Abstract:
An oil cooling arrangement for a stacked plate type clutch assembly is provided. The stacked plate clutch assembly includes a stacked plate arrangement of alternating separator plates and clutch plates housed within a retainer. The oil cooling arrangement includes a flow passage structure arranged relative to the retainer for providing a secondary oil flow path in addition to a flow path through the stacked plate clutch assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation Application of Ser. No. 09/633,595 filed on Aug. 7, 2000, now abandoned. The disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to an improved cooling system for a transmission clutch package employing a plurality of alternately spaced steel separator plates and friction discs for connecting rotating members in a planetary gear train of an automatic transmission. More specifically, a specialized additional and secondary oil cooling system is described utilizing oil flowing at an accelerated rate for cooling steel clutch plates for conducting heat from the clutch package. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Generally, the steel separator plates currently used in clutch packages of vehicle transmissions are formed by sheet metal stamping. This produces a flat shaped plate with a thickness of about 2 mm. Anti-rotation lugs are formed around an outer edge periphery. These anti-rotation lugs engage splines of a clutch retainer structure. A plurality of clutch discs are positioned alternately or between the separator plates. The clutch discs have a friction facing material on both sides for contact with an adjacent separator plate. Splines formed on the disc&#39;s inner edge connect the discs to a rotating member or shaft of the transmission. The resultant stack of separator plates and clutch discs are pressed together by a hydraulically powered piston. 
     An disadvantage of this construction is the steel separator plates are not thick enough to conduct heat rapidly away from the contact surface through the outer lugs and to the clutch retainer. Another disadvantage of this construction is that the whole surface of the steel separator plate which faces the friction material on the clutch disc continuously generates heat. Yet a further disadvantage is caused by the practice of cutting grooves in the friction material to allow oil to flow between the separator plates and the clutch discs which decreases the amount of friction material available for connecting the members together. Still a further disadvantage is caused upon compression of the grooved friction material of the clutch discs which reduces the flow size of oil cooling grooves. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a secondary and additional oil cooling system for a clutch package utilizing oil flow over and along plates of the clutch structure to lower the temperature. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a clutch cooling system including a structure including a laminated plate composite configured to form oil cooling circuits between pairs of plate members for conducting heat always form a clutch package. 
     It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a separator plate assembly for a clutch package, which is constructed of two identical stamped steel parts. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cooler running clutch package to enhance the life of friction material by reducing the degree of accelerated wear associated with higher temperature. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an indexing feature on each separator plate to assure positive locating of cooling surfaces when two separator plates are assembled side to side. 
     It is yet still another object of the present invention provide cooling of the separator plates of a clutch package so as to lower temperatures wherein associated friction surfaces exhibit greater adherence leading to increased efficiency and elimination of at least one clutch disc. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to reduce the axial length of a transmission by shortening a clutch package which is accomplished by more efficient cooling using oil cooled separator plates and decreasing the number of clutch discs. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a separator plate with strategic oil-cooled channels coined into a face of the plate for cooling oil flow resulting in decreased temperatures and more efficient performance. 
     To achieve the foregoing objects, the present clutch package has a clutch cooling system using a two-piece steel separator plate assembly using identically formed plate members and with an indexing mechanism to register the two plates together for forming central oil cooled passages resulting in lower operating temperatures. 
     One advantage of the present invention is that the two-piece steel separator plate assembly is fabricated from a single common stamping. 
     Still another advantage of the present invention is lower operating temperature as provided by the non-frictional oil cooling surface provided by the two-piece steel separator plate which decreases friction induced wear of the associated frictional surfaces. 
     A further advantage of the present invention which lowers transmission running temperatures is the increase in frictional effect between the separator plates and clutch discs thereby allowing removal of at least one clutch disc from the clutch package thereby allowing for a shorter transmission which is easier to package in a vehicle. 
     Yet a further advantage of the present indexed separator plate assembly is a projection formed on the separator plates that assures proper assembly of each pair of plate members into a composite separator assembly. 
     Yet another advantage of the present invention is providing an increase in oil life by a corresponding decrease in the instantaneous temperature rise of the clutch package occurring at the interface of the frictional material and the steel separator plates during a shift. 
