JP7585247B2 - Transmission with damper - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a transmission device, and in particular to a transmission device with a damper, which includes an input rotor, an intermediate rotor, and an output rotor arranged to be rotatable relative to one another around the same axis, a primary damper spring connecting the intermediate rotor and the input rotor, and a secondary damper spring connecting the intermediate rotor and the output rotor, and in which the primary and secondary damper springs are arranged in series between the input rotor and the output rotor via the intermediate rotor.

In addition, in this invention and this specification, "axial direction" refers to the direction along the rotation axis of the input rotor, intermediate rotor, and output rotor (in other words, the axis Z of the output shaft 27), "radial direction" refers to the radial direction of an arc centered on the rotation axis, and "circumferential direction" refers to the circumferential direction of an arc centered on the rotation axis.

The above-mentioned damped transmission device is well known in the art, as shown in, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2. In these patent documents, a damped transmission device for mechanical transmission is built into a torque converter that can switch between fluid transmission and mechanical transmission using a lock-up clutch.

JP 2016-114237 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-233066

In the damped transmission device of Patent Document 1, the primary damper spring and the secondary damper spring are arranged at different positions both radially and axially, so the radial and axial dimensions of the device are large. In contrast, in the damped transmission device of Patent Document 2, the primary damper springs and the secondary damper springs are arranged alternately on the same imaginary circle that is concentric with the output rotor, so the structure is advantageous in terms of making the device smaller in the radial and axial directions.

However, in the transmission device of Patent Document 2, like the transmission device of Patent Document 1, the output rotor is positioned radially inward from the intermediate rotor and the input rotor, so when connecting the inner periphery of the output rotor to the output take-off part in the center of the device (e.g. the output hub of a torque converter), it is necessary to position the primary and secondary damper springs sufficiently radially outward from the connection part. This means that the damper spring installation diameter becomes larger (i.e. the damper spring installation position on each rotor becomes radially outward), and there is a risk that the radial dimension of the device will become larger.

The present invention was made in consideration of these circumstances, and aims to provide a damper-equipped transmission device that can solve the above-mentioned problems of conventional devices with a simple structure.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a damped transmission device comprising an input rotor, an intermediate rotor, and an output rotor arranged to be rotatable relative to each other around the same axis, a primary damper spring connecting the intermediate rotor and the input rotor, and a secondary damper spring connecting the intermediate rotor and the output rotor, wherein the primary damper springs and the secondary damper springs are arranged alternately on the same imaginary circle concentric with the input rotor, wherein the output rotor has a first annular portion surrounding a spring arrangement group of the primary damper springs and the secondary damper springs as the only annular portion on its outer periphery, and the intermediate rotor has a second annular portion surrounded by the first annular portion with the spring arrangement group in between as the only annular portion on its inner periphery, the output rotor and the intermediate rotor are arranged to overlap each other in the axial direction, and the input rotor is composed of a pair of spring retaining plates connected to each other while holding the spring arrangement group between them.

In addition to the first feature, the second feature of the present invention is that the primary damper spring and the secondary damper spring are set to different spring stiffnesses.

In addition to the first or second feature, the present invention also includes a first stopper mechanism that restricts the amount of relative rotation between the input rotor and the intermediate rotor to a predetermined amount or less during acceleration, a second stopper mechanism that restricts the amount of relative rotation between the output rotor and the intermediate rotor to a predetermined amount or less during deceleration, and a third stopper mechanism that restricts the amount of relative rotation between the input rotor and the output rotor to a predetermined amount or less during acceleration and deceleration. A third feature of the present invention is that the compression limits of the primary damper spring and the secondary damper spring are determined by the first stopper mechanism and the third stopper mechanism during acceleration, while the compression limits of the primary damper spring and the secondary damper spring are determined by the second stopper mechanism and the third stopper mechanism during deceleration.

In addition to any one of the first to third features, the present invention is characterized in that the first stopper mechanism has a connecting pin that connects the pair of spring retaining plates that sandwich the intermediate rotor in the axial direction, and a long hole portion that is formed in the second annular portion and extends in the circumferential direction and into which the connecting pin is slidably fitted, the second stopper mechanism has a stopper protrusion that protrudes from the outer periphery of the second annular portion, and a stopper recess that is recessed into the inner periphery of the first annular portion and into which the stopper protrusion can engage, and the third stopper mechanism has a claw portion that engages the outer periphery of the first annular portion so that it cannot rotate relative to the first annular portion, and a notched groove portion that is recessed into the outer periphery of the input rotor and into which the claw portion can slidably engage relative to the first annular portion in the circumferential direction.

In addition to the fourth feature, the present invention has a fifth feature in that the pair of spring retaining plates are connected to each other via multiple connecting members that are separate parts from the connecting pin and located radially outward from the connecting pin, and the multiple connecting members are sandwiched between the opposing surfaces of the tip ends of the multiple stopper protrusions and the inner bottom surfaces of the multiple stopper recesses so as to be circumferentially slidable.

The present invention also provides a damper-equipped transmission device having any of the first to fifth features, which is built into a torque converter capable of switching between fluid transmission and mechanical transmission by a lock-up clutch and is used for the mechanical transmission, and has a sixth feature in that the fastening portion between the turbine runner of the torque converter and the output rotor and the spring array group are arranged so as to overlap in the radial direction.

In addition to the sixth feature, the seventh feature of the present invention is that the output hub of the torque converter and the output rotor are connected to each other via a power transmission plate arranged to the side of the input rotor, and the joint between the power transmission plate and the turbine runner serves as the fastening part.

In addition to the seventh feature, the eighth feature of the present invention is that the power transmission plate has a bearing receiving portion that supports a bearing interposed between the output hub and the stator hub of the torque converter.

According to the first feature of the present invention, the primary damper springs and secondary damper springs, which are arranged in series between the input rotor and the output rotor via an intermediate rotor, are arranged alternately on the same imaginary circle concentric with each rotor, which is advantageous in reducing the size of the damped transmission device in the radial and axial directions.

In particular, the output rotor has a first annular portion surrounding the spring arrangement of the primary and secondary damper springs on its outer periphery as its only annular portion , the intermediate rotor has a second annular portion surrounding the spring arrangement by the first annular portion on its inner periphery as its only annular portion , the output rotor and the intermediate rotor are arranged to overlap each other in the axial direction, and the input rotor is composed of a pair of spring holding plates that hold the spring arrangement between them and are connected to each other, so that the output rotor, which is located on the outer periphery side of the transmission device (i.e., on the radially outer side as viewed from the spring arrangement) and is arranged to overlap the intermediate rotor in the axial direction, does not need to be connected on its inner periphery to an output take-off portion (e.g., an output hub), and there is no need to increase the damper spring installation diameter in relation to the connection portion. Therefore, from this point of view as well, it can further contribute to the radial miniaturization of the transmission device.

