GB2303414A

GB2303414A - Clutch disc friction lining attachment

Info

Publication number: GB2303414A
Application number: GB9614533A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Helmut Kohler
Original assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
Current assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
Priority date: 1995-07-14
Filing date: 1996-07-10
Publication date: 1997-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 2016-07-10
Also published as: IT1283150B1; JP4089791B2; DE19626688B4; DE19626688A1; JPH0925975A; FR2736695B1; GB9614533D0; BR9603070A; ITMI961450A1; ITMI961450A0; FR2736695A1; GB2303414B; MX9602752A

Description

Friction lining for a clutch disc as well as a clutch disc fitted with same The invention relates to a friction lining, more particularly for clutch discs, brakes or the like, as well as to clutch discs, brakes or the like fitted with same.

Friction linings of the kind mentioned above are known for example from US-PS 5 114,769 and are used in particular in connection with clutch discs for torque transfer from an engine to a gearbox connected on the output side. Clutch discs of this kind are known for example from US-PS 4 516 672. Clutch discs of this kind can thereby have between the back-to-back mounted friction linings a so-called lining suspension which can be formed by spring segments. The lining suspension can also be formed however by elastic intermediate layers which can consist for example of silicon rubber.

The friction material used for making the friction linings and the friction linings themselves represent a considerable cost factor in the overall clutch disc.

Thus the object of the invention is to provide a friction lining which is particularly economical to manufacture and which has good properties regarding the friction values and wear.

The object of the invention is further to provide a friction lining, for example for clutch discs and clutch discs fitted therewith which have a high wear resistance and a high bursting speed and long service life and which can be manufactured with a cost-reduced construction and thus reduced material consumption.

According to the invention this is achieved with a friction lining which is substantially circular ring shaped and consists of a substantially circular ring shaped support element as well as of a friction lining layer of friction material applied thereon, with receiving areas or shaping areas for fixing the friction lining for example on a spring segment or on an entrainment or counter disc of a clutch disc, in that openings are formed in the support element with or without raised marginal areas of the openings in the axial direction in the radial area of the friction lining between the inner diameter and outer diameter and the support element has at least one swage running in the circumferential direction.

According to the invention this is further achieved with a friction lining in that the thickness, viewed in crosssection, of the friction lining layer of friction material is a multiple, but at least a quadruple, of the support element of the friction lining.

According to the invention this is likewise achieved in that the support element is made as a punched piece of sheet metal and has openings with and/or without raised marginal edges and tabs are provided in the radially inner and radially outer marginal area of the friction lining wherein these tabs serve to fix the friction lining and where applicable at least one swage is formed in the circumferential direction.

Furthermore it can be advantageous if with a friction lining the ratio between the thickness of the friction lining layer of friction material to the thickness of the support element is greater than four, preferably in the range between 5 and 12, and more particularly advantageously in the range between 7 and 10.

Similarly with a friction lining it is advantageous if the thickness, viewed in cross-section, of the support element is greater than or equal to 0.1 mm, preferably in the range of 0.15 mm to 1 mm and more particularly in the range from 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm.

A friction lining can be formed in a particularly advantageous way if the thickness, viewed in cross-section, of the friction lining is in the range between 1 mm and 8 mm, preferably between 1.5 mm and 5 mm and even more advantageously between 2 mm and 4 mm.

The invention can be advantageously designed if at least one swage of the circumferentially aligned swages has a crosssection which is substantially semi-circular or triangular or gabled or rectangular or square or elliptical or trapezoidal wherein in the case of several swages arranged in the circumferential direction various different crosssectional shapes can be provided for the swages.

It can be expedient if the height of the swages is in the range from 0 mm to 3 mm, preferably in the range from 0.2 mm to 1 mm and more particularly between 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm. It is substantially advantageous if the height of the swages is greater than or equal to the material thickness of the support element.

The design of the invention can be advantageous if openings are formed or worked into the support element which have at least in partial areas of the edge a smooth cohesive inner edge or show an inner edge interrupted by cracks or cuts.

Furthermore it is advantageous if the openings in the support element are raised such as curved in the axial direction or are raised substantially conical.

It can furthermore be advantageous if the marginal areas of the openings in the support element have a substantially circular, triangular, square or irregular cross-section. It is likewise advantageous if the marginal areas of the openings having irregular cross-sections are formed by material displacement by means of a tool and have in at least some sections a crack formation.

