A high performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly

Abstract

The utility model discloses a high performance wet type multi-plate clutch assembly, including output shaft, upper and lower casing, clamping piece group, the execution mechanism of surrounding axle setting and the oil structure of pressure with spring with pressure piece, the oil cavity is formed between pressure piece and upper casing, and the oil cavity is formed between pressure piece and piece group, and the oil stays in the oil cavity when on standby, and the execution mechanism actuates the pressure piece group simultaneously and drives pressure piece axial slip and compresses spring, and the cooling oil in the oil cavity is quantitatively extruded into the oil cavity and is discharged through the piece group from inside to outside and the lower casing oil outlet. The structure does not rely on complex valve control, realizes directional oil supply after clutch engagement stage, restrains bubble and thick oil film, improves the speed and stability of torque establishment, reduces drag and temperature rise, and the structure is simple and reliable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of power transmission technology, and in particular to a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Compared to dry clutches, wet multi-plate clutches offer advantages such as superior heat dissipation, allowance for short-term energy absorption through sliding friction, smoother engagement, and longer lifespan and load capacity, making them widely used in vehicles and mechanical transmissions. To dissipate the heat generated during engagement and slippage, wet clutches require the flow of cooling oil through the plate assembly.

[0003] Existing technologies typically inject cooling oil directly into the cavity containing the friction plates or continuously spray it into the cavity, creating a large-area coverage of oil between the friction plates and steel plates. This approach easily generates air bubbles and a thick oil film in the contact area: air bubbles can disrupt effective contact, leading to delayed torque build-up and low-speed jerking; a thick oil film can reduce the coefficient of friction, causing initial drift, increased drag, and thermal degradation under high-temperature conditions. To alleviate these problems, existing technologies often improve upon these issues by using valve-controlled flow distribution or fixed throttling devices. However, valve-controlled solutions increase structural complexity and cost, while fixed throttling is sensitive to oil temperature and contamination, prone to clogging, and difficult to meet the different needs of low-speed and high-temperature operation. Simply relying on oil seepage within the cavity is insufficient to prevent the entire contact surface from being wetted and air trapped, failing to effectively suppress the problems of air bubbles and thick oil films at their source. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present invention aims to solve the problem of avoiding air bubbles and thick oil film caused by oil overflow in wet multi-plate clutches while requiring cooling oil to dissipate heat, thereby ensuring rapid and stable torque establishment.

[0005] The technical solution of this utility model is as follows: a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly includes: an output shaft with a spline and a slidably fitted pressure plate; a lower housing coaxially arranged with the output shaft, and an oil outlet at the bottom of the lower housing; a clamping plate assembly disposed within the lower housing; an upper housing connected to the lower housing by fasteners, and an oil inlet on one side of the upper housing; an actuator disposed on the upper housing, surrounding the output shaft, and connected to one side of the clamping plate assembly to achieve axial clamping of the clamping plate assembly; and an oil outlet structure composed of the pressure plate and a spring; wherein the cavity formed between the upper housing and the pressure plate is an oil storage cavity, and the cavity between the pressure plate and the clamping plate assembly is an oil inlet cavity.

[0006] Furthermore, according to the aforementioned high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly, the clamping plate group is formed by alternating stacking of friction plates and steel plates; the friction plates have internal teeth that match the splines, and the friction surface of the friction plates is provided with a plurality of guide grooves, which are spaced apart in the circumferential direction and extend from the inside to the outside; the steel plates have external teeth that match the mounting groove of the lower housing, for circumferential locking and allowing axial sliding.

[0007] Preferably, according to the aforementioned high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly, there is a mating clearance between the internal teeth of the friction plate and the spline teeth of the spline.

[0008] Preferably, in some embodiments, according to the aforementioned high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly, the actuator includes a rocker arm support, a rocker arm, a rotating shaft, a push rod, and a push plate; the rocker arm support is sleeved on the output shaft, the rocker arm support is fixedly connected to the pressure plate through a connector, one end of the rocker arm is connected to the rocker arm through the rotating shaft, and the push rod is fixedly connected to the output end of the rocker arm; one end of the push rod is fixedly connected to the push plate, and one side of the push plate abuts against the friction plate; when the actuator is actuated, the push plate drives the clamping plate assembly to press along the axial direction, and at the same time drives the pressure plate to compress the spring.

