Progressivity device for clutch friction disk, and friction disk comprising such device

This application is related to Patent Application No. 1650933 filed Feb. 5, 2016 in France, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and to which priority is claimed.

The invention relates to a progressivity device for a clutch friction disk of a motor vehicle.

The invention relates more specifically to an improvement to clutches of the type comprising a friction disk mounted on the gearbox input shaft and coming into abutment against the engine flywheel in an engaged position. A clutch mechanism fastened on the engine flywheel applies a clamping force onto the friction disk in order to transmit the torque produced by the engine.

Friction disks for a clutch traditionally comprise a so-called “progressive” torque input web carrying peripheral friction linings.

Two guide washers arranged on either side of the web are mounted on a central hub integral with the driven shaft of the gearbox, capturing compression springs in intercalated receptacles.

Torque transmission, and filtering of engine irregularities, is accomplished by successive compression and relaxation of the springs.

When the clutch pedal is actuated the clutch mechanism releases the friction linings, causing disconnection of the driving shaft from the driven shaft of the gearbox.

Torque transmission must be as progressive as possible during the re-engagement phase.

This is because during this phase, the linings are heavily loaded and tend to deform in an uncontrolled manner, which then creates discontinuities in torque transmission which are accompanied by a chattering phenomenon, with jolts that are very uncomfortable and prejudicial to driving of the vehicle.

Applied-blade progressivity devices, such as the one described in FR 2 352 211, already exist.

This document discloses a clutch friction disk comprising a progressivity device whose central web carries on its periphery a series of coplanar blades integrated with the web by rivets and intended to support a first friction lining, a second lining being fastened on the opposite face of the central progressivity web.

These blades exhibit at least two pleats of material, delimiting between them the support region of the first lining and mechanically compensating, by compression, for the deformations of that lining in order to keep the two linings in parallel planes.

These pleats extend on either side of the fastening region of the blades on the web, being oriented along intersecting lines that are inclined with respect to its diametrical axis.

This configuration is not always satisfactory, however, since it does not allow effective resolution of the technical problems referred to above.

Specifically, because the rivets that provide connection between the web and the first lining via the blades exert radial traction forces on that lining, and because, during re-engagement, the inclined pleats are subjected to compressive stresses in divergent directions, the resultant of those forces still causes the appearance on that lining of geometric defects such as out-of-parallelism, which generate chattering.

In addition, when the pleats are compressed, the support region tends to deform in an excessive and uncontrolled fashion, forming a cup whose base comes into abutment against the progressivity web of the friction disk; this causes stiffening of the progressivity curve and prevents the stiffness specifications from being achieved.

FR 2 530 756 and DE 21 11 892 describe progressivity blades applied and riveted onto the external rim of a web, the lining support region of which has cutouts that allow said blades to be lighter and more flexible.

These cutouts nevertheless do not allow the deformation of the support regions to be controlled, and the profile and geometry of those regions are furthermore inappropriate for solving the out-of-parallelism problems of the linings.

The invention aims to overcome these technical problems by proposing an improved progressivity device having blades whose deformation is controlled by suppressing or at least by greatly limiting both the risk of out-of-parallelism of the linings during re-engagement phases, and the cupping effect of that deformation.

This object is achieved by means of a progressivity device for a clutch friction disk comprising a progressivity web having a central rotation axis, having on one face of its external rim a series of blades on which are configured at least two deformable pleats delimiting a region intended to support a first friction lining and equipped with a stiffness element, and on the other face a second friction lining, wherein said stiffness element comprises at least one tab projecting below said region, one end of which is intended to come into abutment against the web upon deformation of the pleats, limiting the arching of said region.

According to a first variant, the tab is delimited by a cutout.

According to a sub-variant, the cutout is H-shaped.

According to a second variant, the device comprises two identical tabs extending symmetrically with respect to the radial center axis of the support region.

According to a third variant, the tab is flanked by two longitudinal slots and extends tangentially to the web.

According to yet another variant, the tab is constituted by a boss extending orthoradially to the central axis of the web.

According to an advantageous characteristic, the tab extends at rest at an inclination of between 1° and 20° with respect to the plane of the support region.

The tab is preferably located between the two pleats.

According to another characteristic, the support region is equipped with four orifices that are intended to receive fastening rivets for the first lining and are positioned on either side of the tab.

Preferably the arching height of the tab is less than or equal to the arching height of the support region.

According to a particular variant, the blades are applied and riveted on the external rim of the web by means of at least one of their ends.