Furthermore, according to the second feature, the primary damper spring and the secondary damper spring are set to different spring stiffnesses, so that, for example, in the low to medium torque range, the primary and secondary damper springs act simultaneously to achieve a high damping effect by reducing the spring rate, and when excessive torque is input, only the high stiffness damper spring acts to reduce torque fluctuations. Therefore, the damped transmission device can be made smaller as described above, while improving its damping performance.

According to a third feature, the device includes a first stopper mechanism that restricts the amount of relative rotation between the input rotor and the intermediate rotor to a predetermined amount or less during acceleration, a second stopper mechanism that restricts the amount of relative rotation between the output rotor and the intermediate rotor to a predetermined amount or less during deceleration, and a third stopper mechanism that restricts the amount of relative rotation between the input rotor and the output rotor to a predetermined amount or less during acceleration and deceleration. During acceleration, the first and third stopper mechanisms determine the compression limits of the primary and secondary damper springs, while during deceleration, the second and third stopper mechanisms determine the compression limits of the primary and secondary damper springs. This effectively prevents the damper springs from being damaged due to excessive deformation during both acceleration and deceleration.

According to the fourth feature, the first stopper mechanism has a connecting pin that connects the pair of spring retaining plates that sandwich the intermediate rotor in the axial direction, and a long hole formed in the second annular portion, extending in the circumferential direction, and into which the connecting pin is slidably fitted, so that the input rotor and the intermediate rotor can be assembled into a compact assembly in the axial direction while suppressing an increase in their plate thickness, thereby further miniaturizing the transmission device. In addition, the connecting means (connecting pin) between the first and second spring retaining plates also serves as part of the first stopper mechanism, so that the structure is simplified and the number of parts is reduced. In addition, the second stopper mechanism has a stopper protrusion that protrudes from the outer periphery of the second annular portion, and a stopper recess that is recessed into the inner periphery of the first annular portion and can engage with the stopper protrusion. Therefore, a part of the stopper protrusion on the outer periphery of the intermediate rotor is received in the stopper recess on the periphery of the output rotor, so that the output rotor and the intermediate rotor are arranged to overlap in the radial direction, thereby further miniaturizing the transmission device in the radial direction. Furthermore, the third stopper mechanism has a claw portion that locks the first annular portion against relative rotation, and a notched groove portion recessed into the outer periphery of the input rotor to engage the claw portion so that it can slide relative to the input rotor in the circumferential direction. This allows the stopper means (third stopper mechanism) arranged on the outer periphery of the input rotor and the output rotor to efficiently regulate the maximum torsional angle during acceleration and deceleration. This prevents the connecting pin (part of the first stopper mechanism) of the input rotor and the stopper protrusion (part of the second stopper mechanism) of the intermediate rotor, which tend to be relatively weak, from receiving excessive torque during maximum torsional angle displacement during acceleration and deceleration, thereby contributing to further improving the durability of the transmission as a whole.

According to the fifth feature, the pair of spring retaining plates that constitute the input rotor are connected to each other via multiple connecting members located radially outward from the connecting pin, and the multiple connecting members are circumferentially slidably sandwiched between the opposing surfaces of the tip ends of the multiple stopper protrusions and the inner bottom surfaces of the multiple stopper recesses. Therefore, the input rotor, intermediate rotor, and output rotor can be easily arranged concentrically with each other using these connecting members, and the connecting members also serve as a means for aligning the rotors with each other and a means for connecting the pair of spring retaining plates, thereby simplifying the structure of the device.

According to the sixth feature, the above-mentioned damped transmission device is built into a torque converter and used for mechanical transmission of the torque converter, and the fastening portion between the turbine runner and the output rotor and the spring array group are arranged to overlap in the radial direction, so that the mechanical transmission portion of the torque converter (i.e., the damped transmission device) can be effectively downsized in the radial direction.

According to the seventh feature, the output hub of the torque converter and the first annular portion of the output rotor are connected to each other via a power transmission plate arranged on the side of the input rotor, and the joint between this power transmission plate and the turbine runner serves as the fastening portion. Therefore, even if the output hub and the outer periphery (first annular portion) of the output rotor are radially spaced apart, they can be smoothly connected by the power transmission plate. This allows the output hub to receive output torque from the outer periphery of the output rotor via the power transmission plate without increasing its diameter, which contributes to making the output hub lighter and more compact and reducing costs. In addition, design changes to the shapes of peripheral components of the damper-equipped transmission device (e.g., turbine runners, etc.) can be easily accommodated by changing the shape of the power transmission plate, which is advantageous in terms of design and manufacturing costs.

In addition, according to the eighth feature, the power transmission plate has a bearing receiving portion that supports the bearing interposed between the output hub and the stator hub of the torque converter, so there is no need to provide the output hub with a bearing receiving portion that faces the stator hub, and the output hub can be made even smaller in the radial direction, which is even more effective in reducing the weight and cost of the output hub.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main portion of a torque converter incorporating a damper-equipped transmission device according to an embodiment of the present invention (an enlarged sectional view taken along line 1X-1X in FIG. 2 ). A cross-sectional view of a main part of a damper-equipped transmission device (a cross-sectional view taken along line 2X-2X in FIG. 1) 3 is a front view of the main components of the damper-equipped transmission device as viewed from the same direction as FIG. 2, in which (A) shows a power transmission plate, and (B) shows a second spring retaining plate of the input rotor. 4 is a front view of the main components of a damper-equipped transmission device similar to that of FIG. 3, in which (C) shows an output rotor and (D) shows an intermediate rotor. FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part showing the change in operation of each part of the transmission device during acceleration, in which (1) shows a state in which the intermediate rotor is in a neutral position with respect to the input rotor and the output rotor, (2) shows a state in which the input rotor has reached its relative rotation limit with respect to the intermediate rotor (i.e., the first stopper mechanism has acted as a stopper) and the low-rigidity primary damper spring has reached its compression limit, and (3) shows a state in which the input rotor has reached its relative rotation limit in the accelerating direction with respect to the output rotor (i.e., the third stopper mechanism has acted as a stopper) and the high-rigidity secondary damper spring has reached its compression limit. FIG. 5 is a side view of a main part showing the change in operation of each part of the transmission device during deceleration, in which (1) shows the state in which the intermediate rotor is in the neutral position (corresponding to FIG. 5(1)); (2) shows the state in which the intermediate rotor has reached its relative rotation limit with respect to the output rotor (i.e., the second stopper mechanism has acted as a stopper) and the low-rigidity primary damper spring has reached its compression limit; and (3) shows the state in which the input rotor has reached its relative rotation limit in the deceleration direction with respect to the output rotor (i.e., the third stopper mechanism has acted as a stopper) and the high-rigidity secondary damper spring has reached its compression limit.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

First, referring to Figures 1 and 2, an example in which the damper-equipped transmission device T of the present invention is built into a torque converter TC with a lock-up mechanism will be described. The torque converter TC includes a pump impeller 11, a turbine runner 12 arranged opposite the pump impeller 11, and a stator 13 arranged between the inner periphery of the pump impeller 11 and the turbine runner 12. A circulation circuit 15 for circulating hydraulic oil is formed between the pump impeller 11, the turbine runner 12, and the stator 13, as shown by the arrow 14.

