooling air through an engine coolant radiator 20) are driven by a belt 5. The belt pulley 5 is coaxially positioned with a damper 6 that is directly coupled to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine 8. The accessories can be driven directly by the drive belt, or equipped with their own on / off or variable speed clutches (not shown) that allow the individually equipped clutch accessories to be partially or completely decoupled from the belt drive.

[0030] In addition to driving the accessory drive belt, the belt pulley 5 is coupled with a drive unit having a reduction gear 4 to transfer torque between the crankshaft end of the drive unit and the opposite end coupled to a motor generator 3 (the drive unit housing is not shown in this figure for clarity). A disengageable coupler in the form of a clutch 15 is arranged between the crankshaft damper 6 and the belt pulley 5 (and thus also between the drive unit and the motor generator 3). Although shown schematically in Fig. 1A

[0031] On the electrical side of the motor generator 3, the motor generator is electrically connected to a power inverter 14 that converts alternating current (AC) generated by the motor generator output to direct current (DC) that can be used by an energy storage and distribution system. The power inverter 14 likewise converts direct current from the energy storage and distribution system in the opposite direction to alternating current input, powering the motor generator 3 as a torque-generating motor. The inverter 14 is electrically connected to an energy storage unit 11 (hereinafter referred to as “the energy bank”) that can both receive energy for storage and output energy on demand.

[0032] In this embodiment, the energy bank 11 contains lithium-based storage batteries, each with a nominal charge voltage of about 3.7V (operating range 2.1V to 4.1V) connected in series to provide a nominal energy storage voltage of 400 volts (operating voltage range of about 300 to 400 volts) with a storage capacity of electrical energy of about 12 to 17 kilowatt-hours. Alternatively, the batteries can be connected in series and parallel as needed to suit the application. For example, 28 modules of four batteries in series each can be connected in series and parallel to provide an energy bank with the same 17 kilowatt-hour storage energy as the first example above, but with a nominal operating voltage of 200 volts and twice the current output of the first example.

[0033] ​In addition to the relatively large capacity, low charge / discharge rate lithium-based storage batteries, the energy storage 11 in this embodiment also includes a plurality of relatively low capacity, high charge / discharge rate supercapacitors to provide the ability of the energy storage to receive and / or release very large currents over short time periods that lithium-based storage batteries (which are typically limited to charge / discharge rates of less than 1 C to only a few C) cannot handle.

[0034] Figs. 2A-2C A cross-sectional view showing the embodiment of clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit 19 in application number 15 / 378,139 and the assembled configuration of the FEMG system hardware with this clutch-belt-pulley-damper embodiment. In this embodiment, the gear case 16 containing the reduction gear 4 receives the motor generator 3 at the motor generator end of the gear case. The motor generator 3 is secured to the housing of the gear case 16 with fasteners (not shown) such as bolts. The rotor shaft 18 of the motor generator 3 engages the corresponding central bore of the adjacent coaxially positioned gear of the reduction gear 4 to allow the transfer of torque between the motor generator 3 and the reduction gear 4.

[0035] At the crank end of the gear case 16, the reduction gear 4 in coaxial alignment with the clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit 19 is coupled to the pulley side of the clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit 19 for common rotation, in this embodiment, by bolts (not shown) that pass through the coaxial reduction gear 4 to the pulley side of the clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit 19. The engine side portion of the coupling (the portion with the crank damper 6) is configured to be coupled to the front end of the engine crankshaft by fasteners or other suitable connections that ensure the engine side portion 6 rotates with the crankshaft. As further described below, the gear case 16 is separately mounted to a structure that maintains the coaxial alignment of the clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit 19 with the front end of the engine crankshaft.

[0036] Fig. 2B The cross-sectional view in FIG. 1 is a view from above the FEMG front end hardware, Fig. 2C The oblique cross-sectional view in FIG. 2 is a view at the crank end of the gear case 16. In this embodiment, the gear case, motor generator, and clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit assembly is arranged with the motor generator 3 located to the left of the engine crankshaft and to the front side of the gear case 16 (the side away from the front of the engine), where the motor generator 3 can be located in the space below or directly behind the vehicle engine coolant radiator 20. Alternatively, to accommodate different vehicle arrangements, the gear case 16 can be mounted with the motor generator 3 to the rear of the gear case 16, preferably in the lateral space to the left of the engine crankshaft (e.g., adjacent to the oil pan of the engine bottom). The gear case 16 can also be provided with dual side motor generator mounting features so that a universal gear case design can be used for vehicle applications with a front mounted motor generator and vehicle applications with the motor generator mounted to the rear side of the gear case.

