GB1576922A

GB1576922A - Clutch

Info

Publication number: GB1576922A
Application number: GB37067/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Daikin Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Exedy Corp
Priority date: 1976-09-08
Filing date: 1977-09-06
Publication date: 1980-10-15
Also published as: CA1078765A; JPS5548893Y2; FR2364362B1; JPS5337849U; DE2739874A1; FR2364362A1; IT1089875B

Description

(54) CLUTCH (71) We, KABUSHIKI KAISHA DAIKIN SEISAKUSHO (DAIKIN MANuFAcruRING COM- PANY LIMITEDI, a Japanese Company of 250, l-Chome, Kida-Montomiya, Neyagawa-Shi, Osaka, Japan, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement : This invention relates to a clutch in which a hub carries a flange, and a clutch plate and a retaining plate are mounted on opposite sides of said flange, said flange and each of said plates having aligned rectangular openings therein to accommodate springs, which have their axes disposed tangentially with respect to a circle concentric with said hub.

It is an object of the invention to provide for increased contact between the plates and the springs.

With this object in view, the present invention provides a clutch in which a hub carries a flange, and a clutch plate and a retaining plate are mounted on opposite sides of the flange, the flange and each of the plates having aligned rectangular openings therein to accommodate springs which have their axes disposed tangentially with respect to a circle concentric with the hub, characterised in that each of the openings in each of the plates is surrounded by flanges on all four sides, the flanges on the two sides of each opening which are spaced apart radially of the hub extending obliquely to lie adjacent the sping periphery while the other two flanges of each opening extend at right angles to the respective plate to lie adjacent the ends of the springs.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : - Fig. I is a vertical sectional view of part of a clutch embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a retaining plate; and Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. Z.

A splined hub 1, as illustrated in Fig. I fits on a clutch output shaft and has an integral outwardly extending flange 2. Flange 2 is provided with six holes 3. Each hole 3 is rectangular and is spaced radially from the hub 1, and a compression spring 4 is housed therein as illustrated in Fig. 2. A clutch plate 6, which is arranged on the left hand side of the flange Z, with a friction washer 5 therebetween, has a friction facing 8 attached to its outer periphery by a cushioning plate 7, secured by rivets 9, and holes 10 in plate 6 correspond with holes 3 in flange 2. On the right hand side of the flange 2, a retaining plate 14 is arranged with a friction washer 11, a friction plate 12 and a friction spring 13 therebetween. The clutch plate 6 and the retaining plate 14 are connected by rivets 15, thus applying a prescribed force to the friction washer 5 and 11. Each rivet 15 passes through a hole 16 in the flange 2. The inner diameter of the- hole 16 is larger than the outer diameter of the rivet 15, so that the rivet liand both plates 6 and 14 can rotate relative to the flange 2 over a limited angular range. A stop pin 17 secures outer peripheral portions of plates 6 and 14 together and defines the' above-mentioned angular range or relative rotation in combination with a notch 1 g provided in the outer peripheral part of the flange 2. Holes 19 are provided in the plate 14 in alignment with the holes 3 in plate 6.

Various elements described above are -al- ready known in the clutch art but the holes 10 and 19 provided in the plates 6 and 14- have special constructions in accordance with the teachings of the present invention' and these will now be described in detail.

The holes 19 in the retaining plate t4 have flanges on all four sides thereof.' Flanges 14a and 14b, which are provided af - the inside and outside edges of the hole, when viewed in radial direction, are formed obliquely so as to extend from the body of the plate 14 along the cylindrical right hand side face of the compression spring 4, thus lying adjacent the spring periphery. Flanges 14c which are provided at the two other edges of the hole, extend at right angles to the plate 14 to support end faces 4a (Fig. 2) of the compression spring 4. An area by which a flange 14c supports part of end face 4a of the compression spring 4 is shown by means of hatched lines in Fig. 1. Between the plate 14 and the flange 2 there are the friction washer 11, the friction plate 12, and the friction spring 13, so that a central portion of the retaining plate 14 is spaced from the flange 2 by a comparatively large distance 1,. However, the body of the retaining'plate 14 inclines from the vicinity of the outer periphery of the friction spring 13 toward the flange 2 over a radial distance 12 and extends outwardly along the flange 2 thereafter. Therefore, the flange 14c at either. end of the spring is dog-legged or bent'in its course as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. For this reason the contact area be- tween the flange 14c and the end face 4a of the compression spring 4 is as sarge as possible although the central portion of the retaining plate 14 is spaced a considerable distance from the flange 2.

