Bonded damping carrier

Abstract

A damper is provided that dampens sudden and abrupt forces experienced by components of a machine or other device. The damper can have a resilient ring with an input component joined to the resilient ring and with an output component joined to the resilient ring. When the sudden force acts on the damper, the resilient ring deflects and absorbs at least some of the force. The result is less jolting forces transmitted to more sensitive components to the machine or other device.

Description

[0001] Attorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0002] BONDED DAMPING CARRIER

[0003] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 744,843, filed on January 13, 2025, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] FIELD

[0005] The disclosure relates to a damping carrier that joins two components and also provides a damping function to reduce sudden force and shock transmitted from one component to another component.

[0006] BACKGROUND

[0007] The background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the present disclosure, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

[0008] Machines such as vehicles often have moving components that transmit power in various ways. For instance, a vehicle may have an engine that turns a crankshaft to drive auxiliary devices such as an alternator, a water pump, etc. Moreover, the crankshaft can drive a powertrain to propel the vehicle. Components can join these parts of the vehicle and transmit power. Specifically, a belt is typically used to transmit power from the crankshaft to the auxiliary devices. In addition, a transmission with gears, a drive shaft, a differential, etc. are typically used to transmit power from the crankshaft to a wheel. Other components include but are not limited to a cam, a clutch, a chain, a linkage, a sprocket, a sheave, etc.

[0009] One issue with machines and power transmission is unexpected forces imparted onto a system. The components that transmit power are typically rigid to transmit power more efficiently. Gears within a transmission are rigid and have specific shapes to transmit power among other functions. When an unexpected force is imparted on these rigid components, the components can be damaged, fatigued, or otherwise degraded. This reduces performance and longevity of the components and, therefore, reduces the performance and longevity of the overall machine.

[0010] In one example, the machine is a motorcycle, and the components are part of the drivetrain between an engine and a wheel. The wheel may lose contact with the road surface for a brief moment to cause the engine and drivetrain to rotate the wheel at a considerablyAttorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0011] faster speed. Then, as the wheel regains contact with the road surface, the wheel abruptly rotates at a considerably slower speed while the engine and drivetrain are still trying to cause the wheel to rotate at the much faster speed. This unexpected and abrupt force to the drivetrain and engine can cause damage to components or parts of components such as the teeth of a gear in a transmission. As noted above, many components are rigid and typically made from metal to more efficiently transmit power. This aspect of the components also makes the components more susceptible to jolting forces.

[0012] Some components have features that help protect the component against sudden forces. For example, some alternators have decouplers which allow the alternator to continue to spin even when the belt that powers the alternator slows or stops. However, these features are not always possible in all contexts. Moreover, components must often fit within small spaces that inhibit the implementation of features that help protect components.

[0013] SUMMARY

[0014] Embodiments of the present disclosure address these and other shortcomings of the prior art and help protect components against sudden forces. In particular, the damping carrier of the present disclosure provides a resilient ring between an input component and an output component. The damping carrier provides sufficient rigidity to transmit power and torque while also providing a measure of pliability and deflection in the event of a sudden force to reduce damage or fatigue to components and to improve the performance and longevity of the components and the overall machine.

[0015] It is one aspect of the present disclosure to provide a damping carrier with input and output components, each having tabs to engage a resilient ring to transmit power while reducing the negative effects of sudden forces. In some embodiments, the input and output components are plates, and tabs are punched out of a body of each plate. The input plate can be positioned on one side of the resilient ring with tabs extending into the resilient ring, and the output plate can be positioned on the opposing side of the resilient ring with tabs extending into the resilient ring. The tabs of the input plate transmit power to the resilient ring, and the tabs of the output plate receive power from the resilient ring. The resilient ring is more pliable than either of the plates to reduce the negative effects of sudden forces.

