Abstract: A friction resistance generation mechanism is disposed between two relatively rotatable members of a rotating mechanism. The mechanism includes an input side disk-like plate 32, output side disk-like plates 30 and 31, first friction shims 61A, and second friction shims 61B. The first friction shims 61A are frictionally engaged with the plates 30 and 31, and engaged in a manner that allows torque to be transmitted by way of a first rotational direction gap 79A to the plate 32. The second friction shims 61B are frictionally engaged with the plates 30 and 31, and engaged in a manner that allows torque to be transmitted to the plate 32 by way of a second rotational direction gap 79B with a different size than the first rotational direction gap 79A.

Abstract: The flywheel assembly for transmitting torque from the crankshaft 191 of the engine has a second flywheel 103, a damper mechanism 104 and a support member 119. The damper mechanism 104 elastically connects the second flywheel 103 to the crankshaft 191 in the rotational direction. The support member 119 supports and positions the second flywheel 103 on the crankshaft 191 in the radial direction.

Abstract: A damper mechanism or a damper disk assembly realizing a low rigidity using a pair of elastic members is provided to achieve a further low rigidity in a region with small torques. The damper mechanism has a drive member 52, a driven member 53, a pair of first torsion springs 58A and 58B, and a second torsion spring 59. The springs 58A and 58B are functionally provided in series with each other in a rotational direction. The spring 59 is functionally provided in parallel with the springs 58A and 58B in such a way that the spring 59 is compressed in the rotational direction after the springs 58A and 58B are compressed to a certain angle when the drive member 52 and the driven member 53 rotate relative to each other.

Abstract: A first damper mechanism 159 for absorbing and attenuating minute torsional vibration in a damper disk assembly for transmitting torque in a vehicle, has a plate spring 162. The plate spring 162 extends in the rotational direction having main surfaces facing in the radial direction. The plate spring 162 is pushed by the hub 106 in the rotational direction to slide against the intermediate rotating member 110 when the hub 106 and the intermediate rotating member 108 rotate relative to each other, thereby generating friction resistance.

Abstract: In a cast-iron disc brake rotor (1), each of an outer sliding surface (2a) and an inner sliding surface (3a) is covered with a phosphate coating (8) by electrolysis of a phosphate coating solution containing therein phosphate ions, zinc ions and nitrate ions. This makes it possible to attain dramatically improved rust preventive performance for the sliding surfaces (2a) and (3a). The phosphate coating (8) has a thickness of 1 to 10 &mgr;m, a mass of 4 to 35 g/m2 and a grain size of less than 50 &mgr;m. Preferably, the thickness of the phosphate coating (8) is adjusted to 2 to 8 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A lockup device 1 is disposed inside a fluid chamber between a front cover 3 and a turbine 4 and provided with a clutch-purpose friction plate 12, a pair of drive the plates 13 and 14, a driven plate 15, and coil springs 16. The friction plate 12 can be coupled with the front cover 3. An extended part 18 extends from one of the plates 13 and 14 toward the other and engages with the inside circumferential edge of the friction plate 12 such that the friction plate cannot rotate but can move in the axial direction relative to the extended part. The driven plate 15 is fixed to the turbine 4. The coil springs 16 are compressed between pair of drive the plates 13 and 14 and the driven plate 15 when the pair of drive plates and the driven plate rotate relative to each other.

Abstract: A damper mechanism 6 is provided to transmit torque while absorbing and damping torsional vibrations. A small coil spring 45 achieves characteristics of a low rigidity in a small torsion angle region of the torsion characteristics when compressed by rotary members. A coil spring 33 achieves characteristics of a high rigidity in a large torsion angle region of the torsion characteristics when compressed by the rotary members rotating relatively to each other. A frictional resistance generating mechanism 7 generates a frictional resistance while each spring is being compressed. Owing to a rotating-direction space 79, the frictional resistance generating mechanism 7 does not operate in the second stage of the torsion characteristics and also does not in the first stage while a torsion angle is in a predetermined range.

