Patent Abstract:
A clutch lockout includes posts to receive bolts to retain the lockout to a clutch boss and retaining screw holes to retain lockout fingers mounted on the lockout. At least one indent in each post accommodates the retaining screw holes.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present disclosure relates to clutch systems. 
   BACKGROUND 
   In motorized vehicles, the clutch enables the engine drive train to be disconnected from the axels during changes in the drive ratio. Often, the clutch provides a friction coupling between the drive train and the axels. This friction coupling (for example, contact between two fiber-compound discs) may be prone to slipping as the drive train rotations per minute (RPM) increase. To alleviate this condition, a clutch cover may be employed. 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  are front and back view illustrations, respectively, of a prior art clutch cover  100 . The cover  100  may be employed in two and four stroke engine systems, such as Honda™ and Banshee™ motors for all terrain vehicles (ATVs). Bolts may be inserted through the holes  118  in the posts  106  to mount the cover  100  to a clutch flywheel of the engine. Heads of the bolts may recess into the counter-sink holes  120 . The shaft of the bolts may pass througb springs. As the bolts are tightened to the clutch flywheel, the springs come under tension, recessing the heads of the bolts into the holes  120 , and bringing the posts  106  into contact with a clutch pressure plate. 
     FIG. 3  is a side view illustration of a clutch finger  300 . The finger  300  has an arm  306  and a cam  304 . A bolt may be inserted through the hole  308  and secured with a nut to add weight to the end of the arm  306 . A pivot may be inserted through the hole  302  at the juncture of the arm  306  and the cam  304 . Fingers  300  may be inserted into the slots  110  of the cover  100  and the pivot may be recessed into the slots  112 . Retaining screws may be threaded into the holes  114 , and tightened until their heads are recessed into the countersink holes  116 , thus securing the finger pivots in the slots  112 . 
   Forming a hole  102  in the cover  100  lessens the weight and may accommodate possible protrusions of the transmission system. Forming bays  108  also lessens the weight of the cover  100 . 
   As engine RPMs increase, the arms  306  of the fingers  300  are drawn outward by centrifugal force, rotating the cam  304  against a pressure plate mounted behind the cover  100 . Rotation of the cams  304  against the pressure plate increases the force of the frictional coupling between the engine drive train and the axels, reducing slipping of the clutch at higher engine RPMs. 
   Weight and durability of system components are crucial factors in the performance of engine systems. An improved cover would benefit from further reductions in weight, while either improving or without compromising the durability of the cover. 
   SUMMARY 
   The following summary is intended to highlight and introduce some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, but not to limit the scope of the invention. Thereafter, a detailed description of illustrated embodiments is presented, which will permit one skilled in the relevant art to make and use aspects of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art can obtain a full appreciation of aspects of the invention from the subsequent detailed description, read together with the figures, and from the claims (which follow the detailed description). 
   A clutch cover includes posts to receive bolts to retain the cover to a clutch flywheel and retaining screw holes to retain clutch fingers mounted on the cover. At least one indent in each post accommodates the retaining screw holes and/or countersinks thereof. At least one edge of the cover is formed to create lips around slots to receive the clutch fingers. The lips may have a width narrower than the diameter of the retaining screw holes and/or the countersinks thereof. The cover may comprise two retaining screw holes for each clutch finger. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed invention. 
     In the drawings, the same reference numbers and acronyms identify elements or acts with the same or similar functionality for ease of understanding and convenience. To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced. 
       FIG. 1  is a front view illustration of a prior art clutch cover. 
       FIG. 2  is a back view illustration of a prior art clutch cover. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view illustration of a clutch finger. 
       FIG. 4  is a front view illustration of an embodiment of a clutch cover. 
       FIG. 5  is a back view illustration of an embodiment of a clutch cover. 
       FIG. 6  is a side view illustration of an embodiment of a clutch cover. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The invention will now be described with respect to various embodiments. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding of, and enabling description for, these embodiments of the invention. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments of the invention. References to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may. 
   Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. When the claims use the word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of 
     FIGS. 4–6  are front, back, and side view illustrations, respectively, of an embodiment of a clutch cover  400 . Posts  410  are formed with indents  411 . The posts  410  include holes  412  to receive bolts to mount the cover  400  to the clutch flywheel. Countersink holes  414  receive heads of the tightened bolts. 
   Fingers  300  may be inserted into the slots  402  of the cover  400  and a finger pivot (e.g. the pivot through finger holes  302 ) may be recessed into the slots  404 . Retaining screws may be threaded into the holes  420 , and tightened until their heads are recessed into the countersinks  418 , which may overlap the slots  402 , thus securing the finger pivots in the slots  404 . The indents  411  in the posts  410  accommodate the holes  420  and/or the countersinks  418  of the holes  420 , and enable positioning the holes  420  back from the edges  406 ,  408  of the cover  400 . Positioning the holes  420  back from the edges  406 ,  408  enables the removal of a substantial amount of material, forming lips  416  around the slots  402 , without compromising the durability of the cover  400 . Material may be removed from the cover  400  to form the edges  406 ,  408 , and to create lips  416  having a width narrower than the diameter of the countersinks  418  of the holes  420  to receive the retaining screws. The lips  416  may even have a width narrower than the diameter of the holes  420  themselves. The edges  406 ,  408  may form lips  416  having two portions  602 , 604 , one portion narrower than the other. Two holes  420  and countersinks  418  may be provided per finger pivot, securing the finger pivots at two positions of the slots  404  and further improving durability. 
   Further weight reductions are achieved by forming a hole  422  and bays  424  in the cover  400 . 
   Other embodiments may comprise additional or fewer posts  410 , and additional or fewer slots  402 ,  404  for fingers  300  and pivots, respectively. In light of this disclosure, these and other modifications will now become apparent to those skilled in the art.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5