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:
Aug. 13, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 18, 2000
Takao Naito, Nagoya, JP;
Tomomitsu Terakawa, Anjyo, JP;
Naoyuki Maki, Kariya, JP;
Tetsuya Kohno, Okazaki, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
A clutch apparatus includes a clutch disk; a pressure plate for moving the clutch disk through application of pressure; a diaphragm spring for applying a force to the pressure plate so as to urge the pressure plate toward a flywheel; a release bearing for pressing a central portion of the diaphragm spring; a release fork; and an actuator. The pressure plate and an outer circumferential portion of the diaphragm spring are in contact with each other via taper portions of the pressure plate and an adjust wedge member. The clutch apparatus counts the number of clutch operations. In order to obtain a desirable press-contact load according to the counted number of clutch operations, the adjust wedge member is rotated with respect to the pressure plate to thereby modify the attitude of the diaphragm spring.