[0016] It is another aspect of the present disclosure to provide a damping carrier with tabs that are arranged in such a way to transmit forces over larger surface areas and reduce the concentration of forces to improve the performance and longevity of the damping carrier. In one respect, the tabs of the input plate and the tabs of the output plate are arranged in anAttorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0017] opposing relationship in the rotational direction. Stated differently, the tabs for each plate may have a proximal portion that extends in a rotational direction and a distal portion that extends in an axial direction. In this sense, the proximal portions of the input tabs extend in a first rotational direction and the proximal portions of the output tabs extend in an opposing rotational direction. As a result, power is transmitted from the input plate to the resilient ring across a larger area of the distal portions of the input tabs, including a larger thickness dimension in the axial direction than the mere thickness of the body of the input plate. Similarly, the power is received from the resilient ring across a larger area of the distal portions of the output tabs, including a larger thickness dimension in the axial direction than the mere thickness of the body of the output plate.

[0018] Relatedly, the tabs of the input and output plates can be arranged to keep the overall damping carrier compact in the axial direction to help the damping carrier deliver the benefits described herein while maintaining a small form factor. In various embodiments, the distal portions of the input tabs extend in a first axial direction, and the distal portions of the output tabs extend in an opposing second axial direction. Thus, the distal portions of the input and output tabs overlap across the resilient ring, and the overall damping carrier remains compact in the axial direction.

[0019] It is a further aspect of the present disclosure to provide a damping carrier with tabs that reduce the concentration of forces. As noted herein, in some embodiments, the tabs are stamped or otherwise formed out of the body of a plate, leaving a recess in the plate. The relationship between the tab and the recess can reduce the concentration of forces. For instance, the proximal portion of a tab can be offset, in a radial direction, from part of the body that defines the recess. This allows the body to transition to the proximal portion at a curve or radius to reduce the concentration of forces. Similarly, the distal portion of a tab can be offset from this curve or radius in a rotational direction to further distribute forces. This arrangement reduces fatigue on components and the overall damping carrier.

[0020] A first aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a damper, comprising a resilient ring having a plurality of input slots and having a plurality of output slots; an input plate having a body oriented in a first plane, wherein the input plate has a plurality of input tabs at least partially extending out of the first plane, and wherein each input tab of the plurality of input tabs is configured to extend into a respective input slot of the plurality of input slots; and an output plate having a body oriented in a second plane, wherein the output plate has a plurality of output tabs at least partially extending out of the second plane, and whereinAttorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0021] each output tab of the plurality of output tabs is configured to extend into a respective output slot of the plurality of output slots.

[0022] The damper of the first aspect may include, optionally, that the first plane and the second plane are parallel to each other.

[0023] The damper of the first aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that the plurality of input slots extend into an inner surface of the resilient ring, and the plurality of output slots extend into the inner surface of the resilient ring; and wherein the plurality of input slots extend into the inner surface by a first distance, and the plurality of output slots extend into the inner surface by a second distance, wherein the first distance is equal to the second distance.

[0024] The damper of the first aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that an input slot of the plurality of input slots is positioned between a first output slot and a second output slot of the plurality of output slots, wherein the input slot has a first offset from the first output slot and has a second offset from the second output slot.

[0025] The damper of the first aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that the first offset is different than the second offset.

[0026] The damper of the first aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that the resilient ring is made of an elastomeric material.

[0027] The damper of the first aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, a plurality of recesses extending into the input plate, wherein each input tab of the plurality of input tabs extends into a respective recess of the plurality of recesses, and wherein each input tab transitions to a part of the body of the input plate that defines the respective recess at a radiused end to reduce a concentration of forces; and wherein a distal portion of each input tab is offset from the respective radiused end in a rotational direction by a rotational offset, and a proximal portion of each input tab is offset from the part of the body that defines the respective recess in a radial direction by a radial offset.

[0028] A second aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a damper, comprising a resilient ring having a plurality of slots; a plate having a body oriented in a plane, wherein the plate has a plurality of tabs and each tab has a proximal portion oriented in the plane and has a distal portion extending out of the plane, and wherein the distal portion of each tab of the plurality of tabs is configured to extend into a respective slot of the plurality of slots; and a plurality of recesses extending into the plate, wherein each tab of the plurality of tabsAttorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0029] extends into a respective recess of the plurality of recesses, and wherein each tab transitions to a part of the body that defines the respective recess at a radiused end to reduce a concentration of forces.

[0030] The damper of the second aspect may include, optionally, that the plurality of recesses extend into an inner surface of the body of the plate.

[0031] The damper of the second aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that the distal portion of each tab is offset from the respective radiused end in a rotational direction by a rotational offset, and the proximal portion of each tab is offset from the part of the body that defines the respective recess in a radial direction by a radial offset.