As described below, the torque converter TC is configured to be able to switch between fluid transmission and mechanical transmission based on the switching between disengagement and engagement of the lock-up clutch L, and in particular, the mechanical transmission is handled by the damper-equipped transmission device T of the present invention. In this specification, we will first explain an example structure for fluid transmission.

The pump impeller 11 has a bowl-shaped pump shell 16, a number of pump blades 17 provided on the inner surface of the pump shell 16, a pump core ring 18 connecting the pump blades 17, and a pump hub 19 fixed, for example by welding, to the inner periphery of the pump shell 16. An oil pump (not shown) that supplies hydraulic oil to the torque converter TC is interlocked and connected to the pump hub 19.

The outer periphery of the transmission cover 20, which is formed in a bottomed, stepped cylindrical shape, is joined (for example, welded) liquid-tight to the outer periphery of the pump shell 16. The transmission cover 20 has a large diameter cylindrical portion 20a that covers the back surface of the turbine runner 12 from the radial and axial outer sides, and a small diameter cylindrical portion 20b with a bottom that is connected to the inner periphery of the large diameter cylindrical portion 20a and covers the damped transmission device T from the radial and axial outer sides. As described below, the damped transmission device T has a compact radial size compared to the turbine runner 12, and a large annular step portion 20s corresponding to the difference in radial size is formed between the small diameter cylindrical portion 20b that surrounds the damped transmission device T and the large diameter cylindrical portion 20a that surrounds the turbine runner 12.

A boss 21 is fixed (e.g., welded) to the outer periphery of the small diameter cylindrical portion 20b, and a drive plate 22 is fastened to the boss 21. A crankshaft 23 of the vehicle engine E is also coaxially fastened to the drive plate 22, so that rotational power is input from the vehicle engine E to the pump impeller 11 via the transmission cover 20.

The turbine runner 12 has a bowl-shaped turbine shell 24, a number of turbine blades 25 provided on the inner surface of the turbine shell 24, and a turbine core ring 26 connecting the turbine blades 25. The inner periphery of the turbine shell 24 is connected to an output hub 29 via a power transmission plate 90.

Referring also to FIG. 3(A), the power transmission plate 90 has a disk-shaped plate body 90m arranged adjacent to the outside of the turbine shell 24 in the axial direction (the inside of the damper-equipped transmission device T), and a plurality of claws 90t that are integrally connected to the outer periphery of the plate body 90m, extend axially away from the turbine shell 24, and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and the inner periphery of the plate body 90m is concentrically fitted into and fixed (for example, welded) to an annular step on the outer periphery of the output hub 29. The inner periphery of the turbine shell 24 is fastened to the radial middle part of the plate body 90m (the radial part that radially overlaps with the array of the primary damper spring S1 and secondary damper spring S2 described later) with a plurality of rivets 53 as fastening parts.

The output shaft 27, which transmits the rotational power from the vehicle engine E to a transmission (not shown), has an oil passage 100 running vertically through its center, and this oil passage 100 is connected to a hydraulic control circuit (not shown) that can control the supply and discharge of the operating oil pressure of the lock-up clutch L (described later) to the oil passage 100. The tip of the output shaft 27 is received in a bottomed cylindrical support tube 20bc connected to the center of the transmission cover 20 (more specifically, the bottom wall of the small diameter tube 20b) with an annular gap 49 between them, and the annular gap 49 is constantly connected to the oil passage 100.

The output hub 29, which is spaced apart from the pump hub 19 and fixed to the inner circumference of the power transmission plate 90, is spline-fitted to the outer circumference of the output shaft 27, and the annular cover hub 44, which is adjacent to the side of the output hub 29 via a needle thrust bearing 30, is rotatably fitted and supported via a bearing bush 47. The bearing bush 47 is fixed (e.g., press-fitted) to the inner circumference of the cover hub 44.

The cover hub 44 has multiple radially extending oil grooves 44a on its outer surface, and the outer peripheral edge of the outer surface is welded to the inner surface of the inner circumference of the transmission cover 20. Therefore, the tip of the output shaft 27 is rotatably supported by the transmission cover 20 via the bearing bush 47 and the cover hub 44.

The stator 13 has a stator hub 31 disposed between the pump hub 19 and the output hub 29, a number of stator blades 32 provided on the outer periphery of the stator hub 31, and a stator core ring 33 connecting the outer peripheries of the stator blades 32. A thrust bearing 34 is interposed between the pump hub 19 and the stator hub 31, and a thrust bearing 35 is interposed between the output hub 29 and the stator hub 31. A bearing receiving surface 90mb for receiving the thrust bearing 35 is formed on the power transmission plate 90, particularly on the surface of the plate body 90m facing the stator hub 31 (more specifically, the surface facing the stator hub 31 located radially inward from the number of rivets 53 serving as the fastening portion).

A one-way clutch 37 is interposed between the stator hub 31 and the stator shaft 36 that surrounds the output shaft 27 so as to be relatively rotatable, and the stator shaft 36 is supported non-rotatably by a transmission case (not shown). A clutch chamber 38 that communicates with the circulation circuit 15 described above is formed between the transmission cover 20 and the turbine shell 24. In the clutch chamber 38, a lock-up clutch L that receives the rotational power of the transmission cover 20 on its input side, and a damper-equipped transmission device T having a power transmission path 46 that can mechanically transmit power between the output side of the lock-up clutch L and the output shaft 27 are disposed.

The lock-up clutch L includes a clutch piston 43 that is axially slidably and oil-tightly fitted and supported on the cover hub 44 and faces the inner surface of the transmission cover 20 (more specifically, the bottom wall of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 20b), a clutch outer Lo that is fixed (welded) to the inner surface of the transmission cover 20, a clutch inner Li that is concentrically surrounded by the clutch outer Lo and fixed to the input rotor 60 described below, and a friction coupling mechanism Lm that is interposed between the clutch outer Lo and the clutch inner Li. The outer periphery of the clutch piston 43 is axially slidably and oil-tightly fitted to the inner periphery of the clutch outer Lo.

The friction coupling mechanism Lm, like the conventional multi-plate friction clutch mechanism, has a number of friction plates and a pressure plate supported on the clutch outer Lo so as not to rotate relative to it and so as to be axially slidable within a predetermined limited range, and a number of friction plates supported on the clutch inner Li so as not to rotate relative to it and so as to be axially slidable. By moving the clutch piston 43 to the clutch-on side, i.e., to the friction coupling mechanism Lm side (moving left in FIG. 1), the friction plates are pressed together and the lock-up clutch L is in an engaged state, and by moving the clutch piston 43 to the opposite side, i.e., to the clutch-off side (moving right in FIG. 1), the pressure between the friction plates is released and the lock-up clutch L is in a disengaged state.

The lock-up clutch L is not limited to a multi-plate friction clutch as in the embodiment, and various types of friction clutches, such as a single-plate friction clutch, are also possible.

