Manufacture of clutch components

Abstract

Clutch components for automotive use usually include a pair of clutch members with operative faces. In particular, planar one way clutches include a pair of clutch members whose operative faces are enclosed spaced opposition, with each clutch face including a plurality of recessed defining respective load bearing shoulders. A plurality of struts are disposed between the coupling face of the members, and such struts are moveable between the coupling position and non coupling position. A preferable method of manufacturing such clutch components includes powder metal operations comprising die compacting a metal powder into a metal blank, sintering the metal blank to form a sintered metal blank, and cooling the sintered metal blank to form a cooled metal blank. The preferred metallic structure of the cooled metal blank is 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite. The application is especially useful for clutches used as backing plates in clutch brake applications.

1 . A method of manufacturing an automotive component comprising the steps of:
 providing an initial pre-alloy metal powder comprising, by weight, 0.35-0.55% nickel, 0.50-0.85% molybdenum, with the balance essentially iron,   admixing an additional 0.60-0.90% carbon and 1.0-3.0% copper metal powder, by weight, to form an admixed metal powder, adding a suitable lubricant to form a lubricated, admixed metal powder,   die compacting the lubricated, admixed metal powder, to form a die compacted metal blank, sintering the die compacted metal blank to form a sintered metal blank,   cooling the sintered metal blank to form a cooled metal blank,   the cooled metal blank comprising a metallic structure of 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1   wherein the lubricant is one of an Ethylene bis-stearamide wax, metal stearates or other lubricants suitable for die compaction of a metal powder.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1   wherein the initial metal powder is of a particle size from 250 to 1 micron.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1   wherein the admixed metal powder is of a particle size from 150 to 1 micron.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1   wherein in the die compaction is conducted at a pressure of between 40 and 65 tons per square inch.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1   wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of above 2000° F. (1090° C.).   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1   wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of between 2000° F. (1090° C.) and 2350° F. (1290° C.).   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6   wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7   wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1   wherein the cooling is a quenching operation in an atmosphere of nitrogen and hydrogen or generated endothermic gas.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1   wherein the cooling is conducted in a manner to reduce the temperature of the sintered metal blank from between 1600° F. (870° C.) to 2000° F. (1090° C.) to a temperature of between 450° F. (230° C.) and 500° F. (260° C.).   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1   wherein cooling of the sintered metal blank is conducted at a rate of between 1.9° F. (1.05° C.) and 5.5° F. (3.05° C.) per second.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1   wherein the cooled metal blank is tempered at a temperature of between 350° F. (175° C.) and 450° F. (230° C.) for at least one hour.   
     
     
         14 . An automotive component having
 a metal composition comprised of, by weight, 0.35-0.55% nickel, 0.50-0.85% molybdenum, and 1.0-3.0% copper, with the balance essentially iron,   wherein the component bas a metallic structure of 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite.   
     
     
         15 . The component of  claim 14   wherein the component has Rockwell hardness of about HRA45.   
     
     
         16 . The component of  claim 14   wherein the component is manufactured in a powder metallurgy operation comprising die compacting, sintering, and cooling operations.   
     
     
         17 . An automotive component manufactured in a process comprising the steps of:
 providing an initial metal powder comprising, by weight, 0.35-0.55% nickel, 0.50-0.85% molybdenum, with the balance essentially iron,   admixing an additional 0.60-0.90% carbon and 1.0-3.0% copper metal powder, by weight, to form an admixed metal powder, adding a suitable lubricant to form a lubricated, admixed metal powder,   die compacting the lubricated, admixed metal powder to form a die compacted metal blank, sintering the die compacted metal blank to form a sintered metal blank,   cooling the sintered metal blank to form a cooled metal blank,   the cooled metal blank comprising a metallic structure of 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17   wherein the lubricant is one of an Ethylene bis-stearamide wax, metal stearates or other lubricants suitable for die compaction of a metal powder.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17   wherein the initial metal powder is of a particle size from 250 to 1 micron.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17   wherein the admixed metal powder is of a particle size from 150 to 1 micron.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17   wherein the die compaction is conducted at a pressure of between 40 and 65 tons per square inch.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17   wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of above 2000° F. (1090° C.).   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17   wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of between 2000° F. (1090° C.) and 2350° F. (1290° C.).   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22   wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23   wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17   wherein the cooling is a quenching operation in an atmosphere of nitrogen and hydrogen or generated endothermic.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17   wherein the cooling is conducted in a manner to reduce the temperature of the sintered metal blank from between 1600° F. (870° C.) to 2000° F. (1090° C.) to a temperature of between 450° F. (230° C.) and 500° F. (260° C.).   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 17   wherein cooling of the sintered metal blank is conducted at a rate of between 1.9° F. (1.05° C.) and 5.5° F. (3.05° C.) per second.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 17   wherein the cooled metal blank is tempered at a temperature of between 350° F. (175° C.) and 450° F. (230° C.) for at least one hour.   
     
