Patent ID: 6905010
Filing Date: 2005-06-14
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
1. A friction clutch assembly comprising: a clutch housing, at least one first friction plate in said housing, said first friction plate being rotationally fixed and axially displaceable with respect to said clutch housing, said first friction plate having a friction region and a heat accumulation region; a second friction plate bearing the clutch housing, said second friction plate having a friction region and a heat accumulation region; at least one driver disk arranged axially adjacent to the at least one first friction plate and the second friction plate and having oppositely facing friction linings which interact with the adjacent friction plates; and a spring which loads the at least one friction plate toward the second friction plate; wherein at least one of said friction plates is made at least in part of a metal matrix composite material comprising a metal matrix and at least one nonmetallic foreign phase in the form of discrete non-woven fibers included in the matrix.