192 clutches and power-stop control – Elements – Wear compensators
Patent
1998-11-12
2000-08-29
Bonck, Rodney H.
192 clutches and power-stop control
Elements
Wear compensators
192 7018, 192 7025, F16D 1375
Patent
active
061094137
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF HE INVENTION
The present invention relates to friction clutches which include constant lift mechanisms and in particular, though not exclusively, to automatically adjusting clutches and twin plate clutches.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Friction clutches are known which comprise a clutch cover attached to a flywheel with at least one spring acting on a pressure plate to force a driven plate into frictional engagement with the flywheel. It is also known to provide such clutches in the form of twin plate friction clutches wherein the pressure plate is an intermediate pressure plate and the spring acts on the intermediate plate via a further pressure plate and a further driven plate. Furthermore, it is known to provide constant lift mechanisms in such clutches which restrict movement of the pressure plate or intermediate pressure plate away from the flywheel and the driven plate during disengagement of the clutch to a substantially constant distance.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improve form of constant lift mechanism which is more compact than heretofore known constant lift mechanism. Additionally the constant lift mechanism may be capable of fulfilling additional fnctions within the clutch.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a clutch cover assembly for a friction clutch comprising a clutch cover attachable to an associated flywheel, a pressure plate non-rotatably attached to the cover and at least on spring acting on the pressure plate in use to force an associated driven plate into frictional engagement with the associated fllywheel, the associated driven plate having frictional factings which are subject to wear due to repeated engagement and disengagement of the clutch, the pressure plate being attached to the clutch cover by a plurality of lift straps which act in use to move the pressure plate away from the associated driven plate when the clutch is disengaged, the cover assembly also including at least one constant lift mechanism comprising a stop which is axially adjustable in reponse to wear of the friction facings of the associated driven plate and which contacts an abutment on one of the pressure plate or an axially fixed component of the clutch cover assembly to limit movement of the pressure plate away from the associated driven plate to substantially the same amount during each full disengagement of the clutch, a part of the at least one constant lift mechanism securing a part of a respective lift strap to the pressure plate.
BRIEF OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is an axial cutaway view of a clutch cover assembly according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a radial view of FIG. 1 taken from the direction of arrow W including a flywheel;
FIG. 4 is a partial cross section view of the clutch cover assembly of FIG. 1 and associated driven plate and flywheel taken along the line XX;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6, 7 and 8 are views similar to FIGS. 2, 5 and 3 respectively showing a second embodiment of a constant lift mechanism;
FIGS. 9 and 10 show views similar to FIG. 5 of a third and fourth embodiment respectively of a constant lift mechanism;
FIGS. 11 and 12 show views similar to FIG. 3 of a fifth and sixth embodiment respectively of a constant lift mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 there is illustrated a clutch 10 which includes a flywheel 11, a clutch cover assembly 20 and a driven plate 15. The flywheel 11 is fixed to the end of a crankshaft (not shown) of an associated internal combustion engine. In this case the clutch is an automatically adjusting clutch.
The clutch cover assembly 20 comprises a clutch cover 21, a diaphragm spring 12, a pressure plate 13, lift straps 14, one adjuster means 44 and three constant lift mechanisms 50. The clutch cover 21 is fixed rotationally and axially fast to the flywh
REFERENCES:
patent: 5509518 (1996-04-01), Zelikov
patent: 5513736 (1996-05-01), Mizukami
Automotive Products plc
Bonck Rodney H.
Germain Lee A
Leamington Spa
Milliken Paul E
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