GB2335965A

GB2335965A - Torsional vibration damper

Info

Publication number: GB2335965A
Application number: GB9903746A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernd Peinemann; Andreas Orlamuender
Original assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
Current assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
Priority date: 1998-02-27
Filing date: 1999-02-18
Publication date: 1999-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 2019-02-18
Also published as: ES2163962B1; ES2163962A1; FR2777620A1; GB9903746D0; FR2777620B1; DE19808294B4; GB2335965B; DE19808294A1

Abstract

A torsional vibration damper comprises a component (12, Fig 1) acting as a first damper part, a hub disc 20 acting as a second damper part, and an intermediate ring 30. The first and second damper parts (12), 20 are rotatable about an axis (A) relative to one another and the intermediate ring 30 is rotatable relative to both the first and second parts (12), 20. Spring units 36 are provided in apertures (42, 44), 46 in the first and second parts (12), 20. Each spring unit 36 comprises at least two springs 38, 40 arranged in succession. The intermediate ring 30 has arms 34 with spring abutment edges 60, 62 for engaging the springs 38, 40 and each spring 38, 40 is associated with stop means 64, 66, 68, 70 as well as radial blocking means 78, 80, 82, 84. The radial blocking means are constructed so that when the associated stop means come into abutment to restrict undue compression of the springs, the radial blocking means (78, 80, 82, 84) overlap in the peripheral direction, at least in certain regions, to restrict the outward displacement of the springs.

Description

2335965 1 Torsional Vibration Damper The present invention relates to a

torsional vibration damper, which can be incorporated into, in particular, a clutch disc assembly, a dual-mass flywheel or the like, for damping torsional vibrations in the driving line of an internal combustion engine.

A known torsional vibration damper described in DE 19510883 is composed of a first damper part, a second damper part able to rotate about an axis with respect to the first damper part and a torsion spring device composed of several torsion spring units, each having at least two springs arranged in succession in a peripheral direction. Each torsion spring unit cooperates, as regards operation in the region of its opposite ends in the peripheral direction, with the first damper part and the second damper part for torsional vibration damping. An intermediate ring is displaceable in the peripheral direction about the axis with respect to the first damper part and the second damper part. This intermediate member has arms with spring abutment sections associated with each torsion spring unit. Each spring abutment section is located between the facing ends of the springs of the associated torsion spring unit.

If torsional vibrations occur, then the first and second damper parts are displaced relative to one another under the compression of the two springs of each torsion spring unit. In this case, a relative rotation between the first damper part and intermediate ring on the one hand and the second damper part and intermediate ring on the other hand also occurs. In order to prevent the springs of each torsion spring unit from being made into a block, i.e. from being compressed to act as a rigid abutment, provided on a hub disc, which forms one of the damper parts, and the intermediate ring, respectively in the region of 2 abutment with the springs of the respective torsion spring units, there are further sections projecting beyond the arm abutments in the peripheral direction. These further sections or projections come to bear one against the other as stops on reaching a certain extent of relative rotation and prevent a further rotation between the intermediate ring and the hub disc. Protection is thus provided against an excessive compression of the respective springs. In this construction these projections also serve as radial blocking means for the springs, which in the region of abutment of the springs on the intermediate ring and on the hub disc, prevent radial sliding of the springs towards the outside.

1 - we ; J; 11 With a construction of this type, a problem exists in that the peripheralextent of the projections is coordinated essentially with the maximum admissible degree of compression of the springs. Therefore, at the time of radial blocking of the springs, compromises must be made, i.e. the radial locking is restricted solely to the end regions of the springs lying in the peripheral direction. However, on the other hand, in order to ensure an adequate radial blocking, the peripheral extent of the corresponding sections must have a certain minimum dimension, which once again restricts the maximum angle of rotation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a torsional vibration damper of the aforementioned general type so that it has improved properties with regard both to the maximum relative rotation and to the radial blocking of the springs.

