Abstract: A method for reducing overheating in a clutch assembly having a clutch housing, a shaft, and a clutch pack. The clutch pack includes a backing plate, an applied plate, a plurality of friction plates, and a plurality of reaction plates. A primary actuator applies pressure to the applied plate to longitudinally compress the entire clutch pack and couple rotation of the clutch housing and the shaft. A secondary actuator applies pressure to at least one plate in the plurality of friction plates and the plurality of reaction plates to longitudinally move the at least one plates independently of the applied plate. This relieves some of the torque transmitted across the clutch pack adjacent the applied plate and reduces localized temperature spikes in the clutch pack adjacent to the applied plate.

Abstract: A fluid clutch device having a fluid clutch in a body and a cover. A fan member is attached to the device. The body and fan member are both centered on the cover.

Abstract: A fan clutch for a vehicle may include a shaft rotated by a drive force and having a first oil line formed in the shaft in a radial direction thereof, a rotor rotated in combination with the shaft, wherein the rotor includes an oil storage chamber formed in the rotor and the oil storage chamber communicates with the first oil line, a valve formed in an end of the oil storage chamber and being selectively opened, wherein the valve may be configured to allow oil stored in the oil storage chamber to flow to an outside of the rotor through the first oil line, and a housing formed to surround the rotor, and provided with a second oil line through which the oil that has flowed through the valve flows to the first oil line through an actuation chamber surrounding the rotor.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a clutch set, a tank with fluid, an auxiliary battery, an electric fuel pump, and a controller. The electric fluid pump delivers some of the fluid from the tank to a designated oncoming clutch of the clutch set. The controller calculates a predicted flow value for the oncoming clutch during the shift event, and selectively controls the speed of the pump using the predicted flow value during the shift event. The controller controls the pump using an actual flow value when the vehicle is not executing a shift event, i.e., when holding torque. The speed of the electric fluid pump is increased to a first calculated speed determined using the predicted flow value when the shift event is initiated and before filling of the oncoming clutch commences, and is reduced to a second calculated speed determined using the actual flow value when the shift event is complete.

Abstract: A clutch device includes a sleeve-shaped first drive member, a first seal member, a second seal member, a plug, a second drive member, and a control member. The first drive member, the first seal member and second seal member cooperate to form a sealed chamber filled with hydraulic liquid. The plug divides the sealed chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber, and the plug defines a screw hole and an opening communicating the first chamber with the second chamber respectively. An output shaft is extended from the plug. The second drive member is driven by the first drive member, and includes a screw shaft threadedly engaged with the screw hole of the plug. The control member is configured for covering or uncovering the opening of the plug. The clutch device is used for prevent overload.

Abstract: A clutch device includes a sleeve-shaped first drive member, a first seal member, a second seal member, a plug, a second drive member, and a control member. The fist drive member, the first seal member and second seal member cooperate to form a sealed chamber filled with hydraulic liquid. The plug divides the sealed chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber, and the plug defines a screw hole and an opening communicating the first chamber with the second chamber respectively. An output shaft is extended from the plug. The second drive member is driven by the first drive member, and includes a screw shaft threadedly engaged with the screw hole of the plug. The control member is configured for covering or uncovering the opening of the plug. The clutch device is used for prevent overload.

Abstract: A fluid-filled clutch arrangement includes a housing; a piston mounted with freedom of axial movement in the housing, the piston being sealed against the housing, the piston having a drive side bounding a drive side pressure space from a takeoff side bounding a takeoff side pressure space; a clutch which can establish and release a working connection between a drive and a takeoff as a function of the position of the piston relative to the clutch; and a partition wall bounding the takeoff side pressure space opposite the piston, the partition wall being active between the takeoff side pressure space and a cooling space. At least one supply line connects a fluid supply source to at least one of the drive-side pressure space, the takeoff side pressure space, and the cooling space.

