Patent Publication Number: US-2022213934-A1

Title: Friction clutch

Description:
This invention relates to a clutch cover for a friction clutch and to a friction clutch for motor vehicles. In particular, but not exclusively, this invention relates to a clutch cover and to a friction clutch for use in cars, more particularly high performance and/or racing cars. 
     In a typical motor vehicle friction clutch, one or more friction plates are positioned in a clutch housing between a pressure plate that is axially displaceable with respect to the clutch housing and a counter-pressure member or reaction plate that is formed by the clutch housing or fixed to the clutch housing. The counter-pressure member is often configured as a flywheel but this is not always the case. The counter-pressure member and pressure plate, and hence the clutch housing, are usually in driving (torque) connection with an output shaft of the engine of the motor vehicle and rotate about a common axis with the engine output shaft. One or more of the friction plates are usually in driving (torque) connection with a clutch output shaft, which typically forms or connects to an input shaft of a gearbox of the motor vehicle. 
     A prestressed diaphragm spring acts between the clutch housing and the pressure plate for permanently elastically biasing the pressure plate towards the counter-pressure member in order to clamp the friction plates between the pressure plate and the counter-pressure member, thereby engaging the friction clutch, i.e. torsionally connecting the engine output shaft to the gearbox input shaft. 
     The diaphragm spring generated force clamping the friction plates is referred to as the “clamp load” and the magnitude of the clamp load influences the amount of torque that can be transmitted through the clutch. The actual clamp load applied to the friction plates when the clutch is engaged or partially engaged depends on the force applied to the pressure plate by the diaphragm spring less any forces acting in the opposite direction. In some known clutches, spacer springs are provided for biasing the pressure plate away from the flywheel to ensure a clean disengagement of the friction clutch. In clutches of this type the effective clamp load will be substantially equal to the force applied to the pressure plate by the diaphragm spring less the elastic force of the spacer springs which acts in the opposite direction. 
     Disengagement of the known friction clutch is controlled by a release bearing arranged coaxially around the clutch output shaft and axially positionable along the clutch output shaft in:
         a rest position in which the release bearing doesn&#39;t engage the diaphragm spring and doesn&#39;t influence the diaphragm spring force biasing the pressure plate towards the counter-pressure member,   a working position in which the release bearing engages and fully deforms the diaphragm spring to minimize or reduce to zero the diaphragm spring force biasing the pressure plate towards the counter-pressure member,    a range of intermediate positions in which the release bearing engages and partially deforms the diaphragm spring to adjust the diaphragm spring force biasing the pressure plate towards the counter-pressure member.       

     When a friction clutch is fully engaged, substantially the entire diaphragm spring force is applied to the pressure plate to clamp the friction plates. 
     When a clutch is only partially engaged (or in other words: only partially disengaged), part of the diaphragm spring force is taken by the release bearing and only a proportion of the available spring force is applied to the pressure plate to clamp the friction plates. 
     When a friction clutch is held in such a partially engaged condition, the friction plates (i.e. driving friction plates and driven friction plate/s) are not fully clamped and so slip relative to one another with a certain amount of frictional resistance. 
     Known diaphragm springs are conical and the spring force produced by a diaphragm spring usually varies in a non-linear manner in dependence on its cone angle. Many clutches are configured so that the cone angle of the diaphragm spring when the clutch is engaged and the friction plates are new is such that the diaphragm spring force is just below its peak value. As the friction plates wear, the cone angle of the diaphragm spring when the clutch is engaged increases leading initially to an increase in the spring force until it passes its peak value, after which further increases in the cone angle as the friction plates continue to wear results in a reduction of the diaphragm spring force. 
     A known clutch housing comprises a radially extending annular plate member (e.g. configured as flywheel), a clutch cover positioned opposite to the annular plate member and a plurality of circumferentially spaced drive members extending axially from an outer diameter region of the clutch cover, with the free ends of the axially extending drive members secured to the annular plate member. The annular plate member is in driving engagement with the output shaft of the engine, so that the clutch housing rotates together with the engine output shaft. 
     The design of the prior art clutch housings is a yet unsatisfactory compromise between a possibly very stiff (but heavy) design for minimizing undesired axial clutch housing length variations under load, which are known to alter the diaphragm spring force and hence negatively influence the clutch controllability, e.g. during launches of a vehicle, and a possibly very lightweight (but less stiff) design for minimizing the clutch mass and inertia which are known to limit the overall energy efficiency of the torque transmission through the clutch. 
     It is an objective of the present invention to provide an improved friction clutch which overcomes, or at least mitigates, the disadvantages of the prior art clutches. 
     It is also an objective of the invention to provide an improved friction clutch having a clutch housing with reduced mass and therefore some overall performance gain for the vehicle. 
     It is a further objective of the invention to provide an improved friction clutch having a clutch housing with increased stiffness of the clutch cover for a given mass of the clutch housing, in order to gain a greater degree of tuned axial compliance to be accommodated within the clutch housing to offer improved controllability during launches of the vehicle. 
     These and other advantages are obtained by a friction clutch according to claim  1 . The dependent claims relate to preferred and advantageous embodiments. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a friction clutch comprising:
         a counter-pressure member,   a clutch housing rotationally fixed with the counter-pressure member,   a pressure plate rotationally fixed with the clutch housing but movable in an axial direction of the friction clutch relative to the clutch housing,   at least one friction plate between the pressure plate and the counter-pressure member,   at least one clutch spring operative between the clutch housing and the pressure plate to urge the pressure plate towards the counter-pressure member so as to clamp the at least one friction plate between the pressure plate and the counter-pressure member,
 
