Car clutch

Details Car clutch Car clutch

2001-11-21

2003-05-20

Estremsky, Sherry (Department: 3681)

Planetary gear transmission systems or components

With means to vary drive ratio or disconnect drive

Orbit braked

C475S269000, C192S020000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06565476

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a car clutch, and more particularly, to a car clutch which is installed between an engine and a transmission so as to connect and disconnect engine power flow to the transmission.
BACKGROUND ART
Generally, clutches which are used in motor vehicles, are divided into a friction clutch, a fluid clutch and an electric clutch. Friction clutches are classified into a single disc clutch, a multiple disc clutch and a conical clutch. Single disc clutches are categorized into a coil spring type single disc clutch and a diaphragm spring type single disc clutch. Referring to
FIG. 1
, there is shown a coil spring type friction clutch which is most widely used throughout the world. The coil spring type friction clutch comprises a clutch body
10
which functions to connect and disconnect engine power flow to a transmission and an actuating mechanism
20
which enables a driver to actuate the clutch body
20
while seating on a driver seat.
In the clutch body
10
, a clutch cover
11
is mounted to a rear surface of a flywheel
40
which is integrally rotated with an engine crankshaft
30
. A pressure plate
12
, clutch springs
13
, release levers
14
and the like are assembled inside the clutch cover
11
. A clutch shaft
50
is supported at one end thereof by a pilot bearing
15
which is installed at a center portion of the engine crankshaft
30
and at the other end thereof by a bearing of a transmission, so as to be integrally rotated with a driving gear of the transmission.
A clutch disc
16
is splined to a clutch shaft
50
and is arranged between the flywheel
40
and the pressure plate
12
. The clutch disc
16
functions to allow rotating force of the flywheel
40
to be transferred to the transmission through the clutch shaft
50
due to its frictional engagement therebetween.
The pressure plate
12
is usually maintained in a state herein it is pressed toward the clutch disc
16
by the clutch springs
13
, and thereby the clutch disc
16
is tightly engaged with the flywheel
40
. If a driver depresses a clutch pedal
22
, a release bearing
24
presses proximal ends of the release levers
14
. By virtue of lever actions of the release levers
14
, the pressure plate
12
is disengaged from the clutch disc
16
and a clearance is created between the flywheel
40
and the clutch disc
16
, whereby power of the flywheel
40
is not transmitted to the clutch shaft
50
.
However, in the conventional car clutch constructed as mentioned above, in the case that the clutch pedal
22
is abruptly released after being depressed, the clutch disc
16
is momentarily and tightly engaged with a surface of the flywheel
40
, and engine power is suddenly transferred to the transmission. As a consequence, due to quick load application, an engine can be stopped. In this regard, inconvenience is caused in that it is required to precisely actuate the clutch pedal
22
. Also, since the connection and disconnection of engine power flow to the transmission is effected by frictional contact between the clutch disc
16
and the flywheel
40
, fuel efficiency is deteriorated. In the case that the driver has a bad driving habit, the fuel efficiency is remarkably decreased. Moreover, because wear of the clutch disc
16
is induced due to the frictional contact between the clutch disc
16
and the flywheel
40
, the clutch disc
16
must be frequently replaced with new one, whereby a maintenance fee of the car clutch is increased and environmental pollution is provoked due to dust of clutch disc friction material such as asbestos.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a car clutch which does not require a precise actuation of a clutch pedal, thereby improving driver convenience upon depressing the clutch pedal, and in which power consumption is lessened and replacement of parts is minimized thereby to reduce a maintenance fee of the car clutch.
In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a car clutch wherein a clutch cover is mounted to a free end surface of a flywheel which is integrally rotated with a crankshaft of an engine, power of the flywheel is transmitted to a clutch shaft by means of a clutch mechanism which is disposed inside the clutch cover, and, when a driver depresses a clutch pedal, a release bearing presses proximal ends of release levers and, by virtue of lever actions of the release levers, power of the flywheel is not transmitted to the clutch shaft, the clutch mechanism comprising: a disc-shaped clutch base interposed between the flywheel and the clutch cover, coupled to the flywheel along with the clutch cover, and formed at a center portion thereof with a seating part which projects in one direction toward the flywheel; a cylindrical output shaft rotatably fitted at one end thereof through the seating part of the clutch base and at the other end thereof through the clutch cover, and having a first sun gear and a second sun gear which are integrally formed on a circumferential outer surface thereof and spline grooves which are defined on a circumferential inner surface thereof, the first and second sun gears having different numbers of teeth or different modules; a pair of first planetary gear sections oppositely arranged to each other and each possessing a first guide shaft and a first planetary gear, the first guide shaft having one end which is rotatably fitted through the seating part of the clutch base and the other end which is rotatably supported by the clutch cover, the first planetary gear being integrally formed on a circumferential outer surface of the first guide shaft and being meshed with the first sun gear of the cylindrical output shaft; a pair of second planetary gear sections oppositely arranged to each other and each possessing a second guide shaft and a second planetary gear, the second guide shaft having one end which is rotatably fitted through the seating part of the clutch base and the other end which is rotatably supported by the clutch cover, the second planetary gear being integrally formed on a circumferential outer surface of the second guide shaft and being meshed with the second sun gear of the cylindrical output shaft; an annular plate-shaped first rotating member rotatably brought into contact at one surface thereof with the clutch base by the medium of a first thrust bearing, the first rotating member having a first internal ring gear and a first connecting part, the first internal ring gear being formed on a circumferential inner edge of the first rotating member and being meshed with first planetary gears of the pair of first planetary gear sections, the first connecting part being formed on the other surface of the first rotating member adjacent to a circumferential outer edge of the first rotating member and having a plurality of first corrugations which axially project from a plane of the first rotating member to extend in the other direction toward the clutch cover; an annular plate-shaped second rotating member rotatably brought into contact at one surface thereof with the other surface of the first rotating member by the medium of a second thrust bearing and at the other surface thereof with the clutch cover by the medium of a third thrust bearing, the second rotating member having a second internal ring gear and a circumferential recess, the second internal ring gear being formed on a circumferential inner edge of the second rotating member and being meshed with second planetary gears of the pair of second planetary gear sections, the circumferential recess being defined along an axial middle portion of a circumferential outer edge of the second rotating member; an annular plate-shaped third rotating member having a boss which is integrally formed along a circumferential inner edge of the third rotating member in a manner such that the boss axially projects from a plane of th

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