JP2006312993A - Clutch device for motorcycle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stabilize spring characteristics, that is, clutch pressing force and clutch releasing force (release operating force) by stabilizing a radial position of a pressing member such as a diaphragm spring, in a device performing clutch operation by using a lever mechanism. <P>SOLUTION: This device comprises a clutch housing 1, an output-side rotor 2, a clutch portion 3, a pressure plate 4, and a diaphragm spring 5. The clutch housing 1 is connected with an input-side member, and the output-side rotor 2 is connected with an output-side member. The clutch portion 3 has a plurality of clutch plates, and the pressure plate 4 presses the clutch plates to each other. The diaphragm spring 5 presses the pressure plate 4. A circular projecting portion 4b axially projecting, is formed on an outer peripheral portion of the pressure plate 4, an outer peripheral face of the diaphragm spring 5 is supported by an inner peripheral face of the circular projecting portion 4b, and thus the diaphragm spring 5 is radially positioned. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a clutch device, and more particularly to a motorcycle clutch device that transmits power from an input side member to an output side member and interrupts power transmission by operating a release mechanism.

  In general, in a motorcycle such as a motorcycle or a buggy, a multi-plate clutch device is used to transmit or block power from an engine to a transmission. The multi-plate clutch device includes a clutch housing coupled to the crankshaft side of the engine, an output-side rotating body coupled to the transmission side, a clutch unit for transmitting and shutting power between them, and a clutch And a pressure plate for pressing the part. In the clutch portion, first clutch plates that engage with the clutch housing and second clutch plates that engage with the output side rotating body are alternately arranged.

Then, the rotation of the crankshaft is transmitted to the transmission side by pressing these clutch plates with a pressing member such as a spring through a pressure plate. When the clutch is turned off (rotation transmission is cut off), the release mechanism is operated by the operator holding the clutch lever. The release mechanism releases the pressing of the pressing member against the clutch plate. Power transmission between the two clutch plates is cut off.
JP 2003-222159 A

  In the clutch device as described above, the pressing force (pressing load) of the pressing member and the capacity of the clutch portion (the number and size of the clutch plates) determine the power transmission capacity. Therefore, in order to secure a desired power transmission capacity in a small space, it is necessary to increase the pressing load.

  On the other hand, in a conventional motorcycle clutch device, in order to disconnect the clutch portion, it is necessary to apply a release load equivalent to the pressing load by a release mechanism. Since the release load is determined by the clutch lever gripping force, that is, the operating force, when the pressing load is increased, the operating force of the clutch lever is increased accordingly, and the operability is deteriorated. Therefore, the pressing load cannot be increased too much.

  Therefore, the present applicant can amplify the operation force using the lever mechanism and act on the pressing portion, and can perform the clutch-off operation with an operation force that is less by the lever ratio than the operation force in the conventional clutch device. A patent application has already been filed (Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-367292).

  In this clutch device, the clutch plate is pressed by a diaphragm spring via a pressure plate. And the inner peripheral part of a diaphragm spring is pressed with a release member, and the pressing force by a diaphragm spring is cancelled | released. In such a configuration, if the radial position of the diaphragm spring is shifted, the spring characteristics are not stable, and the release characteristics are not stable.

  An object of the present invention is to stabilize the radial position of a pressing member such as a diaphragm spring, and to stabilize the spring characteristics, that is, the clutch pressing force and the clutch releasing force (release operating force).

A motorcycle clutch device according to claim 1 is a device that transmits power from an input side member to an output side member and interrupts power transmission by operation of a release mechanism, and includes a clutch housing, a rotating body, A clutch part, a pressure plate, a pressing member, and a pressing member support part are provided. The clutch housing is connected to one of the input side member and the output side member. Rotating body is provided on the inner peripheral portion of the clutch housing, Rutotomoni coupled to the other input-side member and the output-side member, a spline is formed on an outer peripheral portion. The clutch portion has one or more plate members for transmitting and interrupting power between the clutch housing and the rotating body. The pressure plate has a spline hole that meshes with a spline at the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body in the inner peripheral portion, and is for pressing the plate member of the clutch portion. The pressing member includes a pressing portion that presses the pressure plate, and a lever portion that amplifies the operating force of the release mechanism by a predetermined lever ratio and releases the pressing force by the pressing portion. The pressing member support portion supports the pressing member in the radial direction and performs positioning in the radial direction. The pressing member supporting portion is an axial protruding portion that protrudes in the axial direction on the outer peripheral portion of the pressure plate on the side where the pressing member is disposed, and the pressing member is supported on the inner peripheral side of the axial protruding portion and has a diameter. Directional positioning has been made.

