Clutch Basket Assembly Using Removable Pins to Prevent Disc Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clutch basket housings made of aluminum suffer from wear issues due to contact with friction discs, leading to notching and grooving, which can cause clutch binding and suboptimal disengagement, and prior solutions like liners have limitations such as requiring new basket conditions and additional axial space.
Innovation Solution
A clutch basket assembly with removable pins or wear liners that are non-moveable or have limited movement, providing improved wear resistance and replaceability, allowing for secure coupling with friction discs and reducing wear by transmitting torque loads effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If aluminum clutch basket housings are used, then weight is reduced and manufacturing cost is reasonable, but wear resistance deteriorates due to contact with friction discs causing notching and grooving
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces pins as intermediary components between the aluminum clutch basket housing and friction discs. These pins act as mediators that bear the wear from friction disc contact, protecting the aluminum housing from direct wear while maintaining the lightweight advantage of aluminum construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The pins are designed as replaceable, consumable components that can be easily replaced when worn. This allows the expensive-to-manage aluminum housing to be protected while the inexpensive pins are periodically replaced, following the strategy of using cheap, replaceable components to protect expensive, durable components.
2Reliability
If wear liners are added to protect the basket housing, then wear resistance is improved, but device complexity increases and additional axial space is required
Solution Approach 1:
The pins serve multiple functions: they provide wear resistance, act as positioning features for friction discs, and serve as attachment points. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated wear liners and other components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining improved wear resistance.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional cast aluminum basket housings with integrated features are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but adaptability deteriorates when wear occurs requiring complete basket replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the clutch basket system into the housing and separate replaceable pins. This segmentation allows the housing to be manufactured once with simplified features while the pins can be independently replaced when worn, providing adaptability without complicating the manufacturing of the main housing structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An improved clutch basket assembly is disclosed. The improved clutch basket assembly provides improved wear resistance at the interfaces between friction discs and a clutch basket housing while allowing an operator to have improved clutch lever control and modulation when manually engaging or disengaging the clutch system. The improved clutch basket assembly includes a generally cylindrical clutch basket having a sidewall, a closed first end and an open second end. A plurality of removable pins is attached to the sidewall. A plurality of frictions disks is mounted in said clutch basket. The friction disks each have a plurality of positioning tabs extending out from a periphery of each of the friction disks. The positioning tabs are configured for engagement with at least one adjacent removable pin removably attached to the sidewall.