Friction clutch with compensation for wear

A pressure plate arrangement for an engageable and disengageable friction clutch of a motor vehicle, comprising a clutch housing which is adapted to be fastened on a flywheel for rotation therewith around an axis of rotation, a pressure plate which is disposed on the clutch housing and is fixed against rotation relative to said clutch housing but is axially displaceable and is adapted to be supported on said flywheel via friction linings of a clutch disc, a diaphragm spring supported under prestress between said clutch housing and said pressure plate and abutting at least one shoulder provided on at least one of said pressure plate and said clutch housing, an adjusting device between said diaphragm spring and said pressure plate, said adjusting device having at least one wear path compensation member which is movable along an adjustment path and causes an axial movement of said pressure plate away from said diaphragm spring when said friction linings of said clutch disc are worn and the friction clutch is disengaged, characterized in that at least one play transfer device is guided so as to be at least approximately axially movable, but arrestable, on said pressure plate by friction, that at least one first limit stop which limits the movement of said at least one play transfer device toward said flywheel is provided on a component which is operatively connected with said clutch housing, and that said at least one play transfer device has a second stop which limits the adjustment path of said wear path compensation member in relation to said pressure plate.

A pressure plate arrangement for an engageable and disengageable friction clutch of a motor vehicle, comprising a clutch housing adapted to be fastened on a flywheel for rotation with said flywheel about an axis of rotation, a pressure plate disposed in said housing for rotation with and axial movement relative to said housing toward and away from said flywheel, said pressure plate being engageable with said flywheel by way of friction linings provided on a clutch disc and being subject to wear to thus permit increasing axial movements of said pressure plate toward said flywheel, a prestressed diaphragm spring disposed between a seat at said housing and a portion of said pressure plate, and an adjusting unit interposed between said diaphragm spring and said pressure plate and comprising at least one mobile wear compensating member arranged to effect, in the disengaged condition of said diaphragm spring, an axial movement of said pressure plate away from said diaphragm spring to thus compensate for wear upon said friction linings, a plurality of play transfer devices being distributed in a circumferential direction and being guided in a peripheral portion of said pressure plate for movement in at least substantial parallelism with said axis, said play transfer devices being arrestable by friction against movement relative to said pressure plate, characterized by the provision of first stops arranged to limit the movability of said play transfer devices toward said flywheel and provided on a component operatively connected with said housing, in that said play transfer devices are provided with second stops cooperating with said adjusting unit, and in that—during engagement of the clutch—said first stops block the movements of said play transfer devices with the pressure plate during that stage of movement of said pressure plate toward said flywheel which is attributable to said wear upon said friction linings to thus establish between said second stops and said adjusting unit a play which corresponds to the extent of wear upon said friction linings so that, during a next-following disengagement of the clutch, said at least one wear compensating member effects a movement of at least one of said play transfer devices relative to said pressure plate until said play is eliminated.

A repeatedly engageable and disengageable friction clutch for use in motor vehicles, comprising a flywheel rotatable about a predetermined axis by an engine of the vehicle;

• a housing rotatable with said flywheel about said axis;
• a pressure plate disposed between and rotatable with said flywheel and said housing and movable within limits relative to said housing in the direction of said axis;
• a prestressed diaphragm spring having a radially inner portion and a radially outer portion, one of said inner and outer portions reacting against said housing and the other of said inner and outer portions urging said pressure plate axially toward said flywheel;
• a clutch disc coaxial with and disposed between said flywheel and said pressure plate and having friction linings which are engaged by and rotate with said flywheel and said pressure plate in the engaged condition of the clutch, said friction linings being subject to wear as a result of repeated engagement and disengagement of the clutch with an attendant progressive axial movement of said pressure plate nearer to said flywheel in response to repeated engagement of the clutch and under the bias of said diaphragm spring;
• and means for automatically compensating for said wear by moving said pressure plate axially and away from said diaphragm spring, comprising at least one play determining device spaced apart from said axis in a radial direction of said pressure plate and having a portion extending toward said axis and at least indirectly engaging a locating element forming part of said wear compensating means and disposed between said diaphragm spring and said pressure plate, said at least one play determining device being received with friction and for axial movement in a passage which is provided in said pressure plate and is at least substantially parallel to said axis, and a sleeve received in said passage and at least partially surrounding said at least one play determining device, said at least one play determining device cooperating with an abutment arranged to limit the extent of movability of said at least one play determining device in a direction toward said flywheel and said wear compensating means being operative to automatically compensate—during disengagement of the clutch—for increasing clearances which develop between said pressure plate and said at least one play determining device as a result of the development of wear upon said friction linings.

