Friction Clutch Radial Supports Reduce Angular Play
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Solution Overview
Problem
The 'drawer effect' occurs in motor vehicle friction clutches due to the embedding of plastic lugs in metal recesses, leading to angular play and reduced vibration filtration effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The friction clutch design includes radial supports and folded lug bodies to increase the contact surface between the friction washer tabs and guide washer recesses, reducing contact pressure and enhancing immobilization and vibration filtration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If plastic lugs are housed in metal recesses to immobilize the friction washer, then the friction washer is secured in rotation, but the plastic lugs embed in the metal recesses causing angular play and reducing vibration filtration effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by modifying the recess geometry specifically at the contact zones. Radial supports are added to the recesses to create localized metal-to-metal contact surfaces, while the rest of the recess maintains its original function of housing the plastic lugs. This localized modification prevents embedding at critical contact points without changing the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The radial supports act as intermediary elements between the plastic lugs and the metal recess walls. These supports provide an intermediate metal surface that bears the radial loads, preventing direct contact between the plastic lugs and the recess walls, thereby eliminating the embedding mechanism while maintaining the immobilization function.
2Stability of the object's composition
If high contact pressure is applied between lugs and recess walls to ensure immobilization, then the friction washer remains stable, but the plastic lugs embed in the recesses causing the drawer effect
Solution Approach 1:
The invention concentrates the contact pressure locally on the radial supports rather than distributing it along the entire recess wall. The radial supports are positioned to bear the radial loads, creating localized high-pressure contact zones that prevent embedding by eliminating relative motion, while other areas maintain lower pressures.
Solution Approach 2:
The radial supports extend the contact interface into a new dimensional configuration. Instead of linear contact along the recess wall, the supports create radial contact surfaces that project into the recess, increasing the contact surface area in a radial dimension and distributing the load more effectively.
3Reliability
If the contact surface between lugs and recess walls is increased to prevent embedding, then the immobilization is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The recess structure is segmented into functional zones: the main recess cavity for housing the lugs, and radial support elements that project into the recess. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function - the recess provides containment while the radial supports provide load-bearing contact surfaces, simplifying the overall design.
Solution Approach 2:
The radial supports are integrated directly into the recess structure, merging the immobilization function and the load-bearing function into a single structural element. This combination eliminates the need for separate components, reducing overall structural complexity while achieving the desired effect of preventing embedding.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design minimizes the 'drawer effect' by increasing the contact surface, reducing angular play, and improving the filtration of vibrations and shocks, ensuring smoother torque transmission.
Implementation Method 1
damping means provided with elastic members, connecting the guide washers and the web
Implementation Method 2
friction means having at least one guide washer and one friction washer with tabs
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Friction clutch, intended for a motor vehicle, of the type comprising a friction device (1) with: damping means equipped with elastic members (7) and with friction means, these friction means having at least one guide ring (5) and one friction ring (13) with tabs (15), these tabs (15) being housed in recesses (10) transversal to the guide ring (5) via their ends or bodies (17), these recesses (10) rotationally immobilizing the friction ring (13) with respect to the guide ring (5), characterized in that the guide ring (5) comprises at least one radial support (18) against which the body (17) of the corresponding tab (15) rests, this support (18) projecting with respect to one of the two flat surfaces (11) of the guide ring (5) in the region of a recess (10), and/or in that the body (17) of at least one tab (15) is bent into the recess (10).