Abstract: The present invention provides a starting clutch disposed between a transmission and an engine and having a wet type multi-plate clutch for transmitting a power, in which the wet type multi-plate clutch includes a plurality of friction plates housed for an axial sliding movement, a clutch drum for housing the friction plates, and a piston for urging a radial central region or therearound of the friction plate to engage the friction plates, and oil which has lubricated the wet type multi-plate clutch is temporarily trapped within the clutch drum and then is discharged.

Abstract: The present invention provides a starting clutch disposed between a transmission and an engine and having a wet type multi-plate clutch for transmitting a power, in which the wet type multi-plate clutch includes a plurality of friction plates housed for an axial sliding movement, a clutch drum for housing the friction plates, and a piston for urging a radial central region or therearound of the friction plate to engage the friction plates, and oil which has lubricated the wet type multi-plate clutch is temporarily trapped within the clutch drum and then is discharged.

Abstract: A novel contact area measuring apparatus is provided. The contact area measuring apparatus includes a light transmissive substrate 6 in contact with a specimen 7, illumination means for illuminating the light transmissive substrate 6 with white light from the opposite side of the light transmissive substrate 6 to the specimen 7, interference image acquisition means 11 for acquiring an interference image produced by the light reflected off the specimen 7 and the light reflected off the light transmissive substrate 6, intensity histogram creation means for creating an intensity histogram from information on the intensity of the interference image, and contact area computation means for calculating a contact area from the intensity histogram. The interference image acquisition means 11 acquires an interference image and information on the intensity of the interference image.

Abstract: The present invention provides a starting clutch disposed between a transmission and an engine and having a wet type multi-plate clutch for transmitting a power, in which the wet type multi-plate clutch includes a plurality of friction plates housed for an axial sliding movement, a clutch drum for housing the friction plates, and a piston for urging a radial central region or therearound of the friction plate to engage the friction plates, and oil which has lubricated the wet type multi-plate clutch is temporarily trapped within the clutch drum and then is discharged.

Abstract: A lubrication controlling method for a starting clutch including a wet type multi-plate clutch disposed between a transmission and an engine of a vehicle and adapted to transmit a power, the method including always supplying lubricant oil during an operation of the wet type multi-plate clutch, continuously changing a flow amount of the lubricant oil in accordance with a condition of the wet type multi-plate clutch, and controlling the amount of the lubricant oil so that a supplied amount of the lubricant oil during an idle rotation of the wet type multi-plate clutch is greater than a supplied amount of the lubricant oil during the complete engagement of the wet type multi-plate clutch.

Abstract: A novel contact area measuring apparatus is provided. The contact area measuring apparatus includes a light transmissive substrate 6 in contact with a specimen 7, illumination means for illuminating the light transmissive substrate 6 with white light from the opposite side of the light transmissive substrate 6 to the specimen 7, interference image acquisition means 11 for acquiring an interference image produced by the light reflected off the specimen 7 and the light reflected off the light transmissive substrate 6, intensity histogram creation means for creating an intensity histogram from information on the intensity of the interference image, and contact area computation means for calculating a contact area from the intensity histogram. The interference image acquisition means 11 acquires an interference image and information on the intensity of the interference image.

Abstract: A starting clutch is disposed between a transmission and an engine and including a wet type multi-plate clutch adapted to transmit a power. The wet type multi-plate clutch comprises a plurality of friction engaging elements housed for an axial sliding movement, a clutch drum for accommodating the friction engaging elements, a clutch hub disposed at an inner diameter side of the clutch drum to support the friction engaging elements for the axial sliding movement, and a piston for applying a pressing force to the friction engaging elements to tighten the wet type multi-plate clutch. The starting clutch includes a housing adapted to accommodate the wet type multi-plate clutch and driven by the engine, and in a condition that oil is filled within the starting clutch, the oil supplied to the housing is flown along an outer periphery of the clutch drum and is discharged from the housing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a starting clutch apparatus comprising a damper device connected to an output member of an engine, a wet type multi-plate clutch housed in a housing, a piston for pressing the wet type multi-plate clutch to tighten the clutch, and an output member connected to an input shaft of an automatic transmission and wherein an output of the engine is connected to or disconnected from the input shaft of the automatic transmission by engaging or disengaging the wet type multi-plate clutch, and further wherein the housing is provided with a discharge oil path through which oil which lubricated the wet type multi-plate clutch is returned toward the automatic transmission.

