Vehicle Clutch with Conical Friction Surfaces for Heat Dissipation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive transmission clutches face challenges in balancing compact size with high torque capacity, leading to thermal damage due to limited heat capacity and the need for effective lubrication and cooling solutions.
Innovation Solution
A clutch design featuring a conical surface configuration with radial and axial holes for oil flow, integrated cooling parts, and grooves to enhance heat dissipation, allowing for efficient friction surface cooling and improved durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the clutch volume is reduced to achieve compact configuration, then the clutch can be easily applied to transmission with small space requirement, but the heat capacity decreases leading to thermal damage from frictional heat
Solution Approach 1:
The clutch friction surface is divided into multiple conical friction surfaces (first conical friction surface between first friction ring and first clutch disc, second conical friction surface between second friction ring and second clutch disc). This segmentation increases the total friction surface area within a compact volume, improving heat dissipation capacity while maintaining small clutch size.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional planar friction surfaces to three-dimensional conical friction surfaces. The conical geometry provides increased surface area in the radial direction, allowing better heat dissipation without increasing the axial length of the clutch, thus resolving the contradiction between compact volume and heat capacity.
2Volume of moving object
If the clutch volume is reduced to achieve compact configuration, then the clutch can be easily applied to transmission with small space requirement, but the torque capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The clutch is divided into multiple friction surface pairs (first and second conical friction surfaces), allowing torque to be distributed across multiple interfaces. This enables high torque capacity within a compact volume by utilizing parallel torque transmission paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of conical (curved) friction surfaces instead of planar surfaces increases the effective friction area and improves torque transmission efficiency. The conical geometry provides better contact pressure distribution, enhancing torque capacity without increasing clutch volume.
3Force
If multiple friction surfaces are introduced to increase torque capacity and heat dissipation, then the clutch performance is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple friction rings and clutch discs are integrated into a compact stacked arrangement, merging multiple friction surfaces into a single integrated clutch assembly. This reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining multiple friction interfaces for high torque capacity and heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction rings and clutch discs are arranged in a nested, space-efficient configuration where components are stacked axially with minimal clearance. This nesting approach allows multiple friction surfaces to be packed into a compact volume without significantly increasing structural complexity.
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, high-torque clutch with enhanced cooling performance, reducing the risk of thermal damage and improving durability while maintaining a small volume.
Implementation Method 1
the second rotor is provided with a plurality of radial holes penetrating through the clutch part in radial directions of the clutch part, such that oil is moved from inside of the clutch part to a space between the inner ring and the second rotor
Implementation Method 2
The cone may be provided with a plurality of axial holes penetrating through from a surface thereof facing the first rotor to a surface thereof facing the second rotor such that oil placed between the cone and the first rotor flows to a space between the cone and the second rotor, through the axial holes
Implementation Method 3
by frictional heat. Thus, lubrication and cooling to prevent the damage are required
Data Source
AI summary
A clutch for a vehicle may include a first rotor locked to a rotating shaft controlling rotations of the first rotor; a second rotor rotatably provided on the rotating shaft; a clutch part inclinedly protruding from the second rotor toward the first rotor, wherein an outer circumferential surface of the clutch part is configured as a conical surface; an inner ring rotating along with the first rotor; a cone rotating along with the second rotor; an outer ring rotating along with the first rotor; and a sleeve rectilinearly slidable at an outside of an outer circumferential surface of the first rotor along a direction of the rotating shaft to press the outer ring toward the second rotor, forming friction surfaces between the outer ring and the cone, between the cone and the inner ring, and between the inner ring and the clutch part.