Friction clutch for a motor vehicle

A method of making and operating a friction clutch for a motor vehicle, said friction clutch comprising:

• a flywheel, said flywheel having an axis of rotation and defining an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation;
• a housing;
• a clutch plate disposed within said housing, said clutch plate having an outer circumference disposed about the axis of rotation and an inner circumference disposed within said outer circumference;
• a pressure plate disposed within said housing for engaging and disengaging said clutch plate with said flywheel;
• said clutch plate being disposed between said flywheel and said pressure plate;
• means for biasing said pressure plate towards said flywheel;
• said clutch plate comprising:
• a hub for being non-rotationally connected to a transmission shaft, said hub being disposed at said inner circumference of said clutch plate;
• at least one friction lining being disposed for contacting said flywheel and being disposed for contacting said pressure plate upon engagement of said clutch plate, said at least one friction lining having an inner diameter and an outer diameter;
• said at least one friction lining having a predetermined surface area defined between said inner diameter and said outer diameter of said at least one friction lining;
• said at least one friction lining being disposed at said outer circumference of said clutch plate;
• means for enclosing at least said clutch plate, said enclosing means comprising wall means;
• said wall means having an interior portion facing towards said clutch plate and an exterior portion opposite said interior portion, said interior portion of said wall means having a diameter;
• said at least one friction lining being disposed to form a clearance between said interior portion of said wall means and said outer diameter of said at least one friction lining, said clearance being minimized but permitting substantially unencumbered rotation of said clutch plate during operation of said friction clutch;
• and said outer diameter of said at least one friction lining being maximized with respect to said diameter of said interior portion of said wall means, and said inner diameter of said at least one friction lining being maximized to maintain said predetermined surface area of said at least one friction lining, said method comprising the steps of:
• providing a flywheel, said flywheel having an axis of rotation and defining an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation;
• providing a housing;
• providing a clutch plate, said clutch plate having an outer circumference disposed about the axis of rotation and an inner circumference disposed within said outer circumference;
• providing a pressure plate for engaging and disengaging said clutch plate with said flywheel;
• providing means for biasing said pressure plate towards said flywheel;
• said step of providing said clutch plate further comprising:
• providing a hub for being non-rotationally connected to a transmission shaft;
• providing at least one friction lining for contacting said flywheel and for contacting said pressure plate upon engagement of said clutch plate, said at least one friction lining having an inner diameter and an outer diameter;
• providing said at least one friction lining with a predetermined surface area defined between said inner diameter and said outer diameter of said at least one friction lining;
• providing means for enclosing at least said clutch plate;
• said step of providing said enclosing means further comprises providing wall means;
• said step of providing said wall means further comprises providing said wall means with an interior portion facing towards said clutch plate and an exterior portion opposite said interior portion, said interior portion of said wall means having a diameter;
• said method further comprising the steps of:
• disposing said at least one friction lining for contacting said flywheel and for contacting said pressure plate upon engagement of said clutch plate;
• further disposing said at least one friction lining at said outer circumference of said clutch plate;
• disposing said hub at said inner circumference of said clutch plate;
• non-rotationally connecting said hub to a transmission shaft;
• disposing said clutch plate within said housing;
• disposing said pressure plate within said housing;
• further disposing said clutch plate between said flywheel and said pressure plate;
• enclosing at least said clutch plate with said enclosing means;
• biasing said pressure plate towards said flywheel, with said biasing means;
• engaging said clutch plate with said flywheel, by means of said pressure plate, to make contact between said at least one friction lining, said flywheel and said pressure plate;
• disengaging said clutch plate with said flywheel, by releasing said pressure plate, and discontinuing contact between said at least one friction lining, said flywheel and said pressure plate;
• further disposing said at least one friction lining to form a clearance between said interior portion of said wall means and said outer diameter of said at least one friction lining;
• minimizing said clearance while permitting substantially unencumbered rotation of said clutch plate during operation of said friction clutch;
• maximizing said outer diameter of said at least one friction lining with respect to said diameter of said interior portion of said wall means, and maximizing said inner diameter of said at least one friction lining to maintain said predetermined surface area of said at least one friction lining;
• configuring said housing to comprise an elastic portion and a portion adjacent to said elastic portion;
• configuring said elastic portion to be substantially more elastic than said adjacent housing portion;
• and
• providing sufficient elasticity by said elastic portion to reduce the force required to activate the clutch.

