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US 5,690,203 AGranted
Motor vehicle friction clutch with automatic wear adjustment
AssigneeFichtel & Sachs AG
InventorsAchim Link, Reinhold Weidinger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A motor vehicle friction clutch which makes an automatic wear adjustment, whereby there is at least one clearance sensor which acts by means of an actuator lever which points radially inward on an adjustment device, is located opposite the application plate, and consists of a ring element which is realized in the form of a sheet metal ring which encircles the axis of rotation concentrically. As a result of the combination of these two elements, it is possible to make do with only one clearance sensor, which means that the overall system can be manufactured economically.
Claims20
A friction clutch for a motor vehicle, said friction clutch comprising:
- a clutch housing;
- a clutch disc disposed within said housing, said clutch disc defining an axis of rotation and an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation;
- said clutch disc for being disposed on a transmission input shaft;
- a pressure plate for engaging and disengaging said clutch disc with a flywheel of an internal combustion engine;
- said clutch disc being disposed between said pressure plate and the flywheel, said clutch disc comprising friction lining means for contacting the flywheel and said pressure plate upon engagement of said friction clutch;
- first means for biasing said pressure plate towards the flywheel, said first biasing means being disposed between said clutch housing and said pressure plate;
- means for adjusting the axial distance between said pressure plate and said first means for biasing upon wear of said friction lining means;
- at least one means for sensing wear of said friction lining means, said at least one sensing means comprising:
- projection means, said protection means comprising:
- a first portion extending towards said adjusting means;
- said first portion being operatively connected to said adjusting means to permit said adjusting means to adjust the axial distance between said pressure plate and said first means for biasing during a disengagement
- process of said friction clutch, which disengagement process follows an engagement process of said friction clutch wherein wear of said friction lining means has occurred;
- and
- a second portion disposed in said pressure plate;
- means for providing friction for frictionally positioning said second portion with respect to said pressure plate, said means for providing friction comprising means for permitting sliding axial movement, against said friction, of at least one of:
- said pressure plate, and said at least one sensing means, one with respect to the other;
- said at least one sensing means comprising means for receiving said second portion of said projection means, said means for receiving being disposed in said pressure plate;
- said means for receiving comprising a bore, said bore having a longitudinal axis defined substantially parallel to the axis of rotation;
- said at least one sensing means comprising means for limiting movement of said at least one sensing means towards the flywheel;
- and
- said means for providing friction comprising second means for biasing said first portion away from said pressure plate.
18 more elements
A friction clutch for a motor vehicle, said friction clutch comprising:
- a clutch housing;
- a clutch disc disposed within said housing, said clutch disc defining an axis of rotation and an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation;
- said clutch disc for being disposed on a transmission input shaft;
- a pressure plate for engaging and disengaging said clutch disc with a flywheel of an internal combustion engine;
- said clutch disc being disposed between said pressure plate and the flywheel, said clutch disc comprising friction lining means for contacting the flywheel and said pressure plate upon engagement of said friction clutch;
- first means for biasing said pressure plate towards the flywheel, said first biasing means being disposed between said clutch housing and said pressure plate;
- means for adjusting the axial distance between said pressure plate and said first means for biasing upon wear of said friction lining means;
- at least one means for sensing wear of said friction lining means, said at least one sensing means comprising:
- projection means, said projection means comprising:
- a first portion extending towards said adjusting means;
- said first portion being operatively connected to said adjusting means to permit said adjusting means to adjust the axial distance between said pressure plate and said first means for biasing during a disengagement process of said friction clutch, which disengagement process follows an engagement process of said friction clutch wherein wear of said friction lining means has occurred;
- and
- a second portion disposed in said pressure plate;
- means for providing friction for frictionally positioning said second portion with respect to said pressure plate, said means for providing friction comprising means for permitting sliding axial movement, against said friction, of at least one of:
- said pressure plate, and said at least one sensing means, one with respect to the other;
- and
- said means for providing friction comprising second means for biasing said first portion away from said pressure plate.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.