Friction Ring With Short Non-Fibrillated Fibers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing friction rings for wet clutches and transmissions face challenges in achieving a high coefficient of friction while minimizing wear and production costs, with known materials and methods failing to provide a suitable and cost-effective solution.

Innovation Solution

A friction ring with a carrier and a friction lining composed of a mixture of resin, filler, and fibers, where the fibers are aligned and predominantly short, eliminating the need for fibrillated fibers, and incorporating a thixotropic agent and heat-resistant materials to enhance processing and wear resistance, allowing direct application without an adhesive intermediate layer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If friction paper sheets are used and cut into segments, then the friction lining can be applied to the carrier, but material waste is unavoidable and production costs are high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction costVSAvoidmaterial waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical state of the friction lining from solid sheets to a flowable mass that can be applied in a controlled manner, eliminating the need for cutting and reducing material waste

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a reusable mold instead of disposable friction paper sheets, allowing the friction lining material to be applied efficiently without material waste and reducing overall production costs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If fibrillated fibers are used in the friction lining, then the material has good friction properties, but the material cannot be processed in a flowable state for direct application

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefriction coefficientVSAvoidprocessability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the problematic fibrillated fiber structure from the friction lining material, using instead short non-fibrillated fibers that can be processed in a flowable state while maintaining friction properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the fiber length parameter to be short (at most 0.3 mm) and eliminates fibrillation, allowing the material to be processed in a flowable state while maintaining adequate friction properties through proper fiber orientation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of substance

If the friction lining material is made flowable for direct application, then material waste is reduced, but suitable materials with proper friction properties are difficult to find

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial wasteVSAvoidfriction coefficient
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite material system combining short non-fibrillated fibers, resin, and filler in specific proportions that provides both flowability for direct application and adequate friction properties through proper material composition

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention optimizes multiple parameters including fiber length (at most 0.3 mm), fiber orientation (aligned), and material composition (resin, filler, and short fibers in specific ratios) to achieve both flowability and friction properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Strength

If longer fibers are used in the friction lining, then the material strength is improved, but the processability and embedding reliability of short fibers is enhanced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial strengthVSAvoidembedding reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes the fiber length parameter to be short (at most 0.3 mm) which improves processability and embedding reliability, while compensating for the reduced length through proper fiber orientation and material composition to maintain adequate strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution results in a friction ring with improved wear behavior, reduced production costs, and consistent friction coefficient over a large number of load cycles, with the ability to dissipate heat effectively and maintain a low pressure stiffness ratio, leading to a longer service life and efficient torque transmission.

Implementation Method 1

incorporating a thixotropic agent and heat-resistant materials to enhance processing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThixotropy: Thixotropy

Implementation Method 2

The friction lining is decisive for the quality of the friction ring, i.e. in particular for the wear behavior and the coefficient of friction over the entire service life

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

incorporating a thixotropic agent and heat-resistant materials to enhance processing and wear resistance, allowing direct application without an adhesive intermediate layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP2454500B1Friction ring and method for the production thereof
Publication Date: 2013.10.23 HOERBIGER ANTRIEBSTECHNIK HOLDING GMBH
  • EP2454500B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP2454500B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7
  • EP2454500B1 patent drawingFigure 8

AI summary

The invention relates to a friction ring, comprising a carrier (1) and a friction lining, characterized in that the friction lining (5) is made of a mixture of resin, filler and fibers, wherein the fibers substantially do not contain any fibrillated fibers. Such a friction ring can be used in wet disk friction systems. The invention also relates to a method for producing a friction ring, comprising a carrier (1) and a friction lining (5). For this purpose, first a carrier (1) is provided, and the surface of the carrier (1), which is to be provided with the friction lining (5), is prepared. Subsequently, a mold (3) is placed on the carrier (1), and a friction lining mixture (5’), which is substantially free from fibrillated fibers, is filled into the mold. Then, the friction lining mixture is further processed into a friction lining (5).