IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,789,670
Granted Patent B2
US 8,789,670 · App. 13/254,372 · Granted Jul 29, 2014

Decoupler featuring helical wrap clutch spring and coil damper springs

Inventors: John R. Antchak (Aurora, CA); James W. Dell (Newmarket, CA); Harvey J. Dix (Thornton, CA); Scott Parsons (Toronto, CA)
Assignee: Litens Automotive Partnership
F16D41/20F16D3/66F16D41/206
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,789,670
App. No.
13/254,372
Granted
Jul 29, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A decoupler having a hub, a drive member and an isolator. The drive member is disposed about the hub for rotation about a rotational axis and includes an inner clutch surface. The isolator couples the hub and the drive member and includes a carrier, a plurality of arcuate springs, and a wrap spring. The carrier is received between the hub and the drive member and includes a carrier member, which defines a pair of apertures, and a pair of reaction blocks that are mounted in the apertures. The arcuate springs are mounted in the carrier member and are disposed between the hub and an associated one of the reaction blocks. The wrap spring has an end and a plurality of helical coils that are engaged to the inner clutch surface of the drive member. The end has an end face that is abutted against one of the reaction blocks.

Claims (25)

1. A decoupler comprising:

an input hub having a rotational axis;

a drive member disposed about the hub for rotation about the rotational axis, the drive member having an inner clutch surface;

an isolator coupling the hub and the drive member, the isolator comprising a carrier, a plurality of arcuate springs, and a wrap spring, the carrier being received between the input hub and the drive member, the carrier comprising a carrier member and a pair of reaction blocks, the carrier member defining a pair of apertures into which the reaction blocks are mounted, each of the arcuate springs being mounted in the carrier member and being disposed between the input hub and an associated one of the reaction blocks, the wrap spring having a proximal end and a plurality of helical coils, the proximal end having an end face that is abutted against one of the reaction blocks, the helical coils being engaged to the inner clutch surface of the drive member;

wherein rotary power is input to the decoupler via the input hub, and wherein rotary power transmitted through the decoupler is transmitted directly from the hub to the arcuate springs.

2. The decoupler according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction blocks form at least a portion of an exterior surface of the carrier.

3. The decoupler according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier member is unitarily formed.

4. The decoupler according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the carrier member has a generally toric exterior surface and a corresponding generally toric interior surface against which the arcuate springs are abutted.

5. The decoupler according to claim 1 , wherein the hub is non-removably received in the carrier.

6. The decoupler according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier member is formed of metal.

7. The decoupler according to claim 6 , wherein the carrier member is formed from sheet metal.

8. The decoupler according to claim 6 , wherein the carrier member is hardened via heat treating.

9. The decoupler according to claim 8 , wherein the input hub is hardened via heat treating.

10. The decoupler according to claim 9 , wherein the input hub is nitrided.

11. The decoupler according to claim 8 , wherein the carrier member is nitrided.

12. The decoupler according to claim 1 , further comprising a torsional vibration damper having an input member, an inertia member, and a torsionally resilient member that couples the input member and the inertia member, the input member being configured to rotate with the input hub.

13. The decoupler according to claim 12 , wherein a resilient preload member is disposed between the input member and the drive member.

14. The decoupler according to claim 13 , wherein the resilient preload member comprises a spring washer.

15. The decoupler according to claim 13 , wherein the resilient preload member comprises an elastomeric member.

16. The decoupler according to claim 1 , wherein a damper is disposed between each of the reaction blocks and the input hub.

17. The decoupler according to claim 16 , wherein each damper comprises at least one bumper that extends across an axial side surface of the reaction block.

18. The decoupler according to claim 16 , wherein each damper comprises a spring support that is disposed between a corresponding arcuate spring and a corresponding reaction block.

19. The decoupler according to claim 1 , wherein each of the reaction blocks comprises an annular rim member that is adjacent an axial end of the wrap spring.

20. The decoupler according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction blocks cooperate to center the wrap spring about the carrier.

21. The decoupler according to claim 1 , wherein the wrap spring does not directly contact the carrier member.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 2, 2011
From: ANTCHAK, JOHN R.; DELL, JAMES W.; DIX, HARVEY J.; PARSONS, SCOTT
To: LITENS AUTOMOTIVE PARTNERSHIP
Reel/Frame 026848/0659 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61156907 · Mar 3, 2009
Related Publication 20110315502A1 · Dec 29, 2011