Abstract: An input clutch lubrication control apparatus for au automatic transmission, including an oil pump, a sleeve, an input shaft rotatably supported by the sleeve, an electromagnetic input clutch drivingly coupled with the input shaft upon being applied, first and second lubrication circuits fluidly communicating the electromagnetic input clutch with the oil pump, and a controller programmed to control the first and second lubrication circuits to regulate an amount of the lubricating oil fed to the electromagnetic input clutch. First lubrication circuit includes an annular space between the input shaft and the sleeve. Second lubrication circuit includes an axial bore of the input shaft.

Abstract: A wet type friction member includes a core plate, a plurality of segmental friction units and oil grooves. The segmental friction units are bonded on the core plate at intervals in a ring-shaped manner. The oil grooves are demarcated and formed by facing end surfaces of neighboring two pieces of the segmental friction units, and connect an inner peripheral side of the core plate with an outer peripheral side thereof. At least one of the facing end surfaces of the segmental friction units have a cut-off portion, which is cut off inwardly, at an inner peripheral side end of the facing end surfaces and/or an intermediate portion thereof. The oil grooves are provided with a major-width portion of a wide groove width by the cut-off portion at an inner peripheral side opening of the oil grooves and/or an intermediate portion thereof.

Abstract: A multi-disk friction device includes a drive member having a plurality of drive disks supported for rotation with the drive member and a driven member having a plurality of driven disks supported for rotation with the driven member. The drive and driven disks are interleaved relative to each other such that each drive disk is adjacent to a driven disk and moveable toward and away from one another for providing selective frictional engagement therebetween and to transmit torque between the drive and driven members. Each of the drive and driven disks include a working face which is disposed for frictional engagement with the working face of an adjacent one of the disks. At least one of the working faces on an adjacent one of the disks includes a plurality of micro-pockets formed thereon. The micro-pockets act to store lubricating agents on the working faces.

Abstract: A hydraulically actuated power takeoff clutch assembly is rigidly coupled to the flywheel of an engine and has an input hub which serves as a gear to drive auxiliary hydraulic pumps. The input hub is a portion of a wet clutch which is hydraulically actuated through a rotary union connected to an output shaft. The serviceable parts of the clutch are secured to the output shaft and are separably removable from the hydraulic power takeoff assembly for servicing. The clutch is of a multiple disk type. An electronic controller monitors the input and output speeds of the hydraulic power takeoff device and is effective to “bump” the unit to accomodate high inertia loads and to further monitor the operation of the device, such that the clutch thereof serves as a torque limiter.

Abstract: A motor vehicle clutch has at least one flywheel 4a equipped with fan blades 34 at least in a zone that is radially between a hub 54 and a solid ring portion with a friction surface 52. The clutch is configured so that the fan blades of the rotating flywheel will generate an air stream to flow over the surface portion of the flywheel on the opposite side from the friction surface for efficient cooling of the clutch.

Abstract: A multiplate lockup clutch for use in fluid, principally in a torque converter is provided with a multiplicity of friction plates. Each of the friction plates is provided on a friction surface thereof with at least one combined groove, preferably, a plurality of combined grooves. Each combined groove consists of a first groove and a second groove. The first groove extends from an inner circumferential edge to an outer circumferential edge of the friction plate and communicates an inner circumference and an outer circumference of the friction plate with each other. The second groove intersects the first groove and extends in a circumferential direction of the friction plate. As an alternative, a multiplate lockup clutch useful in fluid, primarily in a torque converter is provided with a multiplicity of friction plates, and each of the friction plates is shaped in a waveform as viewed in a circumferential direction thereof.

Abstract: In a wet type multiplate clutch wherein outer tooth plates and inner tooth plates rotatable relative to each other are coaxially alternately disposed and are frictionally engaged with each other, of a plurality of oil grooves having opening portions opening to the inner peripheral edges of frictional materials secured to the inner tooth plates, at least 50 percent of the opening portions are opposed to a lubricant supply hole formed in a hub.

Abstract: A multi-plate clutch for a motor vehicle has a U-shaped spring element fastened to an intermediate plate for holding adjacent pressure plates at a distance from one another. The intermediate plate is reliably held between the pressure plates. Grinding of friction facings arranged between the intermediate plate and the pressure plates is accordingly minimized. The spring element is arranged in an area of an external toothing of the intermediate plate and therefore does not contribute to an increase in the radial dimensions of the multi-plate clutch.