An engageable and disengageable torque transmitting friction clutch for use in a motor vehicle, comprising a housing rotatable about a predetermined axis;

• a pressure plate;
• means for non-rotatably connecting said pressure plate to said housing with limited freedom of movement in the direction of said axis;
• a rotary counterpressure plate adjacent said pressure plate;
• a torque transmitting clutch disc between said plates;
• at least one resilient device reacting against said housing to bias said pressure plate toward said counterpressure plate to thereby clamp said clutch disc against said counterpressure plate and to rotate said clutch disc about said axis, said clutch disc having friction linings engageable by and disengageable from at least one of said plates and being subject to wear as a result of repeated engagement with and disengagement from said at least one plate;
• an adjusting unit including means for compensating for wear upon said friction linings to thereby maintain the bias of said device upon said pressure plate at a substantially constant value;
• means for engaging and disengaging the clutch including actuating means movable along a predetermined path to engage and disengage the clutch and means for moving said actuating means including a pedal;
• and means for varying the torque transmitted by the friction clutch, including means for gradually reducing the transmitted torque at least during a portion of movement of said actuating means along said path in a direction to disengage the clutch.

An engageable and disengageable friction clutch with automatic compensation for wear, for use in motor vehicles and being secured to a flywheel with the interposition of a clutch disc having friction linings which are subject to wear in response to repeated engagement and disengagement of the clutch, the clutch disc defining with said flywheel a rotational axis and comprising a pressure plate having a peripheral portion and being non-rotatably but axially movably installed in a clutch housing;

• a diaphragm spring installed in a prestressed condition between said pressure plate and said clutch housing and having a radially outer first portion and a smaller-diameter second portion, one of said first and second portions cooperating with said clutch housing and the other of said first and second portions cooperating with a support at said pressure plate, said support including an adjusting unit which permits an axial displacement of said pressure plate away from said diaphragm spring through a distance corresponding to the extent of wear upon said friction linings of said clutch disc, at least one sensor disposed at said pressure plate and having a first portion acting upon a component of said adjusting unit and being movable relative to said pressure plate, said at least one sensor being movable toward said flywheel in the direction of said axis and being adjustable relative to said pressure plate, said at least one sensor having a second portion cooperating with an abutment rigid with said clutch housing and arranged to limit the extent of movability of said first portion of said at least one sensor toward said flywheel, said adjusting unit being operative to penetrate, on disengagement of the clutch following the development of wear upon said friction linings, into a clearance which develops between said first portion of said at least one sensor and said pressure plate as a result of wear upon said friction linings.

An engageable and disengageable friction clutch with automatic compensation for wear, for use in motor vehicles and being secured to a flywheel with the interposition of a clutch disc having friction linings which are subject to wear in response to repeated engagement and disengagement of the clutch, the clutch defining with said flywheel a rotational axis and comprising a pressure plate having a peripheral portion and being non-rotatably but axially movably installed in a clutch housing;

• a diaphragm spring installed in a prestressed condition between said pressure plate and said clutch housing and having a radially outer first portion and a smaller-diameter second portion, one of said first and second portions cooperating with said clutch housing and the other of said first and second portions cooperating with a support at said pressure plate, said support including an adjusting unit which permits an axial displacement of said pressure plate away from said diaphragm spring through a distance corresponding to the extent of wear upon said friction linings of said clutch disc, at least one sensor disposed at said pressure plate and having a first portion acting upon a component of said adjusting unit and being movable relative to said pressure plate, said at least one sensor being movable toward said flywheel in the direction of said axis, said at least one sensor having a second portion cooperating with an abutment rigid with said clutch housing and arranged to limit the extent of movability of said first portion of said at least one sensor toward said flywheel, said adjusting unit being operative to penetrate, on disengagement of the clutch following the development of wear upon said friction linings, into a clearance which develops between said first portion and said component as a result of wear upon said friction linings.

An engageable and disengageable friction clutch for use in a motor vehicle, comprising a clutch housing which is adapted to be fastened on a flywheel for rotation therewith around an axis of rotation, a pressure plate which is disposed on a clutch housing and is fixed against rotation relative to said clutch housing but is axially displaceable and is adapted to be supported on said flywheel via friction linings of a clutch disc, a diaphragm spring supported under prestress between said clutch housing and said pressure plate, an adjusting device between said diaphragm spring and said pressure plate, said adjusting device having at least one wear path compensation member which is movable along an adjustment path and causes an axial movement of said pressure plate away from said diaphragm spring when said friction linings of said clutch disc are worn and the friction clutch is disengaged, at least one play transfer device supported so as to be at least approximately axially adjustable but arrestable on said pressure plate, said play transfer device having at least one first stop cooperating with an abutment supported by said clutch housing and causing the adjustment of said at least one play transfer device relative to said pressure plate, said at least one play transfer device having a second stop which limits the adjustment path of said wear path compensation member in relation to said pressure plate.