  In this clutch device, the pressing force by the pressing member acts on the clutch portion via the pressure plate, and the clutch portion is on (power transmission state). In this state, power from the input side member is input to, for example, the clutch housing, further transmitted to the rotating body via the clutch portion, and output to the output side member. Conversely, when power from the input side member is input to the rotating body, this power is transmitted to the clutch housing via the clutch portion and output to the output side member. When the clutch is turned off (power cut-off state), when the lever portion of the pressing member is operated by the release mechanism, this operating force is amplified by a predetermined lever ratio and acts on the pressing portion, to the pressure plate by the pressing portion. The pressing force of is released.

Here, since the operation force by the lever mechanism is amplified by the lever ratio of the lever portion and acts on the pressing portion, the clutch-off operation can be performed with an operation force that is less by the lever ratio than the operation force in the conventional clutch device. It becomes possible. In addition, since the pressing member is supported and positioned in the radial direction by the pressing member support portion, the operation of the pressing member is stabilized. For example, when a diaphragm spring is used as the pressing member, the position of the operating fulcrum of the diaphragm spring is stabilized and the spring characteristics are stabilized. Here, an axial protrusion is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the pressure plate, thereby supporting the pressing member. Therefore, it is possible to support and position the pressing member in the radial direction without providing a special member or the like.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the motorcycle clutch device according to the first aspect, the pressing member is a diaphragm spring having a pressing portion on the outer peripheral portion and a lever portion on the inner peripheral portion. In this case, the configuration of the pressing member is simplified.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the motorcycle clutch device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the rotating body has a friction portion facing the pressure plate on the outer peripheral portion, and the clutch portion is engaged with the clutch housing. A clutch plate and a second clutch plate that engages with the rotating body are included, and the first and second clutch plates are sandwiched between the friction portion of the rotating body and the pressure plate.

  Here, the first and second clutch plates constituting the clutch part are sandwiched between the friction part of the rotating body and the pressure plate, and the power is transmitted from the clutch housing, the first clutch plate, the second clutch plate, and the rotating body. It is transmitted by route.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the motorcycle clutch device according to the second or third aspect, wherein the diaphragm spring is configured such that the outer peripheral portion of the pressing portion presses the pressure plate and the inner peripheral portion of the pressing portion is on the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body. Further, the inner peripheral portion of the lever portion is moved to the pressure plate side by the release mechanism.

  Here, by operating the inner peripheral portion of the lever portion of the diaphragm spring by the release mechanism, the outer peripheral portion of the pressing portion moves away from the pressure plate, and the pressing force to the pressure plate by the pressing portion is released.

Here, since the inner peripheral portion of the pressing portion of the diaphragm spring is supported by the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body, the configuration for supporting the diaphragm spring is simplified and the axial dimension is also shortened. In a general automobile clutch device, the inner peripheral portion of the diaphragm spring pressing portion is supported by a clutch cover in a type in which the clutch spring is turned off by operating the inner peripheral end portion of the diaphragm spring to the engine side. Yes. In this support structure using the clutch cover, the clutch cover is supported by a portion extending from the outer peripheral portion of the clutch cover to the inner peripheral side so as to cover the outer side of the diaphragm spring from the outer peripheral side. In such a structure, a relatively long space is required in the axial direction in order to support the diaphragm spring. However, in the invention according to the present invention, as described above, the diaphragm spring is supported by the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body, so that it can be supported in a relatively short axial space .

  In the motorcycle clutch device according to the present invention, the position of the pressing member such as a diaphragm spring in the radial direction can be stabilized, and the spring characteristics that are the clutch pressing force and the clutch releasing force (release operating force) can be stabilized.

<Overall configuration>
The motorcycle clutch device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 transmits power from an engine crankshaft to a transmission and cuts off power by operating a release mechanism. This clutch device is configured such that the clutch is turned off by pushing the release bearing inward in the axial direction. Power is transmitted between the clutch housing 1, the output-side rotator 2, and the clutch housing 1 and the output-side rotator 2. The clutch part 3 for performing transmission and interruption | blocking, the pressure plate 4, the diaphragm spring 5, the release member 6, and the clip 7 for suppressing the vibration of the release member 6 are provided.

