Claims
- 1. A clutch mechanism comprising:a clutch cover; an annular pressure plate disposed within said clutch cover and attached to said clutch cover for limited axial movement with respect to said clutch cover, said annular pressure plate having a pressure surface engagable with a friction face of a clutch disk; an annular lever plate having an outer circumferential edge engaging a portion of said clutch cover, said annular lever plate being in contact with said annular pressure plate radially inward from said outer circumferential edge; a plurality of strap plates attached to a radially outward portion of said clutch cover, said strap plates further connected to a radially outward portion of said annular pressure plate, and said strap plates are configured to bias said annular pressure plate away from the clutch disk; a bearing assembly disposed adjacent to said annular lever plate and supported about a transmission input shaft for axial movement along said input shaft, a portion of said bearing assembly configured to contact an inner circumferential edge of said lever plate; and wherein said lever plate is formed with a plurality of first slits extending radially inwardly from an outer circumferential edge thereof and a plurality of second slits extending radially outwardly from an inner circumferential edge thereof in an alternating manner and said annular lever plate has generally no biasing effect on said annular pressure plate, and wherein each of said plurality of second slits of said lever plate is further formed with engagement holes at a terminus thereof, and said clutch cover is formed with a plurality of support portions, said support portions being bent to extend in an axial direction such that said support portions extend through corresponding ones of said engagement holes.
- 2. The clutch mechanism as in claim 1 wherein said annular lever plate has a length R5 measured from an inner circumferential edge to an outer circumferential edge thereof, said first slits have a radial length R3 and said second slits have a radial length R4 such that the radial lengths R3 and R4 are approximately 80% of the length R5.
- 3. The clutch mechanism as in claim 1 further comprising a hydraulic drive mechanism for effecting movement of said bearing.
- 4. The clutch mechanism as in claim 1 further comprising a pneumatic drive mechanism for effecting movement of said bearing.
- 5. The clutch mechanism according to claim 1, whereinsaid support portions extending axially through said engagement holes are arranged radially inward of said outer circumferential edge of said lever plate and radially outward of an intermediate portion of said lever plate, said intermediate portion contacting said pressure plate.
- 6. The clutch mechanism according to claim 5, whereinsaid annular lever plate has a central hole.
- 7. The clutch mechanism according to claim 6, whereinsaid first slits arranged in an alternating manner with said second slits extending radially outward from said inner circumferential edge of said lever plate.
- 8. The clutch mechanism according to claim 6, whereinsaid annular lever plate has a length R5 measured from said inner circumferential edge to said outer circumferential edge and each of said second slits have a length R4, length R4 being approximately 80% of length R5.
- 9. The clutch mechanism according to claim 1, whereinsaid annular lever plate has a central hole.
- 10. A clutch mechanism comprising:a clutch cover, said clutch cover being formed with a plurality of support portions; an annular pressure plate disposed within said clutch cover and attached to said clutch cover for limited axial movement with respect to said clutch cover, said annular pressure plate having a pressure surface engageable with a friction face of a clutch disk; an annular lever plate having an outer circumferential edge engaging a portion of said clutch cover and being in contact with said annular pressure plate radially inward from said outer circumferential edge, said lever plate being formed with a plurality of slits, each of said plurality of slits of said lever plate being further formed with engagement holes at a terminus thereof, said support portions being bent to extend in an axial direction such that said support portions extend through corresponding ones of said engagement holes, said annular lever plate having generally no biasing effect on said annular pressure plate; a plate member attached to said clutch cover, said plate member further connected to said annular pressure plate, said plate member being configured to bias said annular pressure plate away from the clutch disk; a bearing assembly disposed adjacent said annular lever plate and adapted to be supported about a transmission input shaft for axial movement along the input shaft, a portion of said bearing assembly configured to contact said lever plate; and a controller arranged to apply selectively a load in an axial direction toward said annular pressure plate to an inner circumferential edge of said lever plate such that said lever plate moves said pressure plate toward the clutch disk when the load is applied and said pressure plate moves away from the clutch disk when the load is removed, said pressure plate arranged to move away from the clutch disk by said plate member.
- 11. The clutch mechanism according to claim 10, further comprisinga hydraulic drive mechanism arranged to move said bearing assembly.