[0032] The damper of the second aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that a distal end of each tab of the plurality of tabs is oriented perpendicular to the plane.

[0033] The damper of the second aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that a plurality of apertures extend through the body of the plate, and wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures is configured to receive a fastener to join the plate to a component where power is transmitted between the plate and the component.

[0034] The damper of the second aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, a plurality of second slots in the resilient ring; and a second plate having a body oriented in a second plane, wherein the second plate has a plurality of second tabs configured to extend into respective second slots of the plurality of second slots.

[0035] The damper of the second aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that the resilient ring is a continuous structure about a rotational direction.

[0036] A third aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a damper, comprising a resilient ring having a plurality of input slots and having a plurality of output slots; an input plate positioned against one side of the resilient ring, wherein the input plate has a plurality of input tabs at least partially extending into respective input slots of the plurality of input slots in a first axial direction; and an output plate positioned against an opposing side of the resilient ring, wherein the output plate has a plurality of output tabs at least partially extending into respective output slots of the plurality of output slots in a second axial direction that is opposite the first axial direction.Attorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0037] The damper of the third aspect may include, optionally, that each input tab of the plurality of input tabs has a proximal portion oriented in a first plane and has a distal portion that extends out of the first plane and into the respective input slot, wherein the proximal portion extends in a first rotational direction; and wherein each output tab of the plurality of output tabs has a proximal portion oriented in a second plane and has a distal portion that extends out of the second plane and into respective output slot, wherein the proximal portion extends in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction such that power is transmitted from the plurality of input tabs, through the resilient ring, and to the plurality of output tabs.

[0038] The damper of the third aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that the proximal portion and the distal portion of each input tab are joined at a radiused transition, and wherein the proximal portion and the distal portion of each output tab are joined at a radiused transition.

[0039] The damper of the third aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that the plurality of input tabs are positioned at an inner surface of the input plate, and the plurality of output tabs are positioned at an outer surface of the output plate.

[0040] The damper of the third aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that the resilient ring has a Young’s Modulus that is lower than a Young’s Modulus of the input plate and lower than a Young’s Modulus of the output plate.

[0041] The damper of the third aspect may include one or more of the previous embodiments and, optionally, that the plurality of input tabs is configured to contact the output plate, and the plurality of output tabs is configured to contact the input plate.

[0042] The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and / or”, as used herein, are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” and “A, B, and / or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together.

[0043] Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities, dimensions, conditions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about” or “approximately”. As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the terms “about,” “approximately,” etc., when used in relation toAttorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0044] numerical limitations or ranges, mean that the recited limitation or range may vary by up to 10%. By way of non-limiting example, “about 750” can mean as little as 675 or as much as 825, or any value therebetween. When used in relation to ratios or relationships between two or more numerical limitations or ranges, the terms “about,” “approximately,” etc. mean that each of the limitations or ranges may vary by up to 10%; by way of non-limiting example, a statement that two quantities are “approximately equal” can mean that a ratio between the two quantities is as little as 0.9: 1.1 or as much as 1.1:0.9 (or any value therebetween), and a statement that a four-way ratio is “about 5:3: 1:1” can mean that the first number in the ratio can be any value of at least 4.5 and no more than 5.5, the second number in the ratio can be any value of at least 2.7 and no more than 3.3, and so on.

[0045] The use of “substantially” in the present disclosure, when referring to a measurable quantity (e.g., a diameter or other distance) and used for purposes of comparison, is intended to mean within 5% of the comparative quantity. The terms “substantially similar to,” “substantially the same as,” and “substantially equal to,” as used herein, should be interpreted as if explicitly reciting and encompassing the special case in which the items of comparison are “similar to,” “the same as” and “equal to,” respectively.

[0046] The term “a” or “an” entity, as used herein, refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein.

[0047] The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Accordingly, the terms “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof can be used interchangeably herein. The use of “engaged with” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass any direct or indirect connections between components.

[0048] It shall be understood that the term “means” as used herein shall be given its broadest possible interpretation in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Accordingly, a claim incorporating the term “means” shall cover all structures, materials, or acts set forth herein, and all of the equivalents thereof. Further, the structures, materials, or acts and the equivalents thereof shall include all those described in the Summary, Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description, Abstract, and claims themselves. Moreover, any Appendixes enclosed herein are incorporated herein in their entireties.