[0037] Figs. 3A-3C is Figs. 2A-2C a view of the components of the clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit 19. When assembled, this unit is exceptionally narrow in the axial direction due to the substantial axial overlap of the pulley 5, the engine-side portion 6 (hereinafter referred to as the damper 6) and the clutch 15. In this embodiment, the pulley 5 has two belt drive portions 21 configured to drive accessory drive belts (not shown), for example, one portion is provided to drive an engine cooling fan 7 around the clutch 15, and the other portion is provided to drive other engine accessories such as an air compressor 1. In this example, the belt drive portions 21 concentrically surround the damper 6 and the clutch 15 (for clarity, the belt drive portions 21 around the damper 6 are omitted in Fig. 2B and 2C ).

[0038] Within the clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit 19, the clutch 15 comprises two axially engaging dog clutch elements 25, 26. As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figs. 2A-2C , the central core dog clutch element 25 is fixed to rotate with the damper 6, in this embodiment, by a bolt extending through an axial bolt hole 28 from the FEMG gearbox side of the clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit 19. The pulley 5 is rotatably supported on the central core element 25 by a bearing 34.

[0039] The engine-side portion of the outer periphery of the central core dog clutch element 25 comprises an outer spline 29 arranged to engage a corresponding inner spline 30 at the inner periphery of the axially movable dog clutch element 26. The outer spline 29 and the inner spline 30 are in constant engagement so that the movable dog clutch element 26 rotates with the damper 6 while being axially movable along the damper rotational axis.

[0040] The movable dog clutch element 26 is also provided with axially forward facing dog pieces 31 distributed circumferentially around the gearbox side (the side facing away from the engine) of the element 26. As shown in Fig. 3C , these dog pieces 31 are configured to engage the space between corresponding dog pieces 32 facing the engine side of the pulley 5. As shown in Fig. 2A , the movable dog clutch element 26 is biased in the engaged position in the clutch-belt-pulley-damper unit by a spring 33 located between the damper 6 and the movable dog clutch element 26. Fig. 2B and 2C show the clutch disengaged position, where the spring 33 is compressed as the movable dog clutch element 26 is axially displaced towards the damper 6.

[0041] In this embodiment, the clutch throw-out rod 27 is positioned concentrically within the central core dog clutch element 25. The engine-side end of the throw-out rod 27 is arranged to exert an axial clutch disengagement force that overcomes the bias of the spring 33 to axially displace the dog clutch element 26 toward the damper 6, thereby causing its forward dog 31 to disengage from the corresponding dog 32 of the pulley 5 facing engine-side. In this embodiment, the gear box end of the clutch throw-out rod 27 is provided with a bushing 303 and a bearing 304 that keeps the bushing stationary while the throw-out rod 27 is rotating.

[0042] The clutch throw-out rod 27 is axially displaced by the clutch actuator 22 to disengage and engage the dog clutch 15. In this embodiment, the clutch actuator 22 is pneumatically actuated, with compressed air entering fitting 305 on the clutch actuator diaphragm 41, thereby urging the central portion of the diaphragm 41 into contact with the throw-out rod bushing 303 to axially displace the clutch throw-out rod 27 toward the engine, thereby disengaging the clutch 15. When the compressed air pressure is removed from the clutch actuator, the diaphragm 41 retracts away from the engine, allowing the biasing spring 33 to axially displace the throw-out rod 27 and dog clutch element 26 toward the pulley 5 to re-engage the clutch dogs 31, 32, thereby causing the pulley 5 to co-rotate with the damper 6.

[0043] Fig. 4A and 4B An embodiment of a polygonal coupling 90 between the input element (pulley end gear 36) of the torque transfer section and the output element (pulley 5) of the clutch-pulley-damper unit 19 according to the present invention is shown. Fig. 4A The male portion 91 of this polygonal coupling embodiment is shown carried on the gear box pulley end gear 36, and the female portion 92 is formed in the opposite region 96 of the pulley 5. The positions of the male and female portions can be reversed between the pulley 5 and the gear box pulley end gear 36. Fig. 4B is Fig. 4A The opposite side view of the pulley 5 in

[0044] The polygonal coupling male portion 91 includes a plurality of axially aligned recesses 93, here arranged at the top of the lugs of the male polygon. The material between the recesses 93 and the outer periphery of the male portion 91 is undercut by a groove 94, such that elastically deflectable arms 95 are formed at the periphery of the polygonal coupling male portion 91. The recesses 93 are arranged in two directions, such that the male portion 91 has designed flexibility in both forward and reverse rotational directions.

[0045] With this construction, the present application allows for a small amount of relative rotation between the polygon male and female portions 91 and 92 and thus between the pulley end gear 36 and the pulley 5, while the wide surfaces of the sides of the polygon male and female portions ensure that the coupling can transmit full torque loads between the pulley 5 and the pulley end gear 36 as the crankshaft rotates. This relative rotation effectively decouples the torque transmission section and the inertia of the motor generator from the crankshaft over the relatively small angular displacement of the crankshaft during its vibrations (its micro accelerations and decelerations) while still maintaining full torque transmission capability across the polygon coupling.