<Clutch housing>
The clutch housing 1 has a disk-shaped part 10 and a cylindrical part 11 extending from the outer peripheral side of the disk part 10 to the axially outer side (right side in FIG. 1). An input gear 13 is attached to the disc portion 10 via a plurality of annular rubber members 12. The input gear 13 meshes with a drive gear (not shown) fixed to the crankshaft on the engine side. The rubber member 12 is provided to absorb vibration from the engine, and other types such as a coil spring may be used. The cylindrical portion 11 is formed with a plurality of concave portions that are recessed radially outward in a portion on the inner peripheral side, and a plurality of notches extending in the axial direction are formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. This notch is for letting internal lubricating oil escape to the outer peripheral side.

<Output side rotating body>
The output-side rotator 2 is disposed on the inner periphery of the clutch housing 1. The output-side rotator 2 is formed in a substantially disk shape, and a spline 15 is formed on the outer peripheral portion, and a spline hole 16 is formed on the inner peripheral portion. The spline hole 16 in the inner peripheral portion meshes with the input shaft 17 of the transmission. Further, in the outer peripheral portion of the output-side rotator 2, a disc-shaped friction flange 18 is formed at the end on the inner side in the axial direction, and further extends radially outward. Furthermore, a plurality of supporting protrusions 2a projecting in the axial direction at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction are formed on the outer peripheral end of the axially outer surface of the output-side rotator 2, and the inner peripheral end is formed on the inner peripheral end. As is apparent from FIG. 2, a plurality of spigot projections 2b projecting in the axial direction are formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction.

  Further, a support plate 19 for supporting the diaphragm spring 5 on the output side rotating body 2 is fixed to the output side rotating body 2 by rivets 20. The support plate 19 is an annular member, and an inner peripheral end portion thereof is supported by the spigot protrusion 2 b of the output side rotating body 2. In addition, an annular support protrusion 19 a that protrudes inward in the axial direction is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the support plate 19, and this support protrusion 19 a faces the support protrusion 2 a of the output side rotating body 2. Yes. A thrust plate 21 is provided between the inner peripheral portion of the input gear 13 and the inner peripheral portion of the output side rotating body 2.

<Clutch part>
The clutch unit 3 has two first clutch plates 25 and one second clutch plate 26. Both of these clutch plates 25 and 26 are formed in an annular shape and are alternately arranged in the axial direction. Further, a plurality of engaging projections projecting outward are formed on the outer peripheral portion of the first clutch plate 25, and the engaging projections are recessed portions formed on the inner peripheral portion of the tubular portion 11 of the clutch housing 1. Are engaged. The first clutch plate 25 has friction facings on both sides. The second clutch plate 26 has a spline formed on the inner peripheral portion thereof, and the spline on the inner peripheral portion meshes with the spline 15 formed on the outer periphery of the output side rotating body 2.

<Pressure plate>
The pressure plate 4 is an annular member, and is disposed further outward in the axial direction of the first clutch plate 25 disposed on the outermost side. A spline hole 4 a is formed in the inner peripheral portion of the pressure plate 4 so as to protrude inward in the axial direction, and the spline hole 4 a meshes with the outer peripheral spline 15 of the output side rotating body 2. Further, an annular projecting portion (pressing member support portion) 4b projecting in the axial direction is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the axially outer surface of the pressure plate 4, and further, on the inner peripheral side of the annular projecting portion 4b A pressing protrusion 4c protruding in the axial direction is formed. The annular protrusion 4b protrudes more outward in the axial direction than the pressing protrusion 4c. As is apparent from FIG. 2, slits 4d are formed in the annular protrusion 4b at three positions at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction.

