Valeo Corporation

Pierre Renaud

Philippe Lassiaz

Rene Billet

Andre Caray

Philippe Lassaiz

In a clutch cover assembly there is associated with the clutch release device a coupling member adapted to permit a clutch release bearing to be coupled to the clutch release device by means of a coupling ring. Means are further provided for axially coupling the coupling member to the clutch release device. These coupling means are integral with the coupling ring and are formed by appropriately shaped parts of the latter.

Clutch release bearing assembly

The operating member of a clutch release bearing suitable for an automotive vehicle is associated with a generally annular bush. This is constrained to move in the axial direction with the operating member, at least in the axial direction in which a corresponding control member is operative. The bush has at least one integral radial arm for the control member to act on. On the rear side of the or each arm relative to the direction in which the control member is operative, the bush comprises at least one integral reinforcing rib. On the front side of the or each arm there is disposed a protective member adapted to have the control member act on it.

Clutch release bearing suitable for automotive vehicle

A travel limiting lever is rockably mounted about an axis at right angles to the axis of the cover assembly and comprises two camming surfaces, one of the camming surfaces being engageable with the reaction plate or flywheel and the other being engageable with the cover. The lever is subjected to resiliently loaded friction action for controlling the angular position of the lever. The camming surfaces are both disposed on the same side of a plane which passes through the axis and also passes through the axis of the cover assembly or is parallel thereto.

Multiple clutch cover assembly

A friction clutch, particularly suitable for automotive vehicles, comprises a clutch release bearing disposed in axial face-to-face relationship with a diaphragm spring. The spring is mounted inside a clutch cover assembly and has a plurality of centripetal radial fingers around a central hole. The release bearing is adapted to act in traction on these fingers by means of a transverse annular flange disposed inside the cover assembly. The fingers of the diaphragm spring are formed so as to provide a penetration passage through the diaphragm spring for the transverse annular flange, along a penetration direction which is at an acute angle to the median plane of the fingers of the diaphragm spring. A pull type release bearing is obtained by adding a bush forming the transverse annular flange to the drive member of a push type release bearing.

Friction clutch

A clutch release bearing comprises an operating member cooperating with a throw-out fork and a drive member coacting with the release members of an associated clutch. The operating member comprises a sleeve mounted on a guide member and having relatively rigid projections running along the bore of the sleeve for sliding engagement with the guide member. Channels for accommodating solid grease are provided between the projections and are open at one end of the sleeve.

Automotive clutch release bearing

A clutch plate assembly is disclosed comprising two coaxial parts mounted for relative rotation within a predetermined range of angular displacement against the action of springs. One coaxial part comprises a hub flange and the other coaxial part comprises two annular guide members. An axial ring is fixed to the first annular guide member and circumferentially spaced tenons secure the second annular guide member to the axial ring through notches in the latter. The hub flange has circumferentially spaced radial lugs received with clearance in recesses in the axial ring. The recesses and notches in the axial ring are circumferentially offset relative to one another. The free edge of the axial ring axially closes off the recesses.

Clutch plate assembly with improved coupling between a hub and a

A clutch release yoke for a clutch release bearing comprises a region of articulation by means of which said yoke is adapted to be pivotally operated in an operating plane under the control of a control arm, and an active region by means of which it is adapted to act axially in another plane, on the clutch release bearing. In accordance with the invention, the active region of the clutch release yoke is laterally open and consequently has an overall C-shaped configuration, which allows it to be engaged onto the clutch release bearing by simple transverse swinging thereof in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the release bearing. The clutch release yoke of the invention is particularly applicable to 'pulled' clutch release bearings which operate in traction.

Clutch release device

A clutch release bearing is disclosed comprising an operating member controlled by an actuating member, e.g., a release fork, a drive member attached axially to the operating member and responsive to the operating member for coacting with a clutch release mechanism, e.g., a clutch diaphragm spring. The operating member has a metal axial sleeve which is received on a guide member and a metal transverse flange bearing on one side against the actuating member and on the other side against the drive member. A spacer member of synthetic material is interposed axially between the flange and the drive member and detents or elastically deformable pawls are operably disposed between the spacer member and the sleeve for fixing the spacer member in axial position thereon. The detents or pawls may be formed between axial slots in the inner wall of the spacer member. The outer wall has an annular transverse land against which the drive member, for example, the outer race of a ball bearing, may bear.

