JPS6249494B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a multi-plate clutch that can obtain a large torque transmission with a small spring force of the clutch spring.

In recent years, motorcycles and the like have tended to be equipped with engines of large displacement and high output, and in response to this, it is necessary to increase the transmission torque of the clutch. One way to increase the transmission torque of this clutch is to increase the spring force of the clutch spring, but while this method allows the outer diameter of the clutch to be reduced, Clutches on motorcycles equipped with this type of clutch are usually manually operated, resulting in the following problems. That is,
As the spring force of the clutch spring increases, the clutch operation force also increases, resulting in extremely high fatigue in the low rotation range where half-clutch driving is common, such as during traffic jams, and also causes sudden start and knocking when starting. This makes delicate clutch operations difficult.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by pressing only a part of each of the plurality of clutch drive plates and the clutch driven plate by a clutch spring, and when the part of the clutch plates are connected. It is characterized in that the remaining clutch plate is pressed into contact with the remaining clutch plate by utilizing the generated rotational torque. In other words, part of the transmitted torque is used to press the clutch plate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following, the present invention will be described with reference to an illustrated embodiment in which the invention is applied to a clutch for a motorcycle. In FIG. 1, numeral 1 is a counter shaft of the transmission which serves as a clutch shaft.
A primary driven gear 3 to which a first clutch hub 2 is fixedly held, a first clutch sleeve hub 4, a second clutch hub 5, and a second clutch sleeve hub 6 are attached. The driven gear 3 and the second clutch hub 5 are in an idling state (rotatable state) with respect to the counter shaft 1 via sleeves 7 and 8, and the first and second sleeve hubs 4 and 6 are They are spline-fitted with the counter shaft 1 and rotated together with the counter shaft 1 (that is, they cannot rotate relative to the counter shaft 1), and are slidable relative to the counter shaft 1 in the longitudinal direction thereof. And each of these members 3, 4, 5, 6
are regulated by spacers 9, 9, . . . and are immovable in the axial direction of the counter shaft 1 by a stepped portion 1a of the counter shaft 1 and a nut 10 screwed into the right end of the counter shaft 1. ing.

The first clutch hub 2 holds a first clutch drive plate 11, while the first sleeve hub 4 holds a first clutch driven plate 12, and both plates 11 and 12 are arranged in the left-right direction. The clutch plates are movable toward and away from each other to form a first clutch plate group. Further, a first clutch pressure disk 13 is engaged with the first clutch hub 2 so as to rotate together with the first clutch pressure disk 13 so as to be freely displaceable in the left and right direction. Return spring 1 with a weak spring force is stretched between the clutch hub 5 of 2 and the clutch hub 5 of 2.
4, it is always energized to the right. Therefore, if the first clutch pressure disk 13 is pressed and displaced to the left against the biasing force of the return spring 14, the first plate group is pressed, that is, both clutch plates 11 and 12 are pressed. will be pressed together.

Similarly, the second clutch drive plate 15 held by the second clutch hub 5 and the second clutch driven plate 16 held by the second sleeve hub 6 can be moved toward and away from each other in the left-right direction. A second clutch plate group is formed coaxially with the first clutch plate group. This second clutch plate group includes a second clutch pressure disk 1 which is freely displaceable in the left and right direction.
7, the clutch spring 18 normally maintains a pressed state, that is, both clutch plates 15 and 1.
6 are in pressure contact with each other. By grasping and operating a clutch lever (not shown), the second clutch pressure disk 17 applies the biasing force of the clutch spring 18 via the clutch release shafts 19 and 20 inserted into the counter shaft 1. is pushed and displaced to the right against
At this time, the second clutch plates 15 and 16 are separated.

A second clutch is provided on the right side of the first clutch pressure disk 13 and on the left side of the second clutch hub 5.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 3, recesses 21 and 22 are formed facing each other, and both recesses 21 and 22 are formed so as to face each other.
A ball 23 such as a steel ball is interposed in the gap formed between the two, and the first clutch pressure disk 13 and the second clutch hub 5 are connected to each other by this ball 23 and the above-mentioned return spring 14. , are in a state of constant engagement. The recesses 21 and 22 of the first clutch pressure disk 13 and the second clutch hub 5 and the ball 23 interposed between these recesses 21 and 22 are thus constantly engaged by the return spring 14. This cam mechanism forms a cam mechanism which is biased in the direction of force when the first clutch pressure disk 13 acts in the direction away from the second clutch hub 5. , the clutch plates of the first clutch are pressed from the first clutch pressure disk 13 into the clutch engaged state. The first clutch thus brought into the engaged state receives rotational torque via the cam mechanism from the second clutch, which is then already in the engaged state. Above recess 2
Tapered surfaces 13a and 5a are formed in portions corresponding to the bottom walls of the first and second walls, respectively.
When the clutch pressure disk 13 rotates, the second clutch hub 5 is also rotated via the ball 23. When the load applied to the second clutch hub 5 is small, the ball 23 is located almost at the deepest part of both recesses 21 and 22 as shown in FIG. When the load applied to the second clutch hub 5 increases, the first clutch hub 5 resists the biasing force of the return spring 14 as shown in FIG.
The clutch pressure disk 13 will be pressed and displaced to the left. It should be noted that a plurality of balls 23 and related parts 21, 22, etc. as described above are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction.