The friction lining according to the invention can be advantageously designed in that the marginal areas of the openings in the support element are raised up and form an under cut section in which the friction lining material can engage at least partially or in small amounts.

In many cases it can be advantageous if the openings in the support element are made by punching, cutting, perforation, tearing or piercing processes or are made by material displacement processes and the axial raising of the marginal areas of the openings is produced at the same time as the openings are formed or in a second work step after the openings have been penetrated.

In many cases it can be expedient if the support element is made of metal, such as sheet metal, or of plastics or of another material.

According to the inventive idea in the case of friction linings it is advantageous if in the radial area between the inner diameter and outer diameter of the friction lining openings such as bores or indentations are provided which serve for rivetting the friction lining on for example a spring segment or an entrainment disc.

Furthermore a friction lining can be designed according to the inventive idea in that the openings for rivetting are formed during the manufacturing or pressing process of the lining layer, such as for example are kept free of lining material by stamps.

It can furthermore be advantageous if the support element has tabs for fixing as well as recesses formed or mounted on its radially inner circumference and/or on its radially outer circumference, wherein these are spread out at least substantially evenly.

It can be advantageous if in the areas of the recesses and tabs in the support element at the same time recesses are formed in the friction lining of friction material.

It can be particularly advantageous in a friction lining if on the surface of the friction lining which is opposite the support element and is in friction engagement grooves are formed, milled or pressed in the substantially radial direction and/or in the substantially circumferential direction.

It can be particularly advantageous if the groove running substantially in the circumferential direction has a substantially elliptical path. Similarly it can be advantageous if the circumferentially aligned groove corresponds in two partial areas each time to a substantially semi-circular path wherein the centre points of the semi-circles are spaced from each other.

Furthermore it is advantageous if the height of the raised marginal areas of the openings in the support element is substantially smaller than or equal to the height of the circumferentially aligned swage.

It can likewise be expedient if the height of the raised marginal areas of the openings in the support element is between 0 and 3 mm, preferably in the range between 0.2 mm and 1.0 mm, and particularly advantageously between 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm.

According to a further aspect of the invention it can be expedient for a clutch disc of a friction clutch which supports on its outer circumference two friction linings with an input part such as entrainment disc which where applicable is connected rotationally secured to a counter disc and the entrainment and counter disc form the input part of a torsion vibration damper wherein a circular component part such as a flange serves as output part of the torsion vibration damper and transfers a transferable torque on the output side directly or through a further torsion vibration damper to the hub of the clutch disc, and between the flange and clutch disc hub a torsion vibration damper is mounted where applicable for example for the idling area, if the friction linings of the clutch disc which serve as an input part, consist of a support element and a friction lining layer and the support element has openings with or without axial raised area around the inner edge of the openings and circumferentially aligned swages are formed in the support element.

Similarly it can be advantageous if according to a further aspect of the invention if with a clutch disc, more particularly for motor vehicles, the friction linings of the clutch disc are formed according to one of claims 1 to 23.

The invention will now be explained in further detail with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a friction lining according to the invention; Figure 2 is a view of a friction lining according to the invention; Figure 3a is a view of a support element; Figure 3b is a cut-out section of a support element; Figure 3c is a cut-out section of a support element; Figure 4a is a sectional view through an assembly of friction linings; Figure 4b is a sectional view through an assembly of friction linings; Figures 5a-e are each sectional views through a friction lining according to the invention; Figure 6 is a sectional view of a clutch disc according to the invention; Figure 7 is a view of a clutch disc; Figures 8a-d are each a view of a cut-out section of a support element; and Figure 9 is a view of a spring segment and the back of a lining.

Figure la shows a friction lining with an outer diameter 2 and inner diameter 3. The friction lining is designed substantially circular ring shaped. Furthermore the friction lining is formed by a substantially circular ring shaped support element 4 and a layer of friction material 5 applied thereon.

On the surface of the friction lining on the side remote from the support element individual areas of the friction lining are separated from each other by grooves or indentations wherein the individual areas 6 can be divided into radially outer areas 6a and radially inner areas 6b.

The circumferentially aligned groove or indentation 7 which separates the surface areas 6a from the surface areas 6b can be formed circular ring shaped or elliptical. Furthermore the circumferentially aligned indentation 7 can be shaped or imprinted during manufacture of the friction lining so that the shape is formed substantially by two practically semicircular shaped contours which have a slight spacing relative to their circle centres. A contour is thereby formed which equates with an ellipse or is very similar thereto.

