Including Chordally Disposed Connection Patents (Class 192/70.18)
  • Publication number: 20020066634
    Abstract: A thrust plate assembly comprises a housing having a rotational axis, a pressure plate arrangement which is movable axially in the housing arrangement, and at least one coupling arrangement by which the pressure plate is coupled with the housing for transmission of torque, wherein a force component acting axially upon the pressure plate can be generated by the at least one coupling arrangement when the pressure plate is acted upon by rotational force in a first direction with respect to the housing arrangement. The at least one coupling arrangement is connected in a first coupling area thereof with a first coupling portion of the pressure plate and is connected in a second coupling area thereof with a second coupling portion of the housing, wherein the first coupling area and the second coupling area of the at least one coupling arrangement are axially offset relative to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Hartmut Bach, Cora Carlson, Andreas Dau, Matthias Dorfler, Gunther Esly, Reinhard Feldhaus, Ingrid Hoffelner, Christoph Kleuker, Paul Kraus, Andreas Orlamunder, Bernd Peinemann, Michael Peterseim, Gerhard Roll, Ralf Till, Sebastian Vogt, Thomas Schwingenstein
  • Publication number: 20020056603
    Abstract: A thrust plate assembly for a friction clutch, including a housing having an axis of rotation and a pressure plate arrangement which is held so as to be movable axially with respect to the housing by means of at least one leaf spring arrangement. The leaf spring arrangement has a first coupling area secured to a first mounting area of the pressure plate, a first longitudinal area adjoining the first coupling area, and a second longitudinal area adjoining the second coupling area. A leaf spring arrangement support is arranged in such a way that when the first coupling area and the second coupling area approach one another in a circumferential direction with respect to the axis of rotation, at least one of the first longitudinal area and second longitudinal area contacts the leaf spring arrangement support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventor: Thomas Schwingenstein
  • Patent number: 6378678
    Abstract: A twin mass flywheel assembly in the form of a twin mass flywheel (12), a clutch cover (11) attached to the flywheel, a clutch driven plate (19), a clutch pressure plate (14), and spring means (18) supported from the cover to clamp the driven plate between the flywheel and pressure plate to transmit torque through the assembly. The driven plate (19) includes a central hub portion (24) and an outer friction portion (25) supported from the hub portion via a slipping clutch which may be in the form of a tolerance ring (32) which allows relative rotation between these portions at torque levels above a predetermined torque thus protecting the assembly and associated driveline from damage due to high level but short duration torsional loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Automotive Products UK, LTD
    Inventors: Bradley Armitage, Adam Johnson Lambert, Anthony John Curtis
  • Patent number: 6360862
    Abstract: A clutch assembly for a vehicle including a clutch cover rotatable about an axis is provided. A pressure plate is also rotatable about the axis and is movable along the axis relative to the clutch cover between engaged and disengaged positions. A resilient clutch strap secures the clutch cover and pressure plate together so that they rotate together about the axis. The strap is spaced apart from and transverse to the axis. As the pressure plate moves between engaged and disengaged positions, the resilient clutch strap flexes. The resilient clutch strap has first and second opposing ends secured to the clutch cover and pressure plate, respectively, at first and second connections, respectively. The first connection defines a first plane perpendicular to the axis, and the second connection defines a second plane perpendicular to the axis. The resilient clutch strap includes a disengaged state in which the first and second planes are generally coplanar in the disengaged position thereby reducing vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Meritor, LLC
    Inventors: Andrzej Szadkowski, Eric Frandsen, Ronald Morford
  • Patent number: 6332516
    Abstract: A device comprising a generally transversely extending wall (2) with a guide ring (6) securely fastened thereto, an axially movable piston (9) sealingly slidable along the guide ring (6) and rotationally linked to the transverse wall (2) while being axially movable, via tangential resilient blades (40) secured to a driving member (44). The driving member (44) is transparently welded to said wall (2) with a sub-assembly of the member (44), the blades (40) and the piston (9) being formed in advance. Application for motor vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventor: Rabah Arhab
  • Patent number: 6305520