The clutch plate 6 also has perpendicular flanges 6c at both ends of the holes 10-and oblique flanges 6a and 6b at the inside and outside edges thereof. An area over which flange 6c contacts part of end face 4a of the compression spring 4 is shown by means of hatched lines in the same manner as for flange 14c.

Generally, the holes in the clutch plate 6 and the retaining plate 14 have hitherto been provided only with flanges 6a, 6b, 14a, and 1 4b for preventing the compression spring 4 from falling out. The end edges of the holes in the plates 6 and 14 have had widths corresponding only to the thicknesses of the plates 6 and 14. Accordingly, the areas of contact with the end faces 4a of the compression spring 4 have been very small, any increase in contact pressure causing an in crease in wear at the contact area, thus shortening the service life of the plates 6 and 14 and the compression spring 4. In order to increase the contact area, partcylindrical covers which surround the com pression spring 4 on both sides could be formed integrally with the plates 6 and 14 so as to completely cover the holes in the clutch plate 6 and the retaining plate 14 from the outside. In this case, however, the cylindrical side face of the compression spring 4 would be apt to rub against the inner face of the said covers and the hysterisis characteristics of the clutch disc would be apt to be affected adversely.

Moreover, a cover which completely covers the side faces of the compression spring 4 would increase the weights of both plates, lower the clutch performance due to an increase in inertia moment, and at the same time impair the radiation effect thereof.

In accordance with this invention, on the other hand, the holes 10 and 19 are provided with flanges over their entire periphery, radially spaced flanges 6a, 6b, 14a, and 14b being provided with sufficient width to prevent falling out of the compression spring 4, while tangentally spaced flanges 6c and 14c stand up perpendicularly from the platebody to the same height as the said flanges 6a, 6b, 14a, and 14b. Therefore, the contact area at both ends 4a of the compression spring 4 can be enlarged as shown by means of hatched lines in Fig. 1, the rigidity of both plates 6 and 14 can be increased, and wear at the contact areas can be decreased owing to a decrease in contact pressure, thus prolonging the service life of the compression spring 4. Even when the rotational directions of the plates 6 and 14 and the flange 2 are reversed due to torque fluctuation to cause collision of the end faces 4a of the compression spring 4 with the flanges 6e and 14c, -the collision force can be alleviated owing to an increase in the contact area, and thus the above construction is effective in improving durability of the disc.

Further, the disc is so designed that the greater part of the cylindrical side face of compression spring 4 projects from the holes 10 and 19, so that there is little possibility of the compression spring 4 rubbing against the plates 6 and 14. Thus, there is minimized disturbance of the hysterisis characteristic and the radiation performance is improved even when the compression spring 4 expands radially outward under the influence of centrifugal force. The additional flanges 6e and 14c increase the rigidity of the plates 6 and 14 to make a decrease in plate thickness possible, and can form comparatively large sized holes 10 and 19 to lighten the whole weight of the clutch, thus improving the clutch performance owing to a decrease in the inertia moment thereof.

Moreover, the decrease in the plate thickness lowers the cost thereof.

