Clutch housing with lever spring retention slots and method of installing a lever spring

Abstract

The present invention broadly comprises a spring-retaining clutch housing including a housing wall and at least one opening in the wall. The opening is arranged to accept at least a portion of a lever spring for a clutch assembly. The lever spring includes at least one protrusion, extending from an outer circumference of the spring, with top and bottom sides. The opening defines edges in the housing wall axially displaced one to the other. The edges are arranged to be contacted by the top and bottom sides, respectively. In some aspects, contact with edges is arranged to provide forces in two, opposite axial directions. In some aspects, the housing is arranged for installation in a clutch assembly with a bearing and a clutch and the forces are for a pre-load force for the assembly bearing or with respect to an axial force generated during operation of the clutch.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outer clutch housing with present invention spring retention openings;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an inner clutch housing with present invention spring retention openings;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a dual clutch assembly including the clutch housings of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a top view the clutch assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of the outer housing spring in FIG. 6, in a relaxed state, along line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the outer housing spring in FIG. 6, in a deformed state, along line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8A through 8C are partial side views of a present invention outer housing illustrating inner housing retaining slots and tabs for an inner housing;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an outer clutch housing with a present invention spring retention device;

FIG. 10 is a side view of a dual clutch assembly including the clutch housing of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the assembly of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12A is a perspective view of a cylindrical coordinate system demonstrating spatial terminology used in the present application; and,

FIG. 12B is a perspective view of an object in the cylindrical coordinate system of FIG. 12A demonstrating spatial terminology used in the present application.

Claims

1. A spring-retaining clutch housing, comprising: a substantially cylindrical housing wall; and,at least one first opening in said housing wall, said at least one first opening operatively arranged to accept at least a portion of a lever spring for a clutch assembly.

2. The housing of claim 1 wherein said lever spring further comprises at least one first protrusion extending from a first outer circumference of said spring and comprising a first top side and a first bottom side, wherein said at least one first opening defines first and second edges in said housing wall axially displaced one to the other, and wherein at least some of said first and second edges are arranged to be contacted by said first top and bottom sides, respectively.

3. The housing of claim 2 wherein said contact with said first edge is arranged to provide a first force in a first axial direction and said contact with said second edge is arranged to provide a second force in a second axial direction, opposite said first axial direction.

4. The housing of claim 3 wherein said housing is arranged for installation in a first clutch assembly interfaced with a bearing, said first force is with respect to a pre-load force for said bearing, and said second force is with respect to an axial force regarding operation of said clutch.

5. The housing of claim 2 wherein said at least one first opening further comprises first, second, third, and fourth openings, wherein respective first edges for said first and second openings are axially offset, and wherein respective second edges for said third and fourth openings are axially offset.

6. The housing of claim 1 wherein said at least one first opening further comprises fifth and sixth openings axially displaced one to the other.

7. The housing of claim 1 wherein said at least one first opening further comprises an axial width and seventh and eighth openings with different respective axial widths.

8. The housing of claim 1 wherein said at least one first opening further comprises at least one slot circumferentially aligned with said housing wall.

9. The housing of claim 1 wherein said at least one first opening is fully enclosed by said housing wall.

10. The housing of claim 1 wherein said housing further comprises an open end and said at least one first opening further comprises a ninth opening in communication with said open end.

11. The housing of claim 1 wherein said housing wall further comprises a first diameter, said lever spring further comprises, in a relaxed state, a second diameter, and said second diameter is greater than said first diameter.

12. The housing of claim 1 wherein said housing is stamped.

13. The housing of claim 1 wherein said housing wall further comprises a section with a lip extending radially from said housing wall, said lip with an inner circumference and said at least one opening is disposed in said lip and in communication with said inner circumference.

14. The housing of claim 13 further comprising: a blocking element extending radially inward from said housing wall; and, wherein said blocking element is arranged to prevent rotational movement of said lever spring after said at least one opening has accepted said at least a portion of a lever spring.

15. The housing of claim 14 wherein said blocking element is removably attached to said housing wall.

16. The housing of claim 14 wherein said blocking element is fixedly attached to said wall.

17. The housing of claim 13 wherein said housing wall further comprises at least one annular surface, said lever spring further comprises at least one second spring protrusion with a second top side and a second bottom side, and wherein said lip and said at least one annular surface are arranged to contact said second top side and said second bottom side, respectively.

