The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 19, 1988
Filed:
Aug. 15, 1986
Helmut Kohler, Buhlertal, DE;
Luk Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH, Buhl, DE;
Abstract
The axially movable pressure plate of a friction clutch for motor vehicles is non-rotatably secured to the housing by a set of leaf springs each of which has an end portion overlying that surface of the pressure plate which faces away from the clutch plate. The end portion of each leaf spring has an opening in register with the open end of a blind bore in the surface of the pressure plate. Such end portions of the leaf springs are permanently fastened to the pressure plate by tubular connecting elements having (a) enlarged end portions overlying those sides of the leaf springs which face away from the pressure plate and (b) main portions which extend through the respective openings and into the registering blind bores and are radially expanded into pronounced frictional engagement with the pressure plate. The plastically deformable material of the main portions of the connecting elements is expanded by an extractible tool or by discrete spreading pins which are driven into open-ended sockets of the connecting elements and remain therein to maintain the main portions in radially expanded condition. The connecting elements contribute to a reduction of the overall weight of the friction clutch, to a reduction of the dimensions of the clutch, as considered in the axial and radial directions, to a reduction of the weight of the clutch, and to greater reliability of the connections between the leaf springs and the pressure plate and hence to greater safety of the clutch.