Spring and damper assembly for a centrifugal clutch in a continuously variable transmission
AssigneeThe Hilliard Corporation
InventorJohn R. Updyke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spring and damper assembly for a centrifugal clutch for a CVT, the CVT having a clutch hub rotatably located within a drum and a plurality of clutch shoes slidingly disposed within the clutch hub. Each shoe includes a spring cavity, the spring and damper assembly being located within the spring cavity. The spring and damper assembly includes a spring disposed within the spring cavity and a spring retainer located within the spring cavity and positioned against one end of the spring. The spring retainer is engaged with the clutch hub and configured to locate the spring within the spring cavity. A dampener is located within the spring. The dampener is made from a material configured to reduce motion of the spring.
Claims20
A spring and damper assembly for a centrifugal clutch for a continuously variable transmission, the centrifugal clutch including:
- a clutch hub rotatably located within a drum,
- a plurality of clutch shoes slidingly disposed within the clutch hub and configured to slide radially from an inward position to a radially outward position upon application of a centrifugal force above a threshold level, the clutch shoes configured to contact an interior surface of the drum at the outward position, each shoe including a spring cavity, the spring and damper assembly being located within the spring cavity,
- the spring and damper assembly comprising:
- a spring disposed within the spring cavity;
- a spring retainer located within the spring cavity and positioned against one end of the spring, the spring retainer engaged with the clutch hub and configured to locate the spring within the spring cavity;
- and
- a dampener located within the spring, the dampener being made from a material configured to reduce motion of the spring.
A centrifugal clutch for a continuously variable transmission, the centrifugal clutch comprising:
- a clutch hub rotatably located within a drum;
- a plurality of clutch shoes slidingly disposed within the clutch hub and configured to slide radially from an inward position to a radially outward position upon application of a centrifugal force above a threshold level, the clutch shoes arranged to contact an interior surface of the drum at the outward position, each clutch shoe including a spring cavity;
- a spring and damper assembly located within each spring cavity, the spring and damper assembly comprising:
- a spring having two opposed ends;
- a spring retainer located within the spring cavity and positioned against one of the ends of the spring, the spring retainer engaged with the clutch hub and configured to locating the spring within the spring cavity;
- and
- a dampener located within the spring, the dampener comprising a material that reduces motion of the spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.