Torque Damper Powertrain Structure for Coaxial Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing powertrain structures with torque dampers face challenges in maintaining coaxial alignment of drive and driven shafts under external forces, leading to stress application and disrupted power transmission.

Innovation Solution

A powertrain structure with a torque damper comprising drive-side and driven-side damper half bodies joined by engagement of outer circumferential end surfaces, featuring a damper spring between them, and splined fitting parts with varying clearance depths to allow relative movement and maintain coaxial alignment, along with axis alignment recesses and projections for rotational alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the drive shaft and driven shaft are pivotally supported by separate support cases, then the structure is easier to manufacture and assemble, but the center axes of the shafts become difficult to keep coaxial under external forces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidcoaxial alignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure is divided into a monolithic support case that integrates multiple support functions into a single rigid body, eliminating the need for separate support cases while maintaining manufacturing ease through modular design of the half bodies

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drive-side and driven-side support functions are merged into a single monolithic support case, ensuring rigid positional relationships between support points and maintaining coaxial alignment of shaft axes under external loads

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Power

If the front cover is subjected to external forces, then the power transmission function is maintained, but the cover distorts and deteriorates the coaxial disposition of the shaft axes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower transmissionVSAvoidcoaxial disposition stability

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The monolithic support case is designed with sufficient rigidity and structural strength beforehand to resist external forces without distorting, thereby preventing deterioration of coaxial alignment while maintaining power transmission through the supported shafts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The support case is constructed as a monolithic rigid structure with optimized material properties and structural design to withstand external forces without deformation, ensuring stable coaxial disposition of shaft axes under load conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If the damper half bodies are rigidly joined, then the torque transmission efficiency is improved, but the ability to absorb misalignment stress and allow relative movement is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetorque transmission efficiencyVSAvoidadaptability to misalignment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The fitting parts are designed with selective clearance characteristics that allow dynamic adjustment and relative movement between damper half bodies and shafts, enabling the system to adapt to misalignment while maintaining reliable torque transmission through controlled flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Different fitting parts are designed with different clearance characteristics - the drive-side fitting part has negligible clearance for high torque transmission reliability, while the driven-side fitting part has appreciable clearance to absorb misalignment stress and allow relative movement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 configuration absorbs non-rotational stress and maintains smooth power transmission even with misalignment or distortion, ensuring effective torque transmission and reducing noise and size while allowing for relative movement and alignment.

Implementation Method 1

a damper spring interposed between the damper half bodies such that the damper spring straddles both a drive-side spring recess and a driven-side spring recess

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10024384B2Powertrain structure including torque damper disposed between drive and driven shafts

Publication Date: 2018.07.17 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A powertrain structure includes a drive shaft and a driven shaft disposed coaxially, with end surfaces opposed to each other, and a torque damper interposed between the shafts and having half bodies fitted to a shaft end parts of the drive and driven shafts, with the half bodies joined together by engagement of opposed, outer circumferential end surfaces thereof and a damper spring interposed therebetween such that it straddles drive-side and driven-side spring recesses respectively formed in the opposed surfaces of the half bodies. One of two fitting parts provided between the half bodies and the respective shafts has a smaller clearance and the other has an larger clearance in the radial direction of the shafts.