[0009] Preferably, in the aforementioned high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly, the spring is disposed between the pressure plate and the push plate, and the preload of the spring is set to be no less than the oil pressure applied to the pressure plate by the cooling oil in the oil reservoir during operation.

[0010] The beneficial effect of this utility model is that the oil storage cavity formed by the pressure plate and the spring implements oil squeezing during the engagement process, so that the cooling oil is only directionally introduced into the guide groove on the friction plate under the pressure state and quickly discharged from the inside to the outside. This avoids oil overflow between the friction plate and the steel plate, which would cause the overall wetting of the contact surface to lose torque and make it difficult for gas to be discharged. The torque is built up faster and the start-up vibration is reduced. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly provided in this application embodiment; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly provided in this application embodiment; Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 A further cross-sectional view of a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly provided in this application embodiment; Figure 5This is a top view of a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 for Figure 5 An enlarged schematic diagram of the A-section structure in a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly provided in this application embodiment; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the lower housing structure of a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 for Figure 7 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of section B of a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly provided in this application embodiment.

[0012] Attached icon numbers: 1. Output shaft; 11. Spline; 111. Fit clearance; 2. Lower housing; 21. Oil outlet; 22. Mounting groove; 3. Clamping plate assembly; 31. Friction plate; 311. Guide groove; 32. Steel plate; 4. Upper housing; 41. Oil inlet; 5. Actuator; 51. Rocker arm support; 511. Connecting piece; 52. Rocker arm; 53. Rotating shaft; 54. Push rod; 55. Push plate; 6. Oil outlet structure; 61. Pressure plate; 62. Spring; 63. Oil storage chamber; 64. Oil inlet chamber; 7. Fasteners. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The technical solutions of this application will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of this application.

[0014] Compared to dry clutches, wet multi-plate clutches offer advantages such as superior heat dissipation, allowance for short-term energy absorption through sliding friction, smoother engagement, and longer lifespan and load capacity, making them widely used in vehicles and mechanical transmissions. To dissipate the heat generated during engagement and slippage, wet clutches require the flow of cooling oil through the plate assembly.

[0015] Existing technologies typically inject cooling oil directly into the cavity containing the friction plates or continuously spray it into the cavity, creating a large-area coverage of oil between the friction plates 31 and the steel plates 32. This approach easily generates air bubbles and a thick oil film in the contact area: air bubbles can disrupt effective contact, leading to delayed torque build-up and low-speed jerking; a thick oil film can reduce the coefficient of friction, resulting in drifting at start-up, increased drag, and thermal degradation under high-temperature conditions. To alleviate these problems, existing technologies often improve the process by using valve-controlled flow distribution or fixed throttling devices. However, valve-controlled solutions increase the structure and cost, while fixed throttling is sensitive to oil temperature and contamination, prone to clogging, and difficult to meet the different needs of low speed and high temperature. Simply relying on oil seepage within the cavity is insufficient to prevent the contact surface from being completely wetted and air trapped, failing to effectively suppress the problems of air bubbles and thick oil films at their source.

[0016] The present invention aims to solve the problem of avoiding air bubbles and thick oil film caused by oil overflow in wet multi-plate clutches while requiring cooling oil to dissipate heat, thereby ensuring rapid and stable torque establishment.

[0017] This embodiment discloses a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly, including: an output shaft 1, on which a spline 11 is provided and a pressure plate 61 is slidably sleeved; a lower housing 2, coaxially arranged with the output shaft 1, and an oil outlet 21 at the bottom of the lower housing 2; a clamping plate group 3, disposed inside the lower housing 2; an upper housing 4, connected to the lower housing 2 by fasteners 7, and an oil inlet 41 on one side of the upper housing 4; an actuator 5, disposed on the upper housing 4, arranged around the output shaft 1, and connected to one side of the clamping plate group 3 to achieve axial clamping of the clamping plate group 3; and an oil outlet structure 6, composed of a pressure plate 61 and a spring 62; wherein, the cavity formed between the upper housing 4 and the pressure plate 61 is an oil storage cavity 63, and the cavity between the pressure plate 61 and the clamping plate group 3 is an oil inlet cavity 64.