In the embodiment, when the driven gear 3 is rotationally driven by an engine (not shown), the first clutch hub 2, the first pressure disk 13, the ball 23, the second clutch hub 5, and the first and second drives are rotated. The plates 11 and 15 are each rotated integrally. Now, when the clutch lever is gripped and operated to disengage the second clutch plate group, only a small load is applied to the second clutch hub 5, so the first pressure disk 13 is displaced to the farthest right. Then, the first clutch plate group also becomes disconnected. Therefore, no rotational driving force is transmitted to the counter shaft 1.

When you release your hand from the clutch lever to connect the second clutch plate group, a large load is applied to the second clutch hub 5, so the first pressure disk 13 is pushed to the left and moved to the second clutch plate group. The first clutch plate group is connected. Therefore, the driven gear 3 is rotationally driven. Of course, if the clutch lever is gripped and operated again from this state, both the first and second clutch plate groups are disengaged, and the transmission of the rotational driving force to the counter shaft 1 is stopped.

In this way, as the load on the second clutch hub 5, that is, the rotational torque of the second clutch plate group increases, the amount of leftward displacement of the first clutch pressure disk 13 also increases, and the first
The pressing force against the clutch plate group increases, and the transmitted torque of the clutch as a whole increases. In this embodiment, the number of plates and the plate contact area of the first clutch plate group are made larger than those of the second clutch plate group, so that the biasing force of the clutch spring 18 can be made sufficiently small.

In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the balls 23 are used as a means for pressing the first clutch plate group in response to rotational torque generated in the second clutch plate group.
Alternatively, other means may be used, such as using a screw that allows the first clutch pressure disk 13 to move forward and backward in the left and right directions with respect to the second clutch hub 5. Of course, the present invention can also be applied to clutches other than motorcycles.

As described above, in the present invention, a large transmission torque can be obtained by pressing only a part of each of the plurality of clutch drive plates with the clutch spring, and the clutch operation force is reduced. Its operation becomes easy. Furthermore, since the rotational torque of some of the clutch plates is converted into a thrust force for pressing the remaining clutch plates, the transmitted torque can be increased as the rotation increases. Of course, the present invention allows the clutch to be engaged and engaged manually at any rotational speed, so it is also advantageous for motorcycles equipped with large displacement engines that are used in combination with manual (foot-operated) transmissions. be.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a half sectional view of a multi-plate clutch according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional views taken along the line X--X in FIG. 1... Counter shaft, 2... First clutch hub, 4
...first clutch sleeve hub, 5...second clutch hub, 6...second clutch sleeve hub, 1
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...First clutch drive plate, 12...First clutch driven plate, 13...First clutch pressure disk, 14...Return spring, 15...Second clutch drive plate, 16...Second clutch driven plate, 1
7...Second clutch pressure disc, 18...
Clutch spring, 21, 22... recess, 23...
ball.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Clutch plate groups of the first and second clutches, each consisting of a clutch drive plate and a clutch driven plate that are movable toward and away from each other, are placed on one clutch shaft, and a first clutch plate group that holds the first clutch drive plate is mounted on a single clutch shaft. A second clutch hub that holds a clutch hub and a second drive plate is rotatable about the clutch shaft, and a first clutch sleeve hub that holds a first clutch driven plate and a second clutch driven plate. The second clutch sleeve hub supports the clutch shaft in a slidable but non-rotatable manner, and these first and second clutches
The clutch sleeve hub of the first clutch and the clutch hub of the second clutch are positioned and installed so as to face each other, and the first clutch is located between the clutch sleeve hub of the first clutch and the clutch hub of the second clutch. a first clutch pressure disk is provided on the side so as to be able to come into pressure contact with the first clutch drive plate, and a direction in which the first clutch pressure disk and the clutch hub of the second clutch are constantly engaged with each other; A second clutch pressure disk is attached to the clutch plate group of the second clutch for displacing the clutch plate group by an external human operation. A multi-disc clutch characterized by being provided with a clutch spring that biases two clutch pressure disks in a direction in which the second clutch is engaged.