DESC:[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 for assembly of a clutch unit in a vehicle, which restricts assembling of a clutch plate to a flywheel when a damper plate is not assembled to the flywheel of the clutch unit. Further, embodiments herein achieve a method for assembly of a clutch unit in a vehicle, which restricts assembling of a clutch plate to a flywheel when a damper plate is not assembled to the flywheel. 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 cross-sectional view of an apparatus 100 for assembly of a clutch unit U, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the apparatus 100 includes a shaft 102, a plurality of resilient means 104, a first key 106, a second key 108 and may include other standard components as present in standard clutch alignment tool.
[0018] FIG. 2 depicts a top view of a shaft 102 of the apparatus 100, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. The shaft 102 is used for holding or supporting a damper plate D (as shown in fig. 5) and a clutch plate P (as shown in fig. 4 and fig. 5) of the clutch unit U (as shown in fig. 4 and fig. 5) to facilitate assembly/alignment of the damper plate D and the clutch plate P to a flywheel F (as shown in fig. 4 and fig. 5) of the clutch unit U. In an embodiment, the shaft 102 includes a first key receiving portion 102a, a plurality of resilient means receiving portions 102b and a second key receiving portion 102c. The first key receiving portion 102a of the shaft 102 is adapted to receive the first key 104. In an embodiment, each resilient means receiving portions 102b is provided to a bottom of the first key receiving portion 102a at a predetermined distance from each other, where a longitudinal axis of each resilient means receiving portion 102b is substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the shaft 102. Each resilient means receiving portion 102b of the shaft 102 is adapted to receive corresponding resilient means 104. The second key receiving portion 102c of the shaft 102 is adapted to receive the second key 108. Further, for the purpose of this description and ease of understanding, the first key receiving portion 102a is considered to be at least a keyway, the plurality of resilient means receiving portion 102b is considered to be cavities and the second key receiving portion 102c is considered to be a keyway.
[0019] Each resilient means 104 is adapted to be disposed inside corresponding resilient means receiving portion 102b of the shaft 102. Each resilient means 104 is adapted to compress when the damper plate D is fitted to the first key 106 or when the first key 106 engages the damper plate D thereby facilitating the insertion of the shaft 102 to a flywheel bearing B (as shown in fig. 4 and fig. 5) of the clutch unit U to assemble the damper plate D and the clutch plate P to the flywheel F. In an embodiment, each resilient means 104 is at least a spring. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the apparatus 100 with any other type of elastomers or any other means without otherwise deterring the intended function of each resilient means 104 as can be deduced from the description.
[0020] The first key 106 is adapted to be loaded onto the first key receiving portion 102a of the shaft 102. In an embodiment, the first key 106 includes a first portion 106a and a second portion 106b. The first portion 106a defines a portion 106c adapted to engage the flywheel bearing B of the clutch unit U to restrict the insertion of the shaft 102 to the flywheel bearing B (as each resilient means 104 are in un-compressed condition) thereby restricting the assembling of the clutch plate P to the flywheel F when the damper plate D is not assembled to the flywheel F, where the clutch plate P is away from the flywheel F. The second portion 106b is disposed higher than the first portion 106a of the first key 106. The second portion 106b of the first key 106 is adapted to receive the damper plate P thereon to the shaft 102 thereby compressing each resilient means 104 to facilitate insertion of the shaft 102 to the flywheel bearing B to assemble the damper plate D and the clutch plate P to the flywheel F.
[0021] The second key 108 is adapted to be received by the second key receiving portion 102c of the shaft 102. The second key 108 is adapted to receive the clutch plate P thereon to the shaft 102.
[0022] The clutch unit U is used in a power transmission system (not shown) of the vehicle to control the flow of power from an engine (not shown) to the driving wheels of the vehicle through the transmission system (not shown). The clutch unit U includes a flywheel F, a damper plate D, a clutch plate P, a clutch cover C, a flywheel bearing B, and may include other standard components as present in standard clutch unit.
[0023] The assembly of the clutch unit U is as follows. The operator/assembler fits the damper plate P to the second portion 106b of the first key 106 received by the first key receiving portion 102a of the shaft 102 and then inserts the shaft 102 to corresponding portion of the flywheel bearing B. Thereafter, the operator secures the damper plate D to the flywheel F using fasteners. Then, the shaft 102 is removed from the flywheel bearing B after assembling the damper plate D to the flywheel F. Thereafter, the operator fits the clutch plate P to the second key 108 received by the second key receiving portion 102c of the shaft 102 and then inserts the shaft 102 to corresponding portion of the flywheel bearing B for aligning or centralizing the clutch plate P to corresponding portion of the flywheel F. Thereafter, the operator secures the clutch cover C to the flywheel F by using fasteners.