[0018] This embodiment provides a high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly, including an output shaft 1, a lower housing 2, a clamping plate assembly 3, an upper housing 4, an actuator 5, and an oil outlet structure 6. The output shaft 1 is provided with a spline 11 and a pressure plate 61, and the output shaft 1 is coaxially arranged with the lower housing 2. The bottom of the lower housing 2 is provided with an oil outlet 21 for guiding the oil thrown out from the outer periphery of the clamping plate assembly back into the oil passage. The clamping plate assembly 3 is assembled inside the lower housing 2. The upper housing 4 is connected to the lower housing 2 by fasteners 7, and an oil inlet 41 is provided on one side of the upper housing 4. The actuator 5 is disposed on the upper housing 4, arranged around the output shaft 1, and connected to one side of the clamping plate assembly 3 for applying axial clamping force to the clamping plate assembly 3. The oil outlet structure 6 consists of a pressure plate 61 and a spring 62. The purpose of the oil outlet structure 6 is to squeeze the oil in the oil storage chamber 63 into the clamping plate assembly 3. The cavity formed between the pressure plate 61 and the upper housing 4 is defined as the oil storage chamber 63, and the cavity formed between the pressure plate 61 and the clamping plate assembly 3 is defined as the oil inlet chamber 64. The oil storage chamber 63 provides temporary storage space for the cooling oil introduced through the oil inlet 41, and the oil inlet chamber 64 is the transition space for supplying oil to the plate assembly when the pressure plate 61 is activated. The spring 62 is used to provide pre-tension and return to the pressure plate 61, so that the oil remains in the oil storage chamber 63 when not activated or when the oil pressure is low.

[0019] During operation, when the system is in standby mode, cooling oil enters through the oil inlet 41 of the upper housing 4 and fills the oil storage chamber 63. The preload of the spring 62 keeps the pressure plate 61 in its initial position. At this time, the oil-filling chamber 64 basically does not supply oil to the plate group, and the plate group is in a separated or lightly loaded state. When the actuator 5 starts, the rocker arm 52 and other structures arranged around the output shaft 1 transmit the axial clamping force to one side of the clamping plate group 3, and the plate group is clamped to establish torque. At the same time, the pressure plate 61 fixed to the rocker arm support 51 of the actuator 5 moves towards the clamping plate group 3 with the external force of the actuator 5 relative to the upper housing 4, compressing the spring 62 and applying volume compression to the oil in the oil storage chamber 63. The oil is forced into the oil-filling chamber 64 and further enters the inner area of ​​the plate group through the fitting gap 111. Then, under the action of rotation and centrifugal force, it flows from the inside to the outside along the inter-plate channel, carrying heat and collecting it in the outer peripheral area before being discharged from the oil outlet 21 at the bottom of the lower housing 2 to return to the oil path. During the compression phase, the relative position of the pressure plate 61 remains stable, forming a stable flow path from the oil storage chamber 63 to the oil inlet chamber 64 and then to the clamping plate group 3, preventing large-area retention of oil on the contact surface. When the actuation is released, the actuator 5 releases the axial force, and the clamping plate group 3 returns to the separated state; the spring 62 resets the pressure plate 61, and the residual oil in the oil inlet chamber 64 and the plate group channel is discharged by gravity and the return oil channel. The oil storage chamber 63 is refilled and ready to be used again, completing one engagement cycle.

[0020] The aforementioned structure and process constrain the timing and supply path of the cooling oil entry by the pressure plate 61 and spring 62: the oil is squeezed from the oil storage chamber 63 into the oil chamber 64 and into the plate group only when engagement and heat dissipation are required; during separation or when the oil pressure is low, oil does not overflow into the plate group, thereby reducing the formation of thick oil films and entrained air bubbles between the plates. Through the short-path flow from the inside to the outside and the timely discharge from the oil outlet 21 of the lower housing 2, heat can be quickly carried away, and the contact area is not completely wetted, which is conducive to the rapid and stable establishment of torque and reduces separation drag; at the same time, quantitative and timed oil supply during the engagement stage can be achieved without relying on complex valve control, with a simple structure, high reliability, and suitability for mass production and maintenance.

[0021] In some embodiments, the clamping plate assembly 3 is formed by alternating stacking of friction plates 31 and steel plates 32; the friction plates 31 have internal teeth that match the spline 11, and the friction surface of the friction plates 31 is provided with a plurality of guide grooves 311, which are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction and extend from the inside to the outside; the steel plates 32 have external teeth that match the mounting groove 22 of the lower housing 2 for circumferential locking and allow axial sliding.

