Abstract:
A clutch disc segment, including: an inner circumference; a body portion including an outer circumference and a plurality of holes arranged to receive a plurality of rivets for securing friction material to the body portion, and a segment including at least a first portion of the inner circumference and conforming to a plane; a first foot protrusion including a first hole for receiving a first rivet for securing the clutch disc segment to a retainer plate; and a second foot protrusion including a second hole for receiving a second rivet for securing the clutch disc segment to the retainer plate. One of the first or second foot protrusions is off-set from the plane in a first direction orthogonal to the plane.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    Disclosed herein is a clutch disc segments with elongated feet enabling circumferentially adjacent clutch disc segments to be fixedly connect to a retainer plate for a clutch disc assembly by a single rivet. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]      FIG. 11  is a front view of prior art clutch disc assembly  200 . Assembly  200  includes retainer plate  202  and clutch disc segments  204 . Each segment  204  is fixedly connected to plate  202  by two rivets  206 . Separate riveting operations are needed for each rivet  206  or one or more operations for multiple rivets are needed. Further, the large number of rivets  206  undesirably add to the mass of assembly  200 . 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a clutch disc segment, including: an inner circumference; a body portion including an outer circumference and a plurality of holes arranged to receive a plurality of rivets for securing friction material to the body portion, and a segment including at least a first portion of the inner circumference and conforming to a plane; a first foot protrusion including a first hole for receiving a first rivet for securing the clutch disc segment to a retainer plate; and a second foot protrusion including a second hole for receiving a second rivet for securing the clutch disc segment to the retainer plate. One of the first or second foot protrusions is off-set from the plane in a first direction orthogonal to the plane. 
         [0004]    According to aspects illustrated herein, there is also provided a clutch disc assembly, including: a retainer plate; a first clutch disc segment including a first hole; a second clutch disc segment including a second hole; and a first rivet passing through the first and second holes and fixedly connecting the first and second clutch disc segments to the retainer plate. 
         [0005]    According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a clutch disc assembly, including: a retainer plate; a first clutch disc segment including a first foot protrusion; a second clutch disc segment including a second foot protrusion; and a first rivet passing through the first and second foot protrusions and fixedly connecting the first and second clutch disc segments to the retainer plate. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Various embodiments are disclosed, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts, in which 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cylindrical coordinate system demonstrating spatial erminology; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a front view of an example clutch disc assembly with clutch discs having elongated and off-set feet; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the assembly in  FIG. 2  with friction material; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front view of an example clutch disc segment with an elongated and off-set foot shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of area  5  in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is bottom end view of the clutch disc segment in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of area  7  in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a front view of an example clutch disc assembly with planar elongated foot protrusions; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a front view of an example clutch disc segment with a planar elongated foot shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a bottom end view of the clutch disc segment shown in  FIG. 9 ; and, 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a front view of a prior art clutch disc assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    At the outset, it should be appreciated that like reference characters on different drawing views identify identical, or functionally similar, structural elements of the disclosure. It is to be understood that the disclosure as claimed is not limited to the disclosed aspects. 
         [0019]    Furthermore, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular methodology, materials and modifications described and as such may, of course, vary. It is also understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0020]    Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It should be understood that any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the disclosure. 
         [0021]    By “non-rotatably connected” components we mean: any time one of the components rotates, all of the components rotate; and relative rotation between the components is not possible. Axial or radial displacement between components is possible, but not required. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of cylindrical coordinate system  10  demonstrating spatial terminology. The present application is at least partially described within the context of a cylindrical coordinate system. System  10  includes longitudinal axis  11 , used as the reference for the directional and spatial terms that follow. Axial direction AD is parallel to axis  11 . Radial direction RD is orthogonal to axis  11 . Circumferential direction CD is defined by an endpoint of radius R (orthogonal to axis  11 ) rotated about axis  11 . 
         [0023]    To clarify the spatial terminology, objects  12 ,  13 , and  14  are used. An axial surface, such as surface  15  of object  12 , is formed by a plane co-planar with axis  11 . Axis  11  passes through planar surface  15 ; however any planar surface co-planar with axis  11  is an axial surface. A radial surface, such as surface  16  of object  13 , is formed by a plane orthogonal to axis  11  and co-planar with a radius, for example, radius  17 . Radius  17  passes through planar surface  16 ; however any planar surface co-planar with radius  17  is a radial surface. Surface  18  of object  14  forms a circumferential, or cylindrical, surface. For example, circumference  19  passes through surface  18 . As a further example, axial movement is parallel to axis  11 , radial movement is orthogonal to axis  11 , and circumferential movement is parallel to circumference  19 . Rotational movement is with respect to axis  11 . The adverbs “axially,” “radially,” and “circumferentially” refer to orientations parallel to axis  11 , radius  17 , and circumference  19 , respectively. For example, an axially disposed surface or edge extends in direction AD, a radially disposed surface or edge extends in direction R, and a circumferentially disposed surface or edge extends in direction CD. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a front view of example clutch disc assembly  100  with clutch discs having elongated and off-set feet. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a front view of assembly  100  in  FIG. 2  with friction material. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a front view of an example clutch disc segment with an elongated and off-set foot shown in  FIG. 2 . The following should be viewed in light of  FIG. 2 through 4 . Assembly  100  includes axis of rotation AR, retainer plate  102  and clutch disc segments  104 . Each segment  104  includes body portion  106 , foot protrusion  108  and foot protrusion  110 . Protrusions  108  and  110  includes holes  112  and  114 , respectively. For circumferentially adjacent segments  104 , a single rivet  116  passes through: one of hole  112  or  114  for one segment and the other of hole  112  or  114  for the other segment. For example: rivet  116 A passes through hole  112  for segment  104 A and hole  114  for segment  104 B; and, rivet  116 B passes through hole  114  for segment  104 A and hole  112  for segment  104 C. Rivets  116  fixedly connect circumferentially adjacent segments  104  to each other and to retainer plate  102 . It should be understood that the discussion of segment  104  below is applicable to each segment  104  is assembly  100  unless noted otherwise. 