According to yet another characteristic, the pleats extend in an orthoradial direction with respect to the central axis of the web, so that under abutment stresses the pleats are compressed isostatically.

Preferably the pleats are parallel and have the same axial stiffness.

Advantageously, the pleats have the same width and the same height, and extend symmetrically on either side of the diametrical axis of the web.

According to another specific variant, the pleats are constituted by three segments inclined at an angle of between 1° and 20° with respect to the plane perpendicular to the central rotation axis of the web.

According to yet another variant, said support region is provided with a radial recess extending between the two pleats.

Advantageously, the blades are made of steel sheet and the pleats are perpendicular to the rolling direction of the sheet.

Another object of the invention is a clutch friction disk comprising a progressivity device as defined above.

Thanks to the isostatic arching of the blades and the presence of the tabs, the progressivity device according to the invention allows preservation of the linings and minimizes their geometric defects (out-of-parallelism), both in the free state and under stress during the re-engagement phase, which can thus be effected in a smooth, comfortable, and jerk-free manner with no chattering.

The progressivity and stiffness curve of the friction disk comprising the progressivity device according to the present invention is found to be very flexible at low load, and stiffens very progressively in response to large loads.

The invention furthermore allows better control of industrial manufacture of the friction disks, because the progressivity blades and their cutouts are created by machining or by being cut out on a stamping press independently of the central support web, thus reducing the risks of dimensional deviation, and because their pleats are all oriented identically with respect to the rolling direction of the steel sheet.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become evident upon reading the description that follows, referring to the attached Figures and described in detail below.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are overall perspective views of a first embodiment of a friction disk comprising the progressivity device according to the present invention, respectively as an exploded view and after assembly of the various components.

FIG. 1C is a perspective view of a first variant embodiment of the progressivity device according to the invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are respectively an enlarged frontal view and a section view along II-II of a blade used in the variant of the device according to the invention as illustrated by FIGS. 1A and 1C .

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic partial section views (without the rivets or web) of the progressivity device according to the invention, respectively at rest and in a re-engagement phase.

FIG. 4A is a partial exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a friction disk comprising a second variant of the progressivity device according to the invention, as depicted in perspective in FIG. 4B .

FIGS. 5A and 5B are respectively a frontal view and a section view along V-V of a blade used in the second variant embodiment of the device according to the invention of FIGS. 4A and 4B .

FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic partial section views (without the rivets) of the second variant embodiment of the progressivity device according to the invention as illustrated by FIGS. 5A and 5B , respectively at rest and in a re-engagement phase.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are respectively a frontal view and a section view along VII-VII of a blade used in a third variant embodiment of the device according to the invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fourth variant of the progressivity device according to the invention.

FIG. 9 is a graph comparing the displacements of linings under stress, with blades respectively according to the first variant of the device according to the invention ( FIGS. 2A, 2B —curve 1 ) and according to the second variant in which said blades are equipped with an additional stiffness element ( FIGS. 7A, 7B —curve 2 ).

For greater clarity, identical or similar elements are labeled with identical reference characters in all the Figures.

The embodiments illustrated in the Figures presented above are of course provided only as non-limiting examples. Provision is explicitly made that these different embodiments and variants can be combined with one another so as to propose others.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a first embodiment of an improved friction disk comprising the progressivity device according to the invention.

This friction disk D comprises, in traditional fashion, an annular progressivity web 1 with a central rotation axis X having an external rim 1 a equipped with a series of applied blades 2 intended to support peripheral friction linings, and a central orifice 10 delimited by an internal rim 1 b ensuring connection to a hub M ( FIG. 1B ).

Blades 2 are distributed angularly over the periphery of web 1 , around rotation axis X.

A clutch mechanism fastened on the engine flywheel (not depicted) applies a clamping force onto friction disk D in order to transmit the torque produced by the engine.

The two friction linings are implemented in the form of applied rings G 1 , G 2 that are fastened on either side of web 1 , as illustrated in FIG. 1A .

Friction hub M is mounted on the driven shaft of the gearbox and is connected to web 1 by a set of peripheral teeth meshing into slots (not visible in the Figures) configured on internal rim 1 b of central orifice 10 .

First lining G 1 comes into engagement with the pressure plate of the clutch mechanism (not depicted), while second lining G 2 comes into abutment against the engine flywheel in the engaged position.

Two guide washers 4 arranged on either side of web 1 are mounted on the central hub, capturing compression springs C in intercalated receptacles ( FIG. 1B ).

