Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Kabushiki Kaisha F. C. C.

Kenji Toda

Makoto Amano

Yoshiharu Saitou

Tooru Takahashi

Masato Ookita

Kimikazu Ootsuki

Hiroki Kawana

Tarou Takashima

A clutch can comprise driving clutch plates spline-fitted on an input member, driven clutch plates arranged alternately with the driving clutch plates and spline-fitted on an output member, a clutch piston having one surface facing an oil pressure chamber and another surface facing the clutch plates and adapted to be displaced toward the plates by supplying oil to the oil pressure chamber and to be returned by discharging the oil from the chamber. A valve can pass through the clutch piston and be adapted to be closed for preventing oil from exiting the chamber to the other side of the clutch piston when the clutch is clutched-on and to be opened and allow airflow to the oil pressure chamber when the clutch is clutched-off. One or more weight reduction recesses can be formed on one surface of the clutch piston near the outer circumference further radially outward than the valve.

Multiple disc clutch apparatus

A multi-plate friction clutch includes: a clutch pistonwhich is fitted to a clutch outer and capable of being hydraulically operated to press a group of first and second friction plates toward a pressure-receiving plate; an annular retaining groove formed in a pressing surface of the clutch piston; and a buffering Belleville spring accommodated in the retaining groove and capable of abutting resiliently against the group of the first and second friction plates. The retaining groove has an annular projection formed at its axial opening edge for inhibiting the disengagement of the Belleville spring from the retaining groove. Thus, even when the number of the friction plates is increased, a total gap between the clutch piston and the pressure-receiving plate can be set freely without giving consideration to the falling-off of the Belleville spring.

Multi-plate friction clutch

Growing community of inventors

Shizuoka, Japan

Kenji Toda