Viewed circumferentially the areas 6 are likewise divided by grooves or indentations 8 on the surface area of the friction lining wherein the indentations run from the radially inner diameter to the radially outer diameter.

The support element is designed as a substantially circular ring shaped metal ring wherein the thickness of the metal plate is smaller than the thickness of the friction lining of lining material or friction material applied thereon.

Furthermore the support element can also be formed from plastics, such as fibre-reinforced plastics.

In order to connect the lining material and support element of metal, openings 9 are formed in the support element so that the lining material can engage at least slightly through same and receive a better hold against the support element. The openings 9 can be arranged in various groups and/or can be spread over different radii whereby for reasons of stability no openings 9 are provided in the area of the fixing areas such as eg for rivetting the lining on for example a spring segment. The openings can however also be distributed in regular or irregular arrangement over the support element.

Furthermore circumferentially aligned swages lia and llb are formed in the support material to increase the stability of the support element. The central area of the friction lining, viewed radially, which receives the fixing areas 10 is not provided with a circumferentially aligned swage. The stability-increasing swages are mounted radially inside and radially outside the fixing area 10.

The arrangement of the openings 9 in the area of the support element is for reasons of stability provided substantially in the areas 6a and 6b of the lining wherein in the areas of the grooves or surface indentations 7,8 there are substantially no openings provided in the support element.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 a friction lining is shown which is provided for fixing on an entrainment disc through spring segments. The fixing is provided by rivet connections wherein for rivetting two groups of openings are formed or added in the friction lining. The openings 10 serve to receive a rivet head, as shown in Figure 4b, wherein the opening 10 is provided in the support element and in the friction lining layer and has a larger radius than the rivet head. The rivets are thus mounted substantially contact-free in the openings 10.

The openings 12a,12b serve to connect the friction lining and entrainment disc wherein the rivet connection connects the support element of the friction lining to the spring segment.

The opening 12a with a larger diameter is only found in the friction lining layer wherein the opening 12b with a smaller diameter is only provided in the support element.

The area 12a with the larger diameter serves to receive the rivet head wherein the area 12b is provided for passing the rivets through the opening.

Figure 2 shows a view of a friction lining which is connected by a tab connection to the entrainment disc or to the spring segments of the clutch disc. The surface of the side of the friction lining which is remote from the support element is divided up into segments 20a and 20b which are arranged radially substantially inside or outside a circumferentially aligned groove or indentation 21.

Furthermore the segments 20a and 20b are defined circumferentially by grooves or indentations 22 which are guided from the radially inner edge to the radially outer edge. The guide or formation of the grooves 22 can be in the radial direction or in a direction inclined thereto, thus in a direction with a radial component and a component in the circumferential direction.

Windows 25,25a and tabs 26,26a can be seen on the radially inner edge of the friction lining 23 and on the radially outer edge of the friction lining 24. The windows 25,25a are formed both in the support element, such as for example of metal, and in the friction material layer provided on the support element.

The tabs 26,26a are formed in the radially inner and outer area of the support element and are connected integral with same wherein the friction material layer has in the area of the tabs 26,26a recesses 27,27a so that in the area of the tabs only the support material is present.

To assemble the friction lining according to Figure 2 the tabs 26,26a are curved radially inwards and radially outwards round a sheet metal element, such as a spring segment, lying behind same so that a rotationally secured connection can be produced. The fixing areas such as for example of the spring segments or entrainment disc have in the area of the tabs provided on the friction linings cutout sect ions on the edge or window in which the tabs can engage in order to produce the rotationally secured connection.

In order to ensure fitting of the friction linings on the spring segments or on the clutch disc the friction lining must be aligned so that when bending round the tabs the cutout sections on the edge or the windows of the component parts to be fixed thereon are opposite the tabs. In order to ensure this openings or bores 28 are provided in the friction lining as a fitting aid. The openings or bores 28 can be spread out over the circumference of the friction lining and are formed continuous both through the friction material and through the support element. It can be advantageous if the centring openings 28 are diametrically opposite one another.

The substantially circumferentially aligned groove or indentation 21 is also formed at least substantially elliptical in the embodiment of Figure 2 whereby the ellipse can be formed by producing two substantially semi-circular indentations wherein the two centre points of each semicircle are spaced from each other.

