초록 ▼

A friction device (10, 110) having a drive member (12, 112) and a driven member (14, 114) which define a clutch housing (16, 116) therebetween. A clutch pack (24, 124) is interposed between the drive and driven members and is operable to connect and disconnect the drive and driven members for transf

A friction device (10, 110) having a drive member (12, 112) and a driven member (14, 114) which define a clutch housing (16, 116) therebetween. A clutch pack (24, 124) is interposed between the drive and driven members and is operable to connect and disconnect the drive and driven members for transferring and interrupting torque therebetween. A control valve (74, 174) is supported in the clutch housing (16, 116) and is moveable between open and closed positions. The control valve (74, 174) is operable to control the flow of cooling fluid from the source to the clutch pack (24, 124). The friction device also includes an actuator (80, 180) that is operatively connected to either a piston assembly (40) or the clutch pack (124) and is adapted to engage the control valve (74, 174) such that movement of the piston assembly (40) from its disengaged position to its engaged position moves the control valve (74, 174) from its closed position to its open position to selectively allow flow of pressurized cooling fluid past the control valve (74, 174) and into contact with the clutch pack (24, 124) when the drive and driven members are connected.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A friction device (10) comprising:a drive member (12) and a driven member (14) that are rotatable about a common axis (A) and that define a clutch housing (16) therebetween; a clutch pack (24) interposed between said drive and driven members (12, 14) and operable to connect and disconnect said dr