In order to increase its stiffness and service life, first friction lining G 1 here is adhesively bonded to an intercalated shim 3 that is in turn fastened onto one face of web 1 , while second friction lining G 2 is fastened directly onto the other face of web 1 by adhesive bonding, as illustrated in FIG. 1A .

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1C , the blades 2 are integrated and fastened onto the external rim 1 a of the progressivity web 1 , at at least one of their ends, by means of rivets R. Configured on these blades are at least two pleats 20 a , 20 b of material delimiting a support region 20 of first friction lining G 1 . The support region 20 is defined between the two deformable pleats 20 a , 20 b , as illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3B and 6A-6B .

Once blades 2 have been riveted to web 1 , support region 20 becomes elevated by an amount equal to the height of pleats 20 a , 20 b with respect to the plane of the web.

Support region 20 is preferably planar, and is equipped here with four orifices 22 intended to receive rivets R for fastening lining G 1 .

Blades 2 are substantially rectangular in shape, with one planar end 2 a having a straight edge and one beveled end 2 b , and are fastened on external rim 1 a of web 1 at at least one of those ends and preferably at straight end 2 a , as illustrated by FIGS. 1A and 1B .

For this purpose, blades 2 are equipped with at least one pair of aligned bores 21 that coincide with corresponding bores configured on rim 1 a of web 1 in order to receive appropriate sets of rivets.

Blades 2 are equipped with at least one pair of aligned orifices 25 creating a space for reception of the rivets for fastening lining G 2 .

In the embodiment of FIG. 2B , beveled end 2 b terminates in a spatula 24 that is left free in order to cover external rim 1 a of web 1 .

Blades 2 are mounted on external rim 1 a of web 1 in such a way that the internal edge of beveled end 2 b of each blade is arranged parallel with the edge of straight end 2 a of the immediately contiguous blade, and so that external edge 2 c of the rectangular portion of the blades adjoins the periphery of the web, as illustrated in FIG. 1C .

Planar end 2 a , having a straight edge, of blades 2 , which here is riveted to web 1 , is adjacent to one of the two pleats 20 a , 20 b.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the two pleats 20 a , 20 b form arches that are identical in width, height, and therefore stiffness, which extend in directions that are both parallel to one another and orthoradial with respect to central rotation axis X of web 1 and thus of the friction disk.

The “orthoradial” direction can be defined as being orthogonal to rotation axis X and, in particular, perpendicular to the installation radius of blades 2 on web 1 .

The pleats are constituted by three segments 201 , 202 , 203 inclined at an angle α of between 1° and 20° with respect to the perpendicular plane of central rotation axis X of the friction disk, as illustrated in FIG. 2B .

The inclination of these segments ensures an elevation h of between 0.5 and 1.5 mm of support region 20 with respect to plane P of web 1 .

This inclination results from a curvature of radius r, as illustrated by FIG. 2B and FIG. 7B .

After riveting of blades 2 , these pleats are moreover positioned symmetrically on either side of the diametrical axis of web 1 .

The supporting means of first lining G 1 thus have a uniform stiffness over all blades 2 , so as to deform isostatically and elastically.

More specifically, upon compression of blades 2 , their displacement is limited to the orthoradial direction and some of their degrees of mobility are blocked, but each degree of freedom is blocked only once, so that no stress is exerted on the blades.

The geometry and the profile of the pleats are defined so that the mechanical stresses generated in the blades remain in the elastic range of their constituent material.

As a consequence, during the re-engagement phase when at least one of linings G 1 , G 2 is subjected to abutment stresses, said stresses are transmitted to support region 20 and to pleats 20 a , 20 b , which then deform in controlled fashion.

More specifically, the two pleats compress in the same direction, identically and simultaneously over all the blades, in the manner of hinges, causing a tangential angular offset of the two linings whose friction faces nevertheless remain in parallel planes, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, and 6A and 6B .

The pleats thus compress isostatically.

This selective deformation of pleats 20 a , 20 b of support region 20 allows first lining G 1 to pivot freely around rotation axis X of the friction disk relative to second lining G 2 , with no loading or deformation of the friction faces.

Linings G 1 , G 2 thus remain in a plane perpendicular to axis X.

According to a variant of the invention (illustrated in particular in FIGS. 7A and 7B ), support region 20 comprises a shallow recess 20 d , extending radially, halfway between the two pleats 20 a , 20 b and parallel to them.

This recess preferably extends radially from one edge of the blade to the other.