Abstract: A damper mechanism that has a simplified structure and maintains torsional characteristics of a conventional damper mechanism is provided. The damper mechanism is equipped with an input rotating body 2, an output rotating body 3, and two or more coil spring assemblies 9. The two or more coil spring assemblies 9 elastically couple the input rotating body 2 and the output rotating body 3 together in a rotational direction and serve to absorb twisting torque. Each coil spring assembly 9 has at least one coil spring 41 whose center axis is roughly linear. At least one of coil spring assemblies 9 absorbs 35% to 50% of the twisting torque.

Abstract: A clutch disk assembly 1 is provided with a hub flange 7, a pair coil springs 8, a pair of coil springs 9, an intermediate rotary member 10, and a pair of plates 12 and 13. The hub flange 7 has a boss 7a and an integrally formed flange 7b. The flange 7b has a pair of first window holes 7c and a pair of second window holes 7b. The two coil springs 8 are arranged respectively in the pair of first window holes 7a. The more rigid two coil springs 9 are arranged respectively in the pair of second window holes 7b and window parts 25 of the plates 12 and 13. The intermediate rotary member 10 couples the coil springs 8 and the coil springs 9 together in the rotational direction. The two plates 12 and 13 are arranged on both axially facing sides of the flange 7b.

Abstract: A crystal unit has a crystal blank having a hole defined in at least one principal surface thereof, the crystal blank having a region of a reduced thickness including the hole, the region serving as a vibrating region, excitation electrodes disposed respectively on opposite principal surfaces of the crystal blank in the vibrating region, extension electrodes extending respectively from the excitation electrodes to respective opposite ends of one side of the crystal blank, and a casing having a step formed therein. The opposite ends of the one side of the crystal blank are fixed to the step by a joining member. The crystal blank has a notched portion defined therein between the one side and the vibrating region, the notched portion extending from at least one transverse edge of the crystal blank in a transverse direction of the crystal blank.

Abstract: A damper mechanism is provided to achieve intended torsion characteristics in a damper mechanism using coil springs of an irregular pitch type. Coil spring assemblies 4 are employed for elastically coupling plates and a hub flange in a rotating direction. The coil spring assembly 4 includes a coil spring 28 of an irregular pitch type and a pair of spring seats 29 and 30. The spring seats 29 and 30 are engaged with the ends of the coil spring 28 while being prevented from relatively rotating around an axis of the coil spring 28, respectively. The spring seats 29 and 30 are engaged with the plates and the hub flange while being prevented from relatively rotating around the axis of the coil spring 28.

Abstract: A damper mechanism having preferable torsion characteristics that exhibit different characteristics on positive and negative sides by way of a simplified structure is provided. In the damper mechanism, a hub 6 is rotatable with respect to plates 12 and 13. Coil springs 33 are compressed on positive and negative sides of torsion characteristics. Elastic members 36 are arranged to operate in a rotating direction in parallel with the coil springs 33. The elastic members 36 are compressed on the positive side of the torsion characteristics, but are not compressed on the negative side of the torsion characteristics until a torsion angle exceeds a predetermined value. The elastic members 36 generate a frictional resistance when being compressed in the rotating direction, but no other friction generating mechanism is employed.

Abstract: A clutch disk assembly 1 has a pair of axially facing plates 12 and 13. A relatively rotatable flange 8 is provided between the plates 12 and 13. A first elastic member 30 exhibits high rigidity on the positive side of the torsional characteristics. A second elastic member 31 is provided to operate in parallel with first elastic member 30 to realize a low rigidity on the negative side of the torsional characteristics. The stop pins 22 affix plates 12 and 13 together. The stop pins 22 and notches 8c are provided on the outer periphery of the flange 8 constitute a stopper mechanism 86 for regulating the relative rotation between the plates 12 and 13 and the flange 8. The stopper mechanism 86 is located on radially outside the second elastic members 31. The stop pins 22 are movable on the outer periphery of the second elastic members 31.

