Exedy Corporation

Daikin Clutch Corporation

Kabushiki Kaisha Daikin Seisakusho

Hiroshi Teramae

Masaaki Asada

Koji Kajitani

Hiroshi Takeuchi

Yasuyuki Hashimoto

Yasunobu Fukatani

Hideyuki Imanaka

Ikuo Murata

Takeo Shimizu

Yasushi Takehira

Hiroyuki Matsubara

Hiroshi Mizukami

Shinji Fujimoto

Yoshinari Yoshimura

Modular clutch construction in which a clutch cover assembly, concentrically containing a pressure plate actuating a clutch disc assembly, is fixed to the flywheel of an engine as a modular unit. The construction improves the modular connection between the clutch cover peripheral wall and the flywheel; in particular through the use of pins to restrain the cover from whirling relative to the flywheel, and by a taking advantage of a method of starter ring-gear installation in which the gear is shrink-fitted over the flywheel with the clutch cover peripheral wall intervening, such that the circumferential end margin of the clutch cover is simultaneously clamped between the ring gear and the flywheel cylindrical surface. The clutch cover is thus secured onto the flywheel in an assembly stage of reduced steps, by comparison with methods employing bolts or other fasteners-as the primary connecting means. The modular connection can further be by matching mortise and tenon forms, or by mutually engaging threads, in corresponding portions of the flywheel and the clutch cover.

Modular clutch construction

Modular clutch construction in which a clutch cover assembly, concentrically containing a pressure plate actuating a clutch disc assembly, is fixed to the flywheel of an engine as a modular unit. The construction improves the modular connection between the clutch cover peripheral wall and the flywheel; in particular through the use of pins to restrain the cover from whirling relative to the flywheel, and by a taking advantage of a method of starter ring-gear installation in which the gear is shrink-fitted over the flywheel with the clutch cover peripheral wall intervening, such that the circumferential end margin of the clutch cover is simultaneously clamped between the ring gear and the flywheel cylindrical surface. The clutch cover is thus secured onto the flywheel in an assembly stage of reduced steps, by comparison with methods employing bolts or other fasteners as the primary connecting means. The modular connection can further be by matching mortise and tenon forms, or by mutually engaging threads, in corresponding portions of the flywheel and the clutch cover.

A modular clutch includes a flywheel 2, a clutch cover assembly 3 and a clutch disk assembly 4, which form a single module that in one embodiment is installed directly onto the crankshaft of an engine, and in an alternate embodiment is attached to a flex plate. The modular clutch is configured to be installed and replaced as a unit. The clutch cover assembly 3 has a clutch cover 21, a pressure plate 22 and diaphragm spring 23. The clutch disk assembly 4 has a clutch engagement portion 31 made of a metallic sintered body.

Modular clutch

A frictional resistance between a spring seat and a retaining plate is suppressed to provide stable damper characteristics. A lockup damper mechanism 2 of a torque converter 1 is operable to transmit a torque from a front cover 3 to a turbine 5 and, at the same time, damp a vibration, and includes a piston 17, a driven plate 20, torsion springs 21, a retaining plate 19, spring seats 32 and balls 30. The torsion springs 21 elastically couples, in a rotating direction, the piston 17 and the driven plate 20 together. The retaining plate 19 restricts radially outward movement of the torsion springs 21. The spring seats 32 supports ends of the torsion springs 21. The balls 30 are contactable with the retaining plate 21, and are disposed between the retaining plate 21 and the spring seat 32.

Damper mechanism with spring seats having balls disposed therein for

A lockup damper has a drive plate 3 and a driven plate 5 and a first coil spring 7 disposed between the plates 3 and 5, a second coil spring 8 disposed between the two plates 3 and 5 and the first coil spring 7, and an intermediate plate 4 having a support portion 21 and first and second intermediate limit portions 22a and 22b. The intermediate support portion 21 is disposed between the two coil springs 7 and 8 for supporting the springs in the circumferential direction. The first and second intermediate limit portions 22a and 22b extend in interiors of the first and second coil springs 7 and 8 from the intermediate support portion 21 for limiting the radially outward movement of the first and second coil springs 7 and 8.

