192 clutches and power-stop control – Clutches – Axially engaging
Patent
1996-02-08
1998-02-03
Bonck, Rodney H.
192 clutches and power-stop control
Clutches
Axially engaging
192 7027, F16D 1358, F16D 1371
Patent
active
057134499
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a single-piece cover for a clutch mechanism, notably for motor vehicles, and the clutch mechanisms having such a cover, as described for example in the document FR-A-2 572 480 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,334).
2. Description of Related Art
In this document the single-piece cover has at its circumference (at its external periphery) an alternation of radial surfaces for coupling to a thrust plate and areas for fixing to a reaction plate.
Each fixing area has an axially oriented bracing area, opposite a radial bearing surface, which has a plurality of holes for fixing members to pass through, usually fixing screws or rivets.
The bracing area has a corrugated shape and has an alternation of internal stiffening ribs and external stiffening ribs carrying centring surfaces.
This bracing area is designed to cooperate by nesting with a peripheral axial extension of the reaction plate, for bearing and centring on the said plate, whilst the fixing members are designed to be fixed in the reaction plate and bear on radial fixing areas, which each radial bearing surface has around each passage hole.
The end part of the bracing area (its free end) bears for this purpose on the reaction plate, the centring being achieved by means of centring surfaces machined on the end parts of the external stiffening ribs of the bracing area.
In practice the two circumferential ends of the bracing area are connected by end reliefs to the adjacent coupling surfaces, and the external stiffening ribs have a larger circumferential extent than the internal stiffening ribs, because a bending hole is formed partly in each external stiffening rib.
Such an arrangement gives satisfaction; nevertheless, under severe conditions of use, a flexion of the bracing areas can occur, giving rise to defects in parallelism to the detriment of correct functioning of the clutch.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to mitigate this drawback and therefore to increase the radial stiffness of the cover, simply and economically.
According to the invention, a cover of the type indicated above is characterised in that the radial coupling surfaces are delimited circumferentially by internal stiffening ribs, which connect a said coupling surface to the adjacent external stiffening ribs and in that the internal stiffening ribs are inclined in the axial direction going from their free end to the radial bearing surface of the bracing areas.
According to the invention a clutch mechanism is characterised in that it has a cover according to the invention.
By virtue of the invention the radial stiffness of the cover is increased notably because the bracing areas are connected to the radial coupling surfaces by internal ribs on the bracing areas.
In addition the inclination of the internal stiffening ribs enables the radial bearing surfaces to be well supported.
This inclination makes it possible to have, at the thrust plate, a maximum friction area for the friction linings of the friction disc associated with the mechanism, whilst having deep internal ribs at the radial bearing surface of the bracing area, without having to produce slots for bending.
It will be appreciated that this stiffening of the cover has an influence with regard to the correct functioning of the clutch and the geometry, in service, of the retaining ring which the cover carries for supporting the diaphragm which the clutch mechanism usually includes.
By virtue of the invention, because of the stiffening of the cover, the corrugations in the supporting retaining ring at the level of the cover are reduced in service.
According to another characteristic the internal stiffening ribs splay out in the axial direction going from their free end to the radial bearing surface of the bracing areas.
By virtue of this arrangement the radial bearing areas for the fixing members have a reduced circumferential width and the free end of the external ribs has a larger circumferential width.
Thus, benefiting from
REFERENCES:
patent: 2277273 (1942-03-01), Spase
patent: 4069905 (1978-01-01), De Gennes
patent: 4593803 (1986-06-01), Valier
patent: 4601373 (1986-07-01), Despres et al.
patent: 4655334 (1987-04-01), Valier
patent: 5501312 (1996-03-01), Mizukami et al.
Bonck Rodney H.
Valeo
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