When the flange 14c is dog-legged as illustrated in Fig. 1, the contact area of the compression spring 4 end face 4a with -the flange 14c is made as large as possible although the central portion of the retaining plate 14 is spaced from the flange 2 in order to accommodate the friction washer 11, etc.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A clutch in which a hub carries a flange, and a clutch plate and a tetaining plate are mounted on opposite sides of the flange, the flange and each of the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. obliquely so as to extend from the body of the plate 14 along the cylindrical right hand side face of the compression spring 4, thus lying adjacent the spring periphery. Flanges 14c which are provided at the two other edges of the hole, extend at right angles to the plate 14 to support end faces 4a (Fig. 2) of the compression spring 4. An area by which a flange 14c supports part of end face 4a of the compression spring 4 is shown by means of hatched lines in Fig. 1. Between the plate 14 and the flange 2 there are the friction washer 11, the friction plate 12, and the friction spring 13, so that a central portion of the retaining plate 14 is spaced from the flange 2 by a comparatively large distance 1,. However, the body of the retaining'plate 14 inclines from the vicinity of the outer periphery of the friction spring 13 toward the flange 2 over a radial distance 12 and extends outwardly along the flange 2 thereafter. Therefore, the flange 14c at either. end of the spring is dog-legged or bent'in its course as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. For this reason the contact area be- tween the flange 14c and the end face 4a of the compression spring 4 is as sarge as possible although the central portion of the retaining plate 14 is spaced a considerable distance from the flange 2. The clutch plate 6 also has perpendicular flanges 6c at both ends of the holes 10-and oblique flanges 6a and 6b at the inside and outside edges thereof. An area over which flange 6c contacts part of end face 4a of the compression spring 4 is shown by means of hatched lines in the same manner as for flange 14c. Generally, the holes in the clutch plate 6 and the retaining plate 14 have hitherto been provided only with flanges 6a, 6b, 14a, and 1 4b for preventing the compression spring 4 from falling out. The end edges of the holes in the plates 6 and 14 have had widths corresponding only to the thicknesses of the plates 6 and 14. Accordingly, the areas of contact with the end faces 4a of the compression spring 4 have been very small, any increase in contact pressure causing an in crease in wear at the contact area, thus shortening the service life of the plates 6 and 14 and the compression spring 4. In order to increase the contact area, partcylindrical covers which surround the com pression spring 4 on both sides could be formed integrally with the plates 6 and 14 so as to completely cover the holes in the clutch plate 6 and the retaining plate 14 from the outside. In this case, however, the cylindrical side face of the compression spring 4 would be apt to rub against the inner face of the said covers and the hysterisis characteristics of the clutch disc would be apt to be affected adversely. Moreover, a cover which completely covers the side faces of the compression spring 4 would increase the weights of both plates, lower the clutch performance due to an increase in inertia moment, and at the same time impair the radiation effect thereof. In accordance with this invention, on the other hand, the holes 10 and 19 are provided with flanges over their entire periphery, radially spaced flanges 6a, 6b, 14a, and 14b being provided with sufficient width to prevent falling out of the compression spring 4, while tangentally spaced flanges 6c and 14c stand up perpendicularly from the platebody to the same height as the said flanges 6a, 6b, 14a, and 14b. Therefore, the contact area at both ends 4a of the compression spring 4 can be enlarged as shown by means of hatched lines in Fig. 1, the rigidity of both plates 6 and 14 can be increased, and wear at the contact areas can be decreased owing to a decrease in contact pressure, thus prolonging the service life of the compression spring 4. Even when the rotational directions of the plates 6 and 14 and the flange 2 are reversed due to torque fluctuation to cause collision of the end faces 4a of the compression spring 4 with the flanges 6e and 14c, -the collision force can be alleviated owing to an increase in the contact area, and thus the above construction is effective in improving durability of the disc. Further, the disc is so designed that the greater part of the cylindrical side face of compression spring 4 projects from the holes 10 and 19, so that there is little possibility of the compression spring 4 rubbing against the plates 6 and 14. Thus, there is minimized disturbance of the hysterisis characteristic and the radiation performance is improved even when the compression spring 4 expands radially outward under the influence of centrifugal force. The additional flanges 6e and 14c increase the rigidity of the plates 6 and 14 to make a decrease in plate thickness possible, and can form comparatively large sized holes 10 and 19 to lighten the whole weight of the clutch, thus improving the clutch performance owing to a decrease in the inertia moment thereof. Moreover, the decrease in the plate thickness lowers the cost thereof. When the flange 14c is dog-legged as illustrated in Fig. 1, the contact area of the compression spring 4 end face 4a with -the flange 14c is made as large as possible although the central portion of the retaining plate 14 is spaced from the flange 2 in order to accommodate the friction washer 11, etc. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A clutch in which a hub carries a flange, and a clutch plate and a tetaining plate are mounted on opposite sides of the flange, the flange and each of the

plates having aligned rectangular openings therein to accommodate springs which have their axes disposed tangentially with respect to a circle concentric with the hub, characterised in that each of the openings in each of the plates is surrounded by flanges on.

all four sides, the flanges on the two sides of each opening which are spaced apart radially of the hub extending obliquely to lie adjacent the spring periphery while the other two flanges of each opening extend at right angles to the respective plate to lie adjacent the ends of the springs.

2. A clutch as claimed in claim 1, in which the retaining plate has a central portion which is spaced further from the flange on the hub than an outer portion thereof and wherein each one of the said other two flanges of each opening is of dog-leg shape, having a radially inner part thereof spaced further from the hub flange than a radially outer part thereof.

3. A clutch constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.