[0049] These and other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure of the invention(s) contained herein. The above-described embodiments, objectives, and configurations areAttorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0050] neither complete nor exhaustive. The Summary is neither intended nor should it be construed as being representative of the full extent and scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, references made herein to “the present disclosure” or aspects thereof should be understood to mean certain embodiments of the present disclosure and should not necessarily be construed as limiting all embodiments to a particular description. The present disclosure is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary as well as in the attached drawings and the Detailed Description and no limitation as to the scope of the present disclosure is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary. Additional aspects of the present disclosure will become more readily apparent from the Detailed Description, particularly when taken together with the drawings.

[0051] It is to be appreciated that any feature or aspect described herein can be claimed in combination with any other feature(s) or aspect(s) as described herein, regardless of whether the features or aspects come from the same described embodiment.

[0052] Any one or more aspects described herein can be combined with any other one or more aspects described herein. Any one or more features described herein can be combined with any other one or more features described herein. Any one or more embodiments described herein can be combined with any other one or more embodiments described herein.

[0053] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] Those of skill in the art will recognize that the following description is merely illustrative of the principles of the disclosure, which may be applied in various ways to provide many different alternative embodiments. This description is made for illustrating the general principles of the teachings of this disclosure and is not meant to limit the inventive concepts disclosed herein.

[0055] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the general description of the disclosure given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

[0056] Fig. 1 is a perspective, exploded view of a damper in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0057] Fig. 2A is a perspective view of an input plate of the damper in Fig. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;Attorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0058] Fig. 2B is an elevation view of the input plate in Fig. 2A in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0059] Fig. 2C is a further elevation view of the input plate in Fig. 2A in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0060] Fig. 3 A is a perspective view of a resilient ring of the damper in Fig. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0061] Fig. 3B is an elevation view of the resilient ring in Fig. 3A in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0062] Fig. 4A is a perspective view of an output plate of the damper in Fig. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0063] Fig. 4B is an elevation view of the output plate in Fig. 4A in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0064] Fig. 4C is a further elevation view of the output plate in Fig. 4A in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0065] Fig. 5A is a perspective view of an assembled damper in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0066] Fig. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the damper in Fig. 5A taken along line B-B in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0067] Fig. 6A is a perspective view of a damper and a gear in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0068] Fig. 6B is a further perspective view of the damper and the gear in Fig. 6A in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0069] It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and various dimensions may be altered. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the disclosure or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. It is noted that any line in the drawings may be illustrated as solid or broken lines, including any section or length of each individual line, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that recitation of, for example, reference character 116, 116A, 116B, etc. may apply to any combination of reference characters 116, 116A, 116B, etc.

[0070] 2 Damper

[0071] 4 Input PlateAttorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0072] 6 Resilient Ring

[0073] 8 Output Plate

[0074] 9a First Rotational Direction

[0075] 9b Second Rotational Direction

[0076] 10 Fastener

[0077] 12 Axis

[0078] 14 Axial Direction

[0079] 16 Radial Direction

[0080] 18 Body (Input Plate)

[0081] 19a Inner Surface (Body, Input Plate) 19b Outer Surface (Body, Input Plate) 20a, 20b Tab (Input Plate)

[0082] 20c, 20d Tab (Input Plate)

[0083] 20e, 20f Tab (Input Plate)

[0084] 22a, 22b Recess (Input Plate)

[0085] 22c, 22d Recess (Input Plate)

[0086] 22e, 22f Recess (Input Plate)

[0087] 24a, 24b Aperture (Input Plate)

[0088] 24c, 24d Aperture (Input Plate)

[0089] 24e, 24f Aperture (Input Plate)

[0090] 26 Proximal Portion

[0091] 28 Distal Portion

[0092] 30 Offset (Radial)

[0093] 32 Offset (Rotational)

[0094] 34 Radiused End

[0095] 36 Thickness (Resilient Ring)

[0096] 37a Inner Surface (Resilient Ring) 37b Outer Surface (Resilient Ring) 38a, 38b Input Slot

