Patent ID: 6026944
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
A wet multi-plate clutch comprising a clutch outer connected to one of an input member connected to a power source and an output member connected to a loading member, a clutch inner relatively rotatably disposed within said clutch outer and connected to the other of said input and output members, a plurality of first friction plates axially slidably spline-fitted to an inner peripheral wall of said clutch outer and accommodated within said clutch outer, a plurality of second friction plates axially slidably spline-fitted to an outer peripheral wall of said clutch inner and superposed one on another alternately with said first friction plates, and a clamping means capable of clamping groups of said first and second friction plates axially to bring adjacent ones of said first and second friction plates into friction engagement with each other, whereinsaid wet multi-plate clutch further includes first spacing springs interposed between said first friction plates for pulling said first friction plates apart from one another to equal distances therebetween, when said clutch is brought into a turned-off state in which said clamping means is non-operative, and second spacing springs interposed between said second friction plates for pulling said second friction plates apart from one another to equal distances between the second friction plates which are equal to said distances between said first friction plates, when said clutch is brought into the turned-off state,each of said first spacing springs being comprised of a U-shaped mounting portion for clamping spline teeth of said first friction plate in a direction of thickness of said first friction plate, and a pair of resilient blades which extend in a circumferential direction of said first friction plate from opposite side edges of a side plate of said mounting portion, each of said resilient blades being more spaced apart from said spline teeth at a location closer to a tip end thereof.