Power transmission apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12398767-B2
Application number	US-202418907738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2024
Priority date	Apr 13, 2020
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

During movement of a mass of a centrifugal clutch a radially inner position to a radially outer position and a resulting increase in torque transmitted from an input gear to an output shaft, a power transmission apparatus includes a first torque region where the apparatus restricts operation of a pressing assist cam and a second torque region where the apparatus allows operation of the pressing assist cam.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power transmission apparatus comprising:
a clutch member housed in a clutch housing that rotates together with an input member that rotates with a driving force of an engine of a vehicle, the clutch housing having a plurality of driving clutch plates attached thereto, the clutch member being connected to an output member that is able to rotate a wheel of the vehicle;
a pressure member having a plurality of driven clutch plates attached thereto, the driven clutch plates being arranged alternately with the driving clutch plates, the pressure member movable between an operating position where the driving and driven clutch plates are pressed against each other so as to enable transmission of the driving force of the engine to the wheel and a non-operating position where a pressing force exerted on the driving and driven clutch plates is released so as to cut off transmission of the driving force of the engine to the wheel;
a centrifugal clutch means including a weight member movable from a first position to a second position with centrifugal force produced by rotation of the clutch housing, the centrifugal clutch means being configured to, when the weight member is located at the second position, press the driving and driven clutch plates against each other so as to enable transmission of the driving force of the engine to the wheel and configured to, when the weight member is located at the first position, release the pressing force exerted on the driving and driven clutch plates so as to cut off transmission of the driving force of the engine to the wheel; and
a pressing assist cam to increase the pressing force exerted on the driving and driven clutch plates, wherein
the pressing assist cam includes an inclined surface of the clutch member and an inclined surface of the pressure member that face each other,
the apparatus further comprising:
a first torque region where the apparatus restricts operation of the pressing assist cam, the first torque region corresponding to an engine rotation speed from an engine rotation speed at which the weight member is located at the first position to a predetermined engine rotation speed, and
a second torque region where the apparatus allows operation of the pressing assist cam, the second torque region corresponding to an engine rotation speed from the predetermined engine rotation speed to an engine rotation speed at which the weight member is located at the second position.

2. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the clutch member includes
a first clutch member connected to the output member, and
a second clutch assembled to the first clutch member, and

the apparatus is configured to, in the first torque region, bring the first clutch member and the pressure member into abutment with each other so as to restrict operation of the pressing assist cam, and is configured to, in the second torque region, bring the first clutch member and the pressure member away from each other so as to allow operation of the pressing assist cam.

3. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the centrifugal clutch means is configured to, in the first torque region, move the second clutch member such that the first clutch member and the pressure member are kept in abutment with each other, and is configured to, in the second torque region, move the second clutch member and the pressure member such that the first clutch member and the pressure member are located away from each other.

4. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
a transition is made from the first torque region to the second torque region in course of a process of the weight member moving from the first position to the second position.

5. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the apparatus is configured to, in the first torque region, bring the clutch member and the pressure member into abutment with each other so as to restrict operation of the pressing assist cam, and is configured to, in the second torque region, bring the clutch member and the pressure member away from each other so as to allow operation of the pressing assist cam.

6. A power transmission apparatus comprising:
a clutch member housed in a clutch housing that rotates together with an input member that rotates with a driving force of an engine of a vehicle, the clutch housing having a plurality of driving clutch plates attached thereto the clutch member being connected to an output member that is able to rotate a wheel of the vehicle;
a pressure member having a plurality of driven clutch plates attached thereto, the driven clutch plates being arranged alternately with the driving clutch plates, the pressure member movable between an operating position where the driving and driven clutch plates are pressed against each other so as to enable transmission of the driving force of the engine to the wheel and a non-operating position where a pressing force exerted on the driving and driven clutch plates is released so as to cut off transmission of the driving force of the engine to the wheel;
a centrifugal clutch means including a weight member movable from a first position to a second position with centrifugal force produced by rotation of the clutch housing, the centrifugal clutch means being configured to, when the weight member is located at the second position, press the driving and driven clutch plates against each other so as to enable transmission of the driving force of the engine to the wheel and configured to, when the weight member is located at the first position, release the pressing force exerted on the driving and driven clutch plates so as to cut off transmission of the driving force of the engine to the wheel; and
a pressing assist cam to increase the pressing force exerted on the driving and driven clutch plates, wherein
the apparatus is configured to, with the weight member located at the first position, restrict operation of the pressing assist cam, and configured to, with the weight member located at the second position, derestrict operation of the pressing assist cam so as to allow operation of the pressing assist cam,
when the vehicle starts to move, the weight member is located at the first position.

7. The power transmission apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the apparatus is configured to, with the weight member located at the first position, bring the clutch member and the pressure member into abutment with each other so as to restrict operation of the pressing assist cam, and configured to, with the weight member located at the second position, bring the clutch member and the pressure member away from each other so as to allow operation of the pressing assist cam.

8. A power transmission apparatus comprising:
a clutch member housed in a clutch housing that rotates together with an input member that rotates with a driving force of an engine of a vehicle, the driven clutch plates being arranged alternately with the driving clutch plates, the clutch member being connected to an output member that is able to rotate a wheel of the vehicle;
a pressure member having a plurality of driven clutch plates attached thereto, the driven clutch plates being arranged alternately with the driving clutch plates, the pressure member movable between an operating position where the driving and driven clutch plates are pressed against each other so as to enable transmission of the driving force of the engine to the wheel and a non-operating position where a pressing force exerted on the driving and driven clutch plates is released so as to cut off transmission of the driving force of the engine to the wheel;
a centrifugal clutch means including a weight membe

Assignees

• Fcc Kk

Inventors

• Ozawa Yoshihiko
• Chen Han Hiong
• Yoshimoto Katsu

Classifications

• B60K1/02

  comprising more than one electric motor · CPC title

• F16D43/30

  Systems of a plurality of automatic clutches · CPC title

• F16D43/12

  the centrifugal masses acting on, or forming a part of, an actuating mechanism by which the pressure ring can also be actuated independently of the masses · CPC title

• F16D13/54

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

• F16D47/00

  Systems of clutches, or clutches and couplings, comprising devices of types grouped under at least two of the following sets of groups: F16D1/00 - F16D9/00, F16D11/00 - F16D23/00, F16D25/00 - F16D29/00, F16D31/00 - F16D39/00, F16D41/00 - F16D45/00 (freewheels combined with a clutch to lock the driving and driven members of the freewheel F16D41/04, F16D41/26) · CPC title