         [0027]    In an example embodiment, assembly  100  includes friction material  118  fixedly connected to segments  104 . For example, each segment  104  includes holes  120  in body portion  106  and rivets  122  pass through material  118  and holes  120  to fixedly secure material  118  to segments  104 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of area  5  in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is bottom end view of segment  104  in  FIG. 4 . The following should be viewed in light of  FIGS. 2 through 6 . Segment  104  includes outer circumference  124  and inner circumference  126 . In  FIG. 2 , circumferences  124  and  126  are radially outer and inner circumferences, respectively. Protrusions  108  and  110  includes portions  126 A and  126 B, respectively, of circumference  126 . 
         [0030]    In an example embodiment, body portion  106  includes: section  106 A; section  106 B radially outward of section  106 A; and section  106 C radially inward of section  106 A. Section  106 B includes circumference  124 . Section  106 C includes portion  126 A of circumference  126 . Protrusions  108  and  110  extend from section  106 C. Section  106 C conforms to plane P. That is, body portion  106  is flat or planar along plane P. In the example embodiment of  FIGS. 2 through 6 : protrusion  108  is offset from body portion  106  and plane P in direction Dl orthogonal to plane P; and protrusion  110  conforms to plane P. In  FIG. 2 , plane P is a radial plane orthogonal to axis AR and direction D 1  is an axial direction parallel to axis of rotation AR. In an example embodiment, sections  106 A,  106 B and  106 C all conform to plane P. 
         [0031]    Line L 1 , orthogonal to circumference  126 , passes through circumferences  124  and  126 . Line L 1  is between holes  112  and  114 . In an example embodiment, line L 2 , orthogonal to circumference  126 , passes through hole  108  without passing through circumference  124 . In an example embodiment, line L 2  is orthogonal to axis AR. In an example embodiment, segment  104  includes side edge  128  connecting circumferences  124  and  126 . Edge  128  forms indentation  130 . Line L 3 , orthogonal to circumference  126 , passes through in sequence protrusion  108 , indentation  130  and body portion  106 . Line L 2  does not pass through indentation  130 . In an example embodiment, line L 3  is orthogonal to axis AR. In  FIG. 2 , lines L 1 , L 2 , and L 3  are radial lines orthogonal to axis of rotation AR. Section  106 A is aligned with indentation  130  in direction D 2 , parallel to circumference  126 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , direction D 2  is a circumferential direction. 
         [0032]    In an example embodiment, line L 4  passes through hole  114  and circumference  124 . In  FIG. 2 , line L 4  is a radial line orthogonal to axis AR. 
         [0033]    Protrusion  108  extends away from line L 1  at least partially in direction D 3  orthogonal to line L 1  and protrusion  110  extends away from line L 1  at least partially in direction D 4 , opposite direction D 3 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , directions D 3  and D 4  are circumferential directions. 
         [0034]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of area  7  in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 7  shows the axial overlap of protrusion  108  for segment  104 C with protrusion  110  for segment  104 A. As seen in  FIG. 7 , each portion  110  is sandwiched between a respective portion  108  and retainer plate  102 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 8  is a front view of example clutch disc assembly  100  with planar elongated foot protrusions. 
         [0036]      FIG. 9  is a front view of an example clutch disc segment with a planar elongated foot shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 10  is a bottom end view of the clutch disc segment shown in  FIG. 9 . The discussion for  FIGS. 2 through 4  is applicable to  FIGS. 8 through 10  except as noted. As noted above, body section  106 C conforms to plane P. That is, body section  106 C is flat or planar along plane P. In the example embodiment of  FIGS. 8 through 10 : protrusion  110 , rather than protrusion  108 , is offset from body portion  106 C and plane P in direction Dl orthogonal to plane P; and protrusion  108 , rather than protrusion  110 , conforms to plane P. In the example of  FIGS. 8 through 10 , each protrusion  108  is axially sandwiched between a respective protrusion  110  and retainer plate  102 . 
         [0038]    Advantageously, segments  104  and assembly  100  address the problems noted above. For example, half as many rivets  116  are needed for assembly  100  as compared to rivets  208  for prior art assembly  200 . Thus, the number and/or complexity of riveting operations is reduced and the mass of assembly  100  is reduced in comparison to that of assembly  200 . 
         [0039]    It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.