Automotive Products, Inc.

Ap Tmf Limited

Robert John Murphy

Richard D Cooke

Anthony John Curtis

Alastair J Young

John Francis Fitzpatrick-Ellis

Peter Webster

A twin mass flywheel ( ) in which first ( ) and second ( ) flywheel masses can rotate relative to each other about an axis (C) under the control of one or more connection means ( ) whose center of gravity moves radially with respect to the rotation axis as the flywheel masses rotate relative to each other. The centripetal loads acting on the connection means ( ) as the twin mass flywheel rotates, tend to bias the first and second flywheel masses towards a pre-determined relative rotational position to provide speed sensitive damping of the relative rotation. The connection means may take the form of a mass ( ) which moves along a first track ( ) associated with the first flywheel mass ( ) and a torque transmitting connection acting between the mass ( ) and the second flywheel mass ( ) in the form of a second track ( ) also followed by the mass ( ). Numerous other forms of connection means are also disclosed some of which us links ( ) in place of one of the tracks.

Twin mass flywheels

A friction damping device (,) capable of generating friction torque for controlling the relative rotation of a first and a second flywheel mass of the twin mass flywheel (,), the friction damping device comprising a first (,) and a second (,) friction member operatively connected with one flywheel mass (,) via a common drive formation (cdf) which forms part of the second friction member. A third friction member (,) is sandwiched between the first and second friction members and is operatively connected with the other flywheel mass (,), and actuating means (,) is operative to axially displace the first and second friction members relative to each other to modify the friction generated by the device upon rotation of the third friction member relative to the first or second friction members resulting from relative rotation of the flywheel masses.

Twin mass flywheel friction damping device

Rotational friction damper

A twin mass flywheel (10) in which two co-axially arranged flywheel masses (11,12) are mounted for limited angular rotation relative to each other and a plurality of pivotal linkages (40) interconnect the two flywheel masses. Each linkage comprises a first link (41) pivotally connected (43) to one (12) of the flywheel masses, a second link (42) pivotally connected (44) to the other (11) of the flywheel masses, and a pivot (45) for pivotally connecting the first and second links. A resilient member in the form of an elastomeric torsion unit (46) or spring (36) is associated with the pivotal connection (44) of at least one link (42) with its associated flywheel (11) for controlling the relative rotation of said flywheel masses (11, 12).

Twin mass flywheel

Friction clutch driven plates

A friction clutch assembly for an internal combustion engine and which includes a flywheel, a driven plate, a coaxial annular clutch cover assembly including a spring urging a pressure plate towards the flywheel to clamp the driven plate therebetween. The clutch assembly is attachable to the vehicle crankshaft via an intermediate plate which transmits the torque load from the crankshaft to the flywheel. A clutch release cylinder is mounted on the cover and is operable to relieve the clamp load acting on the driven plate.

Growing community of inventors

Leamington Spa, United Kingdom

Robert John Murphy