Clutch device and motorcycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11879504-B1
Application number	US-202318214625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 27, 2023
Priority date	Jun 30, 2022
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

A clutch device includes a pressure plate movable toward and away from a clutch center to press input-side rotating plates and output-side rotating plates. An oil flow hole is located in a spline groove to penetrate an outer peripheral wall of the clutch center, to enable clutch oil having flowed out of an output shaft to be discharged to outside of the clutch center, and located between an end of a center-side slipper cam surface in a second circumferential direction and a center-side cam hole located ahead, in the first circumferential direction, of the end in the second circumferential direction, in the circumferential directions. A through hole is located ahead, in the first circumferential direction, of the end of the center-side slipper cam surface in the first circumferential to guide clutch oil flowing outside the clutch center to the inside of the clutch center.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clutch device that allows or interrupts transfer of a rotation driving force of an input shaft to an output shaft, the clutch device comprising:
a clutch center housed in a clutch housing holding a plurality of input-side rotating plates to be rotationally driven by rotational driving of the input shaft, the clutch center being operable to hold a plurality of output-side rotating plates and to be rotationally driven together with the output shaft, the input-side rotating plates and the output-side rotating plates being alternately arranged; and
a pressure plate movable toward or away from the clutch center and rotatable relative to the clutch center to press the input-side rotating plates and the output-side rotating plates; wherein
the clutch center includes:
an output shaft holding portion to which the output shaft is coupled;
a plurality of center-side cam portions located radially outward of the output shaft holding portion and each including a center-side assist cam surface and a center-side slipper cam surface, the center-side assist cam surface being operable to generate a force in a direction from the pressure plate toward the clutch center in order to increase a pressing force between the input-side rotating plates and the output-side rotating plates upon rotation relative to the pressure plate, the center-side slipper cam surface being operable to cause the pressure plate to move away from the clutch center to reduce the pressing force between the input-side rotating plates and the output-side rotating plates upon rotation relative to the pressure plate;
a first through hole located between adjacent ones of the center-side cam portions;
an outer peripheral wall located radially outward of the center-side cam portions;
a plurality of center-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotating plates, projecting radially outward from an outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall, and arranged in circumferential directions;
a plurality of spline grooves each located between adjacent ones of the center-side fitting teeth; and
an oil flow hole located in the spline grooves to penetrate the outer peripheral wall to allow clutch oil flowing at an inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral wall to be discharged to outside of the clutch center;
assuming a direction in which the pressure plate approaches the clutch center is a first direction, a direction in which the pressure plate moves away from the clutch center is a second direction, a circumferential direction from one center-side cam portion to another center-side cam portion in the center-side cam portions is a first circumferential direction, and a circumferential direction from the another center-side cam portion to the one center-side cam portion is a second circumferential direction, the clutch center is rotatable in the first circumferential direction that is a direction from the center-side assist cam surface to the center-side slipper cam surface of one of the center-side cam portions, and includes a second through hole located ahead, in the first circumferential direction, of an end of the center-side slipper cam surface in the first circumferential direction;
in the circumferential directions, the oil flow hole is located between an end of the center-side slipper cam surface in the second circumferential direction and the first through hole located ahead, in the first circumferential direction, of the end in the second circumferential direction; and
the second through hole is operable to guide clutch oil flowing outside the clutch center to inside of the clutch center.

2. The clutch device according to claim 1 , wherein in the circumferential directions, the oil flow hole is located between the end of the center-side slipper cam surface in the first circumferential direction and the first through hole located ahead, in the first circumferential direction, of the end in the first circumferential direction.

3. The clutch device according to claim 2 , wherein
the clutch center includes a boss located radially outward of the output shaft holding portion and extending toward the pressure plate; and
in the circumferential directions, the oil flow hole is located between the end of the center-side slipper cam surface in the first circumferential direction and the boss located ahead, in the first circumferential direction, of the end in the first circumferential direction.

4. A clutch device that allows or interrupts transfer of a rotation driving force of an input shaft to an output shaft, the clutch device comprising:
a clutch center housed in a clutch housing holding a plurality of input-side rotating plates to be rotationally driven by rotational driving of the input shaft, the clutch center being operable to hold a plurality of output-side rotating plates and to be rotationally driven together with the output shaft, the input-side rotating plates and the output-side rotating plates being alternately arranged; and
a pressure plate movable toward or away from the clutch center and rotatable relative to the clutch center to press the input-side rotating plates and the output-side rotating plates; wherein
the clutch center includes:
an output shaft holding portion to which the output shaft is coupled;
a plurality of center-side cam portions located radially outward of the output shaft holding portion and each including a center-side assist cam surface and a center-side slipper cam surface, the center-side assist cam surface being operable to generate a force in a direction from the pressure plate toward the clutch center in order to increase a pressing force between the input-side rotating plates and the output-side rotating plates upon rotation relative to the pressure plate, the center-side slipper cam surface being operable to cause the pressure plate to move away from the clutch center in order to reduce the pressing force between the input-side rotating plates and the output-side rotating plates upon rotation relative to the pressure plate;
a first through hole located between adjacent ones of the center-side cam portions;
an outer peripheral wall located radially outward of the center-side cam portions;
a plurality of center-side fitting teeth holding the output-side rotating plates, projecting radially outward from an outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall, and arranged in circumferential directions;
a plurality of spline grooves each located between adjacent ones of the center-side fitting teeth; and
an oil flow hole located in the spline grooves to penetrate the outer peripheral wall to allow clutch oil flowing at an inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral wall to be discharged to outside of the clutch center;
assuming a direction in which the pressure plate approaches the clutch center is a first direction, a direction in which the pressure plate moves away from the clutch center is a second direction, a circumferential direction from one center-side cam portion to another center-side cam portion in the center-side cam portions is a first circumferential direction, and a circumferential direction from the another center-side cam portion to the one center-side cam portion is a second circumferential direction;
the clutch center is rotatable in the first circumferential direction that is a direction from the center-side assist cam surface to the center-side slipper cam surface of one of the center-side cam portions; and
the oil flow hole is located between an end of the one center-side cam portion in the first circumferential direction and an end of the one center-side cam portion in the second circumferential direction.

5. The clutch device according to claim 4 , wherein the oil flow hole is located between an end of the center-side slipper cam surface in the first cir

Assignees

• Fcc Kk

Inventors

• Kobayashi Yuki

Classifications

• F16D13/74

  Features relating to lubrication · CPC title

• F16D13/54 Primary

  with means for increasing the effective force between the actuating sleeve or equivalent member and the pressure member · CPC title

• F16D13/04

  with means for actuating or keeping engaged by a force derived at least partially from one of the shafts to be connected (automatic clutches F16D43/00) · CPC title

• F16D2013/565

  with means for releasing the clutch pressure in case of back torque · CPC title

• F16D13/56 Primary

  in which the clutching pressure is produced by springs only · CPC title