Patent Application

App. No. 12/082,442

Abstract

Claims (34)

1 . A damper for tuning torsional and bending vibrations of an engine crankshaft, the damper comprising:

a hub having an opening for axial insertion of the crankshaft, the hub member rotatable about an axis;

an interia member spaced radially outwardly from the hub member;

an elastomer positioned between the hub and the inertia member; and

spokes extending from the hub member to the elastomer, the spokes extending at an angle greater than 90 degrees with respect to the axis.

2 . The damper of claim 1 wherein the elastomer has a curvature with respect to the axis.

3 . The damper of claim 2 wherein the elastomer has a convex curvature with respect to the axis.

4 . The damper of claim 2 wherein the spokes have a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the elastomer.

5 . The damper of claim 4 wherein the inertia member has a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the elastomer such that the elastomer is positionable between the spokes and the inertia member.

6 . The damper of claim 1 wherein the inertia member is offset a distance from the hub member.

7 . The damper of claim 1 wherein the inertia member is offset a distance from where the crankshaft secures to the opening of the hub member.

8 . The damper of claim 6 wherein the elastomer is curved outward with respect to the axis.

9 . The damper of claim 7 wherein the elastomer is curved with respect to the axis.

10 . The damper of claim 7 wherein the elastomer is curved outward with respect to the axis.

11 . A method of tuning a damper having an elastomer positioned between a hub member and an inertia member, the hub member having an opening capable of connection to a first end of a crankshaft of an engine, the method comprising the steps of:

determining noise, vibration and harness of the engine;

selecting the inertia member and the elastomer sufficient to dampen the noise, vibration and harness of the engine when the elastomer is positioned between the hub member and the inertia member;

determining an axial distance to offset the inertia member from the first end of the crankshaft; and

providing the hub member having a portion extending away from the opening such that the inertia member is offset the axial distance when the crankshaft and the inertia member are secured to the hub member.

12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

determining frequency of bending vibrations on the crankshaft of the engine; and

selecting the elastomer based on the frequency of the bending vibrations.

13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

determining an amount of curvature required to dampen the bending vibrations.

14 . The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

determining frequency of torsional vibrations on the crankshaft of the engine; and

selecting the inertia member based on the torsional vibrations.

15 . A damper for attachment to an end of a crankshaft of an engine, the damper comprising:

an annular hub member having an opening for securing the crankshaft;

an annular inertia member spaced radially outward from the hub member, the annular inertia member vertically offset from the opening of the hub member; and

an elastomer positioned between the hub member and the inertia member.

16 . The damper of claim 15 wherein the hub member has spokes extending at an angle to vertically offset the inertia member from the hub member.

17 . The damper of claim 15 wherein the elastomer is curved outward with respect to the hub member.

18 . The damper of claim 15 wherein the elastomer is bonded to the hub member and the inertia member.

Assignments (15)