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A clutch having a rotating input member, a rotating output member, an annular cylinder on the input member, an annular piston in the cylinder defining therewith an apply pressure chamber on one side of the piston, a balance chamber on the opposite side of the piston filled with fluid when the apply

A clutch having a rotating input member, a rotating output member, an annular cylinder on the input member, an annular piston in the cylinder defining therewith an apply pressure chamber on one side of the piston, a balance chamber on the opposite side of the piston filled with fluid when the apply pressure chamber is filled with fluid so that centrifugal force components of the fluids in the two chambers are balanced on the piston, and a valve on the input member biased by a spring to a closed position closing an exhaust passage from the balance chamber and exposed to pressure in the apply pressure chamber, the spring being calibrated to maintain the valve in its closed position against apply pressure until apply pressure achieves a magnitude corresponding to full clutch application whereupon the valve shifts to an open position allowing the balance chamber to exhaust so that the centrifugal pressure component of fluid in the apply pressure chamber is unbalanced to increase the torque capacity of the clutch.

대표청구항 ▼

In a clutch having a first rotating member, a second rotating member, means defining a cylinder on one of said first and said second rotating members, a piston slidably disposed in said cylinder and cooperating therewith in defining an apply pressure chamber, and means operative to supply fluid to s

In a clutch having a first rotating member, a second rotating member, means defining a cylinder on one of said first and said second rotating members, a piston slidably disposed in said cylinder and cooperating therewith in defining an apply pressure chamber, and means operative to supply fluid to said apply pressure chamber at an apply pressure for urging said piston into engagement on a plurality of relatively rotatable friction members connected to respective ones of said first and said second members whereby torque is transferable between said first and said second rotating members in proportion to the magnitude of said apply pressure, the combination comprising, means on said one rotating member and on said piston defining a balance chamber on the side of said piston opposite said apply pressure chamber, means for maintaining fluid in said balance chamber so that centrifugally induced pressure components therein oppose and balance corresponding centrifugally induced pressure components in said apply pressure chamber, and valve means on said one rotating member connected to said balance chamber and responsive to the magnitude of pressure in said apply pressure chamber to exhaust said balance chamber when said magnitude exceeds a predetermined magnitude corresponding to complete clutch application so that thereafter centrifugally induced pressure components in said apply pressure chamber are unbalanced and increase the torque transfer capacity of said clutch.