     
         30 . A method of manufacturing an automotive component comprising the steps of:
 providing an initial metal powder comprising, by weight, 0.35-0.55% nickel, 0.50-0.85% molybdenum, with the balance essentially iron,   admixing an additional 1.0-3.0% copper metal powder, by weight, to form an admixed metal powder, adding a suitable lubricant for form a lubricated, admixed metal powder, die compacting the lubricated, admixed metal powder to form a die compacted metal blank, sintering the die compacted metal blank to form a sintered metal blank,   cooling the sintered metal blank to form a cooled metal blank,   the cooled metal blank comprising a metallic structure of 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30   wherein the lubricant is one of an Ethylene bi-stearamide wax, metal stearates or other lubricants suitable for die compaction of a metal powder.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30   wherein the initial metal powder is of a particle size from 250 to 1 micron.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30   wherein the admixed metal powder is of a particle size from 150 to 1 micron.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30   wherein the die compaction is conducted at a pressure of between 40 and 65 tons per square inch.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30   wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of above 2000° F. (1090° C.).   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30   wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of between 2000° F. (1090° C.) and 2350° F. (1290° C.).   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35   wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36   wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 30   wherein the cooling is a quenching operation in an atmosphere of nitrogen and hydrogen or generated endothermic.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 30   wherein the cooling is conducted in a manner to reduce the temperature of the sintered metal blank from between 1600° F. (870° C.) to 2000° F. (1090° C.) to a temperature of between 450° F. (230° C.) and 500° F. (260° C.).   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 30   wherein cooling of the sintered metal blank is conducted at a rate of between 1.9° F. (1.05° C.) and 5.5° F. (3.05° C.) per second.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 30   wherein the cooled metal blank is tempered at a temperature of between 350° F. (175° C.) and 450° F. (230° C.) for at least one hour.   
     
     
         43 . An automotive component manufactured in a process comprising the steps of:
 providing an initial metal powder comprising, by weight, 0.35-0.55% nickel, 0.50-0.85% molybdenum, with the balance essentially iron,   admixing an additional 1.0-3.0% copper metal powder, by weight, to form an admixed metal powder, adding a suitable lubricant to form a lubricated, admixed metal powder, die compacting the lubricated, admixed metal powder to form a die compacted metal blank, sintering the die compacted metal blank to form a sintered metal blank,   cooling the sintered metal blank to form a cooled metal blank,   the cooled metal blank comprising a metallic structure of 50-80% martensite and 20-50% bainite and fine pearlite.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43   wherein the lubricant is one of an Ethylene bi-stearamide wax, metal stearates or other lubricants suitable for die compaction of a metal powder.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43   wherein the initial metal powder is of a particle size from 250 to 1 micron.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43   wherein the admixed metal powder is of a particle size from 150 to 1 micron.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43   wherein the die compaction is conducted at a pressure of between 40 and 65 tons per square inch.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 43   wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of above 2000° F. (1090° C.).   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 43   wherein the sintering is conducted at a temperature of between 2000° F. (1090° C.) and 2350° F. (1290° C.).   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48   wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49   wherein the sintering is conducted for at least 10 minutes.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 43   wherein the cooling is a quenching operation in an atmosphere of nitrogen and hydrogen or generated Endothermic.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 43   wherein the cooling is conducted in a manner to reduce the temperature of the sintered metal blank from between 1600° F. (870° C.) to 2000° F. (1090° C.) to a temperature of between 450° F. (230° C.) and 500° F. (260° C.).   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 43   wherein cooling of the sintered metal blank is conducted at a rate of between 1.9° F. (1.05° C.) and 5.5° F. (3.05° C.) per second.   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 43   wherein the cooled metal blank is tempered at a temperature of between 350° F. (175° C.) and 450° F. (230° C.) for at least one hour.