According to the invention there is provided a torsional vibration damper, for use in damping torsional vibrations in a driving line of an internal combustion engine, said damper comprising:

a first damper part, 3 a second damper part able to rotate about an axis with respect to the first damper part, a torsion spring device composed of at least one torsion spring unit, the at least one torsion spring unit comprising at least two springs arranged in succession in a peripheral direction so that in the region of its opposite ends in the peripheral direction, the at least one torsion spring unit cooperates as regards operation with the first damper part and the second damper part for damping torsional vibrations, at least one intermediate member displaceable in the peripheral direction about the axis with respect to the first damper part and the second damper part, the intermediate member having a spring abutment section located between facing ends of the at least two springs of the at least one torsion spring unit, wherein the at least two springs of the at least one torsion spring unit are supported on the at least one intermediate member acting as a first component and on the first and/or the second damper part or a further intermediate member acting as a second component, co-operative radial blocking means are provided for at least one spring of the at least one torsion spring unit on the associated first and the second components, the radial blocking means serving to prevent the at least one spring from moving radially outwards beyond a permissible extent, cooperating stop means are provided on the first and second components for restricting the relative movement between the first and the second components in the peripheral direction, and the radial blocking means provided on the first and the second components are constructed so that at the time of mutual abutment of the stop means cooperating with each other, the radial blocking means overlap in the peripheral direction at least in certain regions.

1 4 In another aspect of the invention there is provided a torsional vibration damper, for use in damping torsional vibrations in a driving line of an internal combustion engine, said damper comprising:

first damper part, second damper part able to rotate about an axis with respect to the first damper part, a torsion spring device composed of at least one torsion spring unit, the at least one torsion spring unit comprising at least two springs arranged in succession in a peripheral direction so that in the region of its opposite ends in the peripheral direction, the at least one torsion spring unit cooperates as regards operation with the first damper part and the second damper part for damping torsional vibrations, at least one intermediate member displaceable in the peripheral direction about the axis with respect to the first damper part and the second damper part, the intermediate member having a spring abutment section located between facing ends of the at least two springs of the at least one torsion spring unit, wherein the at least two springs of the at least one torsion spring unit are supported on the at least one intermediate member acting as a first component and on the first and/or the second damper part or a further intermediate member acting as a second component, co-operative radial blocking means are provided for at least one spring of the at least one torsion spring unit on the associated first and the second components, the radial blocking means serving to prevent the at least one spring from moving radially outwards beyond a permissible extent, cooperating stop means are provided on the first and second components for restricting the relative movement between the first and the second components in the peripheral direction and the radial blocking means on the first component and the radial blocking means on the second component are not superimposed with respect to each other in the axial direction, at least in certain regions.

In a torsional vibration damper constructed in accordance with the invention, when the stop means bear one against the other, the radial blocking means overlap each other in the peripheral direction. The blocking means are thus constructed with a longer peripheral extent and thus provide an enlarged guide region for the respective springs, which is not restricted by the special construction of the stop means as regards their stop function.

Advantageously, a torsional vibration damper constructed in accordance with the invention has the first and the second components possessing abutment regions for the at least one spring, whilst the radial blocking means on the first and on the second components comprise radial locking sections extending in the peripheral direction beyond the respective abutment regions towards the other component. The radial locking section of at least one of the first and second component extends in the peripheral direction further towards the other component than the stop means provided on the one component.

If it is provided that the radial blocking means on at least one of the first and second components comprise a radial locking section offset axially with respect to a basic constructional member of one component, then it the maximum admissible angle of stagger of at least one of the radial locking sections provided not disturb each other mutually, abutment, before the respective rotation.

is ensured that on approaching relative rotation, due to the radial locking sections, the on the various components do i. e. do abutment not come into mutual means resist further 6 In a particularly simple manner, the offset radial locking section may be formed by stamping, bending or the like of a region of the basic member forming the radial locking section.

As an alternative it is possible that the radial locking section is formed by fixing, preferably riveting, welding or the like, of a separate part to the basic member.

Furthermore, a construction is conceivable in which provided on at least one component is a locking/stop section projecting beyond the associated abutment region in the peripheral direction. This section, in an end region close to its free end, is then offset in the axial direction with respect to the basic member. Thus, with this construction, a single section may form both the radial locking means as well as the stop in the peripheral direction, in which case nevertheless, a guide length for the springs increased with respect to the prior art is provided.

