Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Greg Alan Weeter

William L Cousins

Shachindra Dongaonkar

Nilesh Patil

Peter Stanhope Winckler

Timothy M Anguish

A method for producing an automotive friction material with optimized multi-dimensional construction includes receiving a base friction-disc material, cutting the base friction-disc material to a predetermined size and shape, assembling the sized and shaped cut base friction-disc material, bonding the base friction-disc material to a base friction plate, and utilizing a multi nozzle printing array to deposit friction enhancing materials overtop a reaction surface of the base friction-disc material.

Method for producing an automotive friction material with optimized multi dimensional construction

A vent for a motor vehicle transmission includes a housing attached to a bell housing of the transmission. A plate is mounted in the housing, and the plate has an open position to enable heat to dissipate from the interior of the bell housing through an opening of the housing and a closed position to prevent debris or water from entering through the opening of the housing into the interior of the bell housing. The vent is a passive vent with a biasing mechanism that moves the plate to the open position when an interior temperature of the bell housing reaches a predetermined temperature threshold and moves the plate to the closed position when the interior temperature of the bell housing falls below the predetermined temperature threshold.

Airflow vent for a transmission

A vent for a motor vehicle transmission includes a housing attached to a bell housing of the transmission and a plate mounted in the housing. The housing has an opening, and the plate has an open position to enable heat to dissipate from the interior of the bell hosing through the opening of the housing and a closed position to prevent debris or water from entering through the opening of the housing into the interior of the bell housing.

A clutch release mechanism for a vehicle powertrain is provided. The clutch release mechanism includes a piston operable to move in an axial direction along a central axis toward and away from a clutch assembly. An actuator bearing is disposed adjacent to the piston. The actuator bearing is configured to be pressed against the clutch assembly by the piston, and the actuator bearing is configured to rotate around the central axis. A plurality of fins is disposed around the actuator bearing and configured to rotate with the actuator bearing about the central axis.

Clutch cooling mechanism

A clutch for a manual or automatic transmission according to the present invention includes an axial fan or turbine disposed on a shaft extending between the clutch and the transmission. Air is supplied to the turbine through one or more radial passageways between the clutch and transmission housings and is provided through an annular passageway around the shaft. Air from the annular passageway is then dispersed generally radially between the clutch plates or disks and other clutch components to absorb and carry away heat generated during clutch operation.

Transmission clutch with improved cooling

A clutch assembly includes a housing, a clutch pack disposed within the housing and concentrically about a shaft, a clutch slave cylinder disposed between the clutch pack and the housing and concentrically about the shaft, and an energy control plate disposed between the clutch slave cylinder and the housing and concentrically about the shaft. The clutch slave cylinder and the energy control plate are generally secured to the housing with a set of fasteners.

Clutch assembly with an energy control plate

A carbon--carbon composite clutch friction material for use with a wet lubricant under severe operating conditions is disclosed, the material comprising a woven carbon fabric mesh (suitably a satin weave mesh) infiltrated with pyrolytic carbon to an unusually high density in the range of at least 1.3 g/cc to about 1.5 g/cc. By infiltrating the woven carbon fabric with carbon to such high density, a wear-resistant friction material is provided that still retains enough surface texture for lubricant transport.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Greg Alan Weeter