Cone Friction Clutch With Elastic Separation for Low-Shock Torque
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing friction clutches face challenges in being compact while achieving high transmission torque capacity, reducing shock during engagement, and preventing drag torque, particularly due to sudden torque transmission and sticking issues in cone clutches under hydraulic control.
Innovation Solution
A friction clutch design featuring a cylindrical clutch drum with an inner peripheral surface spline, a hub, pusher and driven plates, an elastic body, and cone structures that allow for low-pressure engagement and high-pressure torque transmission through multiple conical frictional engagements, reducing shock and drag torque by using an elastic body to separate cone clutch components when hydraulic pressure is released.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the number of friction plates and driven plates is increased to increase transmission torque capacity, then the torque transmission capability is improved, but the device size increases and compactness is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs conical surfaces instead of traditional flat friction plates. The cone clutch mechanism utilizes frictional engagement between conical surfaces (input cone and output cone) to transmit torque. This curved geometry allows for more efficient torque transmission per unit area, enabling high torque capacity in a more compact configuration compared to conventional plate clutch designs.
2Power
If hydraulic pressure is increased to improve close contact between friction plates, then torque transmission is improved, but the risk of sudden torque transmission and shock increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates an elastic body (such as a spring) between the driven plate and the input cone. This elastic element acts as a cushion that absorbs and dampens the shock during engagement. When hydraulic pressure is applied, the elastic body compresses gradually, providing a buffering effect that prevents sudden torque transmission and reduces engagement shock, while still allowing effective torque transmission at higher pressures.
3Power
If cone clutch is used to increase torque capacity, then transmission capability is improved, but drag torque and sticking issues occur when hydraulic pressure is released
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic body serves as an intermediary element between the driven plate and the input cone. When hydraulic pressure is released, this elastic body actively pushes the input cone and output cone apart, ensuring complete disengagement of the cone clutch. This intermediary mechanism prevents the cones from remaining in frictional engagement, thereby eliminating drag torque and sticking issues that would otherwise occur.
4Power
If piston area is increased to improve torque transmission, then transmission capability is improved, but the device becomes less compact and piston downsizing is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The cone clutch mechanism provides mechanical advantage through its conical geometry. The frictional force generated between the conical surfaces is converted into axial force that transmits torque efficiently. This allows the piston to operate at smaller area and lower force while still achieving high torque transmission capability, enabling piston downsizing and overall clutch compactness.
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
The design enables a compact friction clutch with increased torque capacity, reduced shock during engagement, and minimized drag torque, while lowering hydraulic pressure requirements for operation, thus improving fuel efficiency and preventing cone clutch sticking.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic body is compressed when the piston moves toward the pusher plate to press the pusher plate
Implementation Method 2
the pusher plate, the friction plate and the driven plate are frictionally engaged with each other
Implementation Method 3
the input cone and the output cone are frictionally engaged with each other when the piston moves further toward the pusher plate
Implementation Method 4
when the hydraulic pressure is released, the compressed elastic body operates to push the input cone and the output cone in a direction for separating from each other
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
Provided is a friction clutch which is compact and has a large transmission torque capacity, with which a shock during engagement is small, and with which a drag torque is not readily generated. In a friction clutch 10, if a piston 32 is activated with a low hydraulic pressure, a pusher plate 16, a friction plate 26, and a driven plate 18 are caused to frictionally engage, and an elastic body 20 is compressed, and therefore shock during engagement is small. If the piston 32 is activated with a high hydraulic pressure, an input cone 15 and an output cone 24 frictionally engage, and therefore the transmission torque capacity can be increased, and the number of friction plates 26 and driven plates 18 can be reduced, thereby making the friction clutch compact. When the hydraulic pressure is released, the elastic body 20 that was compressed acts to separate the input cone 15 and the output cone 24, and therefore the input cone 15 and the output cone 24 can be prevented from becoming stuck, and the generation of drag torque can be suppressed.