Pendulum Damping Device Gravity Compensation via Rolling Track Geometry

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pendular damping devices in motor vehicle transmission systems are sensitive to gravity, leading to undesired displacements and reduced filtering performance, and existing solutions like adding springs are costly, complex, and require additional housing, with maintenance challenges.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating elastically deformable washers on rolling members that rub against the support, allowing for controlled friction to attenuate gravity-induced displacements, with varying chamfered faces to adjust frictional force and minimize impact on filtering performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If springs are inserted between pendulum bodies to counteract gravity, then gravity resistance is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to additional housings and fixing means

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegravity resistanceVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the gravity counteraction function from the complex spring system and implements it through the geometric configuration of the rolling tracks themselves. The rolling tracks are designed with specific shapes that naturally provide the necessary force components to counteract gravity on pendulum bodies during rotational movement, eliminating the need for separate spring elements and their associated housings and fixing means.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the rolling tracks to achieve gravity compensation. By carefully designing the curvature and orientation of the rolling tracks, the system transforms the gravitational force into useful motion control, allowing pendulum bodies to resist gravity effects without additional mechanical components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Force

If springs are inserted to counteract gravity, then gravity resistance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to additional housing and fixing means

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegravity resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the need for separate spring components, housings, and fixing means by integrating the gravity counteraction function directly into the rolling track geometry. This consolidation reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured and assembled, thereby lowering manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the gravity compensation function with the existing rolling track structure. The rolling tracks serve dual purposes: guiding the motion of pendulum bodies and providing the necessary force components to counteract gravity, thereby eliminating the need for separate spring assemblies and reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Force

If springs are inserted to counteract gravity, then gravity resistance is improved, but reliability decreases due to maintenance requirements and characteristic degradation over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegravity resistanceVSAvoidmaintenance requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the gravity counteraction function from maintenance-prone spring elements and implements it through the rigid, wear-resistant geometry of the rolling tracks. This geometric solution does not degrade over time like spring characteristics and requires no maintenance, thereby improving system reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the springs, which have limited service life and require maintenance, with a durable geometric configuration of rolling tracks that is designed to last the lifetime of the device without degradation of performance or maintenance requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Force

If open cutouts are provided in the support for spring insertion, then gravity resistance is improved, but the travel of pendular bodies is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegravity resistanceVSAvoidpendulum travel
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the need for open cutouts in the support structure by integrating the gravity counteraction function into the rolling track geometry. This eliminates the spatial constraints that would limit pendulum body travel, allowing for greater range of motion without compromising gravity resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

Effectively reduces the influence of gravity on pendular bodies, maintaining filtering performance while simplifying design and reducing costs by eliminating the need for additional housing and complex spring systems, with improved maintenance characteristics.

Implementation Method 1

The friction against the support of the rolling member makes it possible to slow down the movement of this rolling member, and the slowing down of this rolling member can be transmitted to the pendular body, the movement of which is then slowed down. Thus, the displacement of this pendular body under the effect of gravity is attenuated.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

Each rolling member carries at least one elastically deformable portion rubbing against the support during all or part of the movement of this rolling member relative to the support. The elastically deformable portion belongs to a washer mounted on the running gear. The washer is for example of the Belleville type.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3190310B1Pendulum damping device
Publication Date: 2019.10.23 VALEO EMBRAYAGES SAS
  • EP3190310B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3190310B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3190310B1 patent drawingFigure 7~11

AI summary

Pendulum damping device (1), comprising: - a support (2) capable of moving in rotation around an axis (X), - at least one pendulum body (3) movable relative to the support (2), and - at least one rolling member cooperating on the one hand with at least one first rolling track (12) integral with the support (2) and with at least one second rolling track integral (13) with the pendulum body (3), the rolling member (11) carrying at least one elastically deformable portion (36) rubbing against the support (2) during all or part of the movement of this rolling member (11) relative to the support (2), in particular during all the movement of this rolling member (11) relative to the support (2).