The clutch chamber 38 is divided by the clutch piston 43 into an inner chamber 38a that is on the turbine runner 12 side and communicates with the oil circulation passage 15, and an outer chamber 38b that is on the transmission cover 20 side and does not communicate with the oil circulation passage 15. The inner chamber 38a houses the friction coupling mechanism Lm and the damper-equipped transmission device T.

On the other hand, the outer chamber 38b functions as a pressure-receiving chamber for the clutch piston 43. When clutch hydraulic oil is introduced there from a hydraulic control device (not shown) through the oil passage 100, the annular gap 49, and the oil groove 44a, the hydraulic oil can drive and hold the clutch piston 43 to the clutch-on side. Also, when the clutch hydraulic oil is discharged from the outer chamber 38b (clutch pressure-receiving chamber), the clutch piston 43 is pushed by the hydraulic pressure in the inner chamber 38a and can retreat to the clutch-off side.

An inlet oil passage 101 is defined between the output shaft 27 and the stator shaft 36, and this inlet oil passage 101 leads from a horizontal hole in the stator shaft 36 through a spline fitting portion (particularly a portion where the spline is missing teeth) between the stator shaft 36 and the inner portion of the one-way clutch 37 to the inner circumference of the circulation oil passage 15 and the inner chamber 38a. On the other hand, an outlet oil passage 102 leading to the inner circumference of the circulation circuit 15 is defined between the pump hub 19 and the stator shaft 36. The inlet oil passage 101 and the outlet oil passage 102 are connected to an oil circulation device (not shown), so that during operation of the torque converter TC, the flow of oil from the inlet oil passage 101 through the inner chamber 38a and the circulation circuit 15 and back to the outlet oil passage 102 continues, and the inner chamber 38a and the circulation circuit 15 are always filled with oil.

For example, when the vehicle engine E is idling or in a very low-speed operating range, clutch hydraulic oil is not supplied to the outer chamber 38b (clutch pressure chamber), and the clutch piston 43 is on the clutch-off side. Therefore, the friction plates of the friction coupling mechanism Lm are in a non-pressurized state in which they can rotate relative to each other, and the lock-up clutch L is in a disengaged state. In this state, the pump impeller 11 and the turbine runner 12 are allowed to rotate relative to each other, and when the pump impeller 11 is rotated by the vehicle engine E, the hydraulic oil in the circulation circuit 15 circulates through the circulation circuit 15 in the order of the pump impeller 11, the turbine runner 12, and the stator 13, as shown by the arrow 14, and the rotational torque of the pump impeller 11 is transmitted to the output shaft 27 via the turbine runner 12, the power transmission plate 90, and the output hub 29.

On the other hand, when torque amplification occurs between the pump impeller 11 and the turbine runner 12, the reaction force caused by this is borne by the stator 13, and the stator 13 is fixed by the locking action of the one-way clutch 37. When the torque amplification ends, the stator 13 rotates in the same direction as the pump impeller 11 and the turbine runner 12 while idling the one-way clutch 37 due to the reversal of the torque direction received by the stator 13.

When the torque converter TC is thus in a coupled state or approaches a coupled state, clutch hydraulic oil is introduced into the outer chamber 38b (clutch pressure receiving chamber) via the oil passage 100 in the output shaft 27 from a hydraulic control circuit (not shown) that operates based on the output of a sensor that detects the state. This presses the clutch piston 43 toward the side away from the transmission cover 20 (i.e., the clutch-on side), switching the friction coupling mechanism Lm to a frictionally coupled state and connecting the lock-up clutch L to an engaged state.

When the lock-up clutch L is engaged, the rotational power transmitted from the vehicle engine E to the transmission cover 20 is mechanically transmitted from the lock-up clutch L to the damper-equipped transmission device T in the clutch chamber 38 (inner chamber 38a), through the power transmission plate 90, and through the output hub 29, in that order, to the output shaft 27.

The damper-equipped transmission T includes an input rotor 60 fixed to the clutch inner Li in the power transmission path 46 that exists within the small-diameter cylindrical portion 20b, an intermediate rotor 70 connected to the input rotor 60 via a primary damper spring S1, and an output rotor 80 connected to the intermediate rotor 70 via a secondary damper spring S2. That is, the primary and secondary damper springs S1 and S2 are arranged in series between the input rotor 60 and the output rotor 80, sandwiching the intermediate rotor 70. The shapes of the individual rotors 60, 70, and 80 are shown in Figures 3(B), 4(C), and (D), respectively.

The input rotor 60, intermediate rotor 70, and output rotor 80 are arranged concentrically with respect to the output shaft 27 and are configured to be rotatable relative to each other. The primary and secondary damper springs S1 and S2 are arranged alternately on the same imaginary circle centered on the axis Z of the output shaft 27 (and therefore concentric with each of the rotors 60, 70, and 80). The primary and secondary damper springs S1 and S2 are composed of coil springs whose spring stiffness, and therefore spring constant, are different from each other. In particular, in this embodiment, the secondary damper spring S2 is set to have a higher spring stiffness than the primary damper spring S1, but a spring setting in which the magnitude relationship of the spring stiffness of the primary and secondary damper springs S1 and S2 is reversed can also be implemented as another embodiment of the present invention (not shown).

In this embodiment, the secondary damper spring S2 is composed of double coil springs S2a and S2b arranged in parallel and concentrically, and therefore the spring constant k2 of the secondary coil spring S2 is the sum of the spring constants of the double coil springs S2a and S2b.

The input rotor 60 is composed of first and second spring retaining plates 61, 62 that rotatably hold the intermediate rotor 70 and the output rotor 80, each of which is formed in a ring plate shape, and a number of rivet pins 63 that penetrate the spring retaining plates 61, 62 and connect them to each other. In the embodiment, the rivet pins 63 also fix the clutch inner Li to the spring retaining plates 61, 62. Each rivet pin 63 is an example of a connecting pin, and a cylindrical collar 64 that functions as a spacer between the first and second spring retaining plates 61, 62 is fitted and fixed to the intermediate shaft portion of the rivet pin 63. When the collar 64 rotates integrally with the input rotor 60, it can slide relatively in the circumferential direction within the long hole portion 70ch of the intermediate rotor 70, which will be described later. Both ends of each rivet pin 63 are crimped to prevent it from coming off.

The first and second spring retaining plates 61, 62 are also connected to each other via a plurality of strip-shaped rivet plates 65 that are separate parts from the rivet pins 63 and are arranged radially outward. The rivet plates 65 are an example of a connecting member, and penetrate the first and second spring retaining plates 61, 62, and both ends are crimped to prevent them from coming loose. The inner surface facing inward in the radial direction and the outer surface facing outward in the radial direction of the rivet plate 65 are formed in an arc shape concentric with the input rotor 60 in a side view, and are sandwiched between the opposing surfaces of the tip surface of the second spring receiving protrusion 70t of the intermediate rotor 70 and the inner bottom surface of the stopper recess 80co of the output rotor 80 so as to be slidable in the circumferential direction, as described below.