[0024] FIG. 6 depicts a flowchart showing the steps of a method 200 for assembly of a clutch unit U in a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the method 200 for assembly of the clutch unit U in the vehicle is as follows, the method 200 comprising, providing an apparatus 100 comprising a shaft 102 having a first key receiving portion 102a, at least one resilient means receiving portion 102b and a second key receiving portion 102c; at least one resilient means 104 adapted to be disposed inside the resilient means receiving portion 102b of the shaft 102; a first key 106 adapted to be loaded onto the first key receiving portion 102a of the shaft 102, the first key 106 having a first portion 106a and a second portion 106b disposed higher than the first portion 106a; and a second key 108 adapted to be received by the second key receiving portion 102c of the shaft 102 (step 202); providing the second portion 106b of the first key 106 to receive a damper plate D of the clutch unit U thereon to the shaft 102 (step 204); inserting the shaft 102 to a flywheel bearing B of the clutch unit U (step 206); assembling the damper plate D to a flywheel F of the clutch unit U (step 208); removing the shaft 102 from the flywheel bearing B after assembling the damper plate D to the flywheel F (step 210); providing the second key 108 to receive a clutch plate P of the clutch unit U thereon to the shaft 102 (step 212); inserting the shaft 102 to the flywheel bearing B (step 214); aligning (centralizing) the clutch plate P to the flywheel F (step 216); and assembling of a clutch cover C of the clutch unit U to the flywheel F after aligning (centralizing) the clutch plate P to the flywheel F (step 218). The method step of inserting the shaft 102 to the flywheel bearing B of the clutch unit U, where the clutch plate P is received by the second key 108 includes engaging of a portion 106c of the first portion 106a of the first key 106 to the flywheel bearing B to restrict insertion of the shaft 102 to the flywheel bearing B thereby restricting the assembling of the clutch plate P to the flywheel F when the damper plate D is not assembled to the flywheel F step (220), where the clutch plate P is away from the flywheel F.
[0025] 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.
,CLAIMS:We claim,
1. An apparatus 100 for assembling a clutch unit U of a vehicle, said apparatus 100 comprising:
a shaft 102 having a first key receiving portion 102a, at least one resilient means receiving portion 102b and a second key receiving portion 102c adapted to receive a second key 108, the second key 108 adapted to receive a clutch plate P of the clutch unit U thereon to said shaft 102;
at least one resilient means 104 adapted to be disposed inside the resilient means receiving portion 102b of said shaft 102; and
a first key 106 adapted to be loaded onto the first key receiving portion 102a of said shaft 102, said first key 106 having a first portion 106a and a second portion 106b disposed higher than the first portion 106a, the first portion 106a defining a portion 106c,
wherein
the second portion 106b of said first key 106 is adapted to receive a damper plate D of the clutch unit U thereon to said shaft 102;
said shaft 102 is adapted to be inserted to a flywheel bearing B of the clutch unit U to facilitate assembly of the damper plate D and the clutch plate P to a flywheel F of the clutch unit U; and
the portion 106c of the first portion 106b of said first key 106 adapted to engage the flywheel bearing B to restrict the insertion of said shaft 102 to the flywheel bearing B thereby restricting the assembling of the clutch plate P to the flywheel F when the damper plate D is not assembled to the flywheel F, where the clutch plate P is away from the flywheel F.
2. The apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resilient means 104 is at least a spring.
3. The apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first key receiving portion 102a of said shaft 102 is at least a keyway.
4. The apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient means receiving portion 102b of said shaft 102 is at least a cavity.
5. A method 200 for assembling a clutch unit U of a vehicle, said method 200 comprising:
providing an apparatus 100 comprising a shaft 102 having a first key receiving portion 102a, at least one resilient means receiving portion 102b and a second key receiving portion 102c; at least one resilient means 104 adapted to be disposed inside the resilient means receiving portion 102b of said shaft 102; a first key 106 adapted to be loaded onto the first key receiving portion 102a of said shaft 102, said first key 106 having a first portion 106a and a second portion 106b disposed higher than the first portion 106a; and a second key 108 adapted to be received by the second key receiving portion 102c of said shaft 102;
providing the second portion 106b of said first key 106 to receive a damper plate D of the clutch unit U thereon to said shaft 102;
inserting said shaft 102 to a flywheel bearing B of the clutch unit U;
assembling the damper plate D to a flywheel F of the clutch unit U;
removing said shaft 102 from the flywheel bearing B after assembling the damper plate D to the flywheel F;
providing said second key 108 to receive a clutch plate P of the clutch unit U thereon to said shaft 102;
inserting said shaft 102 to the flywheel bearing B; and
aligning the clutch plate P to the flywheel F.
6. The method 200 as claimed in claim 5, wherein aligning the clutch plate P to the flywheel F includes assembling of a clutch cover C of the clutch unit U to the flywheel F after aligning the clutch plate P to the flywheel F.
7. The method 200 as claimed in claim 5, wherein inserting said shaft 102 to the flywheel bearing B of the clutch unit U, where the clutch plate P is received by the second key 108 includes engaging of a portion 106c of the first portion 106a of said first key 106 to the flywheel bearing B to restrict insertion of said shaft 102 to the flywheel bearing B thereby restricting the assembling of the clutch plate P to the flywheel F when the damper plate D is not assembled to the flywheel F, where the clutch plate P is away from the flywheel F.

Dated this 27th October 2016 Signature:
Somashekar Ramakrishna