[0022] It can be understood that the clamping plate assembly 3 is formed by alternating stacking of friction plates 31 and steel plates 32. The inner hole of the friction plate 31 is machined into internal teeth that match the spline 11 on the output shaft 1, and is fitted onto the outer circumference of the spline 11 to achieve circumferential torque transmission and allow free sliding along the axial direction; the friction surface of the friction plate 31 is provided with several guide grooves 311, each guide groove 311 is arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction and extends from the inner edge to the outer edge, used to guide the oil entering the inner side of the plate assembly to the outer side and discharge it in time during engagement. The outer edge of the steel plate 32 is machined into external teeth that match the mounting groove 22 on the inner circumference of the lower housing 2. The external teeth are inserted into the mounting groove 22 to achieve circumferential locking, while retaining axial sliding stroke to cooperate with the clamping and release of the plate assembly. The above-mentioned fit relationship forms a double-sided circumferential lock between the internal teeth and splines 11 and the external teeth and mounting grooves 22 during the clamping process, ensuring torque transmission; the guide groove 311 provides a short path for flow from the inside to the outside, so that the oil flows through the groove first during the engagement stage and is discharged from the outer periphery, which helps to remove heat, reduce overall wetting of the contact surface and air entrapment, thereby improving the stability of torque establishment and reducing low-speed vibration and separation drag.

[0023] In some embodiments, a mating gap 111 is left between the inner teeth of the friction plate 31 and the spline 11 teeth of the spline 11.

[0024] It is understood that a pre-reserved mating gap 111 is provided between the inner teeth of the friction plate 31 and the spline 11 teeth. This gap is axially continuous and communicates with the oil inlet 64 when engaged. The oil entering the inner side of the plate group can first be distributed to the inner edge of the friction plate 31 through this gap, and then guided into the guide groove 311 of the friction surface and flow from the inside to the outside. In this way, directional cooling is completed without the entire contact surface being wetted, while reducing the risk of air stagnation and local thick oil film at the moment of contact.

[0025] In some embodiments, the actuator 5 includes a rocker arm support 51, a rocker arm 52, a rotating shaft 53, a push rod 54, and a push plate 55; the rocker arm support 51 is sleeved on the output shaft 1, one end of which is connected to the rocker arm 52 via the rotating shaft 53, and the output end of the rocker arm 52 is fixedly connected to the push rod 54; one end of the push rod 54 is fixedly connected to the push plate 55, and one side of the push plate 55 abuts against the friction plate 31; when the output shaft 1 moves, the push plate 55 drives the clamping plate group 3 to press along the axial direction.

[0026] It can be understood that the actuator consists of a rocker arm support 51, a rocker arm 52, a rotating shaft 53, a push rod 54, and a push plate 55, which sequentially transmit force and displacement. The rocker arm support 51 is sleeved on the outside of the output shaft 1 and is fixedly connected to the pressure plate 61 through a connector 511, so that the pressure plate 61 can move synchronously with the axial movement of the actuator 5 without requiring the output shaft 1 to undergo axial displacement. One end of the rocker arm support 51 is pivotally connected to the rocker arm 52 through the rotating shaft 53. The rocker arm 52 swings around the rotating shaft 53 under external actuation, and its output end is fixedly connected to the push rod 54, converting the swing into the axial linear displacement of the push rod 54. The other end of the push rod 54 is fixedly connected to the push plate 55, and one side of the push plate 55 abuts against the clamping plate group 3 laterally, becoming the direct component for applying force to the plate group. When the actuator 5 is actuated, the rocker arm 52 swings around the pivot 53, driving the push rod 54 to advance axially. The push plate 55 then presses the clamping plate group 3 along the axial direction. At the same time, since the rocker arm support 51 and the pressure plate 61 are fixedly connected by the connector 511, the axial advancement generated by the push plate 55 will synchronously drive the pressure plate 61 to slide axially relative to the output shaft 1, and cause the pressure plate 61 to compress the spring 62. This causes the oil in the oil storage chamber 63 to be squeezed out during the pressing stage and enter the internal channel of the plate group through the oil inlet chamber 64 to complete the flow cooling. This combination relationship makes the force path short and clear: the rocker arm 52 to the push rod 54 and then to the push plate 55 directly send the axial force to the plate group. The connector 511 transmits the same action synchronously to the pressure plate 61 and the spring 62, which not only ensures that the clamping force is established evenly, but also avoids the thick oil film and air trapping caused by oil seepage in the plate group before pressing, thus improving the joint stability and thermal management efficiency.