- 12. The clutch mechanism according to claim 10, further comprisinga pneumatic drive mechanism arranged to move said bearing assembly.
- 13. A clutch mechanism comprising:a clutch cover; an annular pressure plate disposed within said clutch cover and attached to said clutch cover for limited axial movement with respect to said clutch cover, said annular pressure plate having a pressure surface engageable with a friction face of a clutch disk; an annular lever plate having an outer circumferential edge arranged to engage a portion of said clutch cover and arranged to contact said annular pressure plate radially inward from said outer circumferential edge, said lever plate being formed with a plurality of slits, each of said plurality of slits of said lever plate being further formed with engagement holes at a terminus thereof, and said clutch cover being formed with a plurality of support portions, said support portions arranged to extend in an axial direction such that said support portions extend through corresponding ones of said engagement holes, said annular lever plate having generally no biasing effect on said annular pressure plate; a plate number arranged to move said pressure plate away from the clutch disk when a force applied to said pressure plate from said lever plate is eliminated; and a controller arranged to selectively apply a load in an axial direction toward said annular pressure plate to an inner circumferential edge of said lever plate such that said lever plate moves said pressure plate toward the clutch disk when the load is applied and said pressure plate moves away from the clutch disk when the load is removed, said pressure plate arranged to move away from the clutch disk by said plate member.
- 14. The clutch mechanism according to claim 13, whereinsaid support portions extending axially through said engagement holes are arranged radially inward of said outer circumferential edge of said lever plate and radially outward of an intermediate portion of said lever plate, said intermediate portion contacting said pressure plate.
- 15. The clutch mechanism according to claim 14, whereinsaid annular lever plate has a central hole and said slits extend radially outward from an inner circumferential edge of said lever plate.
- 16. The clutch mechanism according to claim 15, whereinsaid annular lever plate has a length R5 measured from said inner circumferential edge to said outer circumferential edge and each of said slits have a length R4, length R4 being approximately 80% of length R5.
- 17. The clutch mechanism according to claim 13, whereinsaid annular lever plate has a central hole and said slits extend radially outward from an inner circumferential edge of said lever plate.
- 18. A clutch mechanism comprising:a clutch cover; an annular pressure plate disposed within said clutch cover and attached to said clutch cover for limited axial movement with respect to said clutch cover, said annular pressure plate having a pressure surface engageable with a friction face of a clutch disk; an annular lever plate having a central hole, said annular lever plate having an outer circumferential edge arranged to engage a portion of said clutch cover and arranged to contact said annular pressure plate radially inward from said outer circumferential edge, said lever plate being formed with a plurality of slits, said plurality of slits extending radially outward from an inner circumferential edge of said lever plate, each of said plurality of slits of said lever plate being further formed with engagement holes at a terminus thereof, and said clutch cover being formed with a plurality of support portions, said support portions arranged to extend in an axial direction such that said support portions extend through corresponding ones of said engagement holes, said support portions being arranged radially inward of said outer circumferential edge of said lever plate and radially outward of an intermediate portion of said lever plate, said intermediate portion contacting said pressure plate, said annular lever plate having a plurality of outer slits extending radially inward from said outer circumferential edge of said lever plate, said outer slits arranged in an alternating manner with said slits extending radially outward from said inner circumferential edge of said lever plate, said annular lever plate having generally no biasing effect on said annular pressure plate; a plate member arranged to move said pressure plate away from the clutch disk when a force applied to said pressure plate from said lever plate is eliminated; and a controller arranged to selectively apply a load to an inner circumferential edge of said lever plate such that said lever plate moves said pressure plate toward the clutch disk when the load is applied and said pressure plate moves away from the clutch disk when the load is removed, said pressure plate arranged to move away from the clutch disk by said plate member.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
7-114951 |
May 1995 |
JP |
|
Parent Case Info
The present application is a file wrapper continuation of Ser. No. 08/639,823, filed Apr. 29, 1996, now abandoned.
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Divisions (1)
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Date |
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08/934517 |
Sep 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/707769 |
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US |
Continuations (1)
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Date |
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08/639823 |
Apr 1996 |
US |
Child |
08/934517 |
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US |
Reissues (1)
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08/934517 |
Sep 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/707769 |
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