Clutch linkage with vibration isolation and damping
AssigneeInternational Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
InventorHarry Woehrle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Attenuation of transmission of noise along a clutch linkage for a manual transmission clutch is achieved by providing a segmented linkage. A clutch pedal side segment has a substantially greater mass than does the clutch lever side segment. Bi-directional force between the clutch lever side segment and he clutch pedal side segment is through compressible bearings located inside a coupler between the segments.
Claims17
A linkage comprising:
- a first rod having a principal axis;
- a second rod having a principal axis aligned on the principal axis of the first rod;
- a vibration filtering mass;
- the first rod being linked to the vibration filtering mass;
- and
- first and second compressible bearings mounted on the second rod, the second rod being positioned with respect to the vibration filtering mass such that the first and second compressible bearings impinge against the vibration filtering mass in first and second opposed directions, which are coaxial with the principal axis of the second rod, the first and second compressible bearings limiting play of the second rod with respect to vibration filtering mass parallel to the principal axis of the second rod.
A clutch linkage comprising:
- a first rod having a principal axis;
- a mass mounted to the first rod and having a bore aligned on the principal axis of the first rod extending into the mass from a face thereof opposite the first rod;
- a second rod having a principal axis aligned on the principal axis of the first rod and extending from the bore;
- and
- first and second compressible bearings disposed between the second rod and the mass to position the second rod in the bore and mass and to resist relative movement of the second rod with respect to the mass in either direction along the principal axis of the second rod.
A bi-directional linkage comprising:
- first and second members of differing mass, the first member having substantially greater mass than the second member;
- the second member being attached to a source of vibration;
- the first member being attached to a control implement for a vehicle;
- a coupler between the first and second members to provide bi-directional compression in the directions of reciprocation of the bi-directional linkage.
A vibration attenuating bi-directional linkage for a clutch assembly, the vibration attenuating bi-directional linkage comprising:
- a clutch pedal side segment;
- a clutch lever side segment;
- the clutch pedal side segment having a greater mass than the clutch lever side segment;
- and
- first and second compressible bearings for transmitting bi-directional longitudinal force between the clutch pedal side and clutch lever side segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.