Camshaft vibration damper

A damper assembly for disposition on a camshaft of an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination,

• a camshaft having cam means for actuating respective valve means,
• a clutch member secured to and rotating with said camshaft, said clutch member including teeth disposed about its periphery, and a planar friction surface rotating with said camshaft,
• an inertia ring disposed upon said camshaft adjacent said clutch member for rotation independent of said camshaft, said inertia ring having an inertia of between approximately 0.0005 Nm-Sec.sup.2 and 0.005 Nm-Sec.sup.2,
• friction material disposed between said clutch member and said inertia ring, and
• means for biasing said inertia ring toward said clutch member.

A Lanchester type damper for a camshaft of an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination,

• a camshaft having a plurality of cam means for actuating a respective one of a like plurality of valves,
• an inertia member disposed upon said camshaft for rotation independent of said camshaft, said inertia ring having an inertia of between approximately 0.0005 Nm-Sec.sup.2 and 0.005 Nm-Sec.sup.2,
• a drive member disposed adjacent said inertia member and secured to and rotating with said camshaft,
• a friction clutch including a friction surface disposed on one of said inertia member and drive member and friction material disposed on the other of said inertia member or drive member, and
• means for biasing said inertia member and said damper drive member together.

A camshaft damper assembly for reducing vibration associated with the rotation of a camshaft and the actuation of valves in an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination,

• a camshaft having at least a pair of cams for actuating a respective pair of valves,
• a drive sprocket secured to and rotating with said camshaft, said drive sprocket including teeth disposed about its periphery and a circular friction surface,
• an inertia ring rotatably disposed upon said camshaft adjacent said drive sprocket,
• friction material disposed between said drive sprocket and said inertia ring, and
• means for biasing said inertia ring toward said drive sprocket, wherein said friction torque between said inertia ring and said drive sprocket is between approximately 5 Nm and 50 Nm.

A damper assembly for disposition on a camshaft of an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination,

• a camshaft having cam means for actuating respective valve means,
• a clutch member secured to and rotating with said camshaft, said clutch member including teeth disposed about its periphery, and a planar friction surface rotating with said camshaft,
• an inertia ring disposed upon said camshaft adjacent said clutch member for rotation independent of said camshaft,
• friction material disposed between said clutch member and said inertia ring, and
• means for biasing said inertia ring toward said clutch member, wherein said friction torque between said inertia ring and said drive sprocket is between approximately 5 Nm and 50 Nm.

A Lanchester type damper for a camshaft of an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination,

• a camshaft having a plurality of cam means for actuating a respective one of a like plurality of valves,
• an inertia member disposed upon said camshaft for rotation independent of said camshaft,
• a drive member disposed adjacent said inertia member and secured to and rotating with said camshaft,
• a friction clutch including a friction surface disposed on one of said inertia member and drive member and friction material disposed on the other of said inertia member or drive member, and
• means for biasing said inertia member and said damper drive member together, wherein said friction torque between said inertia ring and said drive sprocket is between approximately 5 Nm and 50 Nm.