192 clutches and power-stop control – Clutches – Progressive engagement
Patent
1994-03-25
1996-04-09
Bonck, Rodney H.
192 clutches and power-stop control
Clutches
Progressive engagement
192 7027, 192110R, F16D 1370, F16D 1352
Patent
active
055052860
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to friction clutches and in particular to motor vehicle friction clutches, particularly for use in cars, more preferably racing cars.
The type of friction clutches used in racing cars are such that the clutch pedal travel between a clutch release position and a clutch engaged position is very small. This in effect means that the clutch engagement is very sudden and sharp.
The present invention seeks to smooth the take-up of such friction clutches.
According to the invention there is provided a friction clutch for a motor vehicle and which comprises a flywheel which is attachable to an engine crankshaft, an annular plate coaxial with and rotationably fast with the flywheel and which is biased away from the flywheel by a first spring means acting between the flywheel and said plate, a clutch covey secured to and axially fixed relative to the flywheel, a pressure plate and second spring means acting between the cover and the pressure plate to urge the pressure plate towards the flywheel, and at least one driven plate sandwiched between tile pressure plate and the annular plate, said first spring means allowing a variation in the axial position of said annular plate relative to the cover to provide cushioning of clutch engagement and disengagement.
Preferably the maximum axial spacing between the flywheel and the annuler plate is adjustable. Preferably the annular plate is a second flywheel mass coaxial with the said flywheel mass. Alternatively when the clutch is a multi plate clutch comprising a plurality of driven plates, each located between axially separable drive plate, the annular plate is provided by one of the drive plates.
The invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is section through a first friction clutch assembly according to the invention;
FIG. 1A is a partial view similar to FIG. 1 showing an embodiment with an elastomeric material acting as the spring means.
FIG. 2 is a section through a second type of clutch assembly according to the invention;
FIG. 3 is an enlargement of a detail from FIG. 2;
FIG. 3A is a partial view similar to FIG. 3 showing an embodiment with a belleville spring which is coaxial with the flywheel;
FIG. 4 is a alternative version of the clutch of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is an enlargement of a detail from FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a graph of release load versus release bearing travel, and pressure plate lift for prior art clutches and clutches according to the present invention.
With reference to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a motor vehicle friction clutch 10 which includes a flywheel 11 fixed to the crankshaft 21 of an internal combustion engine. The flywheel 11 is held rotationally fast with coaxial annular plate 22 by pins 23. The annular plate 22 is in the form of a second flywheel mass which is axially separable from the flywheel 11. The cover assembly 12 comprises a clutch cover 17, a pressure plate 13, and diaphragm spring 14 secured to the cover 17 to bias the pressure plate towards the flywheel. The pressure plate is engageable with the friction facings on a driven plate 15 which is sandwiched between the pressure plate 13 and the annular plate 22.
The diaphragm spring is a frustoconical spring comprising a radially outer annular portion having a plurality of radially inwardly extending spaced fingers 18 thereon. The spring 14 is coned away from the flywheel 11.
The flywheel 11 and annular plate 22 are secured rotationally fast by a plurality of the pins 23 circumferentially spaced around the flywheel. Preferably there are three such pins but a greater number of pins may be necessary. The annular plate 22 is biased axially away from the flywheel by spring means 24 acting between the flywheel and the annular plate. The term `spring means` includes elastomeric materials acting as springs. The spring means in this case comprises a plurality of spring elements 24 in the form of belleville springs, located one around each pin 23 and accommodated in a recess 25 in the faces of the annular plate adja
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Automotive Products plc
Bonck Rodney H.
Germain Lee A.
Milliken Paul E.
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