A friction clutch, for a motor vehicle, said friction clutch comprising;

• a flywheel, said flywheel having an axis of rotation and defining an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation;
• a housing;
• a clutch plate disposed within said housing, said clutch plate having an outer circumference disposed about the axis of rotation and an inner circumference disposed within said outer circumference;
• a pressure plate disposed within said housing for engaging and disengaging said clutch plate with said flywheel;
• first means for biasing said pressure plate towards said flywheel;
• said clutch plate being disposed between said flywheel and said pressure plate;
• said clutch plate comprising:
• a hub for being non-rotationally connected to a transmission shaft, said hub being disposed at said inner circumference of said clutch plate;
• a first friction lining and a second friction lining for contacting said flywheel and said pressure plate upon engagement of said clutch plate;
• said first friction lining and said second friction lining being disposed at said outer circumference of said clutch plate;
• second means for biasing said first friction lining and said second friction lining away from one another;
• said second biasing means having means for permitting axial movement of said first friction lining and said second friction lining towards one another upon engagement of said first friction lining and said second friction lining between said flywheel and said pressure plate, said axial movement being of a minimum dimension sufficient to compensate for thermal distortions, at maximum operating temperatures, of at least one of:
• said flywheel and said pressure plate;
• said housing comprising an elastic portion and a portion adjacent to said elastic portion;
• said elastic portion being substantially more elastic than said adjacent housing portion;
• and
• said elastic portion having sufficient elasticity to reduce the force required to activate the clutch.

A method of making and operating a friction clutch for a motor vehicle, said friction clutch comprising:

• a flywheel, said flywheel having an axis of rotation and defining an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation;
• a housing;
• a clutch plate disposed within said housing, said clutch plate having an outer circumference disposed about the axis of rotation and an inner circumference disposed within said outer circumference;
• a pressure plate disposed within said housing for engaging and disengaging said clutch plate with said flywheel;
• said clutch plate being disposed between said flywheel and said pressure plate;
• said clutch plate comprising:
• a hub for being non-rotationally connected to a transmission shaft, said hub being disposed at said inner circumference of said clutch plate;
• a first friction lining and a second friction lining for contacting said flywheel and said pressure plate upon engagement of said clutch plate;
• said first friction lining and said second friction lining being disposed at said outer circumference of said clutch plate;
• means for biasing said first friction lining and said second friction lining away from one another;
• and said biasing means having means for permitting axial movement of said first friction lining and said second friction lining towards one another upon engagement of said first friction lining and said second friction lining between said flywheel and said pressure plate, said axial movement being of a minimum dimension sufficient to compensate for thermal distortions, at maximum operating temperatures, of at least one of:
• said flywheel and said pressure plate, said method comprising the steps of:
• providing a flywheel, said flywheel having an axis of rotation and defining an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation;
• providing a housing;
• providing a clutch plate, said clutch plate having an outer circumference disposed about the axis of rotation and an inner circumference disposed within said outer circumference;
• providing a pressure plate for engaging and disengaging said clutch plate with said flywheel;
• providing first means for biasing said pressure plate towards said flywheel;
• said step of providing said clutch plate further comprising:
• providing a hub for being non-rotationally connected to a transmission shaft;
• providing a first friction lining and a second friction lining for contacting said flywheel and said pressure plate upon engagement of said clutch plate;
• providing second means for biasing said first friction lining and said second friction lining away from one another;
• and
• said step of providing said second biasing means further comprises providing means for permitting axial movement of said first friction lining and said second friction lining towards one another upon engagement of said first friction lining and said second friction lining between said flywheel and said pressure plate;
• said method further comprising the steps of:
• disposing said hub at said inner circumference of said clutch plate;
• non-rotationally connecting said hub to a transmission shaft;
• disposing said first friction lining and said second friction lining at said outer circumference of said clutch plate;
• disposing said clutch plate within said housing;
• disposing said pressure plate within said housing;
• further disposing said clutch plate between said flywheel and said pressure plate;
• biasing said pressure plate towards said flywheel, with said first biasing means;
• biasing said first friction lining and said second friction lining away from one another, with said second biasing means;
• engaging said clutch plate with said flywheel, with said pressure plate, and contacting said first friction lining with said flywheel and said second friction lining with said pressure plate;
• permitting minimal axial movement, with said means for permitting axial movement, of said first friction lining and said second friction lining towards one another upon engagement of said first friction lining and said second friction lining between said flywheel and said pressure plate, to compensate for thermal distortions, at maximum operating temperatures, of at least one of:
• said flywheel and said pressure plate;
• configuring said housing to comprise an elastic portion and a portion adjacent to said elastic portion;
• configuring said elastic portion to be substantially more elastic than said adjacent housing portion;
• and
• providing sufficient elasticity by said elastic portion to reduce the force required to activate the clutch.