Furthermore, on the outer peripheral surfaces of the first and second spring retaining plates 61, 62, a number of shallow notched grooves 61k, 62k are formed at the same circumferential positions and at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The claws 90t of the power transmission plate 90 are fitted into the notched grooves 61k, 62k so as to be able to slide in the circumferential direction, and the claws 90t engage with the circumferential inner ends of the notched grooves 61k, 62k, restricting the amount of relative rotation between the input rotor 60 and the power transmission plate 90 (and therefore the output rotor 80 which rotates integrally with the plate 90) to a predetermined amount or less.

The inner peripheral end of the first and second spring retaining plates 61, 62, i.e., the circular central hole, is concentrically fitted and supported on the outer periphery of the output hub 29 so as to be capable of relative rotation. The radially intermediate portions of the first and second spring retaining plates 61, 62 each have an arc-shaped opening 61o, 62o extending in the circumferential direction. The radially inner and outer peripheral edges of the openings 61o, 62o are cut outward in the axial direction, respectively, and these cut-out portions form spring holder portions 61h, 62h that hold the primary and secondary damper springs S1, S2 from both axial sides. The inner edge portion on one circumferential side of the openings 61o, 62o functions as a spring receiver 60s1 that receives the end of the primary damper spring S1, and the inner edge portion on the other circumferential side functions as a spring receiver 60s2 that receives the end of the secondary damper spring S2.

The output rotor 80 has a first annular portion 80c surrounding the spring arrangement of the primary damper spring S1 and the secondary damper spring S2 on its outer periphery as its only annular portion . A plurality of first spring bearing protrusions 80t are protrudingly provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner periphery of the first annular portion 80c. One circumferential side edge of the first spring bearing protrusions 80t functions as a spring bearing 80s1 that receives an end of the primary damper spring S1, and the other circumferential side edge functions as a spring bearing 80s2 that receives an end of the secondary damper spring S2.

In addition, a plurality of locking grooves 80ch that lock the claws 90t of the power transmission plate 90 so that they cannot rotate relative to each other are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the first annular portion 80c. The locking of the claws 90t with the locking grooves 80ch connects the output rotor 80 to the power transmission plate 90 so that it rotates integrally with the power transmission plate 90.

Furthermore, the first annular portion 80c has a stopper recess 80co recessed into its inner circumferential surface, particularly between adjacent first spring bearing protrusions 80t in the circumferential direction, and the inner bottom surface of the stopper recess 80co is formed into an arc-shaped concave curved surface concentric with the output rotor 80 in side view.

On the other hand, the intermediate rotor 70 has a second annular portion 70c, which is surrounded by the first annular portion 80c and sandwiches the spring arrangement group of the primary and secondary damper springs S1, S2, on its inner periphery as its only annular portion . A plurality of second spring bearing protrusions 70t are protrudingly provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the second annular portion 70c, and a side edge portion on one circumferential side of the second spring bearing protrusions 70t functions as a spring bearing 70s1 that receives the end of the primary damper spring S1, and a side edge portion on the other circumferential side functions as a spring bearing 70s2 that receives the end of the secondary damper spring S2. The output rotor 80 and the intermediate rotor 70 are each formed from a flat plate of approximately the same thickness, and are arranged so as to overlap each other in the axial direction.

The inner circumferential portion of the intermediate rotor 70, i.e., the second annular portion 70c, has an arc-shaped long hole 70ch that allows the intermediate shaft of the rivet pin 63 to slide relative to the circumferential direction via the collar 64. By engaging the intermediate shaft of the rivet pin 63 with the circumferential inner end of the long hole 70ch via the collar 64, as is clear from FIG. 5 (2), the relative rotation angle between the input rotor 60 and the intermediate rotor 70 during acceleration of the damper-equipped transmission device T can be restricted within a predetermined limited range.

The long hole portion 70ch and the rivet pin 63 constitute a first stopper mechanism ST1 that cooperates with each other during acceleration to restrict the amount of relative rotation between the input rotor 60 and the intermediate rotor 70 to a specified value or less (i.e., defines the relative rotation limit). This first stopper mechanism ST1 suppresses excessive deformation of the damper spring with the lower spring stiffness (the primary damper spring S1 in this embodiment) of the primary and secondary damper springs S1, S2 during acceleration.

In the embodiment, a collar 64 that functions as a spacer is fitted and fixed to the intermediate shaft portion of the rivet pin 63, and the intermediate shaft portion is engaged with the long hole portion 70ch via the collar 64. However, the collar 64 may be omitted and the expanded intermediate shaft portion of the rivet pin 63 may be directly engaged with the inner end of the long hole portion 70ch. Alternatively, instead of the collar 64, a roller may be rotatably fitted and supported on the intermediate shaft portion of the rivet pin 63, and engaged with the inner end of the long hole portion 70ch via the roller.

The tip of the second spring bearing protrusion 70t of the intermediate rotor 70 extends circumferentially outward beyond the spring bearings 70s1 and 70s2, and the radially outer tip surface of the tip is formed into an arc-shaped convex curved surface concentric with the intermediate rotor 70 in a side view. Then, as is clear from FIG. 6 (2), one circumferential end of the tip of the second spring bearing protrusion 70t engages with the circumferential inner end of the stopper recess 80co of the output rotor 80 during deceleration of the damper-equipped transmission device T, thereby restricting the relative rotation amount between the output rotor 80 and the intermediate rotor 70 to a predetermined amount or less. This restriction specifies the compression limit of the damper spring (in the embodiment, the primary damper spring S1) that has the lower spring stiffness among the primary and secondary damper springs S1 and S2. That is, the second spring receiving protrusion 70t functions as a stopper protrusion, and this and the stopper recess 80co cooperate to form the second stopper mechanism ST2.

When the damper-equipped transmission device T accelerates or decelerates, as is clear from FIG. 5(3) and FIG. 6(3), the relative rotation amount between the input rotor 60 and the output rotor 80 is restricted to a predetermined amount or less by the engagement between the claw portion 90t of the power transmission plate 90, which is engaged with the outer periphery of the first annular portion 80c of the output rotor 80, and the circumferential inner ends of the notched groove portions 61k, 62k on the outer periphery of the input rotor 60. This determines the compression limit of the damper spring with the higher spring stiffness (the secondary damper spring S2 in this embodiment) of the primary and secondary damper springs S1, S2. In other words, the claw portion 90t and the notched groove portions 61k, 62k cooperate with each other to form the third stopper mechanism ST3.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

When the lock-up clutch L is engaged in the torque converter TC, the rotational power transmitted from the engine E to the transmission cover 20 is mechanically transmitted from the lock-up clutch L to the output shaft 27 via the damper-equipped transmission device T, the power transmission plate 90, and the output hub 29 in that order. At this time, the rotational fluctuations and vibrations that occur as the engine E accelerates or decelerates are damped and suppressed by the primary damper spring S1 and secondary damper spring S2 of the transmission device T.