    Abstract: A friction clutch wherein a pressure plate is movable axially of and rotates with a housing which is driven by the engine of a motor vehicle. The pressure plate cooperates with a coaxial engine-driven counter-pressure plate to bear upon the respective friction linings of a clutch disc when the clutch is engaged to drive the input shaft of a transmission in the power train of the vehicle. A diaphragm spring is tiltable relative to an annular seat at the inner side of the housing and urges the pressure plate against the adjacent friction linings when the clutch is engaged. An automatic wear compensating unit serves to move the diaphragm spring and the seat axially relative to and away from the inner side of the housing to thus compensate for wear upon the friction linings. The diaphragm spring has resilient prongs which bear, directly or indirectly, upon portions of the housing to urge the diaphragm spring against the seat and to thus bias the seat toward the inner side of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: LuK Lamellon und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventors: Karl-Ludwig Kimmig, Michael Wachtel
  • Patent number: 6293380
    Abstract: A hydrokinetic coupling apparatus (10), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (12) provided with a wall (24), with globally transverse orientation, a turbine wheel (30), and a locking engagement (16), including a piston (50) linked in rotation with the housing (12) and a set (56) of parallel friction discs (120, 124, 122), which comprises two front (120) and rear (122) discs linked in rotation with the turbine wheel (30) and an intermediate disc (124) which is linked in rotation with the two elements constituted by the piston (50) and the transverse wall (24) of the housing (12). The piston (50) and the transverse wall (24) of the housing (12) are linked in rotation by straps (104) substantially elongated tangential to a circumference of the assembly and whereof the opposite ends are attached to these two elements, and the intermediate friction disc (124) is driven in rotation by means (114, 138) attaching the ends of the straps (104).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventor: Rabah Arhab
  • Publication number: 20010011621
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch device, particularly a hydrodynamic torque converter or fluid coupling, comprises a housing arrangement, a turbine wheel which is arranged in the housing arrangement so as to be rotatable with respect to the housing arrangement about an axis of rotation, a lockup clutch arrangement by means of which a torque-transmitting connection can be selectively produced between the housing arrangement and the turbine wheel, wherein the lockup clutch arrangement comprises a clutch element which is connected by a connection arrangement to the housing arrangement so as to be substantially fixed with respect to rotation but axially displaceable relative to it, wherein the connection arrangement comprises at least one elastically deformable connection element which is fixedly connected with the housing arrangement on the one hand and with the clutch element on the other hand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Thomas Bauer, Peter Frey, Rudiger Hinkel, Sven Koepke, Ralf Ronnebeck
  • Patent number: 6206158
    Abstract: A device for a clutch which is subject to wear brought about by friction, especially for motor vehicles, for signaling that a wear limit has been reached. The clutch has a pressure plate which is connected, via tangential leaf springs, with a clutch housing so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it, but so as to be axially displaceable, and by way of which a clutch disk provided with friction linings can be pressed against a flywheel of an internal combustion engine. The device has two structural component parts which can be clamped against one another, one of which structural component parts is arranged so as to be movable in the radial direction. A clamping of the structural component parts can be canceled when the wear limit is reached, wherein a movable structural component part springs into another radial position and remains there.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Roland Müller, Marco Greubel, Erwin Ziegler, Frank Hirschmann
  • Patent number: 6193036
    Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus comprising a piston fixed by circumferential tabs (26) to a transverse wall (11), the piston (20) or the wall (11) having through holes for fixing the tabs (26), said holes being finally closed by shutters. The invention is applicable to motor vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventors: Rabah Arhab, Luc Thevenon, Alain Lemaire, Jean-Claude Bochot
  • Patent number: 6189667
    Abstract: A friction clutch for motor vehicles has a casing which can be connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a driven flywheel mass. A pressure plate is arranged inside the casing with a pressure spring supported between the clutch casing and the pressure plate so that the pressure plate presses a clutch disk, which is provided with friction linings, onto the flywheel mass. The pressure spring, during engagement of the clutch, exerts a varying pressure force on the pressure plate. The friction clutch also having a device which acts on the pressure plate and varies essentially proportionally to the force of the pressure spring to force of the pressure plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Mathias Dörfler, Markus Heiartz