Patent ID: 6260684
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
Clutch mechanism for friction clutches, including a cover (8) with a transversely oriented back (80) and fixing means (81) for fixing the clutch mechanism to a rotational drive flywheel (1), a pressure plate (3) having a friction face (30) at the front for co-operation with a clutch friction disc (2), spring tongues for rotationally coupling the pressure plate (3) with the cover (8), with axial mobility, and, disposed between the dorsal face (31) of the pressure plate (3) and the back (80) of the cover (8), on the one hand, axially acting clutch engaging spring means (7) urging the pressure plate (8) axially away from the back (80) of the cover (8) and, on the other hand, a clutch release device (9) for selectively opposing the action of said clutch engaging spring means (7), in which said clutch engaging spring means (7) are associated with two spring washers (4, 6) mounted between the pressure plate (3) and the cover (8), said washer (4, 6) being adapted to operate on the pressure plate in parallel with the clutch engagement spring means (7) and in the clutch release direction, and in which the spring characteristics of the first washer (4) and the second washer (6) are chosen so that when the clutch is engaged and the clutch friction disc (2) is new the action exerted on the pressure plate (3) by the first washer (4) and the second washer (6) are very low or even zero, characterised in that the spring characteristics of the first washer (4) are chosen so that the action exerted on the pressure plate (3) by the first washer (4) during clutch release is very low or even zero and in that the spring characteristics of the second washer (6) are chosen so that during release of the clutch the force exerted on the pressure plate (3) by the second washer (6) in the clutch release direction increases and then decreases to a very low or even zero value when the clutch is released.