[0097] 38c, 38d Input Slot

[0098] 38e, 38f Input Slot

[0099] 40a, 40b Output Slot

[0100] 40c, 40d Output SlotAttorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0101] 40e, 40f Output Slot

[0102] 41a First Offset (Slots)

[0103] 41b Second Offset (Slots)

[0104] 42a, 42b Tab (Output Plate)

[0105] 42c, 42d Tab (Output Plate)

[0106] 42e, 42f Tab (Output Plate)

[0107] 44 Body (Output Plate)

[0108] 46a, 46b Recess (Output Plate)

[0109] 46c, 46d Recess (Output Plate)

[0110] 46e, 46f Recess (Output Plate)

[0111] 48a, 48b Aperture (Output Plate)

[0112] 48c, 48d Aperture (Output Plate)

[0113] 48e Aperture (Output Plate)

[0114] 50 Proximal Portion

[0115] 52 Distal Portion

[0116] 54 Offset (Radial)

[0117] 56 Offset (Rotational)

[0118] 58 Radiused End

[0119] 60 Input Component

[0120] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0121] Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legal scope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this disclosure. The Detailed Description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment of the damper would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims. Additionally, any combination of features shown in the various figures can be used to create additional embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, dimensions, aspects, and features of one embodiment of the damper can be combined with dimensions, aspects, and features of another embodiment of the damper to create the claimed embodiment.Attorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0122] Fig. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a damper 2 that comprises an input plate 4, a resilient ring 6, and an output plate 8. Depicted fasteners 10 can secure the input plate 4 to another component. The input plate 4 receives power in a first rotational direction 9a, and the input plate 4 transmits this power through the resilient ring 6 and to the output plate 8. Then, the output plate 8 can transmit the power to further components to serve an ultimate purpose or benefit such as rotating the wheel of a vehicle. Having the resilient ring 6 as part of the transmission of power helps absorb sudden forces as described herein. An opposing second rotational direction 9b is also depicted in Fig. 1.

[0123] The components 4, 6, 8 are oriented in a radial direction 16, which is perpendicular to an axial direction 14. Stated differently, each of the input plate 4, the resilient ring 6, and the output plate 8 are aligned in respective planes that each extend in the radial direction 16. The components 4, 6, 8 are centered on and rotatable about an axis 12 that extends in the axial direction 14. Though the embodiment depicted in the figures shows plates 4, 8 as the input and output components, it will be appreciated that the present disclosure encompasses a variety of input and output components.

[0124] The resilient ring 6 has different material properties than either of the input plate 4 or the output plate 8. Specifically, the resilient ring 6 is more pliable than the plates 4, 8 to better absorb sudden forces. Thus, the resilient ring 6 can be described as having a lower Young’s Modulus than either of the input plate 4 or the output plate 8. The resilient ring 6 can be made from, for example, an elastomeric material. In some embodiments, the resilient ring 6 is made from a microcellular polyurethane elastomer.

[0125] Figs. 2A-2C show various views of an input plate 4 of a damper (2 in Fig. 1). Specifically, Fig. 2A is a perspective view of the input plate 4, Fig. 2B is a side elevation view of the input plate 4, and Fig. 2C is a detailed view of the input plate 4. The input plate 4 has a body 18 with a planar shape that is oriented in a plane that extends in the radial direction 16. The body 18 extends from an inner surface 19a to an outer surface 19b along the radial direction 16. As described herein, the input plate 4 can receive power from another component, and fasteners (10 in Fig. 1) can extend through apertures 24a-24f in the body 18 of the input plate 4 to secure the input plate 4 to the other component.

[0126] Next, tabs 20a-20f are punched out of the body 18 and out of the plane of the body 18 such that the tabs 20a-20f extend at least partially out of the plane in the axial direction 14 as shown in Fig. 2B. These tabs 20a-20f transmit power to the resilient ring (6 in Fig. 1) as described further herein. The punching of the tabs 20a-20f creates corresponding recessesAttorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0127] 22a-22f that extend into the inner surface 19a of the body 18 of the input plate 4. This process orients parts of the tabs 20a-20f at a right angle or 90° from the body 18 of the input plate 4. In various embodiments, parts of the tabs 20a-20f are oriented at a different angle to preload the tabs 20a-20f and / or better secure the tabs into the resilient ring. While punching is described, it will be appreciated that the present disclosure encompasses any kind of manufacturing process to create the tabs 20a-20f such as milling, forging, etc. Further, while six tabs 20a-20f are described, it will be appreciated that embodiments of the present disclosure encompass any number of tabs.

