Multiplate Clutch Core Plate Local Thickness Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Typical motor vehicle automatic transmission clutches experience high contact stresses between spline and spline groove interfaces, which can be exacerbated by using thin core plates, and there is a need to reduce these stresses while minimizing costs and maintaining transmission size.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves creating core plates with increased thickness in the spline region by removing material from separator plates during their formation, allowing for a larger contact area and reduced stress, while also enabling the use of softer materials for the hub and case, such as aluminum, and allowing for thinner core plates and thicker separator plates to increase energy capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If thin core plates are used to reduce transmission size, then the overall size of the transmission is reduced, but the contact stresses between splines and spline grooves increase
Solution Approach 1:
The core plate is designed with non-uniform thickness, being thicker in the spline engagement region and thinner in other areas. This local variation in thickness provides increased contact area and reduced stress at the spline interfaces where it is most needed, while maintaining overall compact dimensions of the transmission.
2Stress or pressure
If larger core plates are used to reduce contact stresses, then the contact area between splines and spline grooves is increased, but the overall size of the transmission increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing the core plate thickness throughout, the invention applies increased thickness locally only in the spline engagement region. This targeted approach reduces contact stresses at the critical interface without proportionally increasing the overall transmission size.
3Stress or pressure
If material is removed from separator plates to create thicker core plates, then the contact area is increased and contact stresses are reduced, but the separator plate strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Material that would normally be discarded during separator plate formation is recovered and repurposed to create the thickness bolstering portion of the core plate. This transforms waste material into a functional component that reduces contact stresses while the separator plate maintains its structural integrity through optimized design.
Data Source
AI summary
An annular core plate for a multiplate clutch assembly includes a main annular portion and an engagement annular portion extending from the main annular portion. The engagement annular portion has teeth extending therefrom. The teeth are thicker than the main annular portion. A multiplate clutch assembly is provided that includes at least one annular core plate or friction plate and at least one annular separator plate. A method of constructing at least one plate for a multiplate clutch assembly is also provided. The method includes forming an annular separator plate from sheet metal by removing a circular section from a separator plate main body portion of the sheet metal, removing a portion of the circular section to form teeth in the circular section, and attaching the circular section to an annular plate.