The one component of the first and second component may for example comprise one of the damper parts. As an alternative, it is also possible that the one component comprises the at least one intermediate member.

The invention may be understood more readily, and various other aspects and features of the invention may become apparent, from consideration of the following description.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

7 Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view through a torsional vibration damper constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic axial end view, of the torsion vibration damper identified to show the construction and method of operation of the torsional vibration damper; Figures 3a show a radial locking section of the damper formed by stamping; Figures 4a show a radial locking section of the damper formed by bending; Figures 5a show a radial locking section of the damper formed by fixing a separate part and Figure 6 depicts an alternative construction of the radial locking section.

Figure 1 depicts the construction of a torsional vibration damper embodied as a clutch disc assembly 10. It should however be appreciated that the clutch disc assembly 10 is merely illustrative and the torsional vibration damper may also be constructed as a dual-mass flywheel or the like, without the construction or method of operation being altered thereby as regards the features relevant to the present invention.

The torsional vibration damper or clutch disc assembly 10 comprises a component or unit 12 acting as an input in one direction of torque transfer. The unit 12 in this embodiment is composed of a first cover disc 14 and a second cover disc 16, which are non-rotatably connected to each other for example at a radially outer region by riveting. In its radially outer 8 region, the first cover disc 14 supports the friction linings 18 of the clutch disc assembly 10. Between the cover discs 14, 16 there is a hub disc 20. The hub disc 20 is similarly formed from two hub discs 22, 24, which are connected to each other in their radially outer region and bear face to face one against the other and thus here form a basic unitary constructional member 21. In their radially inner regions the discs 22, 24 diverge axially apart to form a fork and these inner regions extend parallel to one another towards a hub 26. The hub 26 is able to be non-rotatably connected to a transmission input shaft (not shown). The hub 26 rotates about an axis A. In their radially inner region, the two hub discs 22, 24 are connected to the hub 26 for rotation therewith by way of pre-damper springs (not shown) and a hub ring 28.

An intermediate ring 30 has a continuous ring section 32 located in a gap 33 between the radially inner regions of the hub discs 22, 24. As shown in broken line in Figure 1, the ring 20 extends with respective spring abutment arms 34 radially outwards. The intermediate ring 30 is able to rotate as an output component of the assembly 10 when the unit 12 acts as the input without the action of a friction-damping device with respect to the input unit 12 and the hub disc 20.

As can also be seen from Figure 2, the torsionalvibration damper or clutch disc assembly 10 also has a number of torsion spring units 36. For the sake of clarity only one unit 36 is shown in Figure 2. The unit 36 is composed of a pair of springs 38, 40. Generally, the construction of a torsional vibration damper of this type is such that it comprises three such torsion spring units 36 arranged in succession in the peripheral direction, as this can also be recognised from Figure 2. Spring apertures 42, 44, 46 are provided in the cover discs 14, 16 and the hub disc 20, for receiving the two springs 38, 40 of each 9 torsion spring unit 36. These apertures 42, 44, 46 are defined by respective control edges in the peripheral direction, of which the control edges 48, 50 of the apertures in the hub disc 20 can be seen in Figure 2 for the torsion spring unit 36. The springs 38, 40 are supported by their ends 52, 5 4 remote f rom each other, on the control edges 48, 50 of the hub disc 20 and on the corresponding control edges of the cover discs 14, 16.

The associated abutment arm 34 of the intermediate ring 30 lies in the peripheral direction between these control edges and the arm 34 comprises corresponding control edges 60, 62 for the facing ends 56, 58 of the springs 38, 40.

Figure 1 furthermore shows that in the torsional vibration damper, or clutch disc assembly 10, a first friction device 102, comprising a pre-tensioning spring and at least one friction ring or friction member is provided, which acts between the hub disc 20 and the damper input component 12, i.e. the cover disc 16 thereof. Furthermore, a second friction device 104 with at least one pre-tensioning spring and one friction member or friction ring is provided, which acts between the input component 12 and the hub 26 by passing the hub disc 20.

One feature which is essential to the present invention will be described hereafter with reference to the torsion spring unit 36 shown at the top in the illustration of Figure 2. It is obvious that the same is true for the other torsion spring units which are not shown.