Lockup damper for torque converter

A clutch cover assembly 3 includes a clutch cover 12, a pressure plate 10, a pin 33, a diaphragm spring 11 and a coil spring 34. The pin 33 extends in an axial direction and its one end is fixed to at least one of the flywheel 1 and the clutch cover 12. The pin 33 also connects with the pressure plate 10 in a manner such that relative rotation between the pressure plate 10 and the clutch cover 12 is restricted but limited axial movement is possible. A diaphragm spring 11, supported by the clutch cover 12, presses the pressure plate 10 toward the flywheel 1. The coil spring 34 is a mechanism which release the pressure plate 10 from the flywheel 1 side, when the diaphragm spring 11 stops pressing the pressure plate 10.

Clutch cover assembly connecting element

A frictionally engaging clutch disc assembly includes portions which define alignment holes which are employed during assembly of the clutch disc assembly. A tooling jig having alignment pins are engaged in the alignment holes such that the various portions of the clutch disc assembly arc accurately positioned with respect to one another during construction of the clutch disc assembly.

Clutch disc assembly having a cushioning plate

A torsion damper for a clutch disc is disposed in window holes provided in power input and output rotating elements of the clutch disc, for elastically coupling the power input and output rotating elements in a direction of their rotation. The torsion damper includes a pair of seat elements 11 and a rubber element 12 therebetween. In one embodiment, the rubber element 12 is positioned between both the seat elements 11 and is capable of expanding and contracting. The rubber element includes a projection 20 and a through-hole 16 is provided in each of the seat elements 11.

Resilient element having an elastic portion and seat portions for use in

A method for automated assembly of a frictionally engaging clutch disc subassembly, employing a tooling jig in conjunction with appropriately configured subassembly friction facings and cushioning plate, whereby need for post-manufacture rotational balancing is eliminated.

Manufacturing method for clutch disc subassembly

In a first embodiment, a clutch disc assembly has a retaining plate 5, a hub 2, a first coil spring 6, a second coil spring 7, and a first friction washer 8. A connecting plate 3 is positioned in an outer circumference of the of the hub 2. The first coil spring elastically couples the connecting plate 3 and the hub 2 in a circular direction. The second coil spring 7 elastically couples the retaining plate 5 and the connecting plate 3 in a circular direction and is more excellent in rigidity than the first coil spring 6. The first friction washer 8 includes a first friction member 13 positioned between the retaining plate 5 and the hub 2, a second friction member 14 positioned between the connecting plate 3 and the retaining plate 5, and a coupling element coupling the first and second friction members 13 and 14 and elastically deformable in axial directions. In a second embodiment, a friction resistance generating mechanism 108, a first friction washer 114 is in contact with a side surface of a flange in a hub 102. A second friction washer 115 is in contact with a side surface of a sub-plate 105 and engages the first friction washer 114 so as to rotate along with it in unity in circular directions and to move relative to it in axial directions. A first conical spring 116 urges the first friction washer 114 toward the flange. A second conical spring 117 urges the second friction washer 115 toward the sub-plate 105. Only one of the first friction washer 114 and the second friction washer 115 has snap projections and stem-like projections which engage a retaining plate 104 so as to rotate along with it in unit in circular directions and to move relative to it in axial directions.

Damper disc assembly having multiple friction generating portions

A torsion damper for a clutch disc is disposed in window holes provided in power input and output rotating elements of the clutch disc, for elastically coupling the power input and output rotating elements in a direction of their rotation. The torsion damper includes a pair of seat elements (11) and a rubber element (12) therebetween. In one embodiment, the rubber element (12) is positioned between both the seat elements (11) and is capable of expanding and contracting. The rubber element includes a projection (20) and a through-hole (16) is provided in each of the seat elements (11).

Growing community of inventors

Nara, Japan

Hiroshi Teramae