<Diaphragm spring>
The diaphragm spring 5 is an annular plate member having a pressing portion 5a as a disc spring on the outer peripheral portion and a lever portion 5b for releasing the pressing of the pressing portion 5a on the inner peripheral portion. A contact portion 5c that protrudes outward in the axial direction is formed at the inner peripheral end of the lever portion 5b. Further, as is apparent from FIG. 2, three claws 5 d that protrude radially outward are formed on the outer peripheral portion of the pressing portion 5 a, and each of the three claws 5 d is engaged with the slit 4 d of the pressure plate 4. Match. Further, the outer peripheral surface of the diaphragm spring 5 is supported on the inner peripheral side of the annular protrusion 4 b of the pressure plate 4. That is, the outer peripheral surface of the diaphragm spring 5 is supported by the inner peripheral surface of the annular projecting portion 4 b of the pressure plate 4, thereby positioning in the radial direction. The outer periphery of the pressing portion 5 a of the diaphragm spring 5 is supported by the pressing protrusion 4 c of the pressure plate 4, and the inner peripheral portion of the pressing portion 5 a of the output side rotating body 2 and the supporting protrusion 19 a of the support plate 19. It is sandwiched and supported by.

  When the diaphragm spring 5 is set as shown in FIG. 1, the pressure plate 4 is pressed inward in the axial direction by a predetermined pressing force by the biasing force of the disc spring. Therefore, the first and second clutch plates 25 and 26 of the clutch portion 3 are sandwiched between the friction portion 18 of the output side rotating body 2 and the pressure plate 4.

  The lever portion 5b of the diaphragm spring 4 is formed of a plurality of levers arranged in a radial pattern. A wide slit is formed between two levers adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, and a plurality of bosses 2c protruding outward in the axial direction formed in a part of the output-side rotator 2 are provided. The slit passes through the outer side in the axial direction and abuts against the inner surface in the axial direction of the support plate 19.

<Release material>
The release member 6 is an annular plate member and holds a release bearing 30 on the inner peripheral portion. That is, a bearing holding portion 6a is formed on the outer peripheral side of the inner peripheral portion of the release member 6, and the axially inner shoulder portion of the outer ring of the release bearing 30 is fitted to the bearing holding portion 6a. .

<Operation>
Next, the operation will be described.

  In the state shown in FIG. 1, the pressure plate 4 is pressed inward in the axial direction by the pressing portion 5 a of the diaphragm spring 5 with a predetermined pressing force, and the first and second clutch plates 25, 26 of the clutch portion 3 are output side rotating bodies. 2 between the two friction portions 18 and the pressure plate 4. In this case, the clutch is in an on state, and rotation input from the crankshaft via the input gear 13 and the rubber member 12 is transmitted to the first clutch plate 25 via the clutch housing 1 and further to the second clutch plate 26. To the output side rotating body 2 and to the input shaft 17 of the transmission.

  On the other hand, when the driver grips the clutch lever, the operating force is transmitted to the release bearing 30 via a clutch wire or the like, and the release bearing 30 is moved inward in the axial direction. The movement of the release bearing 30 is transmitted to the lever portion 5b of the diaphragm spring 5 through the release member 6, and the inner peripheral portion of the lever portion 5b is moved inward in the axial direction. Then, the outer peripheral portion of the pressing portion 5a moves outward in the axial direction with the radial middle portion of the diaphragm spring 5 as a fulcrum, and the pressing portion 5a moves away from the pressing protrusion 4c of the pressure plate 4. Thereby, the pressing force of the pressure plate 4 is released, and the clutch portion 3 is turned off. In this clutch-off state, the rotation from the clutch housing 1 is not transmitted to the output-side rotator 2.

Here, the operation force is reduced by the action of the lever portion 5b during the release operation of the clutch-off. More specifically, for example, if the pressing force by the pressing portion 5a of the diaphragm spring 5 is P, the release load R that must be applied to the lever portion 5b in order to release the pressing force P is:
R = P × (L1 / L2)
L1: Distance from the support portion of the inner peripheral portion of the pressing portion to the pressing point of the outer peripheral portion of the pressing portion L2: Distance from the support portion of the inner peripheral portion of the pressing portion to the contact portion with the release member of the lever portion. That is, the release load is reduced by the lever ratio (L1 / L2). Therefore, when the release load is set to be the same as that of the conventional device, the pressing load of the pressing portion 5a can be increased by the lever ratio, and when the clutch transmission capacity is the same, the number of clutch plates is reduced. be able to. Therefore, the clutch device can be made compact.