Clutch release bearing with spacer member

A clutch release bearing comprises an actuator member whereby it is adapted to act on a clutch release device of a clutch mechanism and an operating member whereby it is adapted to be acted on by a control member. The actuator member is axially coupled to the operating member by a cover. Snap-action engagement means between the cover and the operating member comprise at least one elastically deformable lug on the operating member and at least one retaining shoulder on the cover adapted to cooperate with the elastically deformable lug on the operating member. The clutch release bearing is suitable for 'traction' type applications, in particular in automotive vehicles.

Clutch release bearing

Control linkage for a component with a substantially linear travel, especially a clutch bearing. In a control linkage for a driven component with a substantially linear travel, in which a lever comprises, on either side of an axis of rotation a first arm subjected to the action of a control element and a second arm acting on the driven component, the axis of rotation is movable in relation to a fixed frame maintained by guide elements in a path on average transverse to the travel of the driven component, the first arm being connected to the fixed frame by a suspension arm forming a turned-back portion in relation to the lever. The invention is used for the control of clutch bearings, especially for motor vehicles.

Control linkage for a driven component

A pull-type clutch release bearing comprises a drive member acting in traction on an associated clutch release mechanism and an operating member having a sleeve with a transverse flange against which the drive member is adapted to bear. A so-called bearing member has a tubular portion and a radially inwardly directed collar at the end thereof remote from the flange for cooperation with the actuating member. The tubular portion may also have the usual radially outwardly directed collar at the end adjacent the flange for cooperation therewith. In an embodiment an extension on the bearing member for attaching the drive member to the operating member protrudes axially beyond the flange and a detent cooperates with a retaining notch between the flange and the bearing member to define a unitary subassembly between the bearing member and the operating member and/or relieve pressure on an axially acting spring in a self-centering arrangement during clutch disengagement.

Pull-type clutch release bearing

A clutch release bearing control mechanism comprises a shaft and a yoke pivotally mounted on the shaft. A control arm rotates the yoke on the shaft. The yoke has an operative section in two separate parts, at least one of which is adjustable in position parallel to the axis of the shaft. Each part has on it a respective bearing area adapted to act axially on a respective area on a clutch release bearing. The areas on the clutch release bearing are at positions which are substantially diametrically opposed.

Clutch release bearing control mechanism

In a clutch release bearing, on the surface of a bearing flange (14) of an operating member (10) is a wear-resistant plate (30) linked axially to the bearing flange (14) by at least one snap-fastener lug (34). The length of the snap-fastener lug (34) is greater than the thickness of the wear-resistant plate (30). Associated with the latter are indexing means (42) which are separate from the snap-fastener lug (34) and which project axially from the same side as the latter. They extend axially beyond at least that part of the snap-fastener lug (34) on which the wear-resistant plate (30) first bears during its engagement with the latter.

The invention relates to a clutch release bearing assembly having an operating element which is acted upon by a control member such as a disengaging fork, a tubular actuator forming an extension-piece, which, under the action of the operating element is adapted to act on the disengagement mechanism of the clutch and a bearing element located between the operating element and the actuator and which is movable transversely in every direction relative to the operating element. According to the invention, the assembly is designed such that the bearing element is also movable transversely in every direction relative to the actuator.

A clutch release bearing of the type comprising an actuator fork 13, acting on an operating member 10, two axial guide flats 32A, 32B formed in diametrically opposite positions, and two radial arms 34A, 34B. With respect to the axial plane P of the assembly which is substantially perpendicular to the guide flats the axial guide flats 32A, 32B are entirely positioned, one on the first side of this median axial plane P, the other on the other side of this median axial plane P, so that a bayonet or quarter-turn type assembly procedure on the actuator fork 13 is possible.

Growing community of inventors

Le Plessis Trevise, France

Pierre Renaud