Clutch apparatus

A clutch apparatus to transmit a rotational driving force of an input shaft to an output shaft or cut off the rotational driving force, the clutch apparatus comprising:

• a clutch center housed in a clutch housing holding input-side rotary plates to be rotationally driven in response to rotational driving of the input shaft, the clutch center holding some of output-side rotary plates positioned alternately with the input-side rotary plates, the clutch center being rotationally drivable together with the output shaft;
• and
• a pressure plate movable toward or away from the clutch center and configured to hold a remaining one or more output-side rotary plates and to push the input-side rotary plates and the output-side rotary plates;
• wherein
• the clutch center includes:
• a center-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in a movement direction, where a direction in which the pressure plate is movable toward and away from the clutch center is the movement direction;
• and
• center-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in a radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the center-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in a circumferential direction;
• the pressure plate includes:
• a pressure-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in the movement direction;
• and
• pressure-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in the radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the pressure-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in the circumferential direction;
• when viewed in an axial direction of the output shaft, a center-side annular portion at least partially overlaps with a pressure-side annular portion, the center-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a center-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a center-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, the pressure-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a pressure-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a pressure-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction;
• and
• during at least part of a period including a driving state in which the pressure plate is located closest to the clutch center, a driving state in which the pressure plate is located farthest away from the clutch center, and a transition from a former driving state to a latter driving state, at least portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth overlap with the center-side fitting teeth when viewed in the axial direction of the output shaft.

A clutch apparatus to transmit a rotational driving force of an input shaft to an output shaft or cut off the rotational driving force, the clutch apparatus comprising:

• a clutch center housed in a clutch housing holding input-side rotary plates to be rotationally driven in response to rotational driving of the input shaft, the clutch center holding some of output-side rotary plates positioned alternately with the input-side rotary plates, the clutch center being rotationally drivable together with the output shaft;
• and
• a pressure plate movable toward or away from the clutch center and configured to hold the remaining one or more output-side rotary plates and to push the input-side rotary plates and the output-side rotary plates;
• wherein
• the clutch center includes:
• a center-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in a movement direction, where a direction in which the pressure plate is movable toward and away from the clutch center is the movement direction;
• and
• center-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in a radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the center-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in a circumferential direction;
• the pressure plate includes:
• a pressure-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in the movement direction;
• and
• pressure-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in the radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the pressure-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in the circumferential direction;
• when viewed in an axial direction of the output shaft, a center-side annular portion at least partially overlaps with a pressure-side annular portion, the center-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a center-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a center-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, the pressure-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a pressure-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a pressure-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction;
• and
• during at least part of a half-clutch state, at least portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth overlap with the center-side fitting teeth when viewed in the axial direction of the output shaft.

A clutch apparatus to transmit a rotational driving force of an input shaft to an output shaft or cut off the rotational driving force, the clutch apparatus comprising:

• a clutch center housed in a clutch housing holding input-side rotary plates to be rotationally driven in response to rotational driving of the input shaft, the clutch center holding some of output-side rotary plates positioned alternately with the input-side rotary plates, the clutch center being rotationally drivable together with the output shaft;
• and
• a pressure plate movable toward or away from the clutch center and configured to hold the remaining one or more output-side rotary plates and to push the input-side rotary plates and the output-side rotary plates;
• wherein
• the clutch center includes:
• a center-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in a movement direction, where a direction in which the pressure plate is movable toward and away from the clutch center is the movement direction;
• center-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in a radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the center-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in a circumferential direction;
• center-side spline grooves each provided between adjacent ones of the center-side fitting teeth;
• and
• center-side cam portions including
• center-side assist cam surfaces to, upon rotation of the clutch center relative to the pressure plate, produce a force in a direction from the pressure plate toward the clutch center to increase a pushing force for the input-side rotary plates and the output-side rotary plates;
• and
• center-side slipper cam surfaces to, upon rotation of the clutch center relative to the pressure plate, move the pressure plate away from the clutch center to reduce the pushing force for the input-side rotary plates and the output-side rotary plates;
• the pressure plate includes:
• a pressure-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in the movement direction;
• pressure-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in the radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the pressure-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in the circumferential direction;
• pressure-side spline grooves each provided between adjacent ones of the pressure-side fitting teeth;
• and
• pressure-side cam portions including:
• pressure-side assist cam surfaces to, upon rotation of the pressure plate relative to the clutch center, produce a force in the direction from the pressure plate toward the clutch center to increase the pushing force for the input-side rotary plates and the output-side rotary plates;
• and
• pressure-side slipper cam surfaces to, upon rotation of the pressure plate relative to the clutch center, move the pressure plate away from the clutch center to reduce the pushing force for the input-side rotary plates and the output-side rotary plates;
• when viewed in an axial direction of the output shaft, a center-side annular portion at least partially overlaps with a pressure-side annular portion, the center-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a center-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a center-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, the pressure-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a pressure-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a pressure-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction;
• and
• during at least part of a period including a state in which the center-side assist cam surfaces and the pressure-side assist cam surfaces are in contact with each other, a state in which the center-side slipper cam surfaces and the pressure-side slipper cam surfaces are in contact with each other, and a transition from a former state to a latter state, at least portions of the pressure-side spline grooves overlap with the center-side spline grooves when viewed in the axial direction of the output shaft.