    
    
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a prior art automatic transmission clutch package showing single thickness, one-piece steel separator plates; and 
     FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of an automatic transmission with the subject improved clutch package showing two-piece steel separator plates and with one of the clutch discs eliminated; and 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective and broken away sectional view of an automatic transmission showing the relationship between the subject clutch package and other parts of the transmission; and 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the two-piece steel separator plate assembly showing oil cooled passages and an indexing mechanism; and 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of the two-piece steel separator plate assembly; and 
     FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of an automatic transmission with another embodiment of a cooling system for a clutch package showing oil flow past portions of the clutch plates for cooling; and 
     FIG. 7 is a partial end view of the structure shown in FIG. 6; and 
     FIG. 8 is a view of a one-piece clutch plate prior to a folding operation to form a laminated structure functioning like the two-piece structure of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 8 a  is a sectional view of the folded over connection between the portions of the laminated structure of FIG. 8; and 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a two plate structure with a corrugated separator member between two solid plates; and 
     FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a two plate structure with a honeycomb configuration separating two solid plates. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     In FIG. 1, a prior art type clutch package for an automatic transmission is shown in place between clutch input and output retainers. The clutch package has a plurality of spaced one-piece steel separator plates  1  and friction clutch discs  2 . The plates  1  and discs  2  are stacked end to end in a manner so that a plate  1  alternates with a disc  2 . The outer edge of each plate  1  is anchored to or supported relative to a retainer member  3  at a splined formation  4  of member  3 . The separator plates  1  and clutch discs  2  are alternately stacked or are assembled along splines  4  and in the direction of arrow  5  against a hydraulically applied piston  6  movable to the right in FIG.  1 . The separator plates  1  and clutch discs  2  form a package that is then secured to retainer member  3  by an end pressure plate  7  and snap ring retainer  8 . The clutch assembly  9  including members  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  6 ,  7  and  8  is then selectively connectable to a rotating element or member  10  by a plurality of splines  11  formed thereon. Specifically, each of the clutch discs is retained at an inner edge to the splines of rotating member  10 . 
     Normally, when the piston  6  is in the unapplied or inactive position shown in FIG. 1, the leftward end edge of the piston  6  engages surface  12  of the retainer member  3 . In this inactive phase, the clutch discs  2  are rotated along with the member  10  while the separator plates remain unaffected and still along with the retainer member  3 . When the oil cavity  13  at the end of piston  6  is pressurized, the hydraulic pressure causes movement of piston  6  to the right in the direction of the arrow  14 . This movement presses the steel separator plates  1  and clutch discs  2  together and locks or connects retainer member  3  to the rotating member  10 . It should be understood that when steel separator plates  1  and clutch discs  2  are in the above described locked mode, there is no path therebetween for flow of oil over friction surfaces  15  therebetween. Therefore, frictional heat is not conducted away from the clutch assembly  9 . 
     In FIG. 2, similar parts to those in FIG. 1 are labeled the same. The clutch assembly  9  provides a two-piece separator plate assembly  16  in place of the one-piece plate  1  in FIG.  1 . Assembly  16  is fabricated from two identically formed parts by a simple stamping operation. An oil cooling channel  18  is formed in an end face of the separator plate. It should be noted that the oil cooling channel  18  does not contact the frictional material  19  on the clutch discs  2 . Heat created from the relative rotation at the interface of a separator plate and a clutch disc is transmitted to oil flowing through the channel  18  formed between two separator plates of a two-piece assembly. 
     The cooling channels  18  always rotate or move at the same speed as the clutch package  9  due to the connection between the two-piece separator assemblies  16  and the retainer  3  at splines  4 . When the clutch is activated, oil from the central region of the transmission is thrown radially outward by the centrifugal effect of moving parts such as element  10 . Some of the oil passes through a series of lubrication holes  20  in member  10  and migrate to one of the cooling channels  18  between plates of the two-piece separator plate assembly. The oil flows through the channels  18  and exits at splines  4  formed by member  3 . It should be appreciated, as the rotative speed of the clutch package  9  increases, the velocity and volume of oil for the cooling passage through channels  18  increase and therefore dissipate or carry away greater heat energy. 
     Due to many factors, a decreased operating temperature of oil and the entire clutch package  9  permits elimination of at least one of the clutch discs and therefore shortening of the package. Also, it is no longer desirable or necessary to cut oil grooves in the friction material carried by the clutch disc  2  and thus friction material can be deleted without decreasing contact area between the discs and separator plates. 