in which the clutch housing comprises:
   a radially extending annular plate member intended to be coupled in driving engagement with the output shaft of an engine,   a clutch cover forming a radially extending ring wall positioned opposite to the annular plate member and a plurality of circumferentially spaced drive members extending axially from a radially outer region of the ring wall towards the annular plate member, wherein free ends of the axially extending drive members are secured to the annular plate member,
 
in which the ring wall forms:
   a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending plates having each a radially outer end,   two or more concentric annular stiffening bands extending at a radial distance from one another (with respect to the clutch axis) and including an innermost annular stiffening band and an outermost annular stiffening band, said annular stiffening bands connecting said radial plates to each other and having each a radial thickness that is smaller than the radial distance therebetween measured in intermediate regions outside said radial plates,
 
wherein said drive members protrude axially from said radially outer ends of the radial plates.
       

     In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a friction clutch comprising:
         a counter-pressure member,   a clutch housing rotationally fixed with the counter-pressure member,   a pressure plate rotationally fixed with the clutch housing but movable in an axial direction of the friction clutch relative to the clutch housing,   at least one friction plate between the pressure plate and the counter-pressure member,   at least one clutch spring operative between the clutch housing and the pressure plate to urge the pressure plate towards the counter-pressure member so as to clamp the at least one friction plate between the pressure plate and the counter-pressure member,
 
in which the clutch housing comprises:
   a radially extending annular plate member intended to be coupled in driving engagement with the output shaft of an engine,   a clutch cover forming a radially extending ring wall positioned opposite to the annular plate member,   a plurality of circumferentially spaced drive members extending axially from a radially outer region of the annular plate member towards the ring wall, wherein free ends of the axially extending drive members are secured to the ring wall,
 
in which the ring wall forms:
   a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending plates having each a radially outer end,   two or more concentric annular stiffening bands extending at a radial distance from one another (with respect to the clutch axis) and including an innermost annular stiffening band and an outermost annular stiffening band, said annular stiffening bands connecting said radial plates to each other and having each a radial thickness that is smaller than the radial distance therebetween measured in intermediate regions outside said radial plates,
 
wherein said drive members protrude axially from said radially outer ends of the radial plates.
       

     The thus configured clutch has an increased stiffness of the clutch cover and clutch housing for a given mass, hence improving controllability of the clutch operation during launches of the vehicle. 
     On the other hand, the proposed configuration of the clutch cover and clutch housing achieves a reduction of their mass for a given required clutch housing stiffness and therefore an overall performance gain for the vehicle. 
     In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a motor vehicle comprising a friction clutch in accordance with the first aspect, an engine and a gearbox, in which the clutch housing is rotationally fast with an output shaft of the engine and at least one friction plate is drivingly connected with an input shaft of the gearbox. 
    
    
     
       These and other features and advantages of the present invention shall be made apparent from the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective, cross-sectional view of a friction clutch according to an embodiment, 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective, anterior-lateral view of the friction clutch of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the friction clutch of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 4  is a radial cross-section view of the friction clutch of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a clutch cover for a friction clutch according to an embodiment, 
         FIG. 6  is an outside plane view of the clutch cover in  FIG. 5 , 
         FIG. 7  is a radial cross-section view of the clutch cover in a sectional plane VII in  FIG. 6 , 
         FIG. 8  is a radial cross-section view of the clutch cover in a sectional plane VIII in  FIG. 6 , 
         FIG. 9  is an inside plane view of the clutch cover in  FIG. 5 , 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the clutch cover in  FIG. 5 , 
         FIGS. 11 and 12  show enlarged details of the friction clutch according to embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
    
