Clutch Support Plate Segmentation for Axial Force Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clutch devices face challenges in enhancing the strength of support members without increasing weight or manufacturing costs, particularly due to stress concentrations from assist cams, which require thicker materials or higher-strength materials to manage axial forces.
Innovation Solution
The clutch device incorporates a design with first and second cam parts and protruding portions on the rotor and support member, allowing forces to be distributed across thicker sections, enabling a thinner, lighter, and cost-effective support member configuration, with assist and slipper cam mechanisms to control engaging forces effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the support plate is enhanced in stiffness against axial force by increasing thickness or using high-strength material, then the strength and reliability are improved, but the weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate is divided into a thin plate portion and a thick protruding portion. The thin plate portion maintains low weight, while the thick protruding portion provides the necessary stiffness and stress resistance at the fixation portions, resolving the contradiction between overall weight reduction and localized strength enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The support plate features non-uniform thickness distribution, with thicker sections at the fixation portions and thinner sections elsewhere. This local quality variation ensures that stiffness is enhanced only where needed (at the fixation portions subjected to axial force) while minimizing the overall weight of the support plate.
2Reliability
If the support plate is made thicker or from high-strength material to handle axial force, then the reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate is segmented into thin and thick portions, allowing standard thin material to be used for most of the plate while only局部 thickening at critical areas. This reduces overall material consumption and manufacturing cost while maintaining the reliability needed at the fixation portions.
Solution Approach 2:
By providing localized thickness enhancement at the fixation portions rather than uniformly thickening the entire support plate, the design achieves the necessary reliability at critical stress points while minimizing material usage and manufacturing cost.
3Device complexity
If a single cam structure is used on the support plate, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to control pressing force effectively deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism is segmented into a first cam part on the rotor and a second cam part on the support plate, with each having distinct cam surfaces. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each cam part's geometry to achieve effective pressing force control while keeping each individual cam part relatively simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The first cam part and second cam part work together as a combined cam mechanism system. The interaction between the two cam surfaces creates the desired pressing force control effect, merging the functions of both cam parts to achieve effective clutch engagement control.
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 enhances the strength of the clutch device without increasing weight or manufacturing costs, effectively managing forces and maintaining performance by distributing stress across the components, thus improving the overall efficiency and reliability of the clutch system.
Implementation Method 1
The first cam part controls a pressing force applied to the clutch part in transmission of the power, and includes a first cam surface provided on a first side in a rotational direction on each of the plurality of first protruding portions of the first rotor. The second cam part controls the pressing force applied to the clutch part in transmission of the power, and includes a second cam surface provided on a second side in the rotational direction on each of the plurality of second protruding portions of the support member
Data Source
AI summary
The present clutch device includes a clutch housing, a clutch center, a pressure plate, a clutch part, a support plate and two cam mechanisms. The clutch center includes a plurality of first protruding portions protruding to a first side in an axial direction. The clutch part allows and blocks transmission of power from the clutch housing to an output side. The support plate includes a plurality of second protruding portions that protrude to a second side in the axial direction and are fixed to the plurality of first protruding portions. The cam mechanism includes a cam surface provided on each of the plurality of first protruding portions, whereas the cam mechanism includes a cam surface provided on each of the plurality of second protruding portions. Both cam surfaces provided on the relevant protruding portions are disposed on the opposite sides in a rotational direction.