Clutch with opposite load application

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9677622-B2
Application number	US-201615051085-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2016
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A clutch assembly that is less prone to overheating is disclosed. The clutch assembly includes a clutch housing, a shaft, and a clutch pack. The clutch pack includes a first apply plate, a second apply plate, a plurality of friction plates, and a plurality of reaction plates. The clutch assembly further includes a first actuator and a second actuator. The first actuator applies pressure to the first apply plate in a first direction to move the first apply plate toward the second apply plate. The second actuator applies pressure to the second apply plate in a second direction to move the second apply plate toward the first apply plate. The first direction is opposite the second direction such that the first and second actuators apply pressure to the clutch pack in opposing directions. This reduces localized temperature spikes in the clutch pack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clutch assembly comprising:
a clutch housing having an internal surface that defines an inner cavity within said clutch housing;
a shaft disposed within said inner cavity of said clutch housing, said shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and having an outer surface;
a clutch pack disposed radially between said clutch housing and said shaft, said clutch pack being moveable between an uncompressed state where said clutch housing and said shaft are free to rotate relative to one another and a compressed state where said clutch pack rotatably couples said clutch housing and said shaft such that said clutch housing and said shaft rotate together;
said clutch pack including a first end and a second end opposite said first end, said second end of said clutch pack being longitudinally spaced from said first end of said clutch pack;
said clutch pack including a first apply plate disposed at said first end of said clutch pack, said first apply plate being moveable along said longitudinal axis relative to said clutch housing and said shaft;
said clutch pack including a second apply plate disposed at said second end of said clutch pack, said second apply plate being moveable along said longitudinal axis relative to said clutch housing and said shaft;
said clutch pack including a plurality of friction plates disposed between said first apply plate and said second apply plate, said plurality of friction plates being moveable along said longitudinal axis relative to said clutch housing and said shaft;
said clutch pack including a plurality of reaction plates disposed between said first apply plate and said second apply plate in an interleaving relationship with said plurality of friction plates, said plurality of reaction plates being moveable along said longitudinal axis relative to said clutch housing and said shaft;
a first actuator that selectively applies pressure to said first end of said clutch pack in a first direction to move said first end of said clutch pack toward said second end of said clutch pack; and
a second actuator that selectively applies pressure to said second end of said clutch pack in a second direction that is opposite said first direction to move said second end of said clutch pack toward said first end of said clutch pack.

2. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clutch pack extends longitudinally between said first actuator and said second actuator.

3. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first actuator and said second actuator are each moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, said first actuator defining a first longitudinal limit in said retracted position where said first apply plate is limited from moving further away from said second end of said clutch pack by said first actuator, and said second actuator defining a second longitudinal limit in said retracted position where said second apply plate is limited from moving further away from said first end of said clutch pack by said second actuator.

4. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said clutch pack is in said uncompressed state when said first actuator and said second actuator are both in said retracted position.

5. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said clutch pack is in said compressed state when at least one of said first actuator and said second actuator is in said extended position.

6. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said clutch pack is in said compressed state when said first actuator and said second actuator are both in said extended position.

7. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:
a pair of opposing retainers extending into said inner cavity from at least one of said shaft and said clutch housing, said pair of opposing retainers defining a first longitudinal limit and a second longitudinal limit for said clutch pack respectively, wherein said first apply plate is limited from moving further away from said second end of said clutch pack at said first longitudinal limit, and wherein said second apply plate is limited from moving further away from said first end of said clutch pack at said second longitudinal limit.

8. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second actuators each include an actuator cavity and a piston that is received in said actuator cavity, said piston extending from said actuator cavity when fluid pressure in said actuator cavity is increased and said piston retracting into said actuator cavity when fluid pressure in said actuator cavity is decreased.

9. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second actuators each include a rocker arm, a pivot that connects said rocker arm to said clutch housing, and a rocker arm driver that applies pressure to said rocker arm to rotate said rocker arm, each of said rocker arms having an engagement portion that is spaced from said pivot, said engagement portions of said rocker arms selectively contacting said first and second ends of said clutch pack in response to rotation of said rocker arms about said pivots.

10. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second actuators each include a lever carried on said clutch housing and a lever driver that applies pressure to said lever to longitudinally displace said lever, each of said levers extending radially from said clutch housing and into said inner cavity, each of said levers having an engagement surface facing said clutch pack, said engagement surfaces of said levers selectively contacting said first and second ends of said clutch pack in response to longitudinal movement of said levers toward said clutch pack.

11. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:
a controller operably connected to said first actuator and said second actuator, wherein said controller switches said clutch pack to said compressed state by concurrently actuating said first actuator and said second actuator to longitudinally move said first end and said second end of said clutch pack towards each other in order to longitudinally compress said clutch pack between said first actuator and said second actuator.

12. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first actuator and said second actuator are hydraulically actuated and wherein said controller includes a valve that selectively supplies fluid to said first actuator and said second actuator.

13. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:
a controller operably connected to said first actuator and said second actuator, wherein said controller switches actuation of said first actuator and said second actuator sequentially for every other engagement of said clutch pack, wherein said controller switches said clutch pack to said compressed state at a first time by actuating said first actuator to longitudinally move said first apply plate toward said second end of said clutch pack, and wherein said controller switches said clutch pack to said compressed state at a second time by actuating said second actuator to longitudinally move said second apply plate toward said first end of said clutch pack, said second time being subsequent to said first time.

14. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein controller includes a processor that counts every engagement of said clutch pack and generates a clutch engagement count and wherein said controller includes memory that stores said clutch engagement count.

15. The clutch assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said controller switches said clutc

Assignees

• Avl Powertrain Engineering Inc

Inventors

• Mordukhovich Gregory
• Kozan Michael

Classifications

• F16D13/52 Primary

  Clutches with multiple lamellae {; Clutches in which three or more axially moveable members are fixed alternately to the shafts to be coupled and are pressed from one side towards an axially-located member (F16D13/385 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16D13/46

  in which two axially-movable members, of which one is attached to the driving side and the other to the driven side, are pressed from one side towards an axially-located member · CPC title

• F16D25/0638 Primary

  with more than two discs, e.g. multiple lamellae · CPC title