Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-18
2003-07-22
Ball, Michael W. (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S256000, C156S264000, C156S299000, C156S519000, C156S539000, C156S556000, C156S560000, C188S01800A, C188S2180XL, C428S066200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06596119
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus of friction plate for clutch.
2. Related Art
A friction plate for clutch is used, in a clutch of a vehicle etc., to brake a rotating member such as rotor. It is comprised of a ring-shaped core plate and a plurality of friction material segments adhered to a surface of the core plate circumferentially. Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-6891 and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 10-318309 have disclosed examples for manufacturing method and the manufacturing apparatus of friction plate for clutch. The manufacturing methods of the friction plate for clutch disclosed in these prior arts comprise a punching step for punching the friction material tape by a punching unit to form one piece of friction material segment, and a adhering step for adhering the punched friction material segment to an adhering surface of a core plate coated by an adhesive agent.
In detail, a band-shaped friction material is supplied above the core plate radially inwardly or tangentially to be punched into the friction material segment of a predetermined shape by the punching unit including a die and a punch. Then, the punched friction material segment is adhered to the adhering surface of the core plate by the punch just below the punching position. After adhering of the friction material segment to the core plate, the band-shaped friction material is supplied by the predetermined length and the core plate is rotated by the predetermined angle synchronous therewith, to perform forming and adhering of the next friction material segment. With repeating the punching step and the adhering step alternately by the times equivalent to the number of the friction material segments, all of the friction material segments have been adhered to the core plate circumferentially.
The manufacturing apparatus of friction plate for clutch is comprised of a supporting table supporting the core plate and intermittently rotating in every adhering of the friction material segment to the core plate, a supplying member for intermittently supplying the band-shape friction material over the supporting table by a predetermined length corresponding to length of the friction material segment, and a pressing member (punching unit) for punching the band-shaped friction material and for adhering the punched friction material segment to the core plate.
However, the above-mentioned manufacturing method and the manufacturing apparatus of Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-68491 and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 10-318309, punching the band-shaped friction material and adhering the punched friction material segment to the core plate by the pressing member alternately by times equivalent to the number of the friction material segments, has been suffering from the following disadvantages.
A first disadvantage results from a characteristic change of the adhesive agent coated onto the core plate. Due to repeating punching step and the adhering step performed for each friction material segment, long time period is required from adhering of the first friction material segment to adhering of the last friction material segment. Therefore, characteristic of the adhesive agent having been coated on the core plate prior to punching of the band-shaped friction material changes between a start and an end of the friction material segment adhering to the core plate. Thus, adhering condition delicately differ for each of the friction material segments.
As a result, when all of the friction material segments are adhered to the core plate, particular friction material segment(s) may shift radially and/or circumferentially from a desired position on the adhering surface. Thus, positioning accuracy of the friction material segment may be deteriorated, which changes a relative position between the particular friction material segment and the friction material segment adjacent thereto. Thus, orientation and width of a radial groove formed between opposing sides of the adjacent friction material segments may change.
A second disadvantage results from wear of the punching unit. The die and the punch included in the punching unit forms one friction material segment by one operation thereof. So, for forming the plurality of friction material segments by the band-shaped friction material, the same die and punch are used by the plural times equivalent to the number of friction material segments. In addition, the same blade portion of the die and that of the punch are repeatedly abutted to the band-shaped friction material in every punching to be worn. Thus, the punching unit decreases punching ability thereof in short time period and requires to be changed.
As mentioned above, in the conventional manufacturing method and the manufacturing apparatus of friction plate for clutch, there has been room for improvement in the insufficient positioning accuracy of the friction material segment on the core plate. It results from uneven adhering condition of the plural friction material segments due to longer adhering time period. Also, there has been room for improvement in earlier wear of the blade portion of the punching unit and earlier exchange of the punching unit. It results from the same blade portion of the punching unit abutting to the band-shaped friction material repeatedly by times equivalent to the number of the friction material segments to be worn.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been achieved in view of the above circumstances and intends to provide the manufacturing method and the manufacturing apparatus of friction plate for clutch which can overcome the above disadvantages of the conventional art. That is, the manufacturing method and the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention can adhere the plural friction material segments to the core plate in shorter time period than that in the conventional art. Thus, shifting of the friction material segment(s) in the circumferential and/or radial direction of the core plate due to uneven adhering condition can be prevented.
Also, the present invention intends to, in connection with the above-mentioned adhering manner of the friction material segments to the core plate, provide the manufacturing method and the manufacturing apparatus which can extend the durability life of the punching unit.
Inventors of the present invention pay attention to the fact that above-mentioned disadvantage results from punching the band-shaped friction material and adhering the friction material segments being repeated for each friction material segment, that is, the adhering step being carried out by the times equivalent to the number of the friction material segments. They hit on such disadvantages may be overcome by decreasing the number of time for adhering the friction material segment to the core plate.
A method for manufacturing a friction plate for clutch, comprising steps of a step for containing plural friction material segments on a one surface of a holding body circumferentially; and a step for making the one surface of said holding body and an adhering surface of a core plate coated with an adhesive agent come near to each other, and for adhering the friction material segments held by said holding body to the adhering surface of said core plate by urge.
The manufacturing method of the present invention can adhere in the adhering step the plural friction material segment held on one surface thereof in the containing step to the adhering surface of the core plate simultaneously or in very short time period. Thus, the time period required for adhering the plural friction material segments to the core plate has been greatly reduced compared with that in the conventional manufacturing method, so that all of the friction material segments are adhered to the core plate in the same adhering condition. As a result, the radial or circumferential shifting of the particular friction material segment can be prevented.
Also, the containing step, not including any adhering step between conta
Honda Yukiharu
Nakagawa Hideto
Aisin Kako Kabushiki Kaisha
Ball Michael W.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Rossi Jessica
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