Abstract: A flywheel assembly 1 is configured to transmit a torque from a crankshaft of an engine to an input shaft 6 of a transmission, and includes a flywheel 2 and a damper mechanism 3. The flywheel 2 receives torque from the crankshaft. The damper mechanism 3 includes a pair of disk shaped plates 11 and 12 fixed together and coupled to the flywheel 2, a hub 15 having a flange 20 arranged between the paired disk shaped plates 11 and 12 and transmitting a torque to the input shaft 6, and coil springs 16 and 17 that are compressed in a rotational direction when relative rotation occurs between the disk shaped plate pair 11 and 12 and the flange 20. A torsion angle stopper 30 is formed for stopping the relative rotation between the disk shaped plate pair 11 and 12 and the hub 15. This configuration serves to prevent application of an excessively large torque to the elastic member in the flywheel assembly.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to suppress an increase in an inner diameter of a friction facing of a clutch disk assembly, which may be caused by fixing portions of a plate member pair of a clutch disk assembly 1. The clutch disk assembly 1 is provided to couple to a flywheel 2 of an engine. The clutch disk assembly 1 includes a friction facing 20, a pair of plates 15 and 16, a hub 8, and coil springs 11. The plates 15 and 16 have fixing portions 34 fixing their outer peripheral portions together. The coil springs elastically couple the paired plates 15 and 16 to the hub 8 in the rotating direction. The fixing portions 34 project radially outward beyond the inner periphery of the friction facing 20.

Abstract: A damper mechanism is provided to achieve preferable vibration damping performances by providing different characteristics on positive and negative sides of torsion characteristics. In a damper mechanism of a clutch disk assembly 1, a plurality of coil springs 33 and 36 are arranged so that they are compressed when plates 12 and 13 rotate relatively to a hub 6 such that a higher torsional rigidity occurs on the positive side of the torsional angle range than the negative side. A friction generating mechanism 69 is arranged to generate friction when the plates 12 and 13 rotate relatively to the hub 6. The friction generating mechanism 69 generates a larger friction on the positive side of the torsion angle range than the negative side.

Abstract: In a brake disc rotor 1, at least a road wheel mounting plane 6 is covered with a rust preventive coating 8 of rust preventive paint. The rust preventive paint is water-borne acrylic-denatured epoxy resin paint containing aluminum zinc phosphomolybdate as a rust preventive pigment, and is applied in such a manner that the coating 8 attains a thickness t of 1 to 20 &mgr;m, preferably 5 to 15 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A lockup device 1 is disposed inside a fluid chamber between a front cover 3 and a turbine 4 and provided with a clutch-purpose friction plate 12, a pair of drive the plates 13 and 14, a driven plate 15, and coil springs 16. The friction plate 12 can be coupled with the front cover 3. An extended part 18 extends from one of the plates 13 and 14 toward the other and engages with the inside circumferential edge of the friction plate 12 such that the friction plate cannot rotate but can move in the axial direction relative to the extended part. The driven plate 15 is fixed to the turbine 4. The coil springs 16 are compressed between pair of drive the plates 13 and 14 and the driven plate 15 when the pair of drive plates and the driven plate rotate relative to each other.

Abstract: In a cast-iron disc brake rotor (1), each of an outer sliding surface (2a) and an inner sliding surface (3a) is covered with a phosphate coating (8) by electrolysis of a phosphate coating solution containing therein phosphate ions, zinc ions and nitrate ions. This makes it possible to attain dramatically improved rust preventive performance for the sliding surfaces (2a) and (3a). The phosphate coating (8) has a thickness of 1 to 10 &mgr;m, a mass of 4 to 35 g/m2 and a grain size of less than 50 &mgr;m. Preferably, the thickness of the phosphate coating (8) is adjusted to 2 to 8 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A clutch disk assembly 1 is provided with a hub flange 7, a pair coil springs 8, a pair of coil springs 9, an intermediate rotary member 10, and a pair of plates 12 and 13. The hub flange 7 has a boss 7a and an integrally formed flange 7b. The flange 7b has a pair of first window holes 7c and a pair of second window holes 7b. The two coil springs 8 are arranged respectively in the pair of first window holes 7a. The more rigid two coil springs 9 are arranged respectively in the pair of second window holes 7b and window parts 25 of the plates 12 and 13. The intermediate rotary member 10 couples the coil springs 8 and the coil springs 9 together in the rotational direction. The two plates 12 and 13 are arranged on both axially facing sides of the flange 7b.