Figure 3 shows a view of a support element for a friction lining according to Figure 2 wherein the radially inner and radially outer recesses 25 and 25a as well as the tabs 26 and 26a are formed in the marginal areas of the support element. The tabs 26 and 26a serve to fix the friction lining on a support provided for same, such as a spring segment or entrainment disc wherein the recesses or openings 25 or 25a serve to receive a tool in order to bend the tabs of the opposing friction lining for fixing purposes.

Furthermore openings 28 are formed in the support element 27 which are provided for an improved connection between the support element 24 and the friction material layer. In order to increase the stability circumferentially aligned swages 29 are formed in the support element 27. The embodiment of the support element according to Figure 3 has three circumferentially aligned swages which increase the stability compared with the embodiment of Figure 1 which only has two circumferentially aligned swages. Since in the embodiment of Figure 3 there are no rivetting or fixing areas in the radially central area of the friction lining this area can additionally be used to increase stability by providing swages.

The openings can be provided in the support element in groups of openings or in a more or less irregular fashion whereby in areas where grooves or indentations are provided on the surface of the friction lining, there should preferably be no or only a slight number of openings so that in these areas the stability is not too severely impaired through the number of openings.

The openings which in the embodiment of Figure 3 are formed substantially circular can also have a different crosssection or can have a different shape or different contour, such as for example can be triangular, square, rectangular or irregular or can be raised conically with a substantially smooth uniform or uninterrupted marginal area and can have a substantially cracked marginal area which is formed for example when a for example spike is driven through the support metal and tears up the surface at this point wherein the crack formation is provided with any moulded area at any other point.

Figures 3 and 3b show by way of example designs of the openings in the support element 27 wherein the openings 28a can be triangular or the openings 28b can be angular and have upward curvatures or inverted areas. According to Figure 3b the openings 28c can be formed by piercing the sheet metal with a spike or similar or with a punching tool wherein a regular upward curvature of the side walls can also result with a crack formation in the corners, see 28e.

Further possibilities provide an undercut section to be formed by means of bending round the pre-punched hole edges or margins.

Figure 4a shows a cross-section of an arrangement of friction linings 40 for use with a clutch disc which are fixed on a spring segment 41 wherein the spring segment is mounted or fixed on its radially inner area on an entrainment or counter disc of a clutch disc.

The friction linings 40 have on each side facing the spring segment a support element 42 or 42a on which the friction material layer of the friction lining 40 is applied. In order to increase the stability or to improve the mechanical properties of the friction lining circumferentially aligned swages 43,43a and 43b are formed in the support element, such as for example the circular ring shaped metal support.

In order to increase the hold between the support element and friction lining material openings 44 are formed, such as for example punched, drilled, pressed etc, in the support element wherein the marginal area of the opening 45 can be raised in the axial direction so that an undercut section is produced and during manufacture of the friction lining friction material penetrates into this undercut section so that a holding mechanism similar to engaging gear teeth between the support element 42 and friction material 40 can lead to a better hold. In this embodiment of Figure 4a the axial raised areas of the marginal areas of the openings 44 are conical.

The grooves or indentations as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and which run substantially circumferentially are marked 46 in Figure 4a. In Figure 4a it can be seen that the depth of the grooves 46 is only a fraction of the axial height or thickness of the friction material so that the mechanical stability of the lining is not or only slightly impaired by the areas 46.

Furthermore it is possible to see in the radial area between the inner diameter 47 and the outer diameter 48 of the friction lining an opening 49 which is marked 28 in Figure 2 and is formed in the friction lining for assembly purposes. The holding of the friction lining by a spike or pin in the area of the opening 49 serves as an anti-rotation lock during assembly. This means that the position of the friction linings is thus fixed.

In the radially inner area of the friction lining in the area of the tabs 50 there are openings or recesses 51 in the friction lining 51 and in the radially outer area there are recesses 53 in the area of the tabs 52. The tabs project in the uninstalled state substantially radially outwards or inwards but can however also be bent forwards or partially raised through a manufacturing step, and are formed round by a tool which engages in the windows 51 or 53 so that a substantially U-shaped or hook-shaped profiled section is produced wherein areas of the spring segment 41 are embraced radially inwardly or radially outwardly by the deformed tab 50 or 52 and the friction lining is thus connected rotationally secured to the spring segment or to the entrainment or counter disc.For the purpose of connecting the friction linings rotationally secured to the spring segment or to the entrainment disc, the spring segment or entrainment disc is provided radially inwards and radially outwards with recesses or windows which prevent a relative movement between the spring segment and friction linings since the U-shaped or hook-shaped deformation of the tabs is carried out in the area of this window.

