[001] The embodiments herein relate to an apparatus and a method for assembling a friction plate to a flywheel of a clutch unit in a vehicle. Further, embodiments herein relate to the apparatus which detects reverse assembly of the friction plate with the flywheel of the clutch unit.
BACKGROUND
[002] Agricultural vehicles such as tractors and other similar vehicles are primarily used in agricultural field operations. In agricultural vehicle (hereinafter vehicle), a clutch unit is used in a power transmission system of the vehicle to control the flow of power from an engine to the driving wheels of the vehicle. Conventional clutch unit includes a flywheel, a friction plate, a clutch plate and a clutch cover. During assembly process of the clutch unit, an operator fits the front portion of the friction plate onto the flywheel. Sometimes, the operator fits the rear portion of the friction plate with the flywheel due to manual error. Fitting the rear portion of the friction plate with the flywheel is called as reverse assembly of friction plate. Thereafter, the operator assembles the clutch cover onto the flywheel. The reverse assembly of friction plate is detected during the roller testing stage in which a noise is created by the friction plate which in turn would lead to wear and tear of the friction plate. Therefore, reassembly of the friction plate at correct assembly position is required which in turn results in increased labor cost, increased delivery time and the process is tedious.
[003] Therefore, there exists a need for an apparatus and a method for assembling a friction plate to a flywheel of a clutch unit in a vehicle, which obviates the aforementioned drawbacks. Furthermore, there exists a need for an apparatus which detects reverse assembly of a friction plate in a clutch unit of a vehicle.

OBJECTS
[004] The principal object of an embodiment herein is to provide an apparatus for assembling a friction plate to a flywheel of a clutch unit in a vehicle.
[005] Another object of an embodiment herein is to provide a method for assembling a friction plate to a flywheel of a clutch unit in a vehicle.
[006] Another object of an embodiment herein is to provide an apparatus for detecting reverse assembly of a friction plate in a clutch unit of a vehicle.
[007] These and other objects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[008] The embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[009] Fig. 1 depicts a perspective view of an apparatus for assembling a friction plate to a flywheel of a clutch unit in a vehicle, according to an embodiment as disclosed herein;
[0010] Fig. 2 depicts a schematic diagram of the apparatus in which a stopper is at a pressed position when a friction plate is correctly assembled to a flywheel of the clutch unit, according to the embodiment as disclosed herein;
[0011] Fig. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of a portion of the apparatus, where the stopper is in the pressed position, according to the embodiment as disclosed herein;

[0012] Fig. 4 depicts a schematic diagram of the apparatus in which a stopper is at a neutral position when the friction plate is reverse assembled to the flywheel, according to the embodiment as disclosed herein;
[0013] Fig. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of a portion of the apparatus, where the stopper is in the neutral position, according to the embodiment as disclosed herein; and
[0014] Fig. 6 depicts a flowchart showing the steps of a method for assembling a friction plate to a flywheel of a clutch unit in a vehicle, according to the embodiment as disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0016] The embodiments herein achieve an apparatus and a method for assembling a friction plate to a flywheel of a clutch unit in a vehicle. Further, embodiments herein achieve an apparatus for detecting reverse assembly of a friction plate in a clutch unit of a vehicle. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 through 6, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown embodiments.
[0017] Fig. 1 depicts a perspective view of an apparatus (100) for assembling a clutch unit of a vehicle, according to the embodiment as disclosed herein. The clutch unit (not shown) includes a flywheel (10F, as shown in fig. 2 and fig. 4), a friction plate (10R, as shown in fig. 2 and fig. 4), a clutch plate (not shown) and a clutch cover (10C, as shown in fig. 2 and fig. 4). The apparatus (100) is used to assemble the friction plate (10R) to the flywheel (10F) at correct assembly position. The apparatus (100) is used to detect reverse assembly of the friction plate (10R) in the clutch unit (not shown). The apparatus (100) includes a shaft (102), at least one resilient means (104), at least one stopper (106) and a retainer (108).
[0018] The shaft (102) is used to align the friction plate (10R) with the flywheel (10F). The resilient means (104) is used to load the stopper (106) onto the shaft (102). The resilient means (104) is adapted to be loaded between a