Abstract: A clutch device includes a substantially annular input plate connected to a converter cover, a substantially annular output plate connected to a turbine hub so that the output plate is brought into contact with the input plate when the clutch device is engaged. The output plate has an inner toothed portion formed on its inner peripheral portion. A substantially cylindrical flanged portion is attached to the turbine hub serving as an output member. The substantially cylindrical flanged portion has an outer toothed portion formed on its outer peripheral portion and being in meshed-engagement with the inner toothed portion to allow axial sliding motion of the output plate relative to the substantially cylindrical flanged portion and to prevent relative rotation of the output plate to the substantially cylindrical flanged portion. A lubrication hole is formed in a bottom between two adjacent teeth of the outer toothed portion of the substantially cylindrical flanged portion.

Abstract: A friction member has a pair of friction facings 46a and 46b that are designed to reduce drag torque during operation in a fluid filled chamber. The friction member has a circular friction plate 43 with an aperture at its center and the friction facings 46a and 46b are coupled thereto. The friction member can be part of a lock-up device 4 of a torque converter 1 or a part of a power cut-off clutch 102 of a torque converter. The friction member has a first friction facing 46a that is formed of an annular and flat main body. The main body has a first surface fixedly coupled to the friction plate 43 and a second surface on the opposite side with a plurality of grooves 81. The grooves 81 extend through from the inner periphery to the outer periphery and having bent portions 83 and 85 at a middle area.

Abstract: A friction device includes piston assembly is responsive to the pressure of fluid in an expandable chamber to move between disengaged and engaged positions thereby actuating a clutch pack to connect and disconnect drive and driven members. The piston assembly includes a main body having an outer ring annularly disposed about the main body. The outer ring includes at least one orifice extending therethrough. The outer ring is movable between a first position wherein the orifice is closed and the drive and driven members are disconnected and a second position where the orifice is open to allow the flow of pressurized fluid through the orifice and from the outer diameter of the clutch pack between the adjacent plates and disks to the inner diameter of the clutch pack to cool same when the drive and driven members are connected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wet type multi-plate friction engaging apparatus in which axially shiftable outer tooth plates provided on an inner peripheral surface of a drum, and inner tooth plates disposed within the drum and spline-connected to an outer peripheral surface of a hub having lubricating oil supply holes open to the outer surface of the hub are arranged coaxially and alternately, so that the outer tooth plates and the inner tooth plates can be frictionally engaged with each other between a piston disposed at a closed end of the drum and a flange disposed at an open end of the drum by an urging force of the piston, and wherein the drum is not rotated or rotated at a low speed, and friction material are adhered to only the outer tooth plates or the outer tooth plates and the flange.

Abstract: A friction device includes a clutch pack operable to connect and disconnect drive and driven members for transferring and interrupting torque therebetween. A piston is supported in the clutch housing and defines a first expandable chamber. The piston carries a control module responsive to pressure in the expandable chamber for controlling coolant flow through a dedicated coolant flow passage through the actuator piston that includes mist-forming outlets on the face of the actuator piston.

Abstract: A friction device includes a fixed housing and a driven member which ise rotatable about a common axis. The assembly also includes a friction disc pack operable to connect and disconnect the driven member for transferring and interrupting torque therebetween. A piston assembly is supported in the clutch housing and defines an expandable chamber. The piston assembly is responsive to the pressure of fluid in the expandable chamber to move between disengaged and engaged positions thereby actuating the pack to connect and disconnect the driven member. The pack is disposed within a grounded housing that includes a sealed circumferentially arranged opening defining a coolant chamber for supplying convergent flow cooling to the pack from the OD to the ID thereof.

Abstract: There is described a method of manufacturing a flat friction ring which consists of a supporting ring (1) and a friction lining (2) provided on at least one side of the supporting ring and at least approximately forming radial oil grooves (3), which friction lining is first cut out of a friction lining web including slits (5) extending from at least one circumferential side for forming the future oil grooves (3), and is then glued onto the supporting ring (1). This method is characterized in that the friction lining (2) is cut out of the friction lining web in the form of a strip (7) and in the area of the connecting webs (6) between the friction lining sectors (4) separated from each other by the slits (5) is bent in a polygon-like manner to form a ring and is glued onto the supporting ring (1).

Abstract: A friction device includes a clutch pack operable to connect and disconnect drive and driven members for transferring and interrupting torque therebetween. A piston is supported in the clutch housing and defines a first expandable chamber. The piston is responsive to the pressure of fluid in the expandable chamber to move between disengaged and engaged positions thereby actuating the clutch pack. An outer ring is slidably supported within the housing to form a second expandable chamber. The outer ring includes at least one orifice extending therethrough. The piston closes the orifice in the outer ring when the drive and driven members are disconnected and has a second position where the orifice is open. A second source of lubricant pressure separate from the piston actuating fluid flows into the second expandable chamber thence through the orifice and from the outer diameter of the clutch pack between the adjacent plates and disks to the inner diameter of the clutch pack for cooling the pack.