The curved or bent-round tabs engage in the recesses on the radially inner or outer area of the spring segment wherein the circumferentially pointing marginal areas of the tabs adjoin the circumferentially pointing marginal areas and thus are fixed secured against rotation.

Figure 4b shows a cross-section of an arrangement of friction linings according to the embodiment of Figure 1.

The friction linings 6C,60a each have a support element 61,61a as well as a friction material layer mounted thereon.

Furthermore the support elements 61,61a have circumferentially aligned swages 62,62a as well as openings formed in the support element with and/or without an undercut section for improved hold between the friction material layer and support element. The openings 63 are provided in this example with a conical raised area 64 so that an undercut section is provided in which friction material can pass during the manufacturing process. In the radially central area of the lining can be seen the grooves or indentations 65,65a which run circumferentially wherein a substantially elliptical design is favoured.

Fixing the friction linings on for example spring segments or on the entrainment disc is carried out by rivets which connect a spring segment 66 to the support element 62 wherein the rivets only engage in the second friction lining and produce no connection with this friction lining. With spring segments of the conventional design two fixing points are provided at a distance viewed circumferentially to connect the friction linings with the spring segment through for example rivets so that one friction lining can be connected to the spring segment at one fixing point and the other opposite friction lining can be connected to the spring segment at the second fixing point.The fixing of the two friction linings on one spring segment carried out in this way is guaranteed through rivets so that the friction linings are movable relative to each other in the axial direction so that the spring action of the spring segment can appear with an axial biasing.

Figures 5a to Se each show a sectional view through the friction lining according to the invention in the radial direction wherein the lining material or the lining layer 100 is applied to a support element 101. The support element 101 has swages which are formed, such as pressed into the element and run in the circumferential direction wherein the swages 102 in Figure 5a have a substantially semi-circular or curved cross-section.

A number of swages 102 can be spread over the radial extension of the friction lining from the radially inner area 103 to the radially outer area 104 according to the preceding Figures wherein in this embodiment three swages 102,102a and 102b are provided.

Furthermore the support element 101 is designed so that openings 105 are provided in which the friction material of the friction lining 100 can engage in order to produce a better hold between the material of the friction lining and the material of the support element 101. The openings can as shown in Figure 5a be formed by a punched-out deformed opening wherein the opening can be raised up by a raising process eg conically. Furthermore the opening can have in the axial direction a circular, angular, polygonal, such as triangular, square or multi-cornered cross-section or can describe an irregular edge. A substantially irregular shaped edge of this kind can be formed for example if the opening 105 is shaped out by material deformation, such as pressing out without loss of material.With such a process the material tears open at at least one point wherein these cracks are different with each opening.

With a suitable shaped tool a crack formation can be deliberately introduced such as for example with angular openings in the area of the corners. Furthermore the opening 105 can be produced by a single process wherein a hole or opening is pressed or punched in the material by a device wherein the areas immediately next to the opening can be torn open and form a more or less irregular, possibly also sharp-edged marginal area.

Figure Sb shows an embodiment of the friction lining according to the invention in cross-section wherein the swages 110 have a flattened central area 111.

Figure Sc shows a cross-section of the friction lining with a substantially triangular swage 120 in the area of the support element. Furthermore the opening 125 is designed so that the radially inner end areas 126 are flattened and thus an undercut section is possible.

Figure 5d shows substantially rectangular swages 130 and an opening 135 which has irregularly bent-up or torn-up side flanks 136.

Figure 5e shows a swage 140 which equates substantially in cross-section to hollow rivetting which is provided by material deformation wherein in the marginal areas an undercut section is produced or exists and thus a reinforced hold can be guaranteed between the friction lining material and support element. The opening 145 has compared to the opening 105 of Figure 5a an irregular raised marginal area around the opening wherein the marginal area 146 is raised more steeply than the marginal area 147.

All the openings 105 to 145 shown in Figures Sa to 5e can have circular, angular or irregular marginal areas.

Furthermore the opening can be pre-punched, perforated or drilled and can then be raised or can be torn open or raised in one work step.