     With reference to the figures, a friction clutch  1  comprises:
         a counter-pressure member  2 ,   a clutch housing  3  rotationally fixed with the counter-pressure member  2 ,   a pressure plate  4  rotationally fixed with the clutch housing  3  but movable in an axial direction of the friction clutch  1  relative to the clutch housing  3 ,   at least one friction plate  5 ,  6  between the pressure plate  4  and the counter-pressure member  2 ,   at least one clutch spring  7  operative between the clutch housing  3  and the pressure plate  4  to urge the pressure plate  4  towards the counter-pressure member  2  so as to clamp the at least one friction plate  5 ,  6  between the pressure plate  4  and the counter-pressure member  2 , in which the clutch housing  3  comprises:   a radially extending annular plate member  8  intended to be coupled in driving engagement with an engine output shaft  9 ,   a clutch cover  10  forming a radially extending ring wall  11  positioned opposite to the annular plate member  8  and a plurality of circumferentially spaced drive members  12  extending axially from a radially outer region  13  of the ring wall  11  towards the annular plate member  8 , wherein free ends of the drive members  12  are secured to the annular plate member  8 ,
 
wherein the ring wall  11  forms:
   a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending plates  14  having each a radially outer end  15 ,   two or more concentric annular stiffening bands  16 ,  17  extending at a radial distance from one another (with respect to a clutch axis  22 ) and including an innermost annular stiffening band  16  and an outermost annular stiffening band  17 ,
 
said annular stiffening bands  16 ,  17  connecting said radial plates  14  to each other and having each a radial thickness  18 ,  19  that is smaller than the radial distance therebetween measured in intermediate regions  20  of the ring wall  11  outside said (or circumferentially between respectively two successive) radial plates  14 ,
 
wherein said drive members  12  protrude axially from said radially outer ends  15  of the radial plates  14 .
       

     Alternatively, the clutch cover may form only the radially extending ring wall  12  positioned opposite to the annular plate member  8 , whereas the drive members  12  extend axially from a radially outer region of the annular plate member  8  towards the ring wall  12  and the free ends of the axially extending drive members  12  are secured to the ring wall  12 . 
     In both alternative configurations, the thus configured clutch  1  has an increased stiffness of the clutch cover  10  and clutch housing  3  for a given mass, hence improving controllability of the clutch operation during launches of the vehicle. On the other hand, the thus configured clutch cover  10  and clutch housing  3  achieve a reduction of their mass for a given required clutch housing stiffness and therefore an overall performance gain for the vehicle. 
     Detailed Description of the Clutch Cover  10   
     In accordance with an embodiment, the (e.g. six) radial plates  14  are arranged at a, preferably constant, angular or circumferential pitch and have each a total or maximum radial extension  32 , a total or maximum circumferential extension  33  and a maximum axial thickness  34 , wherein:
         the maximum radial extension  32  is in the range from 5 to 8 times (e.g. 5.9 times) the maximum axial thickness  34 ,   the maximum circumferential extension  33  is in the range from 3 to 5 (e.g. 4.2 times) times the maximum axial thickness  34 .       

