Elastic Coupling Lamellar Segmented Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elastic couplings with damping devices for motor vehicle drive trains do not adequately increase damping at maximum relative torsion angles without affecting damping behavior at other torsion angles, and they do not effectively manage damping independently of torque load.
Innovation Solution
The coupling incorporates a floating damping ring divided into individual segments with friction damping at large torsion angles, where the ring segments create a sliding friction contact with the center disk and side disks, and the cross-section of damping chambers is designed to vary to enhance hydraulic damping at large relative angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a floating damping ring is used to provide hydraulic damping, then damping is provided across all torsion angles, but damping cannot be selectively increased at large torsion angles without affecting damping at smaller angles
Solution Approach 1:
The damping ring is divided into multiple independent damping elements (segments) that can be independently controlled. Each segment can engage or disengage from the coupling halves independently, allowing selective activation of damping at specific torsion angles without affecting damping behavior at other angles.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping elements are designed to dynamically change their engagement state based on the torsion angle. At large torsion angles, the damping elements engage to provide friction damping, while at smaller angles, they remain disengaged to minimize damping. This dynamic behavior allows the coupling to adapt its damping characteristics to the operating conditions.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If friction damping is added at large torsion angles by creating contact surfaces between ring segments and coupling halves, then damping is increased at maximum relative torsion, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Friction contact surfaces are created only at specific locations (axial ends of ring segments and corresponding surfaces on coupling halves) rather than throughout the entire damping ring. This localized approach provides the necessary friction damping at large torsion angles while minimizing the additional structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction damping function is merged with the existing hydraulic damping system by using the same damping ring structure. The ring segments serve both as hydraulic damping elements and as friction damping elements, eliminating the need for separate friction damping components and reducing overall structural complexity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If damping medium is used to provide hydraulic damping, then damping is provided continuously, but damping cannot be independently controlled based on torque load
Solution Approach 1:
The damping elements act as intermediaries between the torque load and the damping medium. They sense the torque through the engagement force and selectively activate friction damping based on the torsion angle, which correlates with torque conditions. This allows damping to be controlled independently of the absolute torque magnitude and instead based on the relative torsion angle.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design provides increased damping at large torsion angles while maintaining minimal damping at smaller angles, ensuring effective vibration control without compromising torque transmission, and includes temperature-dependent adjustments to enhance frictional damping.
Implementation Method 1
at least one damping chamber (6) filled with a damping medium and whose volume changes when the coupling halves rotate mutually being arranged in the radially outer region of the interior
Implementation Method 2
the contact between at least one axial end of each ring segment and the center disk or the outer edge of at least one side disk only in the circumferential direction through the damping medium or one of the two coupling halves is in a loaded state of the ring segment
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to an elastic coupling designed such that the contact between at least one axial end of each ring segment (7.1, 7.2, 7.3) and a center disc (3) or the outer edge of at least one of the side discs (1.2, 1.1) is effective only in the state wherein the ring segment is loaded in the circumferential direction by a damping medium or one of the two coupling halves (1, 2), while in the state wherein the ring segment is not loaded in circumferential direction by the damping medium or one of the two coupling halves, a prescribed distance in the radial direction of the coupling is set between the axial end of the ring segment and the center disc and/or the outer edge of at least one of the side discs.