[0128] Referring to Fig. 2C, the tab 20a has multiple components and forms a particular relationship with the recess 22a to transmit power while preventing cracking in the input plate 4. The tab 20a comprises a proximal portion 26 and a distal portion 28 where the proximal portion 26 remains in plane with the body 18 of the input plate 4, and the distal portion 28 extends out of plane in the axial direction (14 in Figs. 2A and 2B). Further, the tab 20a, in particular the proximal portion 26, extends away from the body 18 in a first rotational direction 9a. With this arrangement, power is transmitted across a larger surface area of the distal portion 28 to the resilient ring (6 in Fig. 1), and thus, the concentration of forces on any specific point or area of the input plate 4 is reduced.

[0129] To further prevent the concentration of forces, the distal portion 28 is offset 30 in the radial direction 16 from an edge of the body 18 that defines the recess 22a. Thus, the transition from the recess 22a to the tab 20a can be a radiused end 34 rather than a sharp corner or other transition that would concentrate forces and lead to cracking. Moreover, the distal portion 28 is offset 32 from the radiused end 34 in the rotational direction to space forces at the distal portion 28 from the radiused end 34. This relationship allows the input plate 4 to transmit substantial forces while retaining a compact shape, in particular in the axial direction (14 in Figs. 2A and 2B), and avoiding the concentration of forces.

[0130] Figs. 3 A and 3B show a perspective view and a side elevation view, respectively, of a resilient ring 6 that extends from an inner surface 37a to an outer surface 37b. The resilient ring 6 can have a thickness 36 dimension in the axial direction 14 that is approximately equal to the distance the tab (e.g., 20a in Figs. 2A-2C) extends in the axial direction 14 such that power transmitted through the distal portion (28 in Fig. 2C) of the tab (22a in Fig. 2C) is transmitted across as much area of the distal portion (28 in Fig. 2C) as possible.

[0131] As shown in Fig. 3B, input slots 38a-38f extend into the inner surface 37a of the resilient ring 6, and the input slots 38a-38f receive corresponding tabs (20a-20f in Figs. 2A-Attorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0132] 2C) of the input plate (4 in Figs. 2A-2C). Output slots 40a-40f also extend into the inner surface 37a of the resilient ring 6, and the output slots 40a-40f receive correspond tabs (42a-42f in Figs. 4A-4C) of the output plate (8 in Figs. 4A-4C). The input slots 38a-38f and the output slots 40a-40f are offset from each other by a predetermined distance. Specifically, the first input slot 38a is a first offset 41a from a first output slot 40a in the first rotational direction 9a, and the first input slot 38a is a second offset 41b from a final output slot 40f in the second rotational direction 9b. In this sense, a given input slot is offset from an adjacent output slot in the first rotational direction 9a by a first offset 41a and is offset from another adjacent output slot in the second rotational direction 9b by a second offset 41b.

[0133] These offsets 41a, 41b can be equal in some embodiments and can be different in other embodiments, depending on the desired performance characteristics of the system. With power transmitted to the input slots 38a-38f in the first rotational direction 9a, a smaller first offset 41a means that power is transmitted through a smaller volume of material of the resilient ring 6. This produces a “stiffer” response to sudden forces as there is less material of the resilient ring 6 to compress in response. A larger first offset 41a will provide a “softer” response to sudden forces as there is more material of the resilient ring 6 to compress in response. It will be appreciated that while the resilient ring 6 is depicted as a continuous structure, the present disclosure encompasses embodiments where the resilient ring 6 is comprised of multiple components, which are not individually a ring.

[0134] Figs. 4A-4C show various views of an output plate 8 of a damper (2 in Fig. 1). Specifically, Fig. 4A is a perspective view of the output plate 8, Fig. 4B is a side elevation view of the output plate 8, and Fig. 4C is a detailed view of the output plate 8. The output plate 8 has a body 44 with a planar shape that is oriented in the radial direction 16. The body 44 extends from an inner surface 45a to an outer surface 45b along the radial direction 16. As described herein, the output plate 8 can transmit power to another component, and fasteners can extend through apertures 48a-48e in the body 44 of the output plate 8 to secure the output plate 8 to the other component.