Figure 6 shows a clutch disc 200 having radially outwardly mounted substantially circular ring shaped friction linings 201 wherein the friction linings are in active connection for example rivetted to the entrainment disc 203 by spring segments 202. The entrainment disc represents the input part of a torsion vibration damper wherein the entrainment disc 203 is connected rotationally secured to the counter disc 204. By biassing the energy accumulators 205 which are provided in the windows of the entrainment and counter disc 206 it is possible to mount a circular ring shaped component 207 such as a flange, rotatable to bias the energy accumulators.A further torsion vibration damper 208 can be arranged in the radially inner area of the flange 207 wherein the output part of the second torsion vibration damper, or of the flange, is connected to the output part, such as the hub 209 of the clutch disc wherein rotational play can be provided between the flange 207 and hub 209 with or without biasing of the energy accumulators 210 of the torsion vibration damper.

The clutch disc 200 can furthermore have friction devices such as for example the friction face 211 and 211a. The torsion vibration damper 212 can be fitted with energy accumulators or friction devices connected in series or parallel.

Figure 7 shows a clutch disc according to Figure 6 in side view wherein the friction linings 201 are connected rotationally secured through the tab connections 220a in the radially inner area or 220 in the radially outer area to the spring segment 221 and the spring segment is connected rotationally secured by a rivet connection or deformed connection 222 to the entrainment disc. Furthermore windows 223 are worked or formed in the entrainment and counter discs to hold the energy accumulators 205 of the torsion vibration damper. The output part of the torsion vibration damper, the flange 207, is in rotary connection in its radially inner area with the hub of the clutch disc 209 wherein between the flange and hub there can be rotational play with or without biasing of an energy accumulator assembly.

As shown in Figure 2 the friction linings have different fields or segments 230a or 230b which are demarcated from each other in the radial direction through the indentation or groove 231 wherein indentations or grooves 232 are likewise provided in the substantially radial direction and divide up the segments 230a, 230b into defined areas seen circumferentially. These indentations or grooves in the friction linings which only have a restricted depth compared with the overall thickness of the friction lining, serve to discharge friction dust etc away from the friction engagement faces 230a,230b which may arise in the event of wear.

The circumferentially aligned groove 231 has a not exactly circular path wherein an elliptical path is formed in practice since the groove 231 is comprised of substantially two semi-circular grooves wherein the centre points of the two semi-circles have at least substantially a spacing from each other. The practically elliptical shape can also be recognized by drawing a circular secondary line 240 in the Figure wherein the distance between the circle 240 and the position 241 is greater than the distance between the point 240' on the circle compared with the point 241' in the area of the groove.

Figures 8a to 8d illustrate designs of the retaining tabs which are formed in the radially outer area of the support element, cf Figures 8c and 8d, and in the radially inner area, cf Figures 8a and 8b. The tabs are produced by cutting out marginal areas 301 from the support element, such as lining support 300 wherein the tab 302 is formed substantially by a right hand and left hand recess. In the embodiment of Figure 8a the right hand and left hand recesses 301 and 301a are substantially triangular wherein the tab 302 decreases in width radially inwards. The tab in Figure 8b is formed by two substantially rectangular recesses 305 and 305a wherein the tab 306 has substantially a radially inward tapering cross-section. Furthermore the tab protrudes radially inwards further than the marginal areas 308 and 307a of the disc 300.Figure 8c shows a radially outwardly mounted tab 310 which ends radially further in than the surrounding marginal areas 311 and 311a of the lining support disc 300 wherein the tab 210 and the adjoining recess 312 have basic rectangular shapes. Figure 8d again shows a tab 320 which is defined by substantially triangular recesses 321 and has a tapering point radially outwards.

Figure 9 shows a spring segment 400 for a clutch disc with a radially outer edge 401 and a radially inner marginal area 402 wherein substantially in the middle area of the radially inner edge the spring segment foot 403 follows on with the rivetting openings 404 and 404'.

In the radially outer edge and in the radially inner edge of the spring segment, recesses 405a,405b,405c and 405d are worked into the spring segment.

Furthermore Figure 9 shows a cut-out section of a support element 410 wherein the tabs 411a and 411b are bent or formed round in the area of the spring segment cut-out sections 405b and 405d to provide a holding connection.