In its radially outer region the hub disc 20 is provided with abutment or stop sections 64, 66 projecting beyond the control edges 48, 50 in the peripheral direction and extending towards the respective other control edge. In a corresponding manner, the intermediate ring 30 is provided with abutment sections 68, respectively associated with the abutment sections 64, 66.

As is described in detail hereafter, at the time of a relative rotation between the input component 12 and the hub disc 20, depending on the direction of introduction of torque, the stop sections 64, 68 come to bear one on the other or the stop sections 70, 66 come to bear one on the other. Radially outside the stop sections 64, 66, the hub disc 20 is provided with a further stop section 72 for cooperating with a blocking pin 74 fixed for example to the first cover disc 14. In a corresponding manner, radially outside its stop sections 68, 70, the intermediate ring 30 is provided with a further stop section 76 for cooperation with the blocking pin 74. One such blocking pin 74 is provided for each of the torsion spring units.

At the radially outer region of each of the springs 38, 40 and 15 projecting in the peripheral direction beyond the control edges 48, 50 on the hub disc 20 and the control edges 60, 62 on the intermediate ring 30 there are radial blocking sections 78, 80 on the hub disc 20 and radial blocking sections 82, 84 on the 82, the springs 38, 40 in particular at high speeds. In this case it can be recognised that the radial blocking sections 78, 80 on the hub disc 20 project in the peripheral direction beyond the lines L1 respectively L2 corresponding to the associated control 25 edges 48, 50 further than the corresponding stop sections 64, 66 provided on the hub disc 20. This has the result that the guide region for the individual springs 38, 40, in which the latter are prevented from deflecting radially, is increased beyond the control edges 48, 50.

intermediate ring 30. The radial blocking sections 78, 80, 20 84 cooperate and serve to prevent the radial deflection of However, in order to ensure that before mutual abutment of the respectively associated abutment sections 64, 68, 70, 66, the radial blocking sections 78, 80 are prevented from projecting further in the peripheral direction, to abut against the 11 associated radial blocking sections 82, 84, as can also be seen for example in Figure 3, the radial blocking sections 78, 80 are radially offset in the direction of the axis of rotation A of the torsional vibration damper with respect to the basic member 21. The stagger is in this case so great that the associated radial locking sections 78, 82, 80, 84 do not come into abutment one with the other, before the corresponding stop sections 64, 66, 66, 70 abut against each other. This means that with mutual abutment of the abutment sections 64, 68, 66, 70, the radial blocking sections 78, 82, 80, 84 can overlap in the peripheral direction.

As can be seen in Figure 1, in the construction of the hub disc 20 formed from two discs 22, 24, on the discs 22, 24 the corresponding blocking sections 78 are offset in the axial direction, so that an axial overlap between the sections 78 and the axial region shown in broken line in Figure 1, in which the intermediate ring 30 with its corresponding radial blocking sections 82 is located, is essentially not present.

The operation of the torsional vibration damper according to the invention, at the time of introduction of torsional vibrations, will be described hereafter. First of all a traction state is assumed in which the torque is transferred between the unit 12 acting as the input and the ring 30 acting as the output. In this case the end 52 of the left-hand spring is entrained by the input 12, i.e. the cover discs 14, 16 and the end 54 of the right-hand spring 40 is entrained by the hub disc 20. In the example illustrated, the two springs 38, 40 are assumed to have different spring characteristics and in the present embodiment, the spring 38 is assumed to be the harder spring and the spring 40 the softer spring. This means that the spring constant of the spring 38 is greater than that of the spring 40.

11 1 i 12 Now if, in the traction state, the torque is increased, so that the hub disc 20 pushes with its control edge 50 against the end 54 of the spring 40, then first of all essentially the spring 40 is compressed while the spring 38 remains in a virtually unchanged state. In this case the stop sections 66, 70 move towards each other. This relative rotation lasts until the maximum angle of rotation a 1 between the intermediate ring 30 and the hub disc 20 in the traction state is reached and the stop sections 70, 66 abut one against the other. Before reaching this abutment position, according to an angle of relative rotation between the intermediate ring 30 and the hub disc 20, corresponding to a clearance angle 81, the radial blocking sections 80, 84 overlap. One can see that the clearance angle B1 is clearly smaller than the maximum possible angle of relative rotation (x 1 between the intermediate ring 30 and the hub disc 20, in the traction state.

