Patent ID: 6823975
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
In a centrifugal clutch for transmission of torque from a rotating input connector for supplying rotational power to an output connector for receiving the rotational power, the centrifugal clutch having frictional surfaces adapted to be engaged at a predetermined engagement speed of rotation of said input connector, the centrifugal clutch including a cylindrical housing drum, a pressure plate disposed within said cylindrical housing drum, a centrifugal force lever support plate disposed within said cylindrical housing drum adjacent to said pressure plate, the centrifugal force lever support plate being operatively engaged with the input connector, means for applying an adjustable biasing force on the pressure plate toward the centrifugal force lever support plate, a plurality of centrifugal force levers symmetrically disposed on and pivotally attached to said centrifugal force lever support plate, at least one clutch disk disposed within said cylindrical housing drum adjacent to the pressure plate, respectively, and a fixed plate disposed within the cylindrical housing drum between the at least one clutch disk and the cylindrical housing drum, and a drive hub disposed within the cylindrical housing drum and engaging the input connector, the drive hub being mounted to the fixed plate, the improvement in the centrifugal clutch comprising:the pressure plate having a contact friction side and an opposing side, and a plurality of air impeller vanes being formed on said opposing side of said pressure plate by a plurality of alternating raised impeller vane portions and impeller vane channels, with the weighted levers of the centrifugal clutch aligned with the raised portions of the air impeller vanes, so as to cause the weighted levers to press against the raised portions of the air impeller vanes; and said at least one clutch disk including a floating plate having an outer edge and an inner edge, said floating plate including a plurality of air impeller channels formed internally within the floating plate and having openings at the outer and inner edges of the floating plate.