Exedy Corporation

Kabushiki Kaisha Daikin Seisakusho

Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Yasuyuki Hashimoto

Hiroshi Teramae

Hideyuki Imanaka

Ikuo Murata

Hiroshi Takeuchi

Yasushi Takehira

Tatsuyuki Aoki

Hisashi Honjo

Michitomo Masaki

Kazuo Teramachi

Katsuhiko Kayanoki

Seigo Ono

Hiroshi Uehara

Hiromi Tojima

Syogo Ohga

Toru Hamada

Mamoru Okubo

Hiroshi Minakami

Takuji Yoshimura

A damper mechanism is provided to suppress the enlargement of a prescribed angle in a damper mechanism. A clutch disk assemblyhas an input rotary member, a spline hub, a damper section, a large friction mechanism, a friction suppressing mechanism, and an elastic member. The spline hubis arranged to rotate relative to the input rotary member. The damper sectioncouples the input rotary memberand the spline hubtogether rotationally. The large friction mechanismcan generate friction when the input rotary memberand the spline hub rotate relative to each other. The friction suppressing mechanism is a rotational gap &#x3b8;ACp for preventing the large friction mechanism operating within a prescribed angular range. The elastic membersoftens the impact between the members that touch against each other at the end of the prescribed angular range.

Damper mechanism

A clutch cover is disposed opposite to a pressure surface a of a pressure plate and is fixed to a flywheel. The pressure plate has the pressure surface a facing a friction surface of a clutch disk. An annular lever plate is supported at its outer circumferential edge to a clutch cover and is contacted at a radially intermediate portion to the pressure plate . The pressure plate is biased to be disengaged from the friction surface of the clutch disk. A release bearing is in contact with an inner circumferential edge of the lever plate on the transmission side. A hydraulic cylinder serves to move the release bearing in the axial direction.

Clutch operating mechanism

A damper mechanism is provided to suppress the enlargement of a prescribed angle in a damper mechanism. A clutch disk assembly has an input rotary member a spline hub a damper section a large friction mechanism a friction suppressing mechanism, and an elastic member The spline hub is arranged to rotate relative to the input rotary member The damper section couples the input rotary member and the spline hub together rotationally. The large friction mechanism can generate friction when the input rotary member and the spline hub rotate relative to each other. The friction suppressing mechanism is a rotational gap &thgr;ACp for preventing the large friction mechanism operating within a prescribed angular range. The elastic member softens the impact between the members that touch against each other at the end of the prescribed angular range.

A clutch disk assembly has an input rotary member , a spline hub , a damper section , a friction mechanism , and a friction suppressing mechanism. The damper section has second springs and a torsion characteristic having a positive side corresponding to when the input rotary member is twisted in a rotational drive direction with respect to the spline hub and a negative side corresponding to when the input rotary member is twisted in an opposite direction. The friction mechanism can generate friction when the input rotary member and the spline hub undergo relative rotation and the second springs exert an elastic force. The friction suppressing mechanism secures a rotational gap &thgr;ACn on only the positive or negative side preventing the second spring from acting on the friction mechanism within a prescribed angular range.

A damper disk assembly is provided for use in a clutch device that suppresses wearing and breakage of a spring seat during operation of a clutch. The damper disk assembly has a pair of plates 5 and 6 elastically coupled to the hub flange 8 by a damper mechanism 4. The damper mechanism 4 includes a plurality of coil spring assemblies 13 having a large coil spring 30, a small coil spring 31 and a pair of spring seats 64. The paired spring seats 64 are arranged on the circumferentially opposite ends of the small coil spring 31. The hub flange 8 is a plate member provided with spring accommodating openings 21. The clutch and retaining plates 5 and 6 are fixed together such that they are axially spaced by a predetermined distance with the flange 8 disposed therebetween. The clutch and retaining plates 5 and 6 are provided with spring accommodating portions 11 in positions corresponding to the openings 21. The small coil springs 31 are disposed within the openings 21 and portions 11 for transmitting a torque between the flange 8 and the plates 5 and 6. The spring seats 64 have support portions 65 that support the circumferentially opposite ends of the spring 31. The support portions 65 of the spring seats 64 are supported by the circumferentially opposite ends of the opening 21 and the portion 11. The portion 11 is provided at its circumferentially opposite ends with spring seat receiving portions 32 extended axially, and having an axial length larger than the axial thickness of each of the plates and 6 for contact with the support portion 65 of the spring seat 64.