If the torque introduced increases still further, now the spring 38 with a greater spring constant is also compressed. In this case, the stop section 72 of the hub disc 20 lying radially further outwards moves closer to the blocking pin 74 securely connected to the damper input 12. 1 f the input 12 and the hub disc 20 have rotated with respect to each other by an angle of relative rotation a 3, which corresponds to the sum of the angle of rotation (x 1 and a maximum compression angle a 2 of the harder spring 38, then the stop section 72 abuts against the blocking pin 74, so that by way of these two members, a direct non-rotary connection is formed between the input 12 and the hub disc 20.

If one now takes the case of the reverse direction of introduction of torque, i.e. the pushing state, the torque transfer takes place from the ring 30 forming the input to the

13 unit 12 forming the output. The spring 40 is now held at its right-hand end by the associated control edges of the damper output 12, i.e. of the cover discs 14, 16 and the end 52 of the spring 38 is acted upon by the control edge 48 of the hub disc 20. In this case, when the torque is increased, first of all the softer spring 40 is compressed until the radially outer stop section 76 on the intermediate ring 30 abuts against the blocking pin 74 securely connected to the cover disc 14, so that a further rotation of the intermediate ring 30 with respect to the blocking pin 74, which is now part of the output, is no longer possible.

intermediate ring covered hitherto, compression angle compression angle case.

The angle of relative rotation a 4 between the 30 and the blocking pin 74 which has been in this case corresponds to the maximum (x 1 of the weaker spring 40 and a small of the harder spring 38 occurring in this If the torque increases still further, now the spring 38 is also further compressed until the hub disc 20 has rotated with respect to the intermediate ring 30 by the complete angle a 2 and the stop section 64 abuts against the stop section 68.

Also, in this case, after travelling through a clearance angle 32, the radial blocking section 78 overlaps the associated radial blocking section 82 on the intermediate ring 30.

It can be appreciated that due to the separation of the radial blocking means and the stop means, as regards function and assembly, each of these items can be constructed in an ideal manner for performing its function. This means that the various clearance angles may be designed to be clearly smaller than the respectively associated maximum possible or allowed angles of rotation of the various components, without consequently producing any restriction.

14 It is also pointed out that various other modifications and different constructions are possible. Thus, for example, the radial blocking sections 82 on the intermediate ring 30 may also extend further in the peripheral direction than the associated stop sections 68. Likewise it is possible that instead of the axial stagger of the radial blocking sections 78, 80 on the hub disc 20, the corresponding radial blocking sections 82, 84 on the intermediate ring 30 can be offset in the axial direction or that all the sections can be offset in opposition to each other in the axial direction. This depends respectively on the specific construction of the hub disc 20 and the intermediate ring 30, that is to say on whether the various parts are constructed from one disc part or from two disc parts.

Figures 3 to 5 show various possibilities for producing the offset regions or blocking sections 78. Reference is made to the fact that likewise the other offset sections, not shown in Figures 3 to 5, may be produced in the same way, and also to the fact that if offset sections are to be provided on the intermediate ring 30, the latter may also be constructed as shown in Figures 3 to 5. Figures 3a) to 3c) in this case show a type of construction in which the offset section 78 can be produced by stamping. That is to say that a section 78 is stamped out of the basic member 21 of the corresponding part, in this case the hub disc 20, in the axial direction, so that in the region projecting beyond the stop section 64, the section 78 is offset axially so far that it no longer overlaps with an associated radial blocking section in the axial direction. The basic member may be produced for example by punching from a sheet metal part and subsequently be brought in a stamping device into the shape illustrated in Figures 3a) to 3c).

Figures 4a) to 4c) show a type of construction in which the offset section 78 is produced by bending. That is to say that for example a tongue-like section is produced in a stamping tool at the time of stamping-out the basic member 21, which section is then offset in the axial direction by bending in its region of connection to the basic member.