Abstract: A coupling assembly for use in transmitting force includes a housing which at least partially encloses a rotatable disc. The housing has a plate portion with an annular force transmitting surface which is engagable with the rotatable disc. A cooling fluid channel is at least partially defined by a side of the plate portion opposite from the force transmitting surface. A plurality of indentations disposed in an inner surface 60b of the force transmitting surface of the plate portion create turbulent and secondary flow in a path of flow of cooling fluid through the cooling fluid channel. A cooling fluid inlet includes a passage having a portion with a large cross section connected in fluid communication with a radially outer portion of the cooling fluid channel. A portion of the inlet passage having a small cross section is connected in fluid communication with a radially inner portion of the cooling fluid channel. Optional ribs extend across the radially inner and outer portions of the cooling fluid channel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a torque transmission device, especially for the drive train of a motor vehicle, said device comprising a pump comprising a first pump part, a second pump part, a suction chamber and a pressure chamber, the first pump part and the second pump part being mutually rotatable. A rotary movement of the first pump part in relation to the second pump part allows a hydraulic fluid to be transported from the suction chamber into the pressure chamber of the pump, torque transmitted between the first pump part and the second pump part depending on the pump pressure generated by the pump. At least one pressure control device is associated with the pump, said device constricting a fluid stream transported by the pump in a variable manner in order to vary the rotational speeds of the first pump part and the second pump part in relation to each other.

Abstract: A clutch of hydraulic-pressure type comprising a linearly controlled piston (300) that is movable in a channel in the clutch and that carries a pivotally mounted support leg (208) that is spring biased into axial alignment with the piston, the side of which facing away from the support leg is loaded by the hydraulic pressure. The clutch is annular and co-operates with a shaft shank (1), and the free end of the support leg rests against a support surface carried by the shaft shank (1) upon rotation between the shaft shank (1) and the clutch (4), the support leg is turned away, whereby the piston (300) is displaced and opens a valve through which the hydraulic pressure is evacuated.

Abstract: In a frictional engagement apparatus that includes a clutch drum, separator plates, a clutch hub, and friction plates, a plurality of concave portions that dip inward in the plate thickness direction and a plurality of convex portions that protrude outward in the plate thickness direction are formed on an edge of the separator plates and/or a an edge of the friction plates, with each convex portion being arranged between two adjacent concave portions. Ridge lines of the concave portions and the convex portions pass through positions away from a center point of the separator plates and/or the friction plates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a clutch actuation mechanism having a valve, a plurality of couplings in fluid communication with the valve, wherein one of the plurality of couplings is operable to distribute power between a primary set of wheels and a secondary set of wheels, and another of the plurality of couplings is operable to distribute power between each of the secondary set of wheels. The present invention also includes a drive shaft driven by a source of power, which is also connected to the secondary set of wheels, and a pressure supply device in fluid communication with the valve, wherein the valve directs fluid to the plurality of couplings, and when the valve directs fluid to the one of the plurality of couplings operable to distribute power between the primary set and secondary set of wheels, the drive shaft will transfer power to the secondary set of wheels.

Abstract: A control unit has a closed-loop controller which is connected to a regulating electrovalve by way of a feedback branch, forming a closed-loop control circuit, in order to regulate the electrical coil current of the regulating electrovalve. The armature of the electrovalve is used to adjust a desired volume flow in a motor vehicle hydraulic device. The armature of the regulating electrovalve is continuously subjected to an armature oscillation in order to reduce the static friction and/or magnetic hysteresis. Inside the closed-loop controller of the closed-loop control circuit itself, the nominal current, which is supplied to the closed-loop controller on the input side as a command variable, is subjected to a dither signal generated inside the closed-loop controller for producing the armature oscillation, essentially synchronously to the clock cycle of the closed-loop controller.

Abstract: A fluid friction clutch with improved fluid pumping system. A scraping member is provided adjacent the clutch plate and has a duct which communicates with the reservoir chamber.

