Borgwarner Inc.

David T Vierk

Steven J Kowal

Benjamin A Siegel

Richard W Pridgen, Jr

James Ronald Papania

Paul H Elsesser

James G Marciniak

Steve Kowal

A clutch assembly includes a first shaft extending along and rotatable about a first shaft axis, and a second shaft extending along and rotatable about a second shaft axis that is parallel with the first shaft axis. The clutch assembly also includes a first friction component coupled to and rotatable with the first shaft, and a second friction component coupled to and rotatable with the second shaft. The clutch assembly additionally includes a band clutch assembly. The band clutch assembly includes a retaining band disposed about the first and second friction components, and a retaining component coupled to the retaining band. The retaining band is engageable with the first and second friction components, and the retaining band and the retaining component are rotatable with the first and second shafts during rotation of the first and second shafts.

Clutch assembly and rotating system including the same

A clutch system includes a first clutch member and a second clutch member for transmitting torque from a vehicle power generator. The first clutch member includes a first a first clutch element having a first surface and a first friction material disposed on said first surface. The second clutch member is configured to engage the first clutch plate and includes a second clutch element having a second surface and a second friction material disposed on the second surface. The first friction material is configured to be engaged with the second friction material during operation of the vehicle power generator.

Clutch system and vehicle transmission system including the same

A friction plate includes a core plate defining a bore. The core plate includes an interior core surface defining the bore, an exterior core surface radially spaced from the interior core surface, a first clutch face extending between the interior core surface and the exterior core surface and facing a first direction, and a second clutch face extending between the interior core surface and the exterior core surface and facing a second direction opposite the first direction. The friction plate also includes a friction material disposed on at least one of the first and second clutch faces. The core plate also includes a fluid directing portion. A first plate thickness is defined between the first and second clutch faces. A second plate thickness is defined at the fluid directing portion. The second thickness is greater than the first thickness.

Friction plate and clutch assembly including the same

A friction clutch selectively and directly couples a rotatable drive and driven members. The friction clutch includes first and second clutch members movable toward and away from each other along an axis between disengaged, partially engaged, and fully engaged positions. The first and second clutch members are independently coupled to the drive and driven members. The friction clutch further includes first and second friction materials positioned between the first and second clutch members. The first and second friction materials are each independently coupled to one of the first and second clutch members and are each independently engageable with an engagement surface of the other one of the first and second clutch members. The first friction material engages the respective engagement surface in the partially engaged position and the second friction material engages the respective engagement surface in the fully engaged position.

Friction clutch having a first friction material engageable in a partially engaged position and a second friction material engageable in a fully engaged position

A composite clutch () is adapted to transmit an operational range of torques () from a driving member () to a driven member (). The composite clutch () incorporates both of a friction clutch assembly () and a dog clutch assembly (), each assembly adapted to address one of two segments () of the operational range of torques (). The clutch () further includes a spring-loaded detent system () configured to control transition () between the two segments () of operational ranges of torques (). The friction clutch assembly () includes first friction clutch elements () coupled to the driving member () and second friction clutch elements () coupled to the driven member () for providing torque control within the lower operational range of torques (). The dog clutch assembly () includes a first dog clutch element () coupled to the driving member () and a second dog clutch element () coupled to the driven member (), in which the first and second dog clutch elements () are configured to mechanically lock together during the higher operational range of torques ().

Composite friction and dog clutch

A dual gain friction clutch is adapted to transmit an operational range of torques from a drive member to a driven member. The dual gain friction clutch incorporates a first friction clutch pack and a second friction clutch pack, the pack being axially aligned and adapted to address one of two segments of the operational range of torques. The clutch further includes a spring-loaded skate detent unit configured to control transition between the two segments of operational ranges of torques. Each friction clutch pack may include identical respective friction discs coupled to the drive member and respective pressure plates coupled to the driven member for selectively providing torque control within either of the lower and higher segments of the operational ranges of torques. The first clutch pack is configured to operate alone and independently of the second clutch pack during the lower segment of operational range of torques, while and both friction clutch packs are configured to operate as a single combined friction clutch unit during the higher segment of operational range of torques.

Dual gain friction clutch

A composite clutch used to transmit an operational range of torques from a driving member to a driven member includes a friction clutch assembly and a dog clutch assembly. The friction clutch assembly includes a number of first friction clutch members coupled to the driving member and a number of second friction clutch members coupled to the driven member. The number of first friction clutch members and the number of second friction clutch members are selected to transmit torque across a first portion of the operational range of torques. An actuator assembly is operatively coupled to the friction clutch assembly and the dog clutch assembly. The composite clutch may be operated in friction clutch and dog modes to provide improved controllability in lower torque operation.

Growing community of inventors

Mokena, IL, United States of America

David T Vierk