Luk Lamellen Und Kupplungsbau Gmbh

Luk Getriebe-systeme Gmbh

Karl-Ludwig Kimmig

Wolfgang Reik

Rolf Meinhard

Paul Maucher

Christoph Wittmann

Christopher Wittman

Ed Maucher

Edmund Maucher

Irene Fallert

Reinhard Berger

Robert Fischer

Norbert Esly

Martin O'Mahony

Ingo Schulz

Matthias Grupp

A friction clutch wherein a pressure plate is axially movably but non-rotatably coupled to a cover and is biased by a diaphragm spring to urge the friction linings of a clutch disc against a flywheel which is driven by the engine of a motor vehicle. The diaphragm spring is tiltable relative to a seat which is carried by the cover, and a second spring is provided to bias a portion of the seat against the diaphragm spring. The latter can be moved axially of the flywheel to compensate for wear upon the friction linings, particularly when the flywheel is idle or is driven at a relatively low speed. The unit which compensates for wear upon the friction linings is installed between the diaphragm spring and the cover, and its purpose is to ensure that the bias of the diaphragm spring upon the pressure plate in the engaged condition of the friction clutch remains at least nearly constant regardless of the extent of wear upon the friction linings and upon certain other parts, including (1) the diaphragm spring, (2) the pressure plate, (3) springs which form part of the clutch disc to urge two sets of friction linings axially and away from each other against the flywheel and the pressure plate, respectively, (4) leaf springs which connect the pressure plate to the cover, and (5) one or more springs which are active during certain stages of disengagement of the clutch.

Self-adjusting friction clutch

A friction clutch wherein a damper which operates with friction between the housing and the clutch spring serves to minimize or to prevent axial stray movements of the diaphragm spring relative to the housing. This eliminates chatter and/or other forms of noise which unrestricted axial oscillatory movements of the diaphragm can cause in a conventional friction clutch or in a power train employing a conventional friction clutch.

Friction clutch with damper for vibrations of diaphragm spring

A friction clutch wherein an adjusting device serves to compensate for wear at least upon the friction linings of the clutch disc between the driven counterpressure plate and the axially movable pressure plate. The purpose of the adjusting device is to ensure that the bias of the clutch spring upon the pressure plate remains at least substantially unchanged. The adjusting device satisfies such requirement due to the provision of a device which compensates for departures of the actual position of the clutch actuating unit from an optimum position or which compensates for the departures of those portions of the actuating unit relative to a clutch disengaging member from an optimum position which are acted upon by the actuating unit.

A friction clutch wherein the clutch spring is shiftable axially toward the pressure plate during disengagement of the clutch to compensate for wear at least upon the friction linings of the clutch disc. Disengagement of the clutch is facilitated by several springs which act upon the clutch spring and upon the pressure plate and render it possible to disengage the clutch in response to the application of a relatively small force to the tips of the radially inwardly extending prongs of the clutch spring. Moreover, the magnitude of the disengaging force remains at least substantially constant during the entire useful life of the clutch.

Friction clutch

A friction clutch wherein the pressure plate is movable axially of and relative to the clutch housing to engage or disengage and the clutch by bearing against or by becoming disengaged from the friction linings of the clutch disc. The wear upon the friction linings is compensated for by an adjusting unit which is designed to shift a seat for the tiltable diaphragm spring relative to the housing and toward the pressure plate. A resilient component, which can form part of or can be borne by the diaphragm spring or which is carried by the housing, acts upon the diaphragm spring to ensure that the magnitude of the force to be exerted upon and by the diaphragm spring during and immediately after disengagement of the clutch varies within a narrow range. The resilient component does not affect the operation of the adjusting unit.

Clutch assembly

A control unit for a friction clutch or another torque transmitting system and/or for a transmission system in a motor vehicle employs an actor having an electric motor arranged to drive a single-stage or multi-stage transmission which, in turn, transmits motion to one or more mobile parts of the torque transmitting and/or transmission system by way of one or more output elements of the actor. The motor receives signals from one or more sensors and/or from the electronic circuitry in the vehicle and/or from a memory. At least one coil spring and/or another energy storing element is or can be provided to guarantee that the torque transmitting system assumes a predetermined (e.g., disengaged) condition and/or that the transmission system is in a predetermined gear ratio when the actor is not in use to change the magnitude of torque being (or to be) transmitted by the torque transmitting system and/or the ratio of the transmission system.

Apparatus for actuating an aggregate in the power train of a motor

A friction clutch wherein stray axial and/or radial and/or angular movements of the pressure plate relative to the counterpressure plate, clutch disc, clutch housing and/or clutch spring are opposed by a damper having prestressed resilient portions forming part of a sensor, which latter abuts the clutch spring, and bearing against a finished, partly finished or rough-finished internal surface of the pressure plate. The sensor forms part of a unit which automatically compensates for wear upon the pressure plate, counterpressure plate, clutch spring and/or friction linings of the clutch disc in response to repeated engagement and disengagement of the friction clutch.

A friction clutch wherein a pressure plate is axially movably but non-rotatably coupled to a cover and is biased by a diaphragm spring to urge the friction linings of a clutch disc against a flywheel which is driven by the engine of a motor vehicle. The diaphragm spring is tiltable relative to a seat which is carried by the cover, and a second spring is provided to bias a portion of the seat against the diaphragm spring. The latter can be moved axially of the flywheel to compensate for wear upon the friction linings, particularly when the flywheel is idle or is driven at a relatively low speed. The device which compensates for wear upon the friction linings is installed between the diaphragm spring and the cover, and its purpose is to ensure that the bias of the diaphragm spring upon the pressure plate in engaged condition of the friction clutch remains at least nearly constant regardless of the extent of wear upon the friction linings and certain other parts including the diaphragm spring, the pressure plate, springs which form part of the clutch disc to urge two sets of friction linings axially and away from each other against the flywheel and the pressure plate, respectively, and leaf springs which connect the pressure plate to the cover.

Automatically adjustable friction clutch

A friction clutch wherein the pressure plate is movable axially of and relative to the clutch housing to engage or disengage the clutch by bearing against or by becoming disengaged from the friction linings of the clutch disc. The wear upon the friction linings is compensated for by an adjusting unit which is designed to shift a seat for the titable diaphragm spring relative to the housing and toward the pressure plate. A resilient component, which can form part of or can be borne by the diaphragm spring or which is carried by the housing, acts upon the diaphragm spring to ensure that the magnitude of the force to be exerted upon and by the diaphragm spring during and immediately after disengagement of the clutch varies within a narrow range. The resilient component does not affect the operation of the adjusting unit.

Growing community of inventors

Buhl-Waldmatt, Germany

Karl-Ludwig Kimmig