Vibration damping device for internal combustion engine

Abstract

A vibration damping device for use in an internal combustion engine including: a rigid housing having a hollow space; an independent mass member housed within the hollow space; and at least one rubber sleeve being independent of the housing and the mass member and being disposed within an empty space between the housing and the mass member so as to extend over an entire circumference of the empty space with a constant thickness dimension. An inside tiny gap is formed between an inner circumferential surface of the rubber sleeve and an outer surface of the mass member over an entire circumference thereof, while an outside tiny gap is formed between an outer circumferential surface of the rubber sleeve and an inner surface of the housing over an entire circumference thereof at room temperature of 25° C.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and/or other objects features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like elements and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a transverse cross sectional view of a vibration damping device for an automotive vehicle of construction according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross sectional view of a vibration damping device of the invention, in one state different from the state shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a graph demonstrating a result of measurements relating to vibration damping action by means of a vibration damping device of the invention under a prescribed condition;

FIG. 5 is a graph demonstrating a result of measurements relating to vibration damping action by means of a vibration damping device of the invention under another condition;

FIG. 6 is a graph demonstrating a result of measurements relating to vibration damping action by means of a vibration damping device of the invention under yet another condition;

FIG. 7 is a graph demonstrating a result of measurements relating to vibration damping action by means of a vibration damping device of the invention under still yet another condition;

FIG. 8 is a transverse cross sectional view of a vibration damping device of construction according to another preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a transverse cross sectional view of a vibration damping device of construction according to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a transverse cross sectional view of a vibration damping device of construction according to still another preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a transverse cross sectional view of a vibration damping device of construction according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 12 is a transverse cross sectional view of a vibration damping device of construction according to a still further preferred embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A vibration damping device for use in an internal combustion engine, comprising: a rigid housing having a hollow space, and adapted to be fixed to a target member whose vibration is to be damped and being subject to heat of the internal combustion engine;an independent mass member housed within the hollow space of the rigid housing with an empty space formed between an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the independent mass member over an entire circumference thereof as seen in transverse cross sections of the rigid housing and the independent mass member, said independent mass member being resiliently displaced to come into impact against the housing upon input of vibration; andat least one rubber sleeve being independent of the housing and the independent mass member, and being disposed within the empty space so as to extend over an entire circumference of the empty space with a constant thickness dimension,wherein, at room temperature of 25° C., an inside tiny gap is formed between an inner circumferential surface of the rubber sleeve and the outer surface of the independent mass member over an entire circumference thereof, and an outside tiny gap is formed between an outer circumferential surface of the rubber sleeve and the inner surface of the housing over an entire circumference thereof.

2. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the housing, the inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the rubber sleeve, and the outer surface of the independent mass member are of circular shape in transverse cross section, and the inside tiny gap and the outside tiny gap are of annular shape with the independent mass member, the rubber sleeve and the housing are located in a concentric fashion.

3. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, wherein the inside tiny gap and the outside tiny gap have respective gap dimensions a sum of which is held within a range of 0.01-0.2 mm as measured on an axis-perpendicular line passing through a center axis of the hollow space and extending in a vertical direction with a state where the independent mass member and the rubber sleeve are held in first strike ends thereof in their displacement relative to the housing.

4. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the housing, the inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the rubber sleeve, and the outer surface of the independent mass member are of rectangular shape in transverse cross section, and the inside tiny gap and the outside tiny gap are of rectangular shape in transverse cross section with the independent mass member, the rubber sleeve and the housing are located in a concentric fashion.

5. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the housing and the outer surface of the independent mass member are of rectangular shape, and the inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the rubber sleeve are of circular shape in transverse cross section.

6. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the housing and the outer surface of the independent mass member are of circular shape, and the inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the rubber sleeve are of rectangular shape in transverse cross section.

7. The vibration damping device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one rubber sleeve comprises a plurality of the rubber sleeves disposed within the empty space, while being located in a concentric fashion.

8. The vibration damping device according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of the rubber sleeves are mutually spaced away from one another.