[0135] Next, tabs 42a-42f are punched out of the body 44 and out of the plane of the body 44 such that the tabs 42a-42f extend at least partially in a direction opposite the axial direction 14 as shown in Fig. 4B. These tabs 42a-42f receive power from the resilient ring (6 in Fig. 1) as described further herein. The punching of the tabs 42a-42f creates corresponding recesses 46a-46f that extend into the inner surface 45a of the body 44 of the output plate 8. This process orients parts of the tabs 42a-42f at a right angle or 90° from theAttorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0136] body 44 of the output plate 8. In various embodiments, parts of the tabs 42a-42f are oriented at a different angle to preload the tabs 42a-42f and / or better secure the tabs into the resilient ring. While punching is described, it will be appreciated that the present disclosure encompasses any kind of manufacturing process to create the tabs 42a-42f such as milling, forging, etc. Further, while six tabs 42a-42f are described, it will be appreciated that embodiments of the present disclosure encompass any number of tabs.

[0137] Referring to Fig. 4C, the tab 42a has multiple components and forms a particular relationship with the recess 46a to receive power while preventing cracking in the output plate 8. The tab 42a comprises a proximal portion 50 and a distal portion 52 where the proximal portion 50 remains in plane with the body 44 of the output plate 8, and the distal portion 52 extends out of plane in a direction opposite the axial direction (14 in Figs. 4A and 4B). This orientation of the distal portion 52 provides an increased surface area to receive power from the resilient ring (6 in Fig. 1), and thus, reduce the concentration of forces on any specific point or area of the output plate 8.

[0138] To further prevent the concentration of forces, the distal portion 52 is offset 54 in the radial direction 16 from the outer edge of the recess 46a. Thus, the transition from the recess 46a to the tab 42a can be a radiused end 58 rather than a sharp corner or other transition that would concentration forces. Moreover, the distal portion 52 is offset 56 from the radiused end 58 in the rotational direction to space forces at the distal portion 52 from the radiused end 58. This relationship allows the output plate 8 to receive substantial forces while retaining a compact shape, in particular along the axis (12 in Fig. 1), and avoiding the concentration of forces.

[0139] Fig. 5A is a perspective view of an assembled damper 2, and Fig. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the assembled damper 2 taken along line B-B in Fig. 5A. As described herein, the damper 2 has an input plate 4, a resilient ring 6, and an output plate 8. As shown in Fig. 5B, the input plate 4 has a tab 20a that extends into the resilient ring 6 in an axial direction 14, and the output plate 8 also has a tab 42a that extends into the resilient ring 6 in a direction opposite the axial direction 14. Stated differently, the tabs of the input plate 4 extend in a first direction along an axis 12, and the tabs of the output plate 8 extend in an opposing second direction along the axis 12.

[0140] Figs. 6A and 6B are perspective views of a damper 2 joined to an input component 60. As shown, the input plate 4 of the damper 2 is secured to the input component 60 with fasteners 10. Then, the resilient ring 6 and the output plate 8 are joined to the input plate 4.Attorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT

[0141] Though not shown, an output component can be joined to the output plate 8 with fasteners as well.

[0142] While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure, as set forth in the following claims. Further, the invention(s) described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Claims

Attorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCTCLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A damper, comprising:a resilient ring having a plurality of input slots and having a plurality of output slots;an input plate having a body oriented in a first plane, wherein the input plate has a plurality of input tabs at least partially extending out of the first plane, and wherein each input tab of the plurality of input tabs is configured to extend into a respective input slot of the plurality of input slots; andan output plate having a body oriented in a second plane, wherein the output plate has a plurality of output tabs at least partially extending out of the second plane, and wherein each output tab of the plurality of output tabs is configured to extend into a respective output slot of the plurality of output slots.

2. The damper of claim 1, wherein the first plane and the second plane are parallel to each other.

3. The damper of claim 1, wherein the plurality of input slots extend into an inner surface of the resilient ring, and the plurality of output slots extend into the inner surface of the resilient ring; andwherein the plurality of input slots extend into the inner surface by a first distance, and the plurality of output slots extend into the inner surface by a second distance, wherein the first distance is equal to the second distance.

