Clutch Bearing Alignment Element for Diaphragm Spring Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle clutches with diaphragm springs experience increased wear due to relative movement between the bearing and the spring, and imprecise centering of the springs leads to high tolerance values and additional wear on components.
Innovation Solution
The motor vehicle clutch design includes an alignment element, such as pins on the bearing, that centers and secures the diaphragm springs in place, preventing rotation and radial movement, and a collar to reduce frictional contact, thereby minimizing wear and allowing direct axial stop control for clutch actuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the clutch hub has a slot in the axial direction for disk springs engagement and radial centering is done on the hub retainer, then the disk springs can be positioned in the axial direction, but a high tolerance value must be provided for radial centering leading to imprecise positioning and increased wear
Solution Approach 1:
A dedicated centering element is introduced as an intermediary component between the clutch hub and the disk springs. This centering element provides precise radial positioning for the disk springs, eliminating the need for high tolerance machining on the hub retainer while maintaining accurate axial positioning through the slot engagement mechanism.
2Ease of manufacture
If the disk springs are centered on the hub retainer rather than directly on the clutch hub, then assembly is simplified, but the position of individual springs relative to the bearing is not precisely defined causing increased wear on fingers and springs
Solution Approach 1:
The centering element serves as a mediator that maintains the simplified assembly process while simultaneously providing precise positioning. It transfers the centering function from the hub retainer to a dedicated component that ensures accurate spring positioning relative to the bearing, thereby reducing wear without complicating assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The centering function is separated from the hub retainer and assigned to a dedicated centering element. This segmentation allows the hub retainer to focus on its primary function while the centering element specifically addresses positioning requirements, improving both manufacturability and reliability.
3Extent of automation
If the clutch is actuated with pneumatic actuator, then the clutch can be opened by building counterforce on disk springs, but relative movement occurs between the bearing and spring during actuation leading to increased wear
Solution Approach 1:
The centering element acts as a mediator during pneumatic actuation, maintaining precise alignment between the bearing and spring. It prevents relative movement that would otherwise occur during the actuation cycle, thereby reducing wear while preserving the automated pneumatic operation capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a motor vehicle clutch (10) for frictionally connecting and separating a drive assembly to/from an auxiliary assembly, having a bearing (20 and 20a) for transferring an axial force to at least one plate spring (30) by means of a contact surface (21 and 21a), for opening the clutch, wherein the plate spring (30) has spring tongues (31) protruding radially inward, which have recesses (32) between each other, wherein the bearing (20 and 20a) has pins (22 and 22a) for radially immovable and rotationally fixed immobilizing of the plate spring (30), which extend from the contact surface (21 and 21a) in the axial direction of the motor vehicle clutch (10) and are designed to be received by the recesses (32) between the spring tongues (31) and to engage therewith.