[0027] In some embodiments, the spring 62 is disposed between the pressure plate 61 and the push plate 55, and the preload of the spring 62 is set to be no less than the oil pressure force exerted on the pressure plate 61 by the cooling oil in the oil reservoir 63 during operation.

[0028] It is understood that the spring 62 is located between the pressure plate 61 and the push plate 55. Its preload force is calibrated according to the working oil temperature and oil supply pressure to be no less than the combined oil pressure force of the cooling oil in the oil storage chamber 63 acting on the pressure plate 61 under working conditions. When not actuated or under light load and low speed, the pressure plate 61 maintains its initial position under the action of the spring 62, and the cooling oil remains in the oil storage chamber 63 without entering the plate group through the waiting oil inlet chamber 64. When the actuator 5 actuates the pressure plate 61 to move axially synchronously with the connecting piece 511 and overcomes the preload force of the spring 62 to achieve compression, the oil in the oil storage chamber 63 is discharged according to the stroke and enters the inner channel of the plate group through the waiting oil inlet chamber 64 to complete the through-flow cooling. After the actuation is released, the spring 62 resets the pressure plate 61 and reforms the volume of the oil storage chamber 63. With the above settings, oil overflow in the cavity can be suppressed before clamping to avoid the formation of a thick oil film and air trapping. During clamping, oil is supplied quantitatively according to pressure, and the unit returns quickly when released, ensuring a stable engagement process, timely heat dissipation, and minimal dragging loss.

[0029] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A high performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly characterized by, include: The output shaft (1) is provided with a spline (11) and a pressure plate (61) is slidably sleeved thereon. The lower housing (2) is coaxially arranged with the output shaft (1), and the bottom of the lower housing (2) is provided with an oil outlet (21). The clamping plate assembly (3) is located inside the lower housing (2); The upper housing (4) is connected to the lower housing (2) by fasteners (7), and an oil inlet (41) is provided on one side of the upper housing (4). The actuator (5) is disposed on the upper housing (4), arranged around the output shaft (1), and connected to one side of the clamping plate group (3) to realize axial clamping of the clamping plate group (3); The oil outlet structure (6) is composed of the pressure plate (61) and the spring (62); wherein, the cavity formed between the upper shell (4) and the pressure plate (61) is the oil storage cavity (63), and the cavity between the pressure plate (61) and the clamping plate group (3) is the oil inlet cavity (64).

2. The high-performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping plate assembly (3) is formed by alternating stacking of friction plates (31) and steel plates (32); the friction plates (31) have internal teeth that match the spline (11), and the friction surface of the friction plates (31) is provided with a plurality of guide grooves (311), which are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction and extend from the inside to the outside; the steel plates (32) have external teeth that match the mounting groove (22) of the lower housing (2), for circumferential locking and allowing axial sliding.

3. A high performance wet multi-plate clutch assembly according to claim 2, wherein, There is a mating clearance (111) between the inner teeth of the friction plate (31) and the spline (11) teeth of the spline (11).

4. A high performance wet plate clutch assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein, The actuator (5) includes a rocker arm support (51), a rocker arm (52), a rotating shaft (53), a push rod (54), and a push plate (55). The rocker arm support (51) is sleeved on the output shaft (1). The rocker arm support (51) is fixedly connected to the pressure plate (61) through a connector (511). One end of the rocker arm support (51) is connected to the rocker arm (52) through the rotating shaft (53). The push rod (54) is fixedly connected to the output end of the rocker arm (52). One end of the push rod (54) is fixedly connected to the push plate (55). One side of the push plate (55) abuts against the friction plate (31). When the actuator (5) is actuated, the push plate (55) drives the clamping plate group (3) to press along the axial direction, and at the same time drives the pressure plate (61) to compress the spring (62).

5. A high performance wet-type multi-plate clutch assembly according to claim 4, wherein The spring (62) is disposed between the pressure plate (61) and the push plate (55), and the preload of the spring (62) is set to be no less than the oil pressure force exerted on the pressure plate (61) by the cooling oil in the oil storage chamber (63) under working conditions.

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