Spring damper drive for a clutch driven disc assembly

A torque transmitting device comprising:

• a rotatable annular disc member having a plurality of spaced apart openings therein disposed in a circular array;
• a rotatable hub member adapted for limited co-axial rotation relative to said annular disc member;
• an annular cover secured to said hub member for rotation therewith, said cover being positioned adjacent to said disc member and having a plurality of spaced apart openings therein disposed in a circular array, each of said plurality of openings in said cover being at least partly aligned with one of said plurality of openings in said disc member;
• and
• a plurality of spring means, each of said spring means having a first end and a second end and being partly positioned in one of said plurality of openings in said disc member and partly positioned in the one of said plurality of openings in said cover, said plurality of spring means resiliently and drivingly connecting said disc member and said hub member to resiliently urge said disc member and said hub member to relative positions of angular rotation with respect to one another wherein said each of said plurality of openings in said cover and said openings in said disc member are substantially completely aligned with one another;
• wherein said cover has, adjacent to each of the openings in said cover, a spring means end reaction area and a ramp for deflecting said first ends of said spring means radially inwardly to engage said spring means end reaction area when a given force is applied to said second ends of said spring means, said cover further comprising, adjacent to said each of the openings in said cover, a spring means containment surface disposed radially outwardly from said spring means end reaction area, said ramp being positioned between said spring end reaction area and said spring containment surface.

A torque transmitting device comprising:

• a rotatable annular disc member having a plurality of spaced apart openings therein disposed in a circular array;
• a rotatable hub member adapted for limited co-axial rotation relative to said disc member;
• first and second annular covers secured to said hub member for rotation therewith, said first and second covers extending generally parallel to one another, said disc member being positioned between and adjacent to said first and second covers, each of said first and second covers having a plurality of spaced apart openings therein disposed in a circular array, each of said openings in said first and second covers being at least partly aligned with one of said openings in said disc member;
• and
• a plurality of spring means, each of said spring means having a first end and a second end and being partly positioned in one of said openings in said disc member, partly positioned in one of said openings in said first cover, and partly positioned in one of said openings in said second cover, said plurality of spring means resiliently and drivingly connecting said disc member and said hub member to resiliently urge said disc member and said hub member to relative positions of angular rotation with respect to one another wherein each of said openings in said disc member, said first cover, and said second cover are substantially completely aligned with one another;
• wherein each of said first and second annular covers has, adjacent to each of the openings, a spring means end reaction area and a ramp for deflecting the first ends of said spring means that is partly positioned in said openings radially inwardly to engage said spring end reaction area when a given force is applied to said second ends of said spring means, each of said first and second covers further comprising, adjacent to said each of said openings, a spring means containment surface disposed radially outwardly of said spring means end reaction area.

A driven disc assembly for a clutch comprising:

• a first rotary torque transmitting element having a central aperture and at least one opening formed therethrough;
• a second rotary torque transmitting element having a central aperture and at least one opening formed therethrough, said second torque transmitting element being connected to said first rotary torque transmitting element for rotation relative thereto;
• a flange formed about the periphery of one of said openings, said flange including an inner portion, a pair of end portions extending outwardly from each end of said inner portion, and an outer portion extending between each of said end portions, said flange further including a projecting shoulder formed at the junction of said outer portion with one of said end portions;
• and
• spring means disposed in said first and second openings to provide a resilient driving connection between said first and second rotary torque transmitting elements, said spring means including an outer surface adapted to engage said flange outer portion and an end adapted to selectively engage said shoulder and said flange end portion during relative rotation of said first and second torque transmitting elements.