[0046] The recess 93 in this embodiment is a linear slot, which is relatively easy to manufacture in a simple milling operation. However, the recess is not limited to this shape. For example, the recess can be curved and can have other features such as wide rounded ends to reduce local stresses and the likelihood of crack development over a large number of bending cycles of the arms 95. Similarly, the shape and width of the groove 94 separating the arms 95 from the face of the pulley end gear 36 can be varied in shape, height and depth as needed to suit a particular application. Such variations in the recess 93 and groove 94 are permissible so long as the construction of the polygon coupling 90 is such that the arms 95 are able to withstand a large number of bending cycles over the design life of the polygon coupling and the recess and groove are sized to provide a degree of flexibility allowing the clutch-pulley-damper unit 19 to provide the required degree of torsional stiffness to the engine crankshaft.

[0047] The material of the polygon coupling can be selected based on the amount of torque transmitted across the coupling, the size of the polygon coupling components, the temperature in the operating environment, and the like. For example, in high torque applications and / or in applications where the male and female polygon coupling portions are small (thereby increasing the local stresses at the mating surfaces of the male and female portions), a high strength material such as steel can be used to ensure that the coupling has a sufficient useful life. Alternatively, in lower torque load and / or local stress applications in low temperature environments, other materials such as plastic or rubber coupling portions can be used. Further, a mixture of materials is possible. For example, one of the male or female components can be designed as a sacrificial portion, such that in the event of an overload of the polygon coupling, only the sacrificial side of the coupling is damaged.

[0048] In Fig. 5In another embodiment of the invention, schematically illustrated, recess 93 and arm 95 are disposed on the female portion of the connector, positioned such that arm 95 can elastically deform outward through the corners of the male polygon to accommodate the small amount of relative rotation required between pulley 5 and torque transmission segment gear 36 (which may have the solid male portion of the connector). As in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the dimensions and construction of recess 93 must withstand a large number of bending cycles during the design life of the polygonal connector, while providing a degree of flexibility to allow the clutch-pulley-damper unit 19 to provide the required degree of torsional stiffness to the engine crankshaft.

[0049] Fig. 6B Presented as Fig. 4A The embodiment of the polygonal connector in the assembled state along Fig. 6A The cross-sectional view is taken by section line AA. In this view, the male portion 91 of the gearbox pulley end gear 36 is inserted into the female portion 92 in the region 96 of the pulley 5 and is axially overlapped by the female portion 92. In this state, when the female portion 92 oscillates about the axis of rotation in response to the movement of the crankshaft, the micro-acceleration / deceleration of the engine crankshaft can be substantially absorbed by the elastic arm 95 of the male portion 91.

[0050] Fig. 7 A portion of a connector embodiment is shown, wherein a rotationally stronger and stiffer structure is formed relative to, for example, instead of forming slots between the arms 95 radially outward of the recess 93, holding the corresponding pairs of arms 95 together at their apex 97 to form a slotted and radially stiffer structure. Fig. 4A The connector shown increases the torsional stiffness of the connector. The length and radial width of the arms can be increased or decreased relative to each other and / or in absolute dimensions, as necessary to obtain the desired amount of torsional strength and stiffness.

[0051] Fig. 8 Showing with Fig. 4A Another embodiment of a similar connector shown in the diagram has a damping material 98 provided in the recess 93 to provide increased energy dissipation capability, thereby increasing the connector's ability to dampen motion caused by engine crankshaft vibration.

[0052] The foregoing disclosure is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting. Because modifications to the disclosed embodiments in conjunction with the spirit and essence of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention should be construed as including all contents within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0053] Reference number list:

