Centrifugal clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10302157-B2
Application number	US-201615544681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2016
Priority date	Jan 30, 2015
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

A centrifugal clutch is disclosed. The clutch may include an inner rotating element whose outer periphery includes a plurality of ramps and at least one centrifugal weight device surrounding the inner rotating element, which includes a plurality of peripherally distributed centrifugal weights and whose inner periphery includes a plurality of counter ramps for forming a positive frictional engagement with the ramps of the inner rotating element. It may further include an outer rotating element surrounding the at least one centrifugal weight device, wherein the centrifugal weights can be pressed outwards through a friction lining against an inner periphery of the outer rotating element in opposition to the action of a spring arrangement. The centrifugal weight device may be generally formed by an annular plate structure including at least one plate element, wherein the plate structure includes a plurality of peripherally distributed peripheral sections that form the centrifugal weights.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A centrifugal clutch for a drive train of an automotive vehicle, comprising:
an inner rotating element whose outer periphery includes a plurality of ramps;
at least one centrifugal weight device surrounding the inner rotating element and including a plurality of peripherally distributed centrifugal weights separated by resilient components and whose inner periphery includes a plurality of counter ramps for forming a positive and/or frictional engagement with the ramps of the inner rotating element;
an outer rotating element surrounding the at least one centrifugal weight device;
a tension spring element, separate from the at least one centrifugal weight device, arranged between the inner rotating element and the at least one centrifugal weight device; and,
a friction lining on an inner periphery of the outer rotating element, wherein:
the centrifugal weights of the centrifugal weight device are configured to be pressed outwards against the friction lining in opposition to the action of the resilient components and the tension spring element to create a frictional engagement with the outer rotating element; and,
the centrifugal weight device generally being formed by an annular plate structure including at least one plate element, wherein the annular plate structure includes a plurality of peripherally distributed peripheral sections that form the centrifugal weights.

2. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 1 , wherein each of the resilient components is in the form of a web arranged respectively between two of the peripheral sections of the at least one plate element.

3. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the centrifugal clutch is configured such that, at a speed of rotation n=0 of the annular plate structure, an annular gap is formed between an outer periphery of the annular plate structure and the friction lining.

4. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one plate element is configured in one piece.

5. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 1 , wherein a complete removal of material is provided in one peripheral section arranged between two of the peripheral sections of the annular plate structure that form the centrifugal weights.

6. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the ramps and the counter ramps are formed respectively by a serrated type of peripheral structure.

7. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the ramps of the inner rotating element and the counter ramps of the annular plate structure are arranged rotationally symmetrically to each other.

8. A centrifugal clutch for a drive train of an automotive vehicle, comprising:
an inner rotating element having an outer periphery including a first plurality of ramps each having an ascending gradient;
at least one centrifugal weight device surrounding the inner rotating element, the centrifugal weight device generally being formed by an annular plate structure including a plate element, wherein the annular plate structure includes:
a plurality of peripherally distributed peripheral sections that form the centrifugal weights, each of the peripheral sections comprising a counter ramp configured to form a positive or frictional engagement with a one of the first plurality of ramps; and,
a plurality of resiliently configured components each configured in the form of a radially extending web arranged respectively between two of the peripheral sections to form at least a portion of a spring arrangement having a spring rigidity;
an outer rotating element surrounding the at least one centrifugal weight device and including an inner periphery having a friction lining thereon, wherein:
at a speed of rotation n=0 of the annular plate structure, an annular gap is formed between an outer periphery of the annular plate structure and the inner periphery of the outer rotating element; and,
at a certain speed of rotation of the annular plate structure determined by the spring rigidity of the spring arrangement, the centrifugal weights of the centrifugal weight device are configured to be pressed outwards to contact the friction lining of the outer rotating element in opposition to the action of a spring arrangement to create a frictional engagement with the outer rotating element and the counter ramps are configured to migrate outwards and initiate a self-intensifying clamping effect
wherein the spring arrangement comprises at least one additional tension spring element.

9. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one additional spring element is arranged between the annular plate structure and the inner rotating element.

10. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one plate element is configured in one piece.

11. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one plate element is configured as a stack comprised of a plurality of plate elements.

12. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 8 , wherein a gap is defined in the annular plate structure between two of the peripheral sections of the annular plate structure that form the centrifugal weights.

13. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 8 , wherein the ramps and the counter ramps are formed respectively by a serrated type of peripheral structure.

14. The centrifugal clutch according to claim 8 , wherein the ramps of the inner rotating element and the counter ramps of the annular plate structure are arranged rotationally symmetric to each other.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Kurth Franz
• Schimpf Ralph

Classifications

• F16D41/063

  the intermediate members wedging by moving along the inner and the outer surface without pivoting or rolling, e.g. sliding wedges (F16D41/061 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16D43/18

  with friction clutching members · CPC title

• F16D45/00 Primary

  Freewheels or freewheel clutches combined with automatic clutches · CPC title

• F16D47/04

  of which at least one is a freewheel (F16D47/02, F16D47/06 take precedence; freewheels combined with a clutch to lock the driving and driven members of the freewheel F16D41/04, F16D41/26) · CPC title

• F16D2041/0605

  Spring details · CPC title