     In an embodiment, the axial thickness  34  of the radial plates  14  decreases from the radially outermost annular stiffening band  17  towards the radially outer end  15  and, preferably, also from the radially outermost annular stiffening band  17  towards the radially innermost annular stiffening band  16 . 
     In other words, the axial thickness  34  of the radial plates  14  is maximum at the radially outermost annular stiffening band  17 . 
     This configuration increases the stiffness of the clutch cover  10  against undesired load dependent variation of the clutch housing 3 axial dimensions. 
     In an embodiment, the circumferential extension (width)  33  of the radial plates  14  increases from the radially outermost annular stiffening band  17  towards the radially outer end  15  and, preferably, decreases from the radially outermost annular stiffening band  17  towards the radially innermost annular stiffening band  16 . 
     In other words, the circumferential extension (width)  33  of the radial plates  14  is maximum at the radially outer end  15  and minimum at the radially innermost annular stiffening band  16 , with the only exception of possible locally rounded corner regions  35  that form a smooth transition between the radial plates  14  and the annular stiffening bands  16 ,  17 . 
     Advantageously, the radial plates  14  have each a first section spanning radially between the outermost annular stiffening band  17  and the innermost annular stiffening band  16 , and a second section spanning radially from the outermost annular stiffening band  17  to the radially outer end  15 , wherein the radial extension of the second section is greater than 50%, preferably in the range from 75% to 120%, still preferably from 85% to 105% of the radial extension of the first section. In a preferred embodiment, the radial extension of the second section is 93.6% of the radial extension of the first section measured from the inner diameter of the innermost stiffening band  16  to the outer diameter of the outermost stiffening band  17 . 
     In other words, the radial extension of the radial plates  14  externally beyond the outermost stiffening band  17  is greater than half the radial distance between the innermost annular stiffening band  16  and the outermost annular stiffening band  17 . 
     This reduces significantly the mass and the mass inertial moment of the clutch cover  10  for a given stiffness against axial deformations. 
     The individual radial plates  14  can each form one or more mass reduction apertures, such as e.g. one or two outer through holes  36  positioned in the second section radially outside the outermost annular stiffening band  17  and/or at least one inner through hole  37  positioned in the first section between the innermost and outermost annular stiffening bands  16 ,  17 , thereby further reducing the mass and the mass inertial moment of the clutch housing. 
     In the intermediate region  20  between successive radial plates  14 , the ring wall  11  is constituted by substantially only the concentric annular stiffening bands  16 ,  17  which define a (preferably single) circumferentially extending through opening  38  therebetween. 
     The through opening  38  creates a free radial distance  39  between the concentric annular stiffening bands  16 ,  17  and a free circumferential distance  40  between bordering successive radial plates  14  in said intermediate region  20 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the free radial distance  39  between the concentric annular stiffening bands  16 ,  17  is greater than one fourth (25%) of the maximum radial extension  32  of the radial plates  14 , preferably in the range of 30% to 37%, e.g. 33.7% of the maximum radial extension  32  of the radial plates  14 . 
     In an also preferred embodiment, the free circumferential distance  40  between bordering successive radial plates  14  is greater than 50%, preferably greater than 75%, even more preferably 104% (measured at the circumference at which the housing bolts are arranged) of the circumferential extension  33  of the radial plates  14  measured along the same circumference. 
     These geometric relationships make the ring wall  11  effectively a lightweight frame structure of distinct radial and circumferential stiffening members. 
     In the intermediate region  20  between successive radial plates  14 , the outermost annular stiffening band  17  has an axial thickness  42  larger than its radial thickness  19 , preferably ranging from 1.5 times to 2.2 times, e.g. approximately 2 times, even more preferably 1.91 times, the radial thickness  19 . 
     In the same intermediate region  20  between successive radial plates  14 , the innermost annular stiffening band  16  has an axial thickness  41  smaller than its radial thickness  18 , preferably ranging from 0.7 times to 0.45 times, e.g. approximately 0.5 times, even more preferably 0.58 times, the radial thickness  18 . 
     Advantageously, the outermost annular stiffening band  17  has an axial thickness  42  larger than the axial thickness  41  of the innermost annular stiffening band  16 , preferably ranging from 2 to 4 times, e.g. approximately 3 times, even more preferably 3.14 times, the axial thickness  41  of the innermost annular stiffening band  16 . 
     Advantageously, the outermost annular stiffening band  17  has a radial thickness  19  in a range from 0.8 to 1.2 times, approximately 1.0 times, preferably 1.04 times, the radial thickness  18  of the innermost annular stiffening band  16 . 
     Each drive member  12  may form a pair of substantially parallel drive legs  12 ′,  12 ″ spaced apart and carrying a wear plate  43  for engaging (the radially external lugs  21  of) the drive plate/s  5  therebetween. 
     The drive members  12  are formed as a single piece together with the associated radial plate  14  and can be fixed to the annular plate member  8  by housing fixing screws inserted in axial through holes formed in the drive members  12 , e.g. in each one of the drive legs  12 ′,  12 ″, and screwed in threaded axial holes in the annular plate member  8  near its outer diameter. 
     The clutch cover  10  is advantageously made as a single piece made from aluminium alloy, but the described geometry has proven to achieve an efficient design in terms of mass and stiffness that could also be beneficially applied in an application where high temperature prohibited the use of aluminium and where the clutch cover  10  is instead in steel or titanium or alloys thereof. 