Abstract: A clutch assembly is provided including a controller, a plurality of vibration sensors, a clutch housing containing a lubricated clutch pack having a friction interface, a clutch piston responsive to a current command from the controller and operable for applying a compression force on the clutch pack, and a high-frequency (HF) oscillation source configured to generate at least one HF oscillation, and to direct the HF oscillation to the friction interface, wherein the controller is operable to detect clutch shudder and activate the source in response thereto to minimize the clutch shudder. The source includes HF hardware, and generates different HF oscillations applied directly to the clutch housing or to the clutch-apply current command. A method of reducing clutch shudder includes setting a threshold clutch shudder amplitude, detecting clutch shudder, and applying a HF oscillation to a friction interface to minimize clutch shudder when the detected shudder exceeds the threshold.

Abstract: A dual clutch transmission comprising a first clutch (16), which is hydraulically actuated by a first hydraulic cylinder (19), and a second clutch (18), which is hydraulically actuated by a second hydraulic cylinder (20), in addition to a plurality of hydraulically actuated shift cylinders (11, 12, 13, 14) for shifting gears, which can be subjected to pressure (p1, p2) by means of a selector valve arrangement (51), wherein the first hydraulic cylinder (19) and the second hydraulic cylinder (20) and the selector valve arrangement (51) are connected to a pressure side of a pressure device (24, 25, 26, 27, 28) by means of safety valves (52, 53, 54), which are actuated in unison.

Abstract: A clutch device for a motor vehicle has friction elements around which coolant flows and which, by way of a piston, can be pressed against one another for torque transmission. The first piston side is acted on with operating pressure, and the second piston side is acted on with coolant pressure. A valve, by which the operating pressure can be set, and a device which makes a reaction of the coolant pressure on the operating pressure possible are provided. The device is designed as a hydraulic resistance cascade and is connected between coolant supply and coolant return lines of the friction elements. A return pressure line branches off in the center of the hydraulic resistance cascade and is connected to the valve.

Abstract: In a clutch manipulation assist device which includes a clutch assist actuator, the actuator is arranged at a position where it is possible to suppress the influence of heat from an engine on the actuator without requiring the heat insulation structure or the like. In a clutch manipulation assist device which includes a clutch mechanism 61 which is arranged in a power transmission path for transmitting a rotational driving force of an engine to a wheel, a clutch-manipulation mechanism in which a clutch manipulation force is inputted, and an actuator which generates a clutch assist force in response to a manipulation of the clutch manipulation mechanism, the actuator is arranged in front of the engine and outside a main frame.

Abstract: An improved magnetorheological (MR) fluid fan drive design is disclosed. A critical area in the design of such fan drives is the gap for MR fluid between the rotor ring and the corresponding structure of the stator. The stator member must confine the MR fluid in the gap and the applied magnetic field for the fluid and the field coil close to it. In this disclosure a ferrous alloy stator insert is made as one piece and cast within a larger aluminum alloy stator body. A slot for the rotor ring is cut through stator insert separating it into two pieces that remain supported by the aluminum body. The magnetically permeable insert pieces confine the fluid and the magnetic field at the fluid gap around the rotor, and one of the stator insert pieces supports the field coil next to the gap.

Abstract: A hydraulically operated rotary clutch includes a housing, a triangular rotor, an input gear, an eccentric shaft, a main shaft, a shifting piston, and a mechanism to operate the shifting piston. The rotor orbits in an inner elliptical opening of the housing and forms fluid chambers which are filled with a hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic fluid circulates through fluid passages which extend between all fluid chambers when the shifting piston is positioned to allow such fluid circulation, thereby resulting in a disengagement of a drive and driven member. When the shifting piston is driven to restrict the fluid circulation, the driving force is gradually applied to the driven member. A full-scale power flow is reached when the shifting piston is positioned to completely cut off the fluid circulation between the fluid chambers and when the force exerted by the drive member is transmitted through the fluid onto the driven member.