A clutch apparatus to transmit a rotational driving force of an input shaft to an output shaft or cut off the rotational driving force, the clutch apparatus comprising:

• a clutch center housed in a clutch housing holding input-side rotary plates to be rotationally driven in response to rotational driving of the input shaft, the clutch center holding some of output-side rotary plates positioned alternately with the input-side rotary plates, the clutch center being rotationally drivable together with the output shaft;
• and
• a pressure plate movable toward or away from the clutch center and configured to hold the remaining one or more output-side rotary plates and to push the input-side rotary plates and the output-side rotary plates;
• wherein
• the clutch center includes:
• a center-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in a movement direction, where a direction in which the pressure plate is movable toward and away from the clutch center is the movement direction;
• center-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in a radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the center-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in a circumferential direction;
• and
• center-side spline grooves each provided between adjacent ones of the center-side fitting teeth;
• the pressure plate includes:
• a pressure-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in the movement direction;
• pressure-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in the radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the pressure-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in the circumferential direction;
• and
• pressure-side spline grooves each provided between adjacent ones of the pressure-side fitting teeth;
• when viewed in an axial direction of the output shaft, a center-side annular portion at least partially overlaps with a pressure-side annular portion, the center-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a center-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a center-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, the pressure-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a pressure-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a pressure-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction;
• and
• during at least part of a period including a driving state in which the pressure plate is located closest to the clutch center, a driving state in which the pressure plate is located farthest away from the clutch center, and a transition from a former driving state to a latter driving state, at least portions of the pressure-side spline grooves overlap with the center-side spline grooves when viewed in the axial direction of the output shaft.

A clutch apparatus to transmit a rotational driving force of an input shaft to an output shaft or cut off the rotational driving force, the clutch apparatus comprising:

• a clutch center housed in a clutch housing holding input-side rotary plates to be rotationally driven in response to rotational driving of the input shaft, the clutch center holding some of output-side rotary plates positioned alternately with the input-side rotary plates, the clutch center being rotationally drivable together with the output shaft;
• and
• a pressure plate movable toward or away from the clutch center and configured to hold the remaining one or more output-side rotary plates and to push the input-side rotary plates and the output-side rotary plates;
• wherein
• the clutch center includes:
• a center-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in a movement direction, where a direction in which the pressure plate is movable toward and away from the clutch center is the movement direction;
• center-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in a radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the center-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in a circumferential direction;
• and
• center-side spline grooves each provided between adjacent ones of the center-side fitting teeth;
• the pressure plate includes:
• a pressure-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in the movement direction;
• pressure-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in the radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the pressure-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in the circumferential direction;
• and
• pressure-side spline grooves each provided between adjacent ones of the pressure-side fitting teeth;
• when viewed in an axial direction of the output shaft, a center-side annular portion at least partially overlaps with a pressure-side annular portion, the center-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a center-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a center-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, the pressure-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a pressure-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a pressure-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction;
• and
• during at least part of a half-clutch state, at least portions of the pressure-side spline grooves overlap with the center-side spline grooves when viewed in the axial direction of the output shaft.

A clutch apparatus to transmit a rotational driving force of an input shaft to an output shaft or cut off the rotational driving force, the clutch apparatus comprising:

• a clutch center housed in a clutch housing holding input-side rotary plates to be rotationally driven in response to rotational driving of the input shaft, the clutch center holding some of output-side rotary plates positioned alternately with the input-side rotary plates, the clutch center being rotationally drivable together with the output shaft;
• and
• a pressure plate movable toward or away from the clutch center and configured to hold the remaining one or more output-side rotary plates and to push the input-side rotary plates and the output-side rotary plates;
• wherein
• the clutch center includes:
• a center-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in a movement direction, where a direction in which the pressure plate is movable toward and away from the clutch center is the movement direction;
• center-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in a radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the center-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in a circumferential direction;
• and
• center-side spline grooves each provided between adjacent ones of the center-side fitting teeth;
• the pressure plate includes:
• a pressure-side outer peripheral wall having an annular shape extending in the movement direction;
• pressure-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotary plates, protruding outward in the radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the pressure-side outer peripheral wall, and arranged in the circumferential direction;
• and
• pressure-side spline grooves each provided between adjacent ones of the pressure-side fitting teeth;
• when viewed in an axial direction of the output shaft, a center-side annular portion at least partially overlaps with a pressure-side annular portion, the center-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a center-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a center-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the center-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, the pressure-side annular portion having an annular shape bounded in the radial direction by a pressure-side tooth tip circle passing through tooth tips that are outermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction, and a pressure-side tooth bottom circle passing through tooth bottoms that are innermost portions of the pressure-side fitting teeth in the radial direction;
• and
• during at least part of a period including a driving state in which the pressure plate is located closest to the clutch center, a driving state in which the pressure plate is located farthest away from the clutch center, and a transition from a former driving state to a latter driving state, a central line of each of the center-side spline grooves extending in the axial direction of the output shaft and a central line of an associated one of the pressure-side spline grooves extending in the axial direction of the output shaft are collinear when viewed in a radial direction of the output shaft, and at least a portion of an inner surface of each of the center-side spline grooves in the radial direction and at least a portion of an inner surface of an associated one of the pressure-side spline grooves in the radial direction are coplanar when viewed in the axial direction of the output shaft.