# US 2017/0284475 A1 · Torsional Vibration Damper And Start-Up Element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0284475 A1 - Document ID: US20170284475A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/512,199 - Filed: 2015-08-13 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-19 - Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Applicants: Zf Friedrichshafen AG - Inventors: Martin HERTEL; Michael WINTERSTEIN; Joerg SUDAU; Armin STÜRMER; Christian WEBER; Christoph SASSE; Thomas KRÜGER; Erwin WACK - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170284475A1 ## CPC - F16D 3/12: specially adapted for accumulation of energy to absorb shocks or vibration (by making use of fluid elements F16D3/80) - F16F 15/1234: {Additional guiding means for springs, e.g. for support along the body of springs that extend circumferentially over a significant length} - F16F 15/12366: {acting on multiple sets of springs} - F16F 15/13484: {acting on multiple sets of springs} - F16F 2222/08: Inertia - F16F 2232/02: Rotary - F16H 45/02: with mechanical clutches for bridging a fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type (control of torque converter lock-up clutches F16H61/14) - F16H 2045/0226: {comprising two or more vibration dampers} - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract A torsional vibration damper has an input, an output and an intermediate mass arranged therebetween, a first plurality of spring elements coupled between the input and the intermediate mass that form a first stage, a second plurality of spring elements coupled between the intermediate mass and the output that form a second stage of the torsional vibration damper, at least one damper mass to damp the vibration component of the rotational movement. The first stage of the torsional vibration damper has a progressive first characteristic with at least one transition point. The second stage of the torsional vibration damper has a progressive, second characteristic with at least one transition point. All of the transition points of the first characteristic and the second characteristic are spaced apart from one another with respect to torque. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -15. (canceled) ### Claim 16 A torsional vibration damper configured to damp a vibration component of a rotational movement, comprising: an input; an output; an intermediate mass arranged between the input and the output; a first plurality of spring elements coupled between the input and the intermediate mass that forms a first stage of the torsional vibration damper, the first stage of the torsional vibration damper has a progressive first characteristic with at least one transition point; a second plurality of spring elements coupled between the intermediate mass and the output that forms a second stage of the torsional vibration damper, the second stage of the torsional vibration damper has a progressive, second characteristic with at least one transition point; and at least one damper mass configured to perform an oscillation depending on the rotational movement to damp the vibration component of the rotational movement, wherein all of the transition points of the first characteristic of the first stage of the torsional vibration damper and the second characteristic of the second stage of the torsional vibration damper are spaced apart from one another with respect to torque. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 16, wherein the transition points of the first characteristic and of the second characteristic have a distance from one another of at least 20 Nm with respect to torque. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 16, wherein adjacent transition points of the first characteristic and of the second characteristic with respect to torque have a spacing of at most 100 Nm with respect to torque. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the first characteristic and the second characteristic have at least one portion that is progressive in multiple steps and comprises the at least one transition point. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 19, wherein the at least one of the first characteristic and the second characteristic have at least one portion with a characteristic that is progressive in at least three steps. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the first plurality of spring elements and the second plurality of spring elements comprise at least one spring element with a characteristic that is at least partially progressive in multiple steps. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 21, wherein the at least one spring element has an outer spring and an inner spring, and wherein the inner spring has a smaller outer diameter than an inner diameter of the outer spring and is arranged at least partially along a circumferential direction inside the outer spring. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 22, wherein one of the outer spring and the inner spring is configured to contribute a torque component to the characteristic of a respective step only after exceeding a step twist angle. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the first characteristic and the second characteristic have at least one continuously progressive portion comprising the at least one transition point. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the first plurality of spring elements and the second plurality of spring elements comprise at least one spring element with an at least partially continuously progressive characteristic. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 16, wherein the first stage of the torsional vibration damper is configured to deliver a first maximum torque, wherein the second stage of the torsional vibration damper is configured to deliver a second maximum torque, and wherein the first maximum torque can differ from the second maximum torque. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 26, wherein the first maximum torque and the second maximum torque differ by a value between 10 Nm and 20 Nm. ### Claim 28 (depends on 16) The torsional vibration damper according to claim 16, further comprising: a damper mass carrier structure configured to moveably guide the at least one damper mass such that the at least one damper mass can perform the oscillation, wherein the damper mass carrier structure is one of connected to the output of the torsional vibration damper so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it and is part of the intermediate mass of the torsional vibration damper. ### Claim 29 A starting element for a powertrain of a motor vehicle, comprising: an first input; an first output; and a torsional vibration damper having an input and an output configured to damp a vibration component of a rotational movement, the torsional vibration damper coupled by the input and the output between the first input and the first output of the starting element, the torsional vibration damper, comprising: the input; the output; an intermediate mass arranged between the input and the output; a first plurality of spring elements coupled between the input and the intermediate mass that forms a first stage of the torsional vibration damper, the first stage of the torsional vibration damper has a progressive first characteristic with at least one transition point; a second plurality of spring elements coupled between the intermediate mass and the output that forms a second stage of the torsional vibration damper, the second stage of the torsional vibration damper has a progressive, second characteristic with at least one transition point; and at least one damper mass configured to perform an oscillation depending on the rotational movement to damp the vibration component of the rotational movement, wherein all of the transition points of the first characteristic of the first stage of the torsional vibration damper and the second characteristic of the second stage of the torsional vibration damper are spaced apart from one another with respect to torque. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The starting element according to claim 29, configured as a torque converter, wherein the starting element further comprises: a turbine connected to one of the output of the torsional vibration damper so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it and is part of the intermediate mass of the torsional vibration damper.