System for reducing vibration in a vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine

A damping system for reducing the magnitude of vibration which is transmitted to a vehicle wheel mechanism, in a vehicle of the type having an internal combustion engine which is provided with an output shaft, and a drive train having a first end adapted to be connected to the wheel mechanism for producing a rotational motion of the wheel mechanism, the damping system being arranged between the output shaft and the drive train, the damping apparatus comprising:

• first and second inert bodies arranged on a common axis of rotation and facing each other with a small gap therebetween, said first inert body being fixedly connected to the output shaft of the engine, said second inert body being fixedly connected to a second end of the drive train, said second end being disposed away from the wheel mechanism, a sum of values of the moments of inertia of said first and second inert bodies being maintained at a constant value, and;
• damping means arranged between said first and second inert bodies for generating elastic and frictional forces between said first and second inert bodies, wherein a first total moment of inertia, on one side of the damping means, including said first inert body and the engine, is maintained substantially equal to a second total moment of inertia on the other side of the damping means, including said second inert body and the drive train.