  Here, since the diaphragm spring 5 is supported and positioned in the radial direction by the annular protrusion 4b of the pressure plate 4, the operating fulcrum of the diaphragm spring 5 is always at the same position. Therefore, the spring characteristics of the diaphragm spring 5 are stabilized, and the clutch pressing force and the release force are stabilized.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is necessary to support the diaphragm spring 5 in the middle of the radial direction, that is, the inner peripheral portion of the pressing portion 5a, but this portion is supported from the inner peripheral side by the outer peripheral portion of the output side rotating body 2. Therefore, compared with the support structure by the clutch cover of the conventional clutch device for motor vehicles, it can support in a simple and small space.

[Other Embodiments]
(A) In the above embodiment, the protrusion 4b of the pressure plate 4 that supports the diaphragm spring 5 is provided over the entire circumference except for the slit 4d. However, a plurality of protrusions are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. These may support a plurality of locations on the outer periphery of the diaphragm spring 5 for positioning in the radial direction.

  (B) In the above-described embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the diaphragm spring 5 is supported by the protruding portion 4b formed on the outer periphery of the pressure plate 4, but the diaphragm spring may be supported by another member. For example, the upper end portion of the slit of the diaphragm spring 5 may be supported on the outer peripheral surface of the boss 2c of the output side rotating body 2 in the above embodiment, and the radial positioning may be performed. At the time of release, the lever portion of the diaphragm spring 5 and the output side rotating body 2 move relative to each other in the axial direction, but the contact portion between the outer peripheral surface of the boss 2c and the slit upper end portion of the diaphragm spring 5 Since it is a portion close to the operating fulcrum of the spring 5, even if it moves relatively, the distance is short, and wear or the like does not become a problem.

  (C) In each of the embodiments described above, the case where rotation is input from the input gear and output to the output-side rotating body has been described. However, the present invention can be similarly applied even when the rotation transmission path is reversed. it can.

  (D) In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to a so-called push type clutch device in which the release type pushes the release bearing inward in the axial direction to perform the release, but the release bearing is pulled out in the axial direction. The present invention can be similarly applied to a pull-type clutch device that performs the above.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the clutch apparatus for motorcycles in 1st Embodiment of this invention. The front view of the said apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Clutch housing 2 Output side rotary body 3 Clutch part 4 Pressure plate 4b Annular protrusion part (pressing member support part)
5 Diaphragm spring 5a Pressing part 5b Lever part 6 Release member

Claims (6)

A clutch device for a motorcycle that transmits power from an input side member to an output side member and interrupts power transmission by operation of a release mechanism,
A clutch housing connected to one of the input side member and the output side member;
A rotating body provided on an inner peripheral portion of the clutch housing and connected to the other of the input side member and the output side member;
A clutch portion having one or more plate members for transmitting and interrupting power between the clutch housing and the rotating body;
A pressure plate for pressing the plate member of the clutch part;
A pressing member having a pressing portion for pressing the pressure plate, and a lever portion for amplifying the operating force of the release mechanism by a predetermined lever ratio and releasing the pressing force by the pressing portion;
A pressing member supporting portion that supports the pressing member in the radial direction and performs positioning in the radial direction;
The clutch device for motorcycles provided with.   2. The motorcycle clutch device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member is a diaphragm spring having the pressing portion on an outer peripheral portion and the lever portion on an inner peripheral portion. The rotating body has a friction portion facing the pressure plate on an outer peripheral portion,
The clutch portion includes a first clutch plate that engages with the clutch housing and a second clutch plate that engages with the rotating body, and the first and second clutch plates include a friction portion of the rotating body and the friction member. Sandwiched between pressure plates,
The motorcycle clutch device according to claim 1 or 2. The diaphragm spring is
The outer peripheral part of the pressing part presses the pressure plate, the inner peripheral part of the pressing part is supported by the outer peripheral part of the rotating body,
The inner peripheral part of the lever part is moved to the pressure plate side by the release mechanism.
The motorcycle clutch device according to claim 2 or 3.   The said pressing member support part is an axial direction protrusion part which protrudes in the axial direction to the side in which the said pressing member is arrange | positioned in the outer peripheral part of the said pressure plate, and supports several places of the outer periphery of the said pressing member. 4. The motorcycle clutch device according to any one of 4 above.   The motorcycle clutch device according to claim 5, wherein the axial projecting portion is an annular projecting portion provided so as to project in the axial direction at an outer peripheral portion of the pressure plate.

Images