Importance

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Abstract

A twin mass flywheel (10) in which first (11) and second (12) flywheel masses can rotate relative to each other about an axis (C) under the control of one or more connection means (50, 31, 41) whose center of gravity moves radially with respect to the rotation axis as the flywheel masses rotate relative to each other. The centripetal loads acting on the connection means (50, 31, 41) as the twin mass flywheel rotates, tend to bias the first and second flywheel masses towards a pre-determined relative rotational position to provide speed sensitive damping of the relative rotation. The connection means may take the form of a mass (50) which moves along a first track (31) associated with the first flywheel mass (11) and a torque transmitting connection acting between the mass (50) and the second flywheel mass (12) in the form of a second track (41) also followed by the mass (50). Numerous other forms of connection means are also disclosed some of which us links (570) in place of one of the tracks.

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First Claim