[0054] 1. Air compressor

[0055] 2. Air conditioning compressor

[0056] 3 motor generator

[0057] 4 drive unit gear

[0058] 5 belt pulley

[0059] 6 damper

[0060] 7 engine cooling fan

[0061] 8 engine

[0062] 9 vehicle battery

[0063] 10 DC / DC converter

[0064] 11 energy storage device

[0065] 12 battery management system

[0066] 13 FEMG electronic control unit

[0067] 14 AC / DC power inverter

[0068] 15 clutch

[0069] 16 gear box

[0070] 17 flange shaft

[0071] 18 rotor shaft

[0072] 19 clutch-pulley-damper unit

[0073] 20 engine coolant radiator

[0074] 21 belt drive portion

[0075] 22 clutch actuator

[0076] 23 clutch plate

[0077] 24 clutch spring

[0078] 25, 26 claw clutch elements

[0079] 27 clutch lever

[0080] 28 bolt hole

[0081] 29 external spline

[0082] 30 internal spline

[0083] 31, 32 claws

[0084] 33 spring

[0085] 34 bearing

[0086] 90 polygonal coupler

[0087] 91 polygonal coupler male portion

[0088] 92 polygonal coupler female portion

[0089] 93 recess

[0090] 94 groove

[0091] 95 arm

[0092] 96 pulley outer face

[0093] 97 vertex

[0094] 98 damping medium

[0095] 303 bushing

[0096] 304 bearing

[0097] 305 fitting

Claims

1. A polygonal connector, characterized in that, include: An input element configured to transmit torque through a connector segment; An output element, configured to rotate coaxially with the input element. in One of the input element and the output element includes the common polygonal portion of the polygonal connector, and the other of the input element and the output element includes the female polygonal portion of the polygonal connector. The female portion of the polygonal connector is configured to overlap axially with the male portion of the polygonal connector along the rotation axis of the input element. The female portion is configured to mate with the male portion to transmit torque across the polygonal connector. At least one of the male and female portions of the polygonal connector includes a plurality of recesses, the plurality of recesses being configured such that a resilient flexible arm is formed adjacent to a lug of the polygonal connector, and The elastic flexible arms at each lug are connected to each other near the apex of the corresponding lug and are configured to be at least one radially inward and radially outward displaced in a manner that allows the male and female parts to rotate relative to each other about the axis of rotation.

2. The polygonal connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, in: The input element is a rotating element of a component that can be driven by torque transmitted from the output element to the input element.

3. The polygonal connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, in The component is an electric motor, compressor, pump, gear drive, or transmission.

4. The polygonal connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, in: The rotating element is a shaft or a gear.

5. The polygonal connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, in: The component in question is the torque transmission section of the hybrid electric front-end generator system, and The output element is the output of the clutch-pulley-damper unit of the hybrid electric front-end generator system.

6. The polygonal connector according to claim 5, characterized in that, in The input element is a gear in the torque transmission section, and The output element is the pulley of the clutch-pulley-damper unit.

7. The polygonal connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, in The common part is located at the input element, and The mother part is located at the output element.

8. The polygonal connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, in The mother part is located at the input element, and The common part is located at the output element.

9. The polygonal connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, in The plurality of recesses are adjacent to the lugs of the male portion.

10. The polygonal connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, in The plurality of recesses are adjacent to the lugs of the mother portion.

11. The polygonal connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, in The elastic flexible arm is configured such that the arm displacement changes in response to changes in the amount of torque transmitted across the polygonal connector.

12. The polygonal connector according to claim 11, characterized in that, in The elastic flexible arm is configured such that when the polygonal connector is coupled to the power transmission device, the elastic flexible arm changes the amount of arm displacement in response to changes in the amount of torque transmitted across the polygonal connector caused by changes in the rotational speed of the oscillating power transmission device.

13. The polygonal connector according to claim 12, characterized in that, in The power transmission device is an internal combustion engine.

14. The polygonal connector according to claim 13, characterized in that, in The output element is connected to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine.

15. A polygonal connector, characterized in that, include: An input device for transmitting torque through the connector section; An output device for transmitting the torque to the input device, the output device being arranged to rotate coaxially with the input device. in One of the input device and the output device includes a first polygonal torque transmission device, and the other of the input device and the output device includes a second polygonal torque transmission device. The second torque transmission device overlaps axially with the first torque transmission device along the rotation axis of the input device and is arranged to cooperate with the first torque transmission device to transmit torque across the polygonal connector. At least one of the first torque transmission device and the second torque transmission device includes a plurality of recesses, the plurality of recesses being configured such that a flexible arm is formed adjacent to a lug of the polygonal torque transmission device, and the flexible arm at each lug is connected to each other adjacent to the apex of the corresponding lug. The first torque transmission device and the second torque transmission device are capable of rotating relative to each other about the axis of rotation.

16. A polygonal connector, characterized in that, include: An input element configured to transmit torque through a connector segment; An output element, configured to rotate coaxially with the input element. in One of the input element and the output element includes the common polygonal portion of the polygonal connector, and the other of the input element and the output element includes the female polygonal portion of the polygonal connector. The female portion of the polygonal connector is configured to overlap axially with the male portion of the polygonal connector along the rotation axis of the input element. The female portion is configured to mate with the male portion to transmit torque across the polygonal connector. At least one of the male and female portions of the polygonal connector includes a plurality of recesses configured such that a resilient flexible arm is formed adjacent to a lug of the polygonal connector, wherein the resilient flexible arm at each lug is connected to each other adjacent to the vertex of the corresponding lug. The elastic flexible arm is configured to allow at least one of radial inward and radial outward displacement in a manner that allows the male and female portions to rotate relative to each other about the axis of rotation, and The damping material is located in the recess.

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