Exedy Corporation

Hideki Hashimoto

Takashi Harada

Keisuke Fujioka

Naohiko Takahashi

Masanobu Tanaka

Shigetomo Ohshitamoto

Shiro Takahashi

Takeshi Noguchi

Katsutoshi Seino

A dampening disk assembly stabilizes friction generated by friction mechanisms within a first range of torsional angle in a separated hub type of clutch disk assembly. An intermediate member (,) is disposed axially between a clutch plate,and a retaining plate,The first axial side of the intermediate member is supported by the clutch plate,The intermediate member (,) has an intermediate plate,and a supporting member or fixing plate,with a first part,and a supporting portion,at an inner circumferential portion. An output hub,has a flange 64 disposed axially facing the supporting portion,The intermediate member (,) and the hub,are axially supported by the clutch plate,A first friction mechanism,is formed between the fixing plate or supporting member,and the retaining plate,. The first friction mechanism,includes a friction washer,and a first cone spring,A second friction mechanism,is formed between the flange,of the hub,and the supporting portion,of the fixing plate,. The second friction mechanism,includes a bushing,which connects with the hub,in a relatively non-rotatable and axially-movable manner and abuts on the supporting portion,and a second cone spring,disposed axially between the flange,and the bushing

Dampening disk assembly

A dampening disk assembly,is provided in a clutch assembly,to make it possible to easily change the level of hysteresis torque when small torsion vibrations are generated. Thus, the level of hysteresis torque can easily be changed to accommodate a wide variety of vehicles. In the dampening disk assembly,a friction washer,is disposed between an input plate,and a hub flange,The friction washer,is engaged with the input plate,so that torque may be transferred from the input plate,to the hub flange,A cone spring,is disposed between the friction washer,and the input plate,in an axial direction to give resiliency to both members in the axial direction. A fixing plate,contacts the friction washer,in the axial direction. A spacer,is disposed between the fixing plate,and the hub flange,in the axial direction so as to transmit torque. A first gap is formed either between the spacer,and the fixing plate,in a rotational direction or between the spacer,and the hub flange,in the rotational direction.

A clutch or damper disk assembly,is provided with a dampening mechanism,that relieves rising of a hysteresis torque, and thereby suppresses generation of noises and vibrations in a dampening mechanism having multi-stage characteristics. The clutch or damper disk assembly,includes an input rotary member,a hub,and a dampening mechanism,The dampening mechanism,is disposed between the input rotary member,and the hub,for transmitting a torque therebetween and dampening torsional vibrations. In the four stage embodiment, the dampening mechanism,includes a set of springs,(first stage), a set of springs,(second stage), a set of springs,(third stage), a set of springs,(fourth stage) and a pair of friction mechanisms,and,The springs,are disposed so as to operate in series with the springs,The springs,have a higher rigidity than the springs,The springs,are disposed so as to operate in series with respect to the springs,The friction mechanisms,and,are disposed so as to operate in series. The friction mechanism,is disposed to operate in parallel with springs,The friction mechanism,is disposed so as to operate in parallel with the springs,The torque generated by the springs,can be larger than a sum of the initial torque of the springs,and the hysteresis torque of the friction mechanism

Damper disk assembly

A clutch disk assembly,is provided between an input shaft and an output shaft to selectively transmit rotation therebetween. The clutch disk assembly,is provided with a dampening mechanism,to provide smooth transition during engagement and disengagement of the clutch disk assembly. The dampening mechanism,has more durable first and second retaining plates,and,with a rectangular window portion for transmitting torque. The first and second retaining plates,and,are used to support first springs,of the clutch disk assembly. The first and second retaining plate,includes a plate main body having a disk shape and a second receptacle,to support first springs,. The second receptacles,are formed from that plate main body. The second receptacles,project in an axial direction from the plate main body so as to be able to seat the first spring,. The second receptacles,include axially supporting parts,to support an axially outside part of the first springs,, a radially outside supporting parts,to support a radially outside part of the first springs,, and second supporting parts,formed at both sides in a circular direction to support both ends of the first springs,. The radially outside supporting part,includes an intermediate part,, and curved indented end parts,which is located outward in a radial direction from the intermediate part,. The first and second retaining plates,and,are designed to maintain the thickness of the curved indented end parts,of the radially outside supporting parts,, thereby maintaining the durability of the second receptacles

Dampening disk assembly with spring retaining plate

A clutch disk assembly (,) is provided between an input shaft and an output shaft to selectively transmit rotation therebetween. The clutch disk assembly (,) is provided with a dampening mechanism (,) to provide smooth transition during engagement and disengagement of the clutch disk assembly. The dampening mechanism (,) has a more durable second retaining plate (,) with a rectangular window portion for transmitting torque. This second retaining plate (,) has a second receptacle (,) to support a first spring (,). The second retaining plate (,) includes a disk-like plate main body. The second receptacle (,) is formed from that plate main body. The second receptacle (,) projects in an axial direction from the plate main body. The second receptacle (,) includes an axially supporting part (,) and a circular supporting part (,). The axially supporting part (,) supports an axially outside part of the first spring (,) and continues in a radial direction. The circular supporting part (,) supports both end parts of the first spring (,), and is formed on both circular ends of the axially supporting part (,). A second hole (,) is formed at both corners of an inner circumferential side of the axially supporting part (,). The second holes (,) are elongated holes that extend in a radial direction.