There are no tabs on the support element 410 in the areas of the spring segment cut-out sections 405a and 405c for holding, but only cut-out sections 413 and 413b. The cutout sections 413a,413b serve to produce or deform the tabs so that the tabs of the opposite support element do not enter into a holding contact with the support element.

The deformed tabs 411a, 411b and the recesses 405b, 405d located in the spring segment are matched with each other so that when deforming the tabs the marginal areas of same viewed circumferentially adjoin the marginal areas of the spring segment recesses viewed circumferentially so that rotation between the friction lining or support element of the friction lining and spring segment 410 can basically not take place.

The retaining lugs such as openings with upright or raised marginal areas as shown in Figures 3 to Se can also be made steeper, ie the cone of the retaining lugs can be made steeper in order to increase the holding force between the support and lining material, and can have a pitch angle in the range from 200 to 700, more particularly in the range from 400 to 600.

Furthermore cutting out the lug holes can be replaced by piercing.

The lining support elements, such as the lining support plates can have between the lining material and the support element, such as support plate, a mechanical connection, by way of example through a keyed engagement wherein this mechanical connection can be produced for example through lugs or through other material connections or designs.

If the lining material is for example stuck to the support element, such as the support plate, for example by amounts of resin in the lining support mixture, then the lining support elements, such as lining support plates, can be surface treated.

If the support plates are made, such as punched, from rolled or unrolled sheet metal then a surface treatment can be advantageous for better adhesion of the lining material.

The surface of the sheet metal plates can be roughened through a chemical pickling process. Furthermore the surface can be roughened by a granular blasting process such as for example sand blasting or water blasting or through another surface-clearing or deforming process.

The surface processing by pickling for example can be advantageously carried out in a phosphating plant.

The patent claims filed with the application are proposed wordings without prejudice for obtaining further patent protection. The applicant retains the right to claim further features disclosed hitherto only in the description and/or drawings.

The references used in the sub-claims refer to the further development of the subject of the main claim through the features of each relevant sub-claim; they are not to be understood as dispensing with obtaining independent objective protection for the features of the sub-claims referred to.

The subjects of these sub-claims however also form independent inventions which have a configuration independent of the subjects of the preceding claims.

The invention is also not restricted to the or each embodiment of the description. Rather numerous modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention, more particularly those variations, elements and combinations and/or materials which are inventive for example through combination or modification of individual features or elements or process steps in connection with those described in the general description and embodiments and claims and are contained in the drawings and which through combinable features lead to a new subject or to new process steps or sequences of process steps insofar as they relate to manufacturing, testing and working processes.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Friction lining more particularly for clutch discs, by way of example for motor vehicles, which is designed substantially circular ring-shaped and consists of a substantially circular ring shaped support element and of a friction lining layer of friction material applied thereon, with receiving areas or shaping areas for fixing the friction lining for example on a spring segment or on an entrainment or counter disc of a clutch disc, characterised in that openings are provided in the support element with or without raising up the marginal areas of the openings in the radial area of the friction lining between the inner diameter and outer diameter and the support element has at least one swage running in the circumferential direction.

2. Friction lining, more particularly for clutch discs which is designed substantially circular ring shaped and consists of a substantially circular ring shaped support element and a friction lining layer of friction material applied thereon, with receiving areas or shaping areas for fixing the friction lining for example on a spring segment or on an entrainment or counter disc or a clutch disc characterised in that the thickness of the friction lining layer of friction material, viewed in cross-section, is a multiple, at least however a quadruple, of the thickness of the support element of the friction lining.

3. Friction lining, more particularly for clutch discs, by way of example for motor vehicles, which is substantially circular ring shaped and consists of a substantially circular ring shaped support element and of a friction lining layer of friction material applied thereon, with receiving or shaping areas for fixing the friction lining on for example a spring segment, characterised in that the support element is made as a punched piece of sheet metal and has openings with and/or without raising up the marginal areas of the openings and tabs are provided in the radially inner and outer marginal area of the friction lining to serve for fixing the friction lining.

4. Friction lining, more particularly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the ratio between the thickness of the friction lining layer of friction material to the thickness of the support element is greater than four, preferably in the range between 5 and 12, and is particularly advantageously in the range between 7 and 10.

5. Friction lining, more particularly for clutch discs, more particularly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the thickness of the support element, viewed in cross section is greater than 0.1 mm, preferably in the range from 0.15 mm to 1 mm and more particularly in the range from 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm.