FIG. 5 shows how the various parts of the transmission device T (i.e., the input rotor 60, intermediate rotor 70, and output rotor 80, as well as the primary and secondary damper springs S1, S2, and the first to third stopper mechanisms ST1 to ST3) change operation during acceleration, while FIG. 6 shows how the various parts of the transmission device T change operation during deceleration. In this case, as is clear from the white arrows in FIGS. 5 and 6, the input rotor 60 tries to rotate clockwise relative to the output rotor 80 during acceleration, and counterclockwise relative to the output rotor 80 during deceleration.

In addition, in Figures 5 and 6, if the entire input rotor 60 were drawn overlapping the intermediate rotor 70 and the output rotor 80, it would be difficult to understand the relative movement of each part, so for the input rotor 60, the parts corresponding to the spring holder parts 61h, 62h and collar 64 are drawn in bold solid lines, and the parts corresponding to the notched groove parts 61k, 62k are drawn in bold dotted lines to simply show the movement of the input rotor 60.

FIG. 5(1) and FIG. 6(1) show a state in which the input rotor 60 receives no relative torque on either the acceleration or deceleration side, i.e., the intermediate rotor 70 is in a neutral position relative to the input rotor 60 and the output rotor 80, and this neutral position is determined by the mutual balancing action of the primary damper spring S1 and the secondary damper spring S2.

When the input rotor 60 receives an acceleration torque in the neutral state shown in FIG. 5(1), the input rotor 60 tries to rotate clockwise relative to the output rotor 80 while bending the primary and secondary damper springs S1 and S2, but the low-rigidity primary damper spring S1 is compressed and deformed more than the high-rigidity secondary damper spring S2. Next, as shown in FIG. 5(2), when the amount of relative rotation of the input rotor 60 with respect to the intermediate rotor 70 reaches its limit (i.e., the first stopper mechanism ST1 operates as a stopper, more specifically, the rivet pin 63 engages with the inner end of the long hole portion 70ch via the collar 64), the compression deformation of the primary damper spring S1 ends, and the intermediate rotor 70 rotates integrally with the input rotor 60, and only the secondary coil spring S2 is elastically deformed.

When the input rotor 60 is subjected to further acceleration torque, the input rotor 60 bends the high-rigidity secondary damper spring S2 and reaches its relative rotation limit with respect to the output rotor 80 (i.e., the third stopper mechanism ST3 operates as a stopper, more specifically, the claw portion 90t engages with one circumferential end of the notched groove portions 61k and 62k), causing the secondary damper spring S2 to reach its compression limit and reach the state shown in FIG. 5 (3).

On the other hand, when the input rotor 60 receives a deceleration torque in the neutral state shown in FIG. 6(1), the input rotor 60 tries to rotate counterclockwise relative to the output rotor 80 while bending the primary and secondary damper springs S1 and S2, and at that time, the low-rigidity primary damper spring S1 is compressed and deformed more than the high-rigidity secondary damper spring S2. Next, as shown in FIG. 6(2), when the relative rotation amount of the intermediate rotor 70 with respect to the output rotor 80 reaches its limit (i.e., the second stopper mechanism ST2 operates as a stopper, more specifically, one circumferential end of the tip of the second spring receiving protrusion 70t as the stopper protrusion engages with the circumferential inner end of the stopper recess 80co), the compressive deformation of the primary damper spring S1 ends, and the intermediate rotor 70 rotates integrally with the output rotor 80, and at the same time, only the secondary coil spring S2 is elastically deformed.

When the input rotor 60 is subjected to further deceleration torque, the input rotor 60 bends the high-rigidity secondary damper spring S2 and reaches its relative rotation limit with respect to the output rotor 80 (i.e., the third stopper mechanism ST3 operates as a stopper, more specifically, the claw portion 90t engages with the other circumferential ends of the notched groove portions 61k and 62k), causing the secondary damper spring S2 to reach its compression limit and reach the state shown in FIG. 6 (3).

In addition, in FIG. 6 (3), it appears that the first stopper mechanism ST1 is also operating when the third stopper mechanism ST3 is in operation, but the dimensional tolerances of the two stopper mechanisms ST3 and ST1 are set so that when the relative rotational amount between the input rotor 60 and the output rotor 80 reaches a predetermined limit during deceleration, the third stopper mechanism ST3 always operates as a stopper before the first stopper mechanism ST1.

The relationship between the relative rotation angle (horizontal axis) of the input rotor to the output rotor during acceleration and deceleration in the embodiment described above and the torque received by the input rotor 60 is shown in the graphs of Figures 5 and 6.

Here, if the spring constant of the low-rigidity primary damper spring S1 is k1 and the spring constant of the high-rigidity secondary damper spring S2 is k2, the spring constant K of the entire transmission system between the input and output rotors 60, 80 is K = k1 · k2 / (k1 + k2) in the first half region during acceleration from when the input rotor 60 is in a neutral state until the first stopper mechanism ST1 is activated, i.e., in the low to medium torque region, and in the second half region after the first stopper mechanism ST1 is activated, i.e., in the high torque region, K = k2. Therefore, as is clear from Figures 5 (2) and (3), the spring constant K in the first half region before the first stopper mechanism ST1 is activated is lower (i.e., has a gentler gradient) than the spring constant K in the second half region after the mechanism ST1 is activated.

On the other hand, even during deceleration, in the first half region from when the input rotor 60 is in the neutral state until the second stopper mechanism ST2 is activated, i.e., in the low to medium torque region, K=-k1·k2/(k1+k2). In the second half region after the first stopper mechanism ST1 is activated, i.e., in the high torque region,
6(2) and 6(3), the spring constant K in the first half region before the second stopper mechanism ST2 is activated is higher (i.e., has a gentler gradient) than the spring constant K in the second half region after the second stopper mechanism ST1 is activated.

Thus, in the normal operating range of engine E (generally low to medium torque range), the primary and secondary damper springs S1, S2 in series act simultaneously, lowering the spring constant K of the entire transmission system between the input and output rotors 60, 80, achieving a high damping effect. Also, when excessive torque is input from engine E, the elastic action of the high-rigidity damper spring (secondary damper spring S2 in this embodiment) can effectively reduce torque fluctuations, which is expected to be effective in preventing damage to the transmission connected to the torque converter TC.

This effect can also be achieved in another embodiment (not shown) in which the primary damper spring S1 is set to have a higher spring stiffness than the secondary damper spring S2, which is the opposite of the above embodiment.

As described above, the torque converter TC of the embodiment, and in particular the damper-equipped transmission device T that is responsible for mechanical transmission when the lock-up clutch L is engaged, includes an intermediate rotor 70 interposed between the input rotor 60 and the output rotor 80, a primary damper spring S1 that connects the intermediate rotor 70 and the input rotor 60, and a secondary damper spring S2 that connects the intermediate rotor 70 and the output rotor 80. The primary damper spring S1 and the secondary damper spring S2 are alternately arranged on the same imaginary circle that is concentric with each of the rotors 60, 70, and 80, so that the arrangement space for the two damper springs S1 and S2 can be made smaller in the axial and radial directions, which is advantageous in making the mechanical transmission part of the torque converter TC (i.e., the damper-equipped transmission device T) smaller in the axial and radial directions.

