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AssigneeZF Sachs AG
InventorsAndrzej Szadkowski, Robert L. Page, Muneer Abusamra, Ronald B. Morford
Estimating the term…
A clutch assembly includes a diaphragm spring to bias a retainer assembly toward an engaged position. The retainer assembly actuates a lever to force a pressure plate into torque transmitting contact with a friction disc and a flywheel. Clutch straps bias the pressure plates toward a disengaged position. An adjusting ring shifts toward the flywheel to accommodate for wear of the friction disc. A resilient plate is attached to the adjusting ring and exerts a biasing force against the diaphragm spring. As the adjuster ring shifts toward the flywheel, the biasing force of the clutch straps increases and the biasing force of the resilient plate decreases to provide a substantially uniform clamp load throughout the life of the friction disc.
A clutch assembly comprising:
4 The assembly of claim 2, further including at least one lever operably connected between said retainer assembly and a movable support to transmit said retainer spring biasing force to said pressure plates.
5 The assembly of claim 4 wherein said movable support is movable toward said friction disc to accommodate an increase in distance between said engaged position and said release position.
6 The assembly of claim 2 wherein wear of said friction discs is accommodated automatically by adjustment of said pressure plates.
7 The assembly of claim 5 wherein said movable support is moved manually to accommodate for wear of said friction disc.
8 The assembly of claim 5 wherein said resilient member is a disc defining an inner diameter in associated with said retainer assembly, and an outer diameter associated with said movable support.
9 The assembly of claim 8 wherein said resilient member includes a plurality of fingers extending radially inward from said outer diameter.
10 he assembly of claim 9 wherein said retainer assembly includes axial grooves, and said fingers of said resilient member are engaged within said grooves.
11 The assembly of claim 1, wherein said retainer spring is a diaphragm spring.
A method of adjusting a clutch assembly to maintain a substantially constant mating position between a clutch bearing uniform clamp load during wear of a friction disc, said method comprising the steps of;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.