Patent ID: 7823711
Filing Date: 2010-11-02
Classification: F16D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A clutch, for at least partial operation within a fluid tight housing containing fluid, said clutch comprising first and second independently actuatable first and second clutch portions wherein the first and second clutch portions have radially concentric first and second clutch packs respectively for operation within the fluid tight housing, one of said first and second clutch packs being an outer clutch pack having a larger inside diameter than an outside diameter of the other of said first and second clutch packs, said other clutch pack being an inner clutch pack, a) said first clutch portion including: b) said second clutch pack comprising: the friction plates of the second clutch pack second series of friction plates being in alternating relationship and coaxial with the friction plates of the second clutch pack first series of friction plates to form a friction plate set, the friction plates of the second clutch pack first series being normally in a spaced relationship with the friction plates of the second clutch pack second series such that there is an average gap of from about 0.05 to about 0.25 mm between adjacent friction plates, said friction plates of said second clutch pack being movable toward each other along their respective drive and driven rings so as to engage each other on their surfaces so as to enable the transfer of torque from the second drive ring to the second driven ring without significant slippage between adjacent friction plates wherein a second apparatus is provided to move said friction plates of the second clutch pack toward each other, wherein the first mechanical apparatus and second apparatus can operate independently of each other so as to engage and disengage the friction plates of the first and second clutch packs independently of each other; and c) mechanical apparatus provided to move said friction plates toward each other wherein the first clutch portion is an outer clutch portion having an outer fulcrum that reacts against an outer lever spring and the outer fulcrum directly or indirectly transmits applied force to the outer clutch pack to engage the outer clutch pack friction surfaces, as a result of pressure applied to the fulcrum by the outer lever spring and the clutch is provided with a main clutch bearing permitting clutch rotation and tolerance from the main clutch bearing to a touch point between the outer fulcrum and the outer lever spring is adjusted to permit an average normally open spacing between friction surfaces of between about 0.05 and about 0.25 mm and to permit sufficient pressure on the friction surfaces during engagement to prevent significant slippage during torque transfer.