Thus, by reducing the size of the damped transmission device T, the transmission cover 20 of the torque converter TC can create a relatively large amount of excess space, particularly on the radially outward side of the portion (the aforementioned small diameter cylindrical portion 20b) that covers the damped transmission device T. This makes it possible to install additional devices (such as a motor) in the created space, thereby increasing the overall design freedom.

In particular, in the embodiment, the output rotor 80 has a first annular portion 80c that surrounds the spring arrangement group of the primary and secondary damper springs S1, S2 , as the only annular portion on its outer periphery, and the intermediate rotor 70 has a second annular portion 70c that is surrounded by the first annular portion 80c and sandwiches the spring arrangement group , as the only annular portion on its inner periphery, and the output rotor 80 and the intermediate rotor 70 are arranged so as to overlap each other in the axial direction, and the input rotor 60 is composed of a pair of spring retaining plates 61, 62 that hold the spring arrangement group between them and are connected to each other. As a result, the output rotor 80, which is located toward the outer periphery of the transmission device T (i.e., toward the radially outer side when viewed from the above-mentioned spring arrangement group) and is arranged so as to overlap the intermediate rotor 70 in the axial direction, does not need to be directly connected to the output take-off portion (the output hub 29 in this embodiment), and there is no need to increase the damper spring installation diameter in relation to the connection portion. Therefore, from this viewpoint as well, it is possible to achieve further radial miniaturization of the transmission device T.

In addition, in the embodiment, a first stopper mechanism ST1 that restricts the relative rotation amount between the input rotor 60 and the intermediate rotor 70 to a predetermined amount or less during acceleration, a second stopper mechanism ST2 that restricts the relative rotation amount between the output rotor 80 and the intermediate rotor 70 to a predetermined amount or less during deceleration, and a third stopper mechanism ST3 that restricts the relative rotation amount between the input rotor 60 and the output rotor 80 to a predetermined amount or less during acceleration and deceleration are provided. During acceleration, the first and third stopper mechanisms ST1 and ST3 respectively determine the compression limits of the primary and secondary damper springs S1 and S2, while during deceleration, the second and third stopper mechanisms ST2 and ST3 respectively determine the compression limits of the primary and secondary damper springs S1 and S2. This makes it possible to effectively prevent the damper springs S1 and S2 from being damaged due to excessive deformation during both acceleration and deceleration.

The first stopper mechanism ST1 of the embodiment has a rivet pin 63 that connects the pair of spring retaining plates 61, 62 that sandwich the intermediate rotor 70 in the axial direction, and an elongated hole portion 70ch that is formed in the second annular portion 70c and extends in the circumferential direction, into which the rivet pin 63 slidably fits via the collar 64. This prevents the input rotor 60 and the intermediate rotor 70 from increasing in thickness and forms a compact assembly in the axial direction, thereby further reducing the size of the transmission device T. Furthermore, the connecting means between the first and second spring retaining plates 61, 62 (the rivet pin 63 as a connecting pin) also serves as part of the first stopper mechanism ST1, simplifying the structure and reducing the number of parts.

The second stopper mechanism ST2 of the embodiment has a second spring receiving protrusion 70t as a stopper protrusion protruding from the outer periphery of the second annular portion 70c, and a stopper recess 80co recessed into the inner periphery of the first annular portion 80c with which the second spring receiving protrusion 70t can engage. As a result, a portion of the second spring receiving protrusion 70t (stopper protrusion) on the outer periphery of the intermediate rotor 70 is received within the stopper recess 80co on the inner periphery of the output rotor 80, so that the output rotor 80 and the intermediate rotor 70 are partially overlapped in the radial direction, and the transmission device T can be further reduced in size in the radial direction.

Furthermore, the third stopper mechanism ST3 of the embodiment has a claw portion 90t on the outer periphery of the power transmission plate 90 that engages the outer periphery of the first annular portion 80c so as not to rotate relative to the first annular portion 80c, and notched groove portions 61k, 62k that are recessed in the outer periphery of the input rotor 60 and engage the claw portion 90t so that it can slide relative to the circumferential direction, so that the maximum torsional angle regulation during acceleration and deceleration can be efficiently carried out by the stopper means (third stopper mechanism ST3) arranged on each outer periphery of the input rotor 60 and the output rotor 80. As a result, the connecting pin (part of the first stopper mechanism ST1) of the input rotor 60 and the second spring receiving protrusion 70t (part of the second stopper mechanism ST2) of the intermediate rotor 70, which are relatively prone to weakening in strength, can be prevented from receiving excessive torque during maximum torsional angle displacement during acceleration and deceleration, which can contribute to improving the durability of the transmission device T as a whole.

The pair of spring retaining plates 61, 62 constituting the input rotor 60 in the embodiment are connected to each other via a plurality of rivet plates 65 as connecting members located radially outward from the rivet pin 63 connecting the two, and the plurality of rivet plates 65 are circumferentially slidably sandwiched between the opposing surfaces of the tip surfaces of the plurality of second spring receiving protrusions 70t in the intermediate rotor 70 and the inner bottom surfaces of the plurality of stopper recesses 80co in the output rotor 80. As a result, the input rotor 60, the intermediate rotor 70, and the output rotor 80 can be easily arranged concentrically with each other by using the rivet plate 65 as a connecting member between the two spring retaining plates 61, 62, and the rivet plate 65 serves both as a means for aligning the rotors 60, 70, and 80 with each other and as a connecting means between the two spring retaining plates 61, 62, thereby simplifying the structure of the transmission device T.

In the torque converter TC of the embodiment, the output hub 29 and the outer periphery of the output rotor 80 are connected to each other via a power transmission plate 90 arranged on the side of the input rotor 60, and the radial middle part of the power transmission plate 90 and the turbine runner 12 are fastened by rivets 53. Therefore, even if the output hub 29 and the outer periphery (first annular part 80c) of the output rotor 80 are radially separated from each other, the power transmission plate 90 can easily connect them. Therefore, the output hub 29 can receive the output torque from the outer periphery of the output rotor 80 via the power transmission plate 90 without increasing its diameter, which contributes to reducing the weight and size of the output hub 29 and reducing costs. Moreover, design changes to the shapes of peripheral components (e.g., the turbine runner 12, etc.) of the damper-equipped transmission device T can be easily accommodated by changing the shape of the power transmission plate 90, which is advantageous in terms of design and manufacturing costs.

In the embodiment, the rivets 53 that connect the power transmission plate 90 and the turbine runner 12 as described above also function as the fastening parts between the turbine runner 12 and the output rotor 80, and the fastening parts (rivets 53) are arranged so that the spring arrangement groups of the primary and secondary damper springs S1 and S2 overlap in the radial direction. This makes it possible to more effectively achieve a reduction in the radial size of the mechanical transmission part of the torque converter TC (i.e., the damper-equipped transmission device T).