1. A friction device (10) comprising:a drive member (12) and a driven member (14) that are rotatable about a common axis (A) and that define a clutch housing (16) therebetween; a clutch pack (24) interposed between said drive and driven members (12, 14) and operable to connect and disconnect said drive and driven members for transferring and interrupting torque therebetween; a piston assembly (40) supported by said clutch housing (16) and moveable between a disengaged position wherein said drive and driven members (12, 14) are disconnected and an engaged position that connects said drive and driven members (12, 14) through said clutch pack (24); a source of pressurized cooling fluid that is provided to said clutch pack (24) through said clutch housing (16), a control valve (74) supported in said clutch housing (16) and moveable between open and closed positions, said control valve (74) including an annular sealing plate (76) and a biasing member (78) that acts to bias said sealing plate (76) to said closed position, said control valve (74) operable to control the flow of cooling fluid from said source to said clutch pack (24); and an actuator (80) operatively connected to said piston assembly (40), said actuator (80) including an annular hub (82) extending from said piston assembly (40) toward said control valve (74), said hub (82) including a plurality of fingers (84) defined at the distal end of said hub (82), said plurality of fingers (84) adapted to engage said sealing plate (76) of said control valve (74) such that movement of said piston assembly (40) from said disengaged position to said engaged position moves said sealing plate (76) of said control valve (74) from said closed position to said open position against the biasing force of said biasing member (78) to selectively allow flow of pressurized cooling fluid past said control valve (74) and into contact with said clutch pack (24) when said drive and driven members (12, 14) are connected and further operable to disengage said control valve (74) such that said control valve (74) moves to its closed position when said piston assembly (40) moves from said engaged position to said disengaged position to selectively terminate flow of pressurized cooling fluid into contact with said clutch pack (24) when said drive and driven members (12, 14) are disconnected. 2. A friction device (10) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said drive member (12) includes a main body (18) and a hub (20), said main body (18) including a cooling passage (68) defined therein and a plurality of outlet ports (72) disposed spaced from one another annularly about the rotational axis (A) of said friction device (10), said outlet ports (72) providing fluid communication between said cooling passage (68) and said clutch pack (24), said sealing plate (76) supported in said cooling passage (68) and biased into said closed position by said biasing member (78).3. A friction device (10) as set forth in claim 2 wherein said biasing member (78) includes a plurality of springs supported in said cooling passage (68) about said axis of rotation (A) and acting to bias said sealing plate (76) to said closed position and in a direction opposite to the force generated by said actuator (80).4. A friction device (10) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said piston assembly (40) includes a piston housing (42) and a piston (44) moveably supported relative to said piston housing (42) and cooperating with said piston housing (42) to define an expandable chamber (46) between said piston (44) and said piston housing (42);a source of pressurized fluid in communication with said expandable chamber (46), said piston (44) being responsive to the pressure of fluid in said expandable chamber (46) to move between said disengaged and said engaged positions thereby actuating said clutch pack (24) to connect and disconnect said drive and driven members (12, 14). 5. A friction device (10) as set forth in claim 4 wherein said piston (44) includes a head (50) that is adapted for compressive engagement with said clutch pack (24) to connect said drive and driven members (12, 14), a pressure plate (52) that is acted on by the pressurized fluid and a body (54) extending between said head (50) and said pressure plate (52).6. A friction device (10) as set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuator (80) is operatively connected to said body (54) of said piston (44) and extends in a direction toward said control valve (74).7. A friction device (10) as set forth in claim 5 wherein said piston assembly (40) further includes a return biasing member (58) acting on said pressure plate (52) to bias said piston (44) to said disengaged position in a direction opposite to movement of the piston (44) in response to forces generated by the pressurized apply fluid.8. A friction device (10) as set forth in claim 7 wherein said piston assembly (40) further includes a retainer (62) that cooperates with said pressure plate (52) to define a balance chamber (64), said return biasing member (58) acting between said retainer (62) and said pressure plate (52), a source of pressurized balance fluid in fluid communication with said balance chamber (64) to act on said pressure plate (52) in conjunction with said biasing member (58) to selectively move said piston (44) to said disengaged position.9. A friction device (10) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said drive member (12) includes a drive hub (20), said driven member (14) includes a driven hub (34), said clutch pack (24) including a plurality of annular plates (26) splined to said drive hub (20) and a plurality of annular friction disks (30) splined to said driven hub (34) and interleaved between said annular plates (26), said annular plates (26) and disks (30) rotating relative to one another in substantial non-contacting relationship when said clutch pack (24) is disconnected thereby interrupting torque translation between said drive and driven members (12, 14) and rotating substantially together when said clutch pack (24) is connected thereby translating torque between said drive and driven members (12, 14).10. A friction device (10) as set forth in claim 9 wherein said drive hub (20) includes a plurality of inlet flow passages (36) for providing fluid communication of cooling oil to said clutch pack (24), said driven hub (34) including a plurality of outlet ports (34) extending through the driven hub (34) and about the rotational axis (A) of the friction device (10), said outlet ports (38) providing fluid communication for cooling fluid from said clutch pack (24) to a sump.11. A friction device (110) comprising:a drive member (112) and a driven member (114) that are rotatable about a common axis (A) and that define a clutch housing (116) therebetween; a clutch pack (124) interposed between said drive and driven members (112, 114) and operable to connect and disconnect said drive and driven members (112, 114) for transferring and interrupting torque therebetween; a piston assembly (140) supported by said clutch housing (116) and moveable between a disengaged position wherein said drive and driven members (112, 114) are disconnected and an engaged position that connects said drive and driven members (112, 114) through said clutch pack (124); a source of pressurized cooling fluid that is provided to said clutch pack (124) through said clutch housing (116), a control valve (174) supported in said clutch housing (116) and moveable between open and closed positions, said control valve (174) operable to control the flow of cooling fluid from said source to said clutch pack (124); and an actuator (180) operatively connected to said clutch pack (124) and adapted to engage said control valve (174) such that movement of said clutch pack (124) from said disconnected position to said connected position moves said control valve (174) from said closed position to said open position to selectively allow flow of pressurized cooling fluid past said control valve (174) and into contact with said clutch pack (124) when said drive and driven members (112, 114) are connected and further operable to disengage said control valve (174) such that said control valve (174) moves to its closed position when said clutch pack (124) moves from said connected position to said disconnected position to selectively terminate flow of pressurized cooling fluid into contact with said clutch pack (124) when said drive and driven members (112, 114) are disconnected. 12. A friction device (110) as set forth in claim 11 wherein said control valve (174) includes an annular sealing plate (176) and a biasing member (178) that acts to bias said sealing plate (176) to said closed position, said actuator (180) including an annular hub (182) extending from said clutch pack (124) toward said control valve (174), said hub (182) including a plurality of fingers (184) defined at the distal end of said hub (182), said plurality of fingers (184) adapted to move said sealing plate (176) from said closed position to said open position against the biasing force of said biasing member (178) when said clutch pack (124) is moved to said connected position.13. A friction device (110) as set forth in claim 12 wherein said drive member (112) includes a drive hub (120), said driven member (114) includes a driven hub (134), said clutch pack (124) including a plurality of annular plates (126) splined to said drive hub (120) and a plurality of annular friction disks (130) splined to said driven hub (134) and interleaved between said annular plates (126), said annular plates (126) and disks (130) rotating relative to one another in substantial non-contacting relationship when said clutch pack (124) is disconnected thereby interrupting torque translation between said drive and driven members (112, 114) and rotating substantially together when said clutch pack (124) is connected thereby translating torque between said drive and driven members (112, 114).14. A friction device (110) as set forth in claim 13 wherein said annular hub (182) of said actuator (180) includes a radially extending annular flange (186) adapted far force transmitting contact with at least one of said plates (126) of said clutch pack (124) splined to said drive hub (120) such that movement of said at least one plate (126) in response to movement of said piston assembly (140) to said engaged position acts on said annular hub (186) of said actuator (180) to open said control valve (174).15. A friction device (110) as set forth in claim 13 wherein said drive member (112) includes a main body (118) and a hub (120), said main body (118) including a cooling passage (168) defined therein and a plurality of outlet ports (122) disposed spaced from one another annularly about the rotational axis (A) of said friction device (110), said outlet ports (122) providing fluid communication between said cooling passage (168) and said clutch pack (124), said sealing plate (176) supported in said cooling passage (168) and biased into said closed position by said biasing member (178).16. A friction device (110) as set forth in claim 15 wherein said biasing member (178) includes a plurality of springs supported in said cooling passage (168) about said axis of rotation (A) and acting to bias said sealing plate (176) to said closed position and in a direction opposite to the force generated by said actuator (180).17. A friction device (110) as set forth in claim 13 wherein said drive hub (120) includes a plurality of inlet flow passages (136) for providing fluid communication of cooling oil to said clutch pack (124), said driven hub (134) including a plurality of outlet ports (138) extending through the driven hub (134) and about the rotational axis (A) of the friction device (110), said outlet port (138) providing fluid communication for cooling fluid from said clutch pack (124) to a sump.