Figures 5a) to 5c) show a further type of construction, in which the offset section 78 is provided on a separate component 106, which is fixed by rivets 108 to the basic member 21 of the hub disc 20 or the like. In this case, a connection by welding, adhesive or the like would also be conceivable.

Figure 6 shows a type of construction in which a blocking/stop section 78 projecting in the peripheral direction is formed for example on the hub disc 20. The section 78 is bent in an intermediate region and thus is offset axially close to its free end region 79, with respect to the basic member 21 of the hub disc 20. Due to the bending region 81, at the same time the stop section possesses a stop edge 64, against which the stop edge 68 of the intermediate ring 30 may then abut. In this case a large angle of relative rotation can be made available by a single locking/abutment section 78, without restricting the radial locking properties, since here also the radial locking sections on the intermediate ring 30 and the hub disc 20 may overlap in the peripheral direction. Figure 6 shows in broken line a type of construction in which a correspondingly bent locking/abutment section is also provided on the intermediate ring 30, so that an even greater axial distance exists between the two locking sections. It is obviously possible that a bent section of this type is provided solely on the intermediate ring 30.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 is particularly suitable if only a single disc is used both for the hub disc 20 as well as the intermediate ring 30.

16 From the preceding description one can see that with the torsional vibration damper according to the invention, the problem existing in the prior art, which results from the competition of the parameters of spring guidance and maximum admissible angle of rotation, is avoided, in that the radial blocking sections are shifted in the axial direction with respect to each other so that they may overlap in the peripheral direction at the time of relative rotation and in this case do not impair the function of the stop means. Therefore, with the provision of lower spring rigidities, in order to obtain better decoupling characteristics and reduced resonance speeds (in particular in the case of dual-mass flywheels) greater angles of rotation can be achieved, with which, nevertheless, excellent spring guidance properties are obtained.

It is furthermore pointed out that both the intermediate ring 30 as well as the hub disc 20 may have different configurations.

Thus, for example also in its radially outer region, for example outside the sections 76, the intermediate ring 30 may be formed by a ring member extending in the peripheral direction, which then, either alone or in conjunction with a ring section located radially on the inside, connects the individual spring abutment arms 30 to each other. Likewise, it would be conceivable that also the hub disc 20, in its radially outer region,comprises a connecting ring section between the individual abutment arms of the hub disc 20, which then form the various control edges 48, 54.

Furthermore, the torsional vibration damper according to the invention may also be constructed with more than two springs per torsion spring unit, in which case according to the increased number of springs, correspondingly more intermediate rings or abutment arms for the individual springs have to be provided.

In this case, it is then possible that a spring member is held solely between two intermediate rings and the corresponding construction of the stop means radial locking means, as was described previously, may then be provided in the case of both intermediate ring members. Also a construction is possible in which, instead of using intermediate rings, the use of individual intermediate sections is provided, which are independent of each other and guided radially on the outside on sliding surface of the torsional vibration damper.

Finally, reference is also made to the fact that the use of the expressions "input" and "output" in this case should not be understood in a restrictive manner, but naturally depends on which of the component parts introduces a torque and which of 15 the parts then emits a torque.

18

Claims

1. A torsional vibration damper, for use in damping torsional vibrations in a driving line of an internal combustion engine, said damper comprising:

first damper part (12), second damper part (20) able to rotate about an axis (A) with respect to the first damper part (12), a torsion spring device (36) composed of at least one torsion spring unit (36), the at least one torsion spring unit comprising at least two springs (38, 40) arranged in succession in a peripheral direction so that in the region of its opposite ends (52, 54) in the peripheral direction, the at least one torsion spring unit (36) cooperates as regards operation with the first damper part (12) and the second damper part (20) for damping torsional vibrations, at least one intermediate member (30) displaceable in the peripheral direction about the axis (A) with respect to the first damper part (12) and the second damper part (20), the intermediate member having a spring abutment section (34) located between facing ends (56, 58) of the at least two springs (38, 40) of the at least one torsion spring unit (36)f wherein the at least two springs (38, 40) of the at least one torsion spring unit (36) are supported on the at least one intermediate member (30) acting as a first component and on the first and/or the second damper part (12, 20) or a further intermediate member acting as a second component, co-operative radial blocking means (78, 80, 82, 84) are provided for at least one spring (38, 40) of the at least one torsion spring unit (36) on the associated first and the second components, the radial blocking means (78, 80, 82, 84) serving to prevent the at least one spring (40) from moving radially outwards beyond a permissible extent, cooperating stop means (64, 66, 68, 70) are 19 provided on the first and second components for restricting the relative movement between the first and the second components in the peripheral direction, and the radial blocking means (78, 80, 82, 84) provided on the first and the second components are constructed so that at the time of mutual abutment of the stop means (64, 66, 68, 70) cooperating with each other, the radial blocking means (78, 80, 82, 84) overlap in the peripheral direction at least in certain regions.