     Detailed Description of the Clutch  1  Assembly 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the annular plate member  8  extends from a driving flange  27  which is configured for driving engagement with the engine output shaft  9 , so that the clutch housing  3  rotates together with the engine output shaft  9  about a the common axis (clutch axis  22 ). 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the friction plates  5 ,  6  located within the clutch housing  3  may comprise a stack of driving friction plate/s  5  and driven friction plate/s  6 . 
     The drive plates  5  have radially outwardly extending lugs  21  on their outer diameter which locate between the axial drive members  12  so that they are constrained to rotate with the clutch housing  3  about a clutch axis  22  (which corresponds to the engine output shaft  9  axis), but are moveable relative to the clutch housing  3  in the axial direction of clutch axis  22 . 
     The driven plates  6  are interleaved between the drive plates  5  (or vice versa) and each driven plate  6  may be mounted to a driven hub  23  so that the driven hub  23  is constrained to rotate with the driven plates  6  and vice versa about the clutch axis  22 . 
     The driven hub  23  and/or the driven plates  6  are adapted for being rotationally fixed mounted on a clutch output shaft  26  that may be an input shaft of an associated gearbox (not shown). 
     The driven hub  23  and/or the driven plates  6  are arranged so as to be movable in an axial direction of the clutch  1  relative to the clutch housing  3 . For this purpose, the driven hub  23  and/or the driven plates  6  may have e.g. internal splines  24  engaging with external splines  25  of the clutch output shaft  26 . 
     The pressure plate  4  is located between the stack of friction plates  5 ,  6 , and the clutch cover  10 . The pressure plate  4  has radially extending teeth  28  on its outer diameter for engagement with the drive members  12  so that the pressure plate  4  is constrained to rotate with the clutch housing  3  about the clutch axis  22  whilst being able to move in the direction of the clutch axis  22  relative to the housing. 
     The clutch spring  7  may comprise a diaphragm spring which acts between and abuts against a cover pivot line  29  on the clutch cover  3  and a plate pivot line  30  on the pressure plate  4 . The cover pivot line  29  can be formed integral with the clutch cover  3  or may be embodied by a circumferential pivot wire  29  mounted on an internal side of the clutch cover  3 , e.g. at the ring wall  11 , facing the clutch spring  7 . The plate pivot line  30  can be formed by a circumferential projection  30  formed on a side of the pressure plate  4  facing the clutch spring  7 . 
     The clutch spring/s  7  are held in position by a location retainer ring  44  fastened by means of spring retaining screws  45  to the clutch housing  3 , especially to ring wall  11 . 
     When the friction clutch  1  is engaged, the clutch spring  7  biases the pressure plate  4  towards the annular plate member  8  so as to clamp the driving friction plates  5 , and driven friction plate/s  6  between the pressure plate  4  and an internal face of the annular plate member  8  that constitutes the counter-pressure member  2 . In this embodiment, the clutch spring  7  is a single diaphragm  7  but the clutch spring  7  could comprise two or more spring members. 
     The annular plate member  8  may form a flywheel or may be formed by a flywheel attached to the engine output shaft  9 . 
     The friction clutch  1  may implement a so-called “push-type” clutch in which the cover pivot line  29  on the clutch housing  3  is radially more inward than the plate pivot line  30  so that, in order to release or disengage the clutch, a number of radially inwardly projecting release fingers  31  of the spring  7  are pushed towards an inside of the clutch by a release bearing (not illustrated). However, the invention can be equally applied to so-called “pull-type” clutches in which the cover pivot line  29  on the clutch housing  3  is radially more external than the plate pivot line  30  so that, in order to release or disengage the clutch, the radially inwardly projecting release fingers  31  of spring  7  are pulled towards an outside of the clutch by the release bearing. 
     When the clutch  1  is engaged and the whole of the available spring force is applied to the pressure plate  4 , the clamp load will be substantially equal to the available spring  7  force, subject to any losses in the system due to friction and possible opposing spacer spring forces. When the clutch  1  is only partially engaged, the release bearing engages with the spring release fingers  31  to hold the spring in a partially engaged position so that only a proportion of the available spring  7  force is applied to the pressure plate  4 . 
     In an alternative embodiment (a so called reversed internals clutch), the clutch  1  could be configured so that the driving plate/s  5 , and driven friction plate/s  6  are clamped against a face on the clutch cover  10  rather than the annular plate member  8 . In this arrangement, the clutch cover  10  would form or support the counter-pressure member  2 . The pressure plate  4  and clutch spring  7  would then be located between the stack of friction plates  5 ,  6  and the annular plate member  8  with no cover pivot line  29  at the clutch cover, but a clutch housing pivot line on the annular plate member  8 . 
     The references “radial” and “axial”, circumferential” and “concentric” with regard to direction, extension, orientation, displacement and position are to be construed as referred to the clutch axis  22  which can, and in preferred embodiments do, coincide with the rotational axis of the clutch components and with the rotational axis of the engine output shaft  9  as well as with the rotational axis of the clutch output shaft  26 . 
     The terminology “free end” doesn&#39;t require that the free end is necessarily without any contact to other components. Instead “free end” denotes an end portion of a single piece component which, however, can be connected e.g. by screws to another single piece component of the clutch. 
     The foregoing embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of protection afforded by the claims, but rather to describe an example as to how the invention may be put into practice.