6. Friction lining, more particularly for clutch discs, more particularly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the thickness of the friction lining, viewed in cross-section is in the range between 1 mm and 8 mm, preferably between 1.5 mm and 5 mm and more particularly between 2 mm and 4 mm.

7. Friction lining, more particularly for clutch discs according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one swage of the swages running in the circumferential direction has a cross-section which is designed substantially semi-circular or triangular or gabled or rectangular or square or elliptical or trapezoidal, wherein with several swages arranged in the circumferential direction various cross-sectional shapes of the swages can be included.

8. Friction lining, more particularly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the height of the swages is in the range between 0 mm and 3 mm, preferably in the range between 0.2 mm to 1 mm, and more particularly between 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm.

9. Friction lining more particularly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that openings are formed or inserted in the support element and these openings have at least in partial areas of the edge a smooth cohesive inner edge or have an inner edge interrupted by cracks or cuts.

10. Friction lining, more particularly according to one of Claims 1 to 9 characterised in that the marginal areas of the openings in the support element are raised up and form an undercut section such as curved in the axial direction or are formed substantially conical.

11. Friction lining, more particularly according to Claim 9 or 10 characterised in that the openings in the support element have a substantially circular ring shaped, triangular, square or irregular cross-section.

12. Friction lining, more particularly according to Claim 11 characterised in that the openings with irregular crosssection are formed by material displacement and in some sections show crack formation.

13. Friction lining, more particularly according to one of Claims 9 to 12 characterised in that the openings in the support element are made by punching, cutting, holing, tearing or piercing processes and the axial raising up of the marginal areas of the openings is produced simultaneously with the formation of the openings or is produced in a second work step after the openings have been formed.

14. Friction lining, more particularly for clutch discs according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support element is made from metal, such as sheet metal, or from plastics.

15. Friction lining, more particularly for clutch discs, more particularly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the radial area between the inner diameter and the outer diameter of the friction lining openings, such as bores and indentations are provided which serve for rivetting the friction lining on for example a spring segment or an entrainment disc.

16. Friction lining according to Claim 15 characterised in that the openings for rivetting are formed during the pressing process of the lining layer, such as are kept free from the lining material by stamping.

17. Friction lining, more particularly for clutch discs, more particularly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support element has tabs mounted or formed on its radially inner circumference and/or on its radially outer circumference and these tabs are mounted at least substantially evenly distributed.

18. Friction lining according to Claim 17 characterised in that in the area of the recesses and tabs in the support element recesses are simultaneously formed in the friction lining layer of friction material.

19. Friction lining, more particularly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that on the surface of the friction lining which is opposite the support element grooves are formed, milled or pressed in a substantially radial and/or substantially circumferential direction.

20. Friction lining, more particularly according to Claim 19 characterised in that the groove running substantially in the circular direction shows a substantially elliptical path.

21. Friction lining, more particularly according to Claim 16 characterised in that the circumferentially aligned groove corresponds in two partial areas each to a substantially semi-circular path, wherein the centre points of the semi-circles are spaced.

22. Friction lining, more particularly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the height of the raised up marginal areas of the openings in the support element is substantially smaller than or equal to the height of the circumferentially aligned swages.

23. Friction lining, more particularly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the height of the raised up marginal areas of the openings in the support element is between 0 and 3 mm, preferably in the range between 0.2 mm and 1.0 mm and more particularly advantageously between 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm.

24. Clutch disc for a friction clutch which supports on its outer circumference two friction linings with an input part, such as an entrainment disc, which is connected rotationally secured where applicable to a counter disc and entrainment and counter disc form the input part of a torsion vibration damper, wherein a circular ring shaped component such as a flange serves as the output part of the torsion vibration damper and transfers a transferable torque on the output side directly or through a further torsion vibration damper to the hub of the clutch disc wherein a torsion vibration damper, for example for the idling range can be provided between the flange and clutch disc hub characterised in that the friction linings of the clutch disc, which serve as the input part, consist of a support element and a friction lining layer and the support element has openings with or without axially raised up areas in the inner marginal area and circumferentially aligned swages are formed in the support element.

25. Clutch disc more particularly for motor vehicles, characterised in that the friction linings of the clutch disc are formed according to one of Claims 1 to 23.

26. Friction lining more particularly for clutch discs, by way of example for motor vehicles, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

27. Clutch disc more particularly for motor vehicles, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.