A dampening disk assembly is provided with a dampening mechanism,. The dampening mechanism,has a simplified structure with a spring and a friction generating mechanism, which provides a characteristic of a first step in a separated hub type dampening disk assembly. The dampening disk assembly is also provided with an output hub,, a pair of input plates,and,, an intermediate plate,and a first elastic member,. The intermediate plate,is disposed between the pair of input plates,and,. The first elastic member,couples the pair of input plates,and,and the intermediate plate,elastically in a rotary direction. The output hub,is disposed on an inner circumferential side of the pair of input plates,and,and the intermediate plate,. The dampening mechanism,couples the output hub,and the intermediate plate,elastically in a rotary direction, and includes a first and second portion,and,and an elastic portion,. The first portion,is connected with an outer circumference of the output hub,in a relatively non-rotatably but axially movable manner. The first portion,includes a first friction face and a first supporting part,. The second portion,is connected with the intermediate plate,relatively in a non-rotatable manner. The second portion,includes a second friction face which contacts the first friction face, and a second supporting part,corresponding to the first supporting part,. The rotationally end part of the elastic portion,is supported by the first and second supporting parts,and,and couples the first and second portions,and,in a rotary direction.

A torque can be transmitted by a bushing,located between a pair of torque transmitting members. The bushing,is constructed out of resin and metal such that the part made of resin does not significantly contact the torque transmitting members. The bushing,includes an annular portion,made of resin and a connecting portion,made of metal. The connecting portion,is molded in an annular portion,. The connecting portion,has parts (,and,), which are connected with the torque transmitting members so as to be able to transmit a torque therebetween. In a preferred embodiment, the bushing,is part of a dampening mechanism,, which generates a friction between a hub flange,and a hub,when both of the portions rotate relatively. The bushing,supports a plurality of springs,to elastically couple a fixing plate,of the hub flange,to the hub,. The bushing,rotates with the hub,, while the fixing plate,rotates with the hub flange,. The fixing plate,includes a first disk-shaped part,and a second disk-shaped plate,. The second disk-shaped plate,engages bushing,to generate a friction therebetween when the hub,and the hub flange,rotate relative to each other.

Bushing for a dampening mechanism

A clutch disk assembly,includes a second plate,an output rotary member,an intermediate body,an intermediate member,second springs,third springs,and a damper,The intermediate body,is disposed radially outside the output rotary member,The intermediate member,is disposed near the output rotary member,and the intermediate body,The second plate,is located on a second axial side of the intermediate body,The second springs,circumferentially and elastically couple the plate,and the intermediate body,together. The third springs,circumferentially and elastically couple the intermediate body,and the second plate,together. The damper,is axially shifted from the intermediate body,The damper,has first springs,circumferentially and elastically coupling the output rotary member,and the plate,together.

A spline hub 6 is formed with a cylindrical boss (11) configured for engagement with a shaft extending from, for instance, a transmission. Axial spline grooves and circumferential grease grooves (14) are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the boss (11). A first axial end surface (14) of the grease groove (14) is tapered.

Spline hub and method of manufacturing the spline hub

A dampening disk assembly is provided to ease a control of a friction generated by two kinds of friction generating mechanisms in a separated hub type of clutch disk assembly. A second dampening mechanism 6 is a mechanism to generate a friction between a separated flange 18 and a hub 3 when both of the portions rotate relatively. The second dampening mechanism 6 includes a bushing 19 and a fixing plate 20. The bushing 19 rotates with the hub 3 in a body. The fixing plate 20 rotates with the separated flange 18 in a body. The fixing plate 20 includes a first disk-shaped part 71 and a second disk-shaped plate 73. The second disk-shaped plate 73 generates a friction when the hub 3 and the separated flange 18 rotates relatively. The first disk-shaped part 71 generates a friction when the separated flange 18 and both a clutch plate 31 and a retaining plate 32 rotate relatively. The friction generated by the first disk-shaped portion 71 is larger than that generated by the second disk-shaped portion 73.

A clutch disk assembly 1 includes a second plate 13, an output rotary member 4, an intermediate body 3, an intermediate member 9b, second springs 10, third springs 5 and a damper 8. The intermediate body 3 is disposed radially outside the output rotary member 4. The intermediate member 9b is disposed near the output rotary member 4 and the intermediate body 3. The second plate 13 is located on a second axial side of the intermediate body 3. The second springs 10 circumferentially and elastically couple the plate 9b and the intermediate body 3 together. The third springs 5 circumferentially and elastically couple the intermediate body 3 and the second plate 13 together. The damper 8 is axially shifted from the intermediate body 3. The damper 8 has first springs 7 circumferentially and elastically coupling the output rotary member 4 and the plate 9b together.

A clutch disk assembly 1 includes an output rotary member 4, an intermediate member 3, first springs 7, a damper 8, plates 12 and 13, and third springs 5. The intermediate member 3 is disposed radially outside the output rotary member 4. The first springs 7 are arranged between the output rotary member 4 and the intermediate member 3, and are circumferentially compressed when a hub and the intermediate member 3 rotate relatively to each other in a first stage of relative rotary displacement. A damper 8 is disposed between the output rotary member 4 and the intermediate member 3, and includes second springs 10 that are not compressed in the first stage of relative rotary displacement but are compressed in a second stage of relative rotary displacement. The torsion angle corresponding to the second stage is larger than a torsion angle corresponding to the first stage. The plates 12 and 13 are arranged on the axial side of the intermediate member 3. The third springs 5 circumferentially and elastically couple the intermediate member 3 to the plates 12 and 13. The above configuration suppresses a jumping phenomenon between the first and second stages.

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Katano, Japan

Hideki Hashimoto