Clutch backer plate with recessed rivets

Abstract

A driven disc assembly is provided. The backing plates have right angle depression sections that surround mounting holes of a clutch disc. The thickness of the backing plates are enlarged from their normal thickness causing a top surface of the backing plates to axially clear heads of conventional rivets. The thickness of the friction buttons on the backing plates can then be reduced to their minimal effective use thickness.

Claims

1. A low profile button dual face clutch friction plate comprising: a clutch disc having mounting holes formed therein; opposing backing plates for connection with said disc, said backing plates having a major flat surface section adjacent said disc, said backing plates having holes with a common diameter aligned with said disc mounting holes, said backing plates having right angle depression sections surrounding said backing plates holes and said backing plates have a thickness between 0.080 and 0.110 inches; flathead semi-tubular rivets having tubular bodies closely adjacent said holes of said backing plates with heads axially capturing said right angle depression sections of said backing plates; a friction button on each backing plate said friction button having a thickness less than a thickness of one of said backing plates and wherein said button has a thickness between 0.040 and 0.075 inches; and wherein a lateral contact of said right angle depression section of said backing plate with said rivet is less than said thickness of said button and wherein axial displacement thickness of said right angle depression is less than said thickness of said button.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a conventional driven disc assembly;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a prior art backing plate having a dimple or quilted surface which is an alternative to a backing plate shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the same backing plate shown in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the backing plate shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 assembled to a disc to partially illustrate a driven disc assembly;

(6) FIG. 5 is a view of a backing plate shown in FIGS. 2-4 wherein the backing plate is turned upside down to illustrate its dimples;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view shown partially in section of a prior art driven disc assembly which is an alternative to the conventional driven disc assembly shown in FIG. 1;

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view partially sectioned of the conventional driven disc assembly shown in FIG. 1;

(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a preferred driven disc assembly accordingly to the present invention;

(10) FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the driven disc assembly shown in FIGS. 2-5;

(11) FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the driven disc assembly shown in FIG. 6;

(12) FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a conventional driven disc assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 7;

(13) FIG. 12 is an enlarged side sectional view of the preferred embodiment driven disc assembly shown in FIG. 8; and

(14) FIG. 13 is an enlarged side sectional view of an alternate preferred embodiment dry disc assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(15) The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

(16) Referring to FIGS. 8 and 12, an inventive low profile button dual face clutch friction plate or disc driven assembly 107 has an overall axial width 29. The disc driven assembly 107 has a disc 111. The disc 111 has a series of mounting holes 114, which are enlarged in comparison to the mounting holes shown formed in the disc drive assembly 9 disc 11. However, in other aspects, the disc 111 is essentially identical to the disc 11. A backing plate 116 is provided which typically has a greater thickness 136 (typically a total thickness between 0.080 and 0.110 inches) than the backing plates previously described. The backing plate 116 has a mounting hole 118. Hole 118 is smaller in diameter then the disc hole 114 and is aligned therewith. The hole 118 is surrounded by a right angle depression section formed by a stamped semi-pierced section 120. The semi-pierced section 120 has an axial displacement thickness 125. The axial displacement thickness 125 is less than an axial thickness 31 of the button 128. An axially inner section 122 of the semi-pierced section 118 is inserted within the clutch disc holes 114. There is an axial gap 124 between inner axially extreme portions 127 of the opposing backing plates. A lateral abutting contact thickness 126 of the semi-pierced section to the rivet 23 is greater than the thickness 31 (typically between 0.040 and 0.075 inches) of the friction button 128. Due to the increased thickness of backing plates 116, the backing plates 116 provide a major flat surface section 130 in adjacent contact with the friction button 128 that is beyond or above the heads 27 or 25 of the rivets 23 (identical to the rivets 23 utilized in the driven disc assembly 9 shown in FIG. 11). The gap 124 between the extreme axially extreme ends 127 of the backing plates ensure that the rivets hold the two backing plates 116 in maximum tension after assembly to the disc 111.

(17) Between the semi-pierced section 120 of the backing plates and the mounting hole 114 of the disc is an installation gap 134. The installation gap is primarily to ensure the proper clearance needed for the assembly operation. The semi-pierced section 120 has an abutting lateral contact interface 131 with a tubular portion 133 of the rivet. The length of the lateral abutting contact of the semi-pierced section with the rivet noted as width 126 is greater than the width 31 of the button 128. The contact section 120 along its outer diameter has an abutting lateral interface 139 of an axial width 140. The axial width 140 in most instances will be at least equal or greater than the width 31 of the button minus 0.035 inches (or the width of the button 128 is no more than 0.035 inches more than that of the width 140) and in most applications will be between 0.040 to 0.055 inches in total width. The radial width 138 of the semi-pierced portion in most instances will be greater than the radial width 135 of the tubular wall 133 of the rivet. Due to the lateral interface 139 of the semi-pierced portions 120 with the disc hole 114 and also due to the fact that the radial width 138 of the semi-pierced portion 120 is greater than the radial width 135 of the tubular wall of the rivet, the sheer strength of the connection of the backing plate 116 to the disc 111 is significantly greater than the sheer strength of the connection of the backing plates 19 to the disc 11 of the driven disc assembly 9 which is the conventional design.

(18) Referring to FIG. 13, disc driven assembly 207 has buttons 128 with an axial width 31 in a manner similar or identical to disc driven assembly 107 described in FIG. 12. Additionally, disc driven assembly 207 has an overall axial thickness 29 and utilizes a disc 11 identical to the disc 11 described in FIG. 11 for the conventional disc driven assembly 9 and also utilizes rivets 23 identical to those utilized for disc driven assemblies 9 and 12. The disc driven assembly 207 has backer plates 216 with right angle depressions 220 having an axial displacement thickness 125 which is typically less than the axial thickness 31 of the button 128. The backer plates have a thickness 136′ which typically is close or identical to thickness 136 of driven disc assemblies 116 of driven disc assembly 107. The backer plate 216 has lateral contact with the tubular portion 133 of the rivet of an axial thickness 129 that is typically less than the axial thickness 31 of the button 128. The heads 25 and 27 of the rivets 23 axially capture the right angle depressions 220 of the backing plates 216 together to form the driven disc assembly.

(19) The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.