Abstract: The present invention provides a starting clutch apparatus comprising a damper device connected to an output member of an engine, a wet type multi-plate clutch housed in a housing, a piston for pressing the wet type multi-plate clutch to tighten the clutch, and an output member connected to an input shaft of an automatic transmission and wherein an output of the engine is connected to or disconnected from the input shaft of the automatic transmission by engaging or disengaging the wet type multi-plate clutch, and further wherein the damper device includes a damper output portion engaged by an outer diameter portion of the housing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lubrication controlling method for a starting clutch disposed between a transmission and an engine of a vehicle and having a wet type multi-plate clutch for transmitting a power, the method comprising the steps of detecting a temperature of oil in the starting clutch by means of a first temperature sensor, and controlling a flow amount of lubricant oil of the starting clutch in accordance with the temperature of the oil detected by the first temperature sensor, regardless of a running condition of the vehicle, and wherein the controlling step is performed in such a manner that, if the temperature of the oil is below a first set value, the flow amount is minimized, and, if the temperature of the oil is above a second set value, the flow amount is maximized, and, if the temperature of the oil is between the first and second set values, the flow amount of the lubricant oil is continuously changed in accordance with the temperature of the oil.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lubrication controlling method for a starting clutch including a wet type multi-plate clutch disposed between a transmission and an engine of a vehicle and adapted to transmit a power, the method comprising the steps of always supplying lubricant oil during an operation of the wet type multi-plate clutch, continuously changing a flow amount of the lubricant oil in accordance with a condition of the wet type multi-plate clutch, and controlling the amount of the lubricant oil so that a supplying amount of the lubricant oil during an idle rotation of the wet type multi-plate clutch becomes greater than a supplying amount of the lubricant oil during the complete engagement of the wet type multi-plate clutch.

Abstract: The present invention provides a starting clutch disposed between a transmission and an engine and having a wet type multi-plate clutch for transmitting a power, in which the wet type multi-plate clutch includes a plurality of friction plates housed for an axial sliding movement, a clutch drum for housing the friction plates, and a piston for urging a radial central region or therearound of the friction plate to engage the friction plates, and oil which has lubricated the wet type multi-plate clutch is temporarily trapped within the clutch drum and then is discharged.

Abstract: The present invention provides a starting clutch disposed between a transmission and an engine and having a wet type multi-plate clutch for transmitting a power, in which the wet type multi-plate clutch includes a plurality of friction plates housed for an axial sliding movement, and a clutch drum for housing the friction plates, and oil which has lubricated the wet type multi-plate clutch is trapped within the clutch drum and then is discharged.

Abstract: The present invention provides a starting clutch disposed between an engine and a transmission, comprising a clutch drum to which a rotation driving force is inputted from the engine and which holds a plurality of outer plates for an axial sliding movement, a hub member which is disposed in an inner diameter direction of the clutch drum and which holds a plurality of inner plates arranged alternately with the plurality of the outer plates for an axial movement, and a piston disposed within the clutch drum and adapted to apply an urging force to the outer plates and the inner plates to engage these plates with each other, and wherein the hub member is fitted on an input shaft of the transmission for an axial movement and an outer end portion of the clutch drum extending toward the engine is supported by a crankshaft of the engine and an inner end portion of the clutch drum extending toward the transmission is supported by an outer periphery of the hub member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wet multi-plate clutch of mechanical coupling type in which friction engaging elements and mechanical coupling elements are operated by a single piston and wherein the friction engaging elements are operated by an urging force of the single piston smaller than a predetermined load, and the friction engaging elements and mechanical coupling elements are operated by an urging force of the single piston greater than the predetermined load.

Abstract: A multiplate wet clutch has a first clutch portion comprising at least a first engaging element and a first engaged element, which are alternately arranged, a second clutch portion comprising at least a second engaging element and a second engaged element and a piston which fastens and releases engagements between the first and second engaging elements and the first and second engaged elements. The piston presses the first and the second clutch portions.

Abstract: A multiple disc clutch apparatus in which a plurality of driven plates and a plurality of driving plates are disposed alternately and slipped to be engaged or disengaged by pressure applied from a piston includes, in a housing storing the driven plates and the driving plates, a cooling means that cools the multiple disc clutch such that when slipping rotation speed is low, a lubricating oil discharge hole on the housing is closed and lubricating oil is retained in the housing and when slipping rotation speed is high, the lubricating oil discharge hole is opened and lubricating oil is released from the housing.

Abstract: A multiple disc clutch apparatus in which a plurality of driven plates and a plurality of driving plates are disposed alternately and slipped to be engaged or disengaged by pressure applied from a piston includes, in a drum storing the driven plates and the driving plates, a cooling means that cools the multiple disc clutch such that when temperature of the clutch is low, a lubricating oil discharge hole disposed on the housing is closed and lubricating oil is retained in a housing and when the temperature is high, the lubricating oil discharge hole is opened and lubricating oil is released from the housing.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hub for a wet multi-plate clutch which is provided with an outer cylindrical portion having splines formed on the outer periphery thereof and oil holes formed through from the inner periphery to the outer periphery thereof. A stop ring is provided on the inner periphery of the outer cylindrical portion of the hub and a weir is constituted by this stop ring.