192 clutches and power-stop control – Clutches – Torque responsive
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-18
2003-11-18
Rodriquez, Saul (Department: 3681)
192 clutches and power-stop control
Clutches
Torque responsive
C192S070120, C192S070170, C192S090000, C192S113340
Reexamination Certificate
active
06648117
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a starting clutch which can be used in place of a torque converter of a motor vehicle.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, in an AT (automatic transmission), a vehicle was started by transmission of torque in a torque converter. Since the torque converter had a torque amplifying effect and torque could smoothly be transmitted during increase and decrease of the torque, the torque converter was mounted to many AT motor vehicles.
On the other hand, the torque converter has a disadvantage that a slip amount is great during increase and decrease of the torque and thus not so efficient.
Thus, recently, use of a starting clutch in place of the torque converter has been proposed, and torque has been amplified at a low speed area by decreasing a gear ratio and increasing a transmission number.
FIG. 2
is an-axial sectional view of a conventional starting clutch. Now, such a starting clutch will be explained. The starting clutch
100
includes a multi-plate clutch
101
. Within a clutch case
106
of the multi-plate clutch
101
, friction plates
102
acting as output side friction engaging elements and separator plates
103
acting as input side friction engaging elements are alternately disposed.
Further, a backing plate
104
is provided at one axial end of the multi-plate clutch. The backing plate
104
is supported by a stop ring
105
at an axial outer side (left in FIG.
2
). On the other hand, at an end opposite to the backing plate
104
, a piston
108
is disposed within an inner wall of the clutch case
106
through an O-ring
107
. The piston
108
is biased by a return spring
116
toward a direction (right in
FIG. 2
) along which an engaging condition between the separator plates
103
and the friction plates
102
is released. Further, a hydraulic chamber
109
is defined between the piston
108
and the clutch case
106
.
The starting clutch
100
further includes a housing
110
covering an outer periphery of the multi-plate clutch
101
, and a damper
117
disposed between the clutch case
106
and the housing
110
. Incidentally, the housing
110
is connected to an output shaft
111
of an engine (not shown) and the damper
117
is constituted by a spring
130
, a retainer plate
113
for holding the spring
130
and a pawl
114
engaging by the spring
130
.
In the above-mentioned starting clutch
100
, the piston
108
is operated by supplying hydraulic pressure into the hydraulic chamber
109
through an oil path
115
, thereby effecting frictional engagement between the separator plates
103
and the friction plates
102
.
As mentioned above, in the starting clutch
100
, the piston
108
is operated by supplying the hydraulic pressure into the hydraulic chamber
109
through the oil path
115
, thereby effecting the frictional engagement. That is to say, upon operation of the starting clutch (upon transmission of power), the hydraulic pressure always acts. A predetermined clearance is provided, and, since the clearance is maintained by a biasing force of the return spring
116
against the piston, torque is completely blocked upon releasing.
When it is desired to release the engaging condition between the separator plates
103
and the friction plates
102
, the hydraulic pressure is released. When the hydraulic pressure is released, the piston
108
can be moved freely and thus is shifted to the right in
FIG. 2
by the biasing force of the return spring
116
. As a result, the engaging condition between the separator plates
103
and the friction plates
102
is released.
However, in order to maintain the frictional engaging condition between the separator plates
103
and the friction plates
102
, the hydraulic pressure must always be supplied. Further, an operating time of a pump for supplying the hydraulic pressure to maintain the hydraulic pressure becomes longer. And, a mechanism can be complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a starting clutch in which hydraulic pressure is not required to always be supplied, and an operating time of a pump for supplying the hydraulic pressure can be shortened, and operating efficiency is enhanced.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a starting clutch in which an input side element and an output side element are joined together by applying an axial load thereby to transmit a power, which clutch comprises urging means for always providing the axial load, and releasing means for releasing the input side element and the output side element from the axial load.
Further the present invention provides a method for controlling a starting clutch, in which the clutch is released by supplying hydraulic pressure and the clutch is engaged by releasing the hydraulic pressure.
Since the input side element and the output side element are frictionally engaged together by the spring for always providing the axial load and a hydraulic cylinder for releasing the input side element and the output side element from the axial load is provided, in the operation of the starting clutch, the hydraulic pressure may be supplied only upon releasing the clutch, with the result that the operating time of the pump for supplying the hydraulic pressure is shortened thereby to enhance the operating efficiency. Further, since the urging load given by the spring is provided by the mechanical means, good stability can be achieved. Accordingly, stable control can easily be performed.
Since the clutch is released by supplying the hydraulic pressure and the clutch is engaged by releasing the hydraulic pressure, a starting clutch controlling method in which operating efficiency is enhanced can be provided.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5301564 (1994-04-01), Muller et al.
patent: 6332521 (2001-12-01), Shoji
patent: 6375233 (2002-04-01), Friedmann et al.
patent: 6397996 (2002-06-01), Yabe
patent: 6446779 (2002-09-01), Yabe
Horiuchi Nobuhiro
Kinoshita Yoshio
Miyoshi Tatsuro
Nakagomi Hirofumi
Nishimura Shigeharu
Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
NSK-Warner K.K.
Rodriquez Saul
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