Series Spring Torque Coupling With Direct Contact Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Torque transmission devices of the LTD type suffer from significant wear at the ends of the springs due to friction, and adding supporting seats increases stiffness and reduces damping performance, while removing them increases space efficiency but compromises damping quality.
Innovation Solution
A torque transmission device with helical steel springs and a metal torque transfer element that directly contacts the springs, eliminating intermediate supporting seats to reduce friction and dynamic hysteresis, thereby enhancing damping performance and minimizing wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If supporting seats are fitted at the ends of each spring, then wear at the spring ends is reduced, but circumferential space is increased and spring length is reduced leading to greater stiffness and poorer damping performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the supporting seats from the spring ends, extracting the harmful intermediate element that caused both wear and space consumption. The springs directly contact the torque transfer element, eliminating the seat component entirely while maintaining wear resistance through direct metal-to-metal contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The torque transfer element is segmented into multiple contact surfaces that directly engage with the spring ends. This segmentation allows for distributed contact points that reduce wear while maintaining compact dimensions, as the load is spread across multiple surfaces rather than concentrated at single seat interfaces.
2Force
If supporting seats are fitted at the ends of each spring, then torque transfer is improved, but spring length is reduced leading to greater stiffness and reduced damping performance
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the supporting seats, the springs can maintain their full length and optimal damping characteristics. The torque transfer function is achieved directly through the spring ends contacting the torque transfer element, eliminating the need for intermediate seats that would otherwise constrain spring length and increase stiffness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters and contact geometry between the springs and torque transfer element. Using metal-to-metal direct contact with optimized surface properties enables effective torque transfer without requiring the supporting seats, thereby preserving spring length and damping performance while achieving sufficient torque transfer capability.
3Force
If supporting seats are fitted at the ends of each spring, then torque transfer in both directions is achieved, but circumferential space is increased at the expense of spring size
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting seats are completely removed from the system. Instead, the torque transfer element is designed with direct contact surfaces that engage the spring ends, enabling bidirectional torque transfer without the space-consuming intermediate seats. This allows springs to maintain their full size and optimal dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a multi-component radial arrangement (springs-seats-torque transfer element) to a more direct dimensional arrangement where springs contact the torque transfer element directly. This dimensional reorganization eliminates the circumferential space required for seats while preserving bidirectional torque transfer capability through optimized contact geometry.
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
The solution achieves high-performance damping while minimizing spring wear and maintaining space efficiency by using a metal torque transfer element that directly contacts the springs, improving both damping quality and reducing the angular travel limitations.
Implementation Method 1
a first spring which is arranged between the first element and the third element so as to be compressed elastically upon relative rotation between the first element and the third element
Implementation Method 2
eliminating intermediate supporting seats to reduce friction and dynamic hysteresis
Implementation Method 3
eliminating intermediate supporting seats to reduce friction and dynamic hysteresis
Data Source
AI summary
A torque transmission device includes a first element, a second element, and a third element which are able to rotate about an axis of rotation; a first spring which is arranged between the first element and the third element; a second spring which is arranged between the second element and the third element; a first supporting seat positioned at a first end of the first spring; and a second supporting seat positioned at a first end of the second spring. The third element includes a torque transfer element directly transferring torque between the first spring and the second spring.