4. The damper of claim 1, wherein an input slot of the plurality of input slots is positioned between a first output slot and a second output slot of the plurality of output slots, wherein the input slot has a first offset from the first output slot and has a second offset from the second output slot.

5. The damper of claim 4, wherein the first offset is different than the second offset.

6. The damper of claim 1, wherein the resilient ring is made of an elastomeric material.

7. The damper of claim 1, further comprising:a plurality of recesses extending into the input plate, wherein each input tab of the plurality of input tabs extends into a respective recess of the plurality of recesses, andAttorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCTwherein each input tab transitions to a part of the body of the input plate that defines the respective recess at a radiused end to reduce a concentration of forces; andwherein a distal portion of each input tab is offset from the respective radiused end in a rotational direction by a rotational offset, and a proximal portion of each input tab is offset from the part of the body that defines the respective recess in a radial direction by a radial offset.

8. A damper, comprising:a resilient ring having a plurality of slots;a plate having a body oriented in a plane, wherein the plate has a plurality of tabs and each tab has a proximal portion oriented in the plane and has a distal portion extending out of the plane, and wherein the distal portion of each tab of the plurality of tabs is configured to extend into a respective slot of the plurality of slots; anda plurality of recesses extending into the plate, wherein each tab of the plurality of tabs extends into a respective recess of the plurality of recesses, and wherein each tab transitions to a part of the body that defines the respective recess at a radiused end to reduce a concentration of forces.

9. The damper of claim 8, wherein the plurality of recesses extend into an inner surface of the body of the plate.

10. The damper of claim 8, wherein the distal portion of each tab is offset from the respective radiused end in a rotational direction by a rotational offset, and the proximal portion of each tab is offset from the part of the body that defines the respective recess in a radial direction by a radial offset.

11. The damper of claim 8, wherein a distal end of each tab of the plurality of tabs is oriented perpendicular to the plane.

12. The damper of claim 8, wherein a plurality of apertures extend through the body of the plate, and wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures is configured to receive a fastener to join the plate to a component where power is transmitted between the plate and the component.

13. The damper of claim 8, further comprising:a plurality of second slots in the resilient ring; anda second plate having a body oriented in a second plane, wherein the second plate has a plurality of second tabs configured to extend into respective second slots of the plurality of second slots.Attorney Docket No. 11042-13-PCT14. The damper of claim 8, wherein the resilient ring is a continuous structure about a rotational direction.

15. A damper, comprising:a resilient ring having a plurality of input slots and having a plurality of output slots;an input plate positioned against one side of the resilient ring, wherein the input plate has a plurality of input tabs at least partially extending into respective input slots of the plurality of input slots in a first axial direction; andan output plate positioned against an opposing side of the resilient ring, wherein the output plate has a plurality of output tabs at least partially extending into respective output slots of the plurality of output slots in a second axial direction that is opposite the first axial direction.

16. The damper of claim 15, wherein each input tab of the plurality of input tabs has a proximal portion oriented in a first plane and has a distal portion that extends out of the first plane and into the respective input slot, wherein the proximal portion extends in a first rotational direction; andwherein each output tab of the plurality of output tabs has a proximal portion oriented in a second plane and has a distal portion that extends out of the second plane and into respective output slot, wherein the proximal portion extends in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction such that power is transmitted from the plurality of input tabs, through the resilient ring, and to the plurality of output tabs.

17. The damper of claim 16, wherein the proximal portion and the distal portion of each input tab are joined at a radiused transition, and wherein the proximal portion and the distal portion of each output tab are joined at a radiused transition.

18. The damper of claim 15, wherein the plurality of input tabs are positioned at an inner surface of the input plate, and the plurality of output tabs are positioned at an outer surface of the output plate.

19. The damper of claim 15, wherein the resilient ring has a Young’s Modulus that is lower than a Young’s Modulus of the input plate and lower than a Young’s Modulus of the output plate.

20. The damper of claim 15, wherein the plurality of input tabs is configured to contact the output plate, and the plurality of output tabs is configured to contact the input plate.

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