Patent ID: 6171192
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: F16F

Abstract:
A damper mechanism comprising:an input member;an output member configured for limited relative rotary displacement with respect to said input member;a chamber housing disposed between said input and output members, a first portion of said chamber housing connected to said input member for rotation therewith;an undulated plate spring disposed in said chamber housing elastically connecting said input and output members for limited relative rotary displacement therebetween and damping torsional vibration therebetween, said undulated plate spring being compressible in response to relative rotary displacement between said input and output members, radially outer portions of said undulated plate spring contacting an inner radial surface of said chamber housing thereby defining a hysteresis vibration dampening mechanism whereby, in response to relative rotary displacement between said input and output members, contact between said radially outer portions of said spring and said inner radial surface of said chamber housing generates friction; anda powder solid lubricant disposed in said chamber housing providing lubrication between said spring and said surface of said chamber housing to augment the operation of the hysteresis vibration dampening mechanism and also to reduce wear on other portions of said spring that may contact said chamber,said undulated plate spring comprising a row of radially outer ring portions, a row of radially inner ring portions, and a plurality of lever portions, said rows of radially inner and outer ring portions each having open ends that are radially opposed to one another, said lever portions connecting together said open ends of said rows of radially inner and outer ring portions, said lever portions decreasing in thickness as a position on said lever portions moves from said open ends of said rows of said inner and outer ring portions toward middle portions of said lever portions.