In addition, the power transmission plate 90 has a bearing receiving portion 90mb that supports the thrust bearing 35 that is interposed between the output hub 29 and the stator hub 31 of the torque converter TC. This eliminates the need to provide a special bearing receiving portion on the output hub 29 that faces the stator hub 31, allowing the output hub 29 to be further downsized in the radial direction, which is even more effective in reducing the weight and cost of the output hub 29.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various design changes can be made without departing from the invention described in the claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, the damped transmission device of the present invention is exemplified as a transmission device T that is built into a torque converter TC with a lockup mechanism for an automobile and transmits mechanical power from the engine E to the output shaft 27 when the lockup clutch L is engaged, but the damped transmission device of the present invention may be applied to the power transmission devices of various mechanical devices other than the torque converter TC.

In the above embodiment, the primary damper spring S1 is configured as a single coil spring, and the secondary damper spring S2 is configured as two concentrically arranged coil springs S2a, S2b. However, the number and arrangement of the damper springs are not limited to the embodiment. For example, the primary damper spring S1 may be configured as two concentrically arranged coil springs, and the secondary damper spring S2 may be configured as a single coil spring. Alternatively, the primary damper spring S1 and the secondary damper spring S2 may each be configured as a single coil spring, or may each be configured as two coil springs.

In the above embodiment, the claw portion 90t on the outer periphery of the power transmission plate 90 is fitted into the locking groove 80ch recessed in the outer periphery of the outer periphery of the output rotor 80 (i.e., the first annular portion 80c) so as to be unable to rotate relative to the output rotor 80. However, the claw portion 90t may be fitted into a locking hole drilled in the outer periphery of the output rotor 80 (i.e., the first annular portion 80c) so as to be unable to rotate relative to the output rotor 80.

L . . . Lock-up clutches S1, S2 . . . Primary damper spring, secondary damper spring ST1, ST2, ST3 . . . First stopper mechanism, second stopper mechanism, third stopper mechanism T . . . Transmission device with damper TC . . . Torque converter Z . . . Axis of output shaft 12 as axis line . . . Turbine runner 29 . . . Output hub 31 . . . Stator hub 35 . . . Thrust bearing 53 as bearing . . . Rivet 60 as fastening part . . . Input rotors 61, 62 First and second spring retaining plates 61k, 62k...Notched groove portion 63 of first and second spring retaining plates as notched groove portion...Rivet pin 65 as connecting pin...Rivet plate 70 as connecting member...Intermediate rotor 70c...Second annular portion 70ch...Elongated hole portion 70t...Second spring receiving protrusion 80 as stopper protrusion...Output rotor 80c...First annular portion 80co...Stopper recess 90...Power transmission plate 90mb...Bearing receiving portion 90t...Claw portion

Claims (8)

A damped transmission device comprising an input rotor (60), an intermediate rotor (70), and an output rotor (80) arranged to be relatively rotatable about the same axis, a primary damper spring (S1) connecting the intermediate rotor (70) and the input rotor (60), and a secondary damper spring (S2) connecting the intermediate rotor (70) and the output rotor (80), wherein the primary damper spring (S1) and the secondary damper spring (S2) are alternately arranged on the same imaginary circle concentric with the input rotor (60),
The output rotor (80) has a first annular portion (80c) surrounding the spring arrangement group of the primary damper spring (S1) and the secondary damper spring (S2) as its only annular portion on its outer periphery, and the intermediate rotor (70) has a second annular portion (70c) surrounded by the first annular portion (80c) and sandwiching the spring arrangement group , as its only annular portion on its inner periphery, the output rotor (80) and the intermediate rotor (70) are arranged so as to overlap each other in the axial direction, and the input rotor (60) is composed of a pair of spring retaining plates (61, 62) that are connected to each other and hold the spring arrangement group between them.
The damper-equipped transmission device according to claim 1, characterized in that the primary damper spring (S1) and the secondary damper spring (S2) are set to different spring stiffnesses. a first stopper mechanism (ST1) that restricts the amount of relative rotation between the input rotor (60) and the intermediate rotor (70) to a predetermined amount or less during acceleration, a second stopper mechanism (ST2) that restricts the amount of relative rotation between the output rotor (80) and the intermediate rotor (70) to a predetermined amount or less during deceleration, and a third stopper mechanism (ST3) that restricts the amount of relative rotation between the input rotor (60) and the output rotor (80) to a predetermined amount or less during acceleration and deceleration,
3. The damped transmission device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that during acceleration, the compression limits of the primary damper spring (S1) and the secondary damper spring (S2) are determined by the first stopper mechanism (ST1) and the third stopper mechanism (ST3), while during deceleration, the compression limits of the primary damper spring (S1) and the secondary damper spring (S2) are determined by the second stopper mechanism (ST2) and the third stopper mechanism (ST3). the first stopper mechanism (ST1) has a connecting pin (63) that connects the pair of spring retaining plates (61, 62) that sandwich the intermediate rotating body (70) in the axial direction, and a long hole portion (70ch) that is formed in the second annular portion (70c), extends in a circumferential direction, and into which the connecting pin (63) is slidably fitted,
The second stopper mechanism (ST2) has a stopper protrusion (70t) protruding from an outer periphery of the second annular portion (70c) and a stopper recess (80co) recessed into an inner periphery of the first annular portion (80c) and with which the stopper protrusion (70t) can be engaged,
The damper-equipped transmission device according to claim 3, further characterized in that the third stopper mechanism (ST3) has a claw portion (90t) that engages with the outer periphery of the first annular portion (80c) so as to be unable to rotate relative to the first annular portion, and a notched groove portion (61k, 62k) that is recessed into the outer periphery of the input rotating body (60) and engages with the claw portion (90t) so as to be able to slide relative to the first annular portion in the circumferential direction. The pair of spring retaining plates (61, 62) are connected to each other via a plurality of connecting members (65) that are separate parts from the connecting pin (63) and are located radially outward from the connecting pin (63), and the plurality of connecting members (65) are sandwiched between the opposing surfaces of the tip ends of the plurality of stopper protrusions (70t) and the inner bottom surfaces of the plurality of stopper recesses (80co) so as to be circumferentially slidable, as described in claim 4. 6. The damper-equipped transmission device according to claim 1, which is built into a torque converter (TC) capable of switching between fluid transmission and mechanical transmission by a lock-up clutch (L) and is used for the mechanical transmission,
A damper-equipped transmission device, characterized in that a fastening portion (53) between a turbine runner (12) of the torque converter (TC) and the output rotor (80) and the spring array group are arranged so as to overlap in the radial direction. The damper-equipped transmission device according to claim 6, characterized in that the output hub (29) of the torque converter (TC) and the first annular portion (80c) of the output rotor (80) are connected to each other via a power transmission plate (90) arranged on the side of the input rotor (60), and the coupling portion between the power transmission plate (90) and the turbine runner (12) serves as the fastening portion (53). The damper-equipped transmission device according to claim 7, characterized in that the power transmission plate (90) has a bearing receiving portion (90mb) that supports a bearing (35) interposed between the output hub (29) and the stator hub (31) of the torque converter (TC).

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