resilient member receiving portion (106R, as shown in fig. 3 and fig. 5) provided in the stopper (106) and a retaining portion (102R) provided in said shaft (102).The resilient means (104) is at least a spring. The stopper (106) is adapted to be loaded onto the shaft (102) through the resilient means (104). The stopper (106) is adapted to move to from a neutral position to a pressed position in which a portion (106P) of the stopper (106) is received by a stopper receiving portion (lORx) provided in the friction plate (10R) thereby allowing removal of the apparatus (100) from the clutch unit (10) when a front portion (lORa, as shown in fig. 2) of the friction plate (10R) is coupled to the flywheel (10F), and the clutch cover (10C) is assembled to the flywheel (lOF).The stopper (106) remains in the neutral position in which the portion (106P) of the stopper (106) is not received by the stopper receiving portion (lORx) and the stopper (106) is locked between the clutch cover (10C) and the friction plate (10R) thereby restricting the removal of the apparatus (100) from the clutch unit (10) when the friction plate (10R) is reverse assembled onto the flywheel (10F), and the clutch cover (10C) is assembled to the flywheel (10F). In reverse assembly of the friction plate (10R), a rear portion (lORb) of the friction plate (10R) is coupled with the flywheel (10F). The retainer (108) is adapted to be engaged with the stopper (106) to retain the stopper (106).
[0019] Fig. 6 depicts a flowchart showing the steps of a method (200) for
assembling a friction plate (10R) to a flywheel (10F) of a clutch unit in a vehicle,
according to an embodiment as disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the method
(200) includes, aligning a friction plate (10R) with the flywheel (10F) through a
shaft (102) of an apparatus (100), allowing removal of the apparatus (100) from
the clutch unit (10) by moving the stopper (106) from a neutral position to a
pressed position when a front portion (lORa) of the friction plate (10R) is coupled
to the flywheel (10F), and a clutch cover (10C) is assembled to the flywheel (10F)
and restricting removal of the apparatus (100) from the clutch unit (10) by
locking the stopper (106) between the friction plate (10R) and the clutch cover (10C) by maintaining the stopper (106) at the neutral position when the friction

plate (10R) is reverse assembled onto the flywheel (10F), and the clutch cover (IOC) is assembled to the flywheel (10F).
[0020] Therefore, an apparatus (100) and a method (200) for assembling a friction plate (10R) to a flywheel (10F) of a clutch unit of in a vehicle are provided.
[0021] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

We claim,

An apparatus (100) for assembling a friction plate (10R) to a flywheel (10F) of
a clutch unit in a vehicle, said apparatus (100) comprising:
a shaft (102);
at least one resilient means (104); and
at leastone stopper (106) adapted to be loaded onto said shaft (102)through said resilient means (104), wherein
said shaft (102) is adapted to align the friction plate (10R) with the flywheel (10F); and
said stopper (106) is adapted to move to from a neutral position to a pressed position in which a portion (106P) of said stopper (106) is received by a stopper receiving portion (lORx) provided in the friction plate (10R) thereby allowing removal of said apparatus (100) from the clutch unit when a front portion (lORa) of the friction plate (10R) is coupledto the flywheel (10F), and a clutch cover (10C) is assembled to the flywheel (10F).
2. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stopper (106) remains in the neutral position in which the portion (106P) of said stopper (106) is not received by the stopper receiving portion (lORx)and said stopper (106) is locked between the clutch cover (10C) and the friction plate (10R) thereby restricting the removal of said apparatus (100) from the clutch unit when the friction plate (10R) is reverse assembled onto the flywheel (10F), and the clutch cover (10C) is assembled to the flywheel (10F).
3. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resilient means (104) is adapted to be loaded between a resilient member receiving portion (106R) provided in said stopper (106) and a retaining portion (102R) provided in said shaft (102).

4. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein said resilient means (104) is at least a spring.
5. The apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1 comprising a retainer (108) adapted to be engaged with said stopper (106) to retain said stopper (106).
6. A method (200) for assembling a friction plate (10R) to a flywheel (10F) of a clutch unit in a vehicle, said method (200) comprising:
aligning a friction plate (10R) with the flywheel (10F) through a shaft (102) of an apparatus (100);
allowing removal of the apparatus (100) from the clutch unit by moving the stopper (106) from a neutral position to a pressed position when a front portion (lORa) of the friction plate (10R) is coupled to the flywheel (10F), and a clutch cover (10C) is assembled to the flywheel (10F); and
restricting removal of the apparatus (100) from the clutch unitby locking the stopper (106) between the friction plate (10R) and the clutch cover (10C) by maintaining the stopper (106) at the neutral position when the friction plate (10R) is reverse assembled onto the flywheel (10F), and the clutch cover (10C) is assembled to the flywheel (10F).