2. A torsional vibration damper wherein the radial blocking means (78, 80) provided on the first component and the radial locking means (82, 84) provided on the second component are not superimposed with respect to each other in the axial direction, at least in certain regions.

3. A torsional vibration damper according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and the second components are each provided with abutment regions (48, 50, 60, 62) for the at least one spring (38, 40), the radial blocking means (78, 80, 82, 84) on 20 the first and the second components comprise radial locking sections (78, 80, 82, 84) extending in the peripheral direction beyond the respective abutment regions (48, 50, 60, 62) and towards the other component and the radial locking section (78, 80) of at least one of the first and second components extends in the peripheral direction further towards the other component than the stop means (64, 66) provided on the one component.

4. A torsional vibration damper according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the radial blocking means (78, 80) on at least one of the first and second components comprises a radial locking section (78, 80) offset axially with respect to a basic constructional member (21) of one of the components.

5. A torsional vibration damper according to Claim 4, wherein the offset radial locking section (78) is formed by stamping or bending of a region of the basic constructional member (21) forming the radial locking section (78).

6. A torsional vibration damper according to Claim 4, wherein the radial locking section (78) is formed by fixing, such as by riveting, welding or the like, a part (106) to the basic constructional member (21).

7. A torsional vibration damper according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein at least one of the components has a locking/stop section (78) projecting in the peripheral direction beyond the associated abutment region (46, 68), the locking/stop section in an end region close to its free end, being offset in the axial direction with respect to the basic constructional member (21).

8. A torsional vibration damper according to any one of Claims 4 to 7. wherein the at least one component of the first and second component comprises the first and/or second damper part.

9. A torsional vibration damper according to any one of Claims 4 to 7, wherein the at least one component comprises the at least one intermediate member.

10. A torsional vibration damper, for use in damping torsional vibrations in a driving line of an internal combustion engine, said damper comprising: 30 a first damper part (12), a second damper part (20) able to rotate about an axis (A) with respect to the first damper part (12), a torsion spring device (36) composed of at least one torsion spring unit (36), the at least one torsion spring 21 unit comprising at least two springs (38, 40) arranged in succession in a peripheral direction so that in the region of its opposite ends (52, 54) in the peripheral direction, the at least one torsion spring unit (36) cooperates as regards operation with the first damper part (12) and the second damper part (20) for damping torsional vibrations, at least one intermediate member (30) displaceable in the peripheral direction about the axis (A) with respect to the first damper part (12) and the second damper part (20), the intermediate member having a spring abutment section (34) located between facing ends (56, 58) of the at least two springs (38, 40) of the at least one torsion spring unit (36), wherein the at least two springs (38, 40) of the at least one 15 torsion spring unit (36) are supported on the at least one intermediate member (30) acting as a first component and on the first and/or the second damper part (12, 20) or afurther intermediate member acting as a second component, co-operative radial blocking means (78, 80, 82, 84) are provided for at least one spring (38, 40) of the at least one torsion spring unit (36) on the associated first and the second components, the radial blocking means (78, 80, 82, 84) serving to prevent the at least one spring (40) from moving radially outwards beyond a permissible extent, cooperating stop means (64, 66, 68, 70) are provided on the first and second components for restricting the relative movement between the first and the second components in the peripheral direction and the radial blocking means (78, 80) on the first component and the radial blocking means (82, 84) on the second component are not superimposed with respect to each other in the axial direction, at least in certain regions.

11. A torsional vibration damper substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in any one or more of the Figures of the accompanying drawings.