In the embodiments depicted in the Figures, blades 2 have a third pleat 20 c , parallel to the other two pleats 20 a , 20 b and of the same width and height, that is located on beveled end 20 b opposite the planar, straight edge 2 a riveted to web 1 .

This third pleat 20 c is on the one hand separated from the other two pleats by a planar region 23 perforated by at least one, and in this case two, complementary bores 25 for fastening to web 1 , and on the other hand is extended by spatula 24 .

Spatula 24 rises to a height that is equal to height h of support region 20 and is thus preferably between 0.5 and 1.5 mm above the plane of web 1 .

In the variant illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 4A , external rim 1 a of web 1 has indentations 100 configured in the angular sectors located below pleats 20 a , 20 b of blades 2 .

Indentations 100 make it possible both to reduce inertia and to configure an axial receptacle for the rivets for fastening first lining G 1 .

Web 1 and blades 2 are made of steel sheet, and pleats 20 a , 20 b , 20 c are perpendicular to the rolling direction of the sheet, which allows the risk of dimensional deviations to be reduced.

In order to control the deformation of support region 20 during the re-engagement phase and to avoid the “cupping” effect (visible in FIG. 3B ) which is prejudicial to comfort during the re-engagement phase, in a second aspect the invention makes provision to equip support region 20 with an additional stiffness element.

This additional stiffness element comprises at least one tab 200 that projects axially below the planar support region 20 toward the progressivity web 1 and is spaced from the deformable pleats 20 a , 20 b so as to be disposed between the two deformable pleats 20 a , 20 b.

One of the ends of this tab is intended to come to a stop against the progressivity web 1 upon deformation of the deformable pleats 20 a , 20 b , limiting the collapse (i.e., arching or bending) of the planar support region 20 , as illustrated in FIG. 6B .

In the variants illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, and 6A, 6B , this stiffness element has in particular two facing tabs 200 a , 200 b that are delimited by a cutout configured through support region 20 .

There is a single cutout here, in the shape of an H.

Preferably the two tabs 200 a , 200 b are identical and extend symmetrically with respect to the central axis of support region 20 . In the position at rest of the clutch friction disk (i.e., in an uncompressed condition of the deformable pleats 20 a , 20 b of the blades 2 ), one of the ends of each of the tabs 200 a , 200 b is axially spaced from the progressivity web 1 as illustrated in FIG. 6A , while during the re-engagement phase of the clutch friction disk (i.e., in a compressed condition of the deformable pleats 20 a , 20 b of the blades 2 ) illustrated in FIG. 6B , one of the ends of each of the tabs 200 a , 200 b comes into abutment (i.e., to a stop) against the progressivity web 1 upon deformation of the deformable pleats 20 a , 20 b , thus limiting the arching (or bending) of the support region 20 .

If support region 20 is also provided with a recess 20 d as illustrated in FIG. 7A , that recess is interrupted by the H-shaped cutout and is then in two parts located respectively on either side of tabs 200 a , 200 b.

According to another variant that is not depicted, the support region is provided with two longitudinal slots that border and enclose a single, cradle-shaped tab.

Preferably these slots are parallel and extend tangentially to web 1 .

According to another variant that is also not depicted, the tab is constituted by a boss that is produced, for example, by stamping and extends orthoradially to central axis X of web 1 .

As illustrated in FIG. 7B , tabs 200 a , 200 b extend at rest with an inclination β of between 1° and 20° with respect to the plane of support region 20 or plane P of web 1 , and are located between the two pleats 20 a , 20 b.

The four orifices 22 intended to receive rivets R for fastening the first lining are positioned here on either side of the H-shaped cutout.

As illustrated schematically in FIG. 6B , a bending height of the tabs 200 a , 200 b is substantially equal to half a bending height of the support region 20 .

The variant depicted in FIG. 8 of the progressivity device according to the invention corresponds to a one-piece assemblage of web 1 and blades 2 .

Here blades 2 are shaped directly into external rim 1 a of web 1 and are separated from one another by L-shaped slots F opening toward the edge of the web.

In this variant, the pleats do not necessarily all extend in the orthoradial direction.

As previously, region 20 intended for supporting the linings has an additional stiffness element in the form of tabs 200 a , 200 b.

The graph of FIG. 9 presents two curves illustrating the mechanical behavior of a clutch comprising the blades of the progressivity device according to the invention, respectively according to the variant having no additional stiffness element (curve 1 ) and the variant having said stiffness element (curve 2 ).