18. The housing of claim 17 wherein said contact with said lip is arranged to provide a third force in a third axial direction and said contact with said at least one annular surface is arranged to provide a fourth force in a fourth axial direction, opposite said third axial direction.

19. The housing of claim 18 wherein said housing is arranged for installation in a second clutch assembly interfaced with a bearing, said third force is with respect to a pre-load force for said bearing, and said fourth force is with respect to an axial force regarding operation of said clutch.

20. The housing of claim 13 wherein said section is integral to said housing wall.

21. The housing of claim 13 wherein said section is separate from said housing wall and attached to said housing wall.

22. The housing of claim 21 wherein said section is machined.

23. The housing of claim 13 wherein said housing is machined.

24. The housing of claim 1 wherein said clutch assembly further comprises an inner clutch housing with a plurality of radial protrusions; and, said housing further comprising: at least one second opening in said housing wall, said at least one second opening arranged to accept said plurality of radial protrusions.

25. The housing of claim 24 wherein said at least one second opening further comprises a first radial edge and a first axial edge, a first protrusion in said plurality of protrusions comprises a first radial surface and a first axial surface, said first axial edge is arranged to contact said first axial surface and transfer torque to said first axial surface, and said first radial edge is arranged to contact said first radial surface.

26. The housing of claim 25 wherein said at least one second opening further comprises a second axial edge circumferentially displaced from said first axial edge, a second protrusion in said plurality of protrusions comprises a second axial surface, and said second axial edge is arranged to contact said second axial surface and to prevent rotational movement of said housing with respect to said inner clutch housing.

27. The housing of claim 26 wherein said at least one second opening further comprises a second radial edge, axially displaced from said first radial edge, said second protrusion comprises a second radial surface, and said second radial edge and said second radial surface are axially opposed and axially displaced one to the other.

28. An outer clutch housing comprising: a substantially cylindrical housing wall; and,at least one first opening in said housing wall, said at least one first opening arranged to accept a plurality of radial protrusions for an inner clutch housing in a clutch assembly.

29. The outer housing of claim 28 wherein said at least one first opening further comprises a first radial edge and a first axial edge, a first protrusion in said plurality of protrusions comprises a first radial surface and a first axial surface, said first axial edge is arranged to contact said first axial surface and transfer torque to said first axial surface, and said first radial edge is arranged to contact said first radial surface.

30. The housing of claim 29 wherein said at least one first opening further comprises a second axial edge circumferentially displaced from said first axial edge, a second protrusion in said plurality of protrusions comprises a second axial surface, and said second axial edge is arranged to contact said second axial surface and to prevent rotational movement of said housing with respect to said inner clutch housing.

31. The housing of claim 30 wherein said at least one first opening further comprises a second radial edge, axially displaced from said first radial edge, said second protrusion comprises a second radial surface, and said second radial edge and said second radial surface are axially opposed and axially displaced one to the other.

32. The housing of claim 28 wherein said clutch assembly further comprises a lever spring; and, said housing further comprising: at least one second opening in said housing wall, said at least one second opening operatively arranged to accept at least a portion of said lever spring.

33. The housing of claim 32 wherein said lever spring further comprises at least one first protrusion extending from a first outer circumference of said spring and comprising a first top side and a first bottom side, wherein said at least one second opening defines first and second edges in said housing wall axially displaced one to the other, and wherein at least some of said first and second edges are arranged to be contacted by said first top and bottom sides, respectively.

34. The housing of claim 32 wherein said housing wall further comprises a first diameter, said lever spring further comprises, in a relaxed state, a second diameter, and said second diameter is greater than said first diameter.

35. The housing of claim 28 wherein said housing is stamped.

36. A method for installing a lever spring in a clutch housing, comprising: applying force, in an axial direction, proximate an inner circumference of a substantially annularly shaped lever spring;at least partially inserting said spring into an open end of said housing;releasing said force; and,passing at least a portion of at least one protrusion on an outside circumference of said spring through at least one opening in said housing.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein said spring further comprises an outside diameter and said housing further comprises an inside diameter; and,said method further comprising: applying said force until said outside diameter is less than said inside diameter.