     Looking to FIG. 3, a broken away and perspective view of an automatic transmission (such as the DaimlerChrysler 41TE) shows the spatial relationship of the clutch package assembly  9  to other transmission components. The above described cooling oil flow would be supplied from a central region as occupied by input shaft  21  and be centrifugally ejected to the underside of the rotating member  10  so as to irrigate the steel separator plates for clutch cooling as previously detailed. It should be understood that because of the compact design of the 41TE transmission, removal of one separator plate and of one clutch disc is very advantageous from a space standpoint. Also, it is clear that the above described concept can be applied to many applications other than vehicles, such as trucks, agricultural equipment, construction equipment, and aero-space. In FIG. 4, the two stamp-formed separator plates  17  are shown and each is identical to the other. Each plate  17  is approximately 1.5 mm thick with a 0.25-0.38 mm deep oil cooling channel  18  formed by a coining operation. A stamped locator projection  23  and a slot  24  are formed at diametrically opposite sides in each plate  17 . When one plate is turned around as in FIG. 4, the two plates are brought together in the assembled stage and the aligned channels  18  form significant flow passages for oil to cool the plates. In the preferred example, the resultant passages are approximately 0.50-0.76 mm wide and about 0.50-0.76 in depth. It should be appreciated that the locator projections  23  and slots  24  are required only to hold plate elements  17  together prior to assembling to the clutch retainer  3 . This assembly technique assures that the oil cooling passages will always match. The locator projection  23  and slot  24  permit slight movement in the circumferential direction of the members  17  so during installation the anti-rotation lugged edge formation of the plates  1  and discs  2  can be lined-up with an associated spine. It also should be noted that the geometry of the oil cooling channel  18  could be designed so as to prevent buckling of the plate and to efficiently collect cooling oil at inner area  26   
     In FIG. 5, separator plates  1  and a friction clutch disc  2  are shown staggered to better illustrate the relationship between the projection  23  in one plate to the friction material  27 . The projection locating feature  23  would be sized and positioned on a lug  28  of a plate so as to engage only the adjacent separator plate of the assembly and not the friction material  27 . 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment of the oil cooled clutch plate assembly and system. Specifically, the assembly&#39;s retainer portion  42  supports a plurality of one-piece steel separator plates  29  at there radially outer edge portion configured with anti-rotation lug portions  30 . Specifically, the anti-rotation lugs  30  engage a plurality of axial extending splines  31  formed by the retainer portion  42 . The cooling and lubricating oil flows in the direction of arrow  32  along the splines  31  and past the separator plate&#39;s lug portions  30 . The aforementioned cooling oil is initially thrown centrifugally outwardly from the center portion or line  33  along a surface  34  and into a catch well space  35 . The oil then travels from space  35  through a plurality of angular holes  36  to a diametrical undercut space  37  where it then flows around and over the surfaces  38  of the lug configurations of the separator plates  29 . Resultantly, heat is conducted from friction surfaces  39  of the separator plate  29 . It should be understood that the cooling surfaces  38  of the lugs are formed around the outer diameter of the one piece steel separator plate  29  and thus generates an optimal surface area for oil flow and resultant cooling. To increase the surface area  38 , a greater number of lugs  30  could be employed along with a corresponding increase in the number of splines  31 . Also, the depth of the spline structure and corresponding lugs could to made greater. 
     For further improving the cooling capacity, oil could be fed from the main supply within shaft  40  and directed through a passage  41  to the angular holes  36 . This arrangement would provide a greater supply of oil to irrigate the cooling surfaces  38  and the higher volume and velocity of the oil would be capable of extracting a larger quantity of heat energy from the steel separator plates  29 . As the oil is supplied into holes  36  to the undercut space  37  it is trapped by the wall of the retainer portion  42  so that the oil is forced to flow axially along the major spline diameter  43 . The oil then flows through spaces  44  defined between anti-rotation lugs  30  and the wall  42 . As the oil flows, heat is extracted or exchanged from the hotter plates  29 . It should be appreciated that the flow of cooling oil continues past anti-rotation lugs  30  before, during, and after activation of the clutch assembly which is when heat is generated. 
     In FIG. 8, a one-piece but two-plate separator plate blank  50  is illustrated. The blank  50  consists of two generally annular or washer-shaped portions  52 ,  54  connected by a thin strip portion  56 . Lug portions  58  are formed about the outer periphery of the portions  52 ,  54 . The one-piece separator assembly is completed by folding the portions  52 ,  54  back against one another at line  60  across strip  56 . The folded portion along line  60  is best seen in FIG. 8 a.    
     Another separator plate configuration  62  is shown in FIG. 9 where the two plates  64 ,  66  sandwich a generally corrugated shape spacer  68 . A still further separator plate configuration  70  is shown in FIG. 10 where the two plates  72 ,  74  are separated by a honeycomb structure or spacer  76  which is used like the spacer  68  in FIG.  9 . 
     Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification and the following claims.