Damper disk assembly

A clutch disk assembly ( ) includes an input rotary member ( ), an output rotary member ( ), a damper mechanism ( ) and a large friction mechanism ( ). The damper mechanism couples the input and output rotary members ( ) and ( ) together in a rotating direction. The damper mechanism exhibits torsion characteristics having differing first stage and second stage responses such that in the second stage a higher degree of rigidity is exhibited than in the first stage. In the second stage when small levels of vibrations are dampened, the response characteristics in response to positive direction rotary displacement between the input and output rotary members differs from the response characteristics exhibited as a result of negative direction relative rotary displacement. Specifically, in the positive direction, the large friction mechanism ( ) is prevented from operating in a first angular range within the second stage. In the negative direction, the large friction mechanism ( ) is prevented from operating in a second angular range in the second stage. The first and second angular ranges differ.

A damper disk assembly is provided for use in a clutch device. The damper disk assembly has a pair of plates,and,(rotary member) elastically coupled to the hub flange,(rotary member) by a damper mechanism,. The damper mechanism,is designed to reduce disadvantages due to nonparallel compression of an elastic member in the damper disk assembly. The damper mechanism,includes a plurality of coil spring assemblies,. The coil spring assemblies,have a large coil spring,, a small coil spring,and a pair of spring seats,. The paired spring seats,are arranged on the circumferentially opposite ends of the small coil spring,. The spring seats,support the circumferentially opposite ends of the small coil spring,, and are engaged with the inner side of the small coil spring,. The spring seats,are supported for rotation with respect to two kinds of rotary members around a shaft parallel to a rotation axis of the rotary members.

A clutch disk assembly (,) includes an input rotary member (,), an output rotary member (,), a damper mechanism (,) and a large friction mechanism (,). The damper mechanism couples the input and output rotary members (,) and (,) together in a rotating direction. The damper mechanism exhibits torsion characteristics having differing first stage and second stage responses such that in the second stage a higher degree of rigidity is exhibited than in the first stage. In the second stage when small levels of vibrations are dampened, the response characteristics in response to positive direction rotary displacement between the input and output rotary members differs from the response characteristics exhibited as a result of negative direction relative rotary displacement. Specifically, in the positive direction, the large friction mechanism (,) is prevented from operating in a first angular range within the second stage. In the negative direction, the large friction mechanism (,) is prevented from operating in a second angular range in the second stage. The first and second angular ranges differ.

In a first embodiment, a restricting mechanism (7) includes bolts (13) and bushings (14). The bushings (14) are axially and frictionally engaged with the clutch cover (2), and restrict movement of the fulcrum ring (5) toward the flywheel (51). The bolts (13) are fixed to the pressure plate (3). Heads (13a) of the bolts (13) are in contact with sides of the bushings (14) remote from the flywheel (51). In another embodiment, a restricting mechanism (107) of a clutch cover assembly (100) includes a bolt (113), a bushing (114) and a sleeve (115). The bolt (113) has a head (113a) in contact with a surface of a clutch cover (102) remote from a flywheel (151). The bolt (113) is screwed into the sleeve (115) arranged near a pressing surface (103) of a pressure plate (103). The bushing (114) is fitted under pressure into an aperture 103c in the pressure plate (103), and is unmovably engaged between the bolt (113) and the sleeve (115).

Clutch cover assembly having a wear compensation mechanism with

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 clutch disc assembly is provided with a support structure and friction generating members that provide generally constant friction generation, even when misalignment occurs between adjacent members. The clutch disc assembly 1 includes a hub 2, a fourth friction washer 19, a clutch plate 3 and a second coil spring 7. The fourth friction washer 19 is fixed to the hub 2 and has a tapered surface 19a. The clutch plate 3 has an inner peripheral edge tapered portion 3c which is abutted against the tapered surface 19a and disposed on the outer periphery of the hub 2. The second coil spring 7 couples the hub 2 to the clutch plate 3 in a circumferential direction.

Clutch disc assembly

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

The retaining plate (3) is disposed in a clutch disc assembly in which torque is transmitted through a coil spring and is intended for transmitting torque from an input member to the coil spring. The retaining plate (3) is formed with a first window portion (3a). The first window portion (3a) includes a tunnel portion having a convex shape so as the coil spring to be disposed therein. The tunnel portion (21) of the first window portion (3a) is integral with the retaining plate (3) in the radial direction and is formed with the second holes (23) on its circumferentially opposite ends. A circumferential support portion (22) is formed on the circumferentially opposite ends of the tunnel portion (21).

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Neyagawa, Japan

Yasuyuki Hashimoto