FIELD OF INVENTION

Present invention relates to the clutch assembly for a motorized vehicle and more particularly to a clutch assist mechanism used for the clutch assembly in gear based vehicles such as motorcycle and three wheelers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally, in motorized vehicles manual gearbox clutches are incorporated for engagement and disengagement of engine are with the gearbox for gear shifting. Application of clutch requires continuous force in form of holding clutch lever and during slow speed ride or while riding in-traffic rider tends to slip the clutch by half engagement for better drivability.

Thus during slow speed ride rider has to apply force to hold clutch lever without fail, which results in fatigue for the rider. Further, in order to reduce force requirement some issue like clutch slippage and less torque transfer may arise.

Hence there is a need of a mechanism which can reduce rider effort for operating clutch levers and maintain higher load of springs to avoid clutch slippage while transferring maximum torque for which it is designed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a clutch assembly for a motorized vehicle having a clutch release lever, a clutch release rod, a clutch release disk, clutch housing and a clutch assist mechanism. The clutch release lever is secured on upper end of the clutch release rod and said clutch release rod, clutch release disk and clutch housing are secured along same horizontal axis. The clutch assist mechanism is having an arm rod clutch assembly, a power screw assembly, a guide nut assembly. The clutch assist mechanism is having an arm rod holding lower end of the clutch release rod. Said arm rod is further connected with a roller installing load over a torsion mechanism storing potential energy.

The power screw assembly and the guide nut assembly are holding the torsion mechanism between them. The arm rod clutch assembly is secured horizontally on the power screw assembly such that the arm rod clutch assembly is free to move in a single plane in clockwise and anticlockwise direction with respect to central axis of the clutch release rod, on change in position of the clutch release rod.
The arm rod clutch assembly is configured to retain horizontal position as the clutch release rod retains its normal position. Also, the torsion mechanism releases installed energy on movement of the arm rod clutch assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawing which is incorporated in and constitute embodiments of the invention, illustrate several aspects of the invention and together with a description of the embodiments serve to explain the principles of the invention and thus are not limited of the present invention and a brief description of the drawing is as follows:

Figure 1 is an exemplary representation of arrangement of the embodiments of the claimed invention.

Figure 2 is representing the essential embodiments of the invention and their arrangement with each other.

Figure 3 is showing the cross- section of the essential embodiments of the invention.

Figure 4 is representing an exemplary arrangement of the claimed invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. The invention may have application to all types of gear based vehicles.

Figure 1 is an exemplary representation of arrangement of the embodiments where the clutch assembly (110) is having a clutch release lever (108) connected to a clutch release rod (107) on its upper end.
Centre part of the clutch release rod (107) is connected to a clutch release disk (106) which is further connected to clutch housing (109) holding a primary driven gear (111) on its other end such that all these embodiments are secured along a primary horizontal axis (PH).

Lower end of the clutch release rod (107) is connected to a clutch assist mechanism (100), which is secured parallel to the primary horizontal axis. Said clutch assist mechanism (100) is having an arm rod clutch assembly which is connecting the clutch assist mechanism (100) to the clutch release rod (107).
The rod clutch assembly is a combination of an arm rod (105) and a roller (104) connected to each other. Said roller (104) is connected to a power screw assembly (102) such that the roller (104) can exert direct force over power screw assembly (102).

Further as shown in Figure 2 the power screw assembly (102) and a guide nut assembly (103) are holding a torsion mechanism (101) between them.

Figure 3 is showing the cross- sectional view of the clutch assist mechanism (100). Arm rod (105) is connected with the cultch release rod (107) on one end and with the roller (104) on the other end.
Mentioned power screw assembly (102) is made up of a power screw cavity (114) holding a clutch release pin (113) at its centre such that a needle thrust bearing (112) is secured between the top surfaces of the two. The roller (104) is secured over the top surface of the clutch release pin (113) along a secondary horizontal axis of the mechanism.

Torsion mechanism (101) is secured around the power screw cavity (114) and the power screw (102) holding the torsion mechanism (101) is attached with the guide nut assembly (103) through the lower end of the clutch release pin (113) such that the power screw (102) can rotate along the secondary horizontal axis (SH) in order to enable the expansion of the torsion mechanism (101).

As shown in figure 4, expansion of the torsion mechanism occurs when there is a movement in the rod clutch assembly where the arm rod (105) is fixed and the roller (104) moves in left and right direction of the secondary horizontal axis. Said movement of the roller (104) is equivalent to its movement in clockwise and anticlockwise direction of the central axis (CA) of the clutch release rod (107).

The movement of the roller (104) remains in a single plane. During expansion of the torsion mechanism (101) stored potential energy is released in order to provide support force to the clutch release rod (107) and hence the force needed at the clutch release lever (108) reduces.

As soon as the clutch release rod (107) reaches to its original position the roller (104) retains the horizontal position over the power screw assembly (102).

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS

1) A clutch assembly for a motorized vehicle comprising:

a clutch release rod and a clutch release disk housed in a clutch housing such that said clutch release rod, clutch release disk and clutch housing are secured along a primary horizontal axis;

a clutch release lever secured on upper end of the clutch release rod; and

a clutch assist mechanism comprising an arm rod clutch assembly defining an arm rod and a roller connected to each other, a torsion spring secured between a power screw assembly and a guide nut assembly ;

wherein, said roller is secured over the power screw assembly and arm rod is attached to lever end of the clutch release rod.

2) The clutch assembly, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clutch assist mechanism is secured parallel to the primary horizontal axis.

3) A clutch assist mechanism for a clutch assembly of a motorized vehicle comprising:

an arm rod clutch assembly defining an arm rod attached with a roller and configured to hold lower end of a clutch release rod and said roller is configured to install load over a torsion mechanism facilitating storage of installed potential energy and to release installed potential energy on movement of said arm rod clutch assembly;

a power screw assembly and a guide nut assembly configured to hold the torsion mechanism between them such that arm rod clutch assembly, the torsion mechanism, the power screw assembly and the guide nut assembly are secured on a secondary horizontal axis;

wherein, the arm rod assembly is configured to retain horizontal position as the clutch release rod retain its normal position and is secured horizontally on power screw assembly such that arm rod clutch assembly is free to move in a single plane clockwise and anticlockwise direction with respect to a central axis of the clutch release rod, on change in position of clutch release rod.

4) The clutch assembly, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the central axis of the clutch release rod is vertical to the secondary horizontal axis.

5) The clutch assembly substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.