Dual clutch with cooling distribution reservoir chambers

Abstract

A clutch assembly includes a clutch pack having a plurality of friction disks. The clutch pack will selectively transfer torque, for example from a torque supplying member to a torque receiving member. The assembly also includes a first cooling fluid inlet in fluid communication with a first friction surface of the plurality of friction disks. The assembly further includes a second cooling inlet in fluid communication with a second friction surface of the plurality of friction disks. The first cooling fluid inlet has a first effective fluid flow area that is dissimilar to a second effective fluid flow area of the second cooling fluid inlet to provide a different volume of fluid to the friction surfaces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A clutch assembly, comprising:
 a clutch pack for selectively transferring torque including a plurality of friction disks having friction surfaces;   a first cooling fluid inlet in fluid communication with a first friction surface of the plurality of friction disks;   a second cooling fluid inlet in fluid communication with a second friction surface of the plurality of friction disks;   wherein the first cooling fluid inlet has a first effective fluid flow area that is dissimilar to a second effective fluid flow area of the second cooling fluid inlet to provide a different volume of fluid to the friction surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . The clutch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first effective fluid flow area of the first cooling fluid inlet is sized differently from the second effective fluid flow area of the second cooling fluid inlet to provide a desired relative fluid flow based on a determined temperature difference of the friction surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The clutch assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first effective fluid flow area is defined by a flow cross-section of the first cooling fluid inlet that is greater than that of the second cooling fluid inlet to provide a greater volume of fluid to the first friction surface. 
     
     
         4 . The clutch assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the flow cross-section of the first cooling fluid inlet and of the second cooling fluid inlet has a circular shape. 
     
     
         5 . The clutch assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a clutch hub having the first cooling fluid inlet and the second cooling fluid inlet provided thereon at different axial locations from one another, wherein at least a portion of the clutch hub is coupled for rotation with a portion of the friction disks. 
     
     
         6 . The clutch assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first cooling fluid inlet and the second cooling fluid inlet are disposed in a radially outer wall of the clutch hub, and wherein the first cooling fluid inlet has a flow cross-section with different dimensions than that of the second cooling fluid inlet to vary the first and second fluid flow areas. 
     
     
         7 . The clutch assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the clutch hub has a cooling fluid port disposed radially inwards of the first cooling fluid inlet and the second cooling fluid inlet, wherein the cooling fluid port is fluidly connected to the first cooling fluid inlet and the second cooling fluid inlet via a coolant passage. 
     
     
         8 . The clutch assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a piston assembly operatively connected to the clutch pack, the piston assembly including a piston chamber disposed radially inwards of the clutch pack and a piston disposed axially between the piston chamber and the coolant passage. 
     
     
         9 . The clutch assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the clutch hub defines a balance chamber in fluid communication with the cooling fluid port and disposed axially between the coolant passage and the piston, and wherein movement of the piston displaces a volume of fluid from the balance chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The clutch assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the piston assembly further includes a spring structured and arranged to apply a biasing force against the piston. 
     
     
         11 . The clutch assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the piston chamber is disposed between the piston and the spring. 
     
     
         12 . The clutch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first effective fluid flow area and the second effective fluid flow area are selectively adjusted based on temperature variations in the clutch pack. 
     
     
         13 . The clutch assembly of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first effective fluid flow area and the second effective fluid flow are is varied to increase or decrease an amount of fluid flow through the first cooling fluid inlet and the second cooling fluid inlet, respectively, based on a measured operating temperature of the friction surfaces. 
     
     
         14 . The clutch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first cooling fluid inlet directs a supply of fluid to a first disk of the plurality of friction disks at a first axial location and the second cooling fluid inlet directs a supply of fluid to a second disk of the plurality of friction disks at a second axial location, wherein the first axial location is different from the second axial location. 
     
     
         15 . The clutch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first effective fluid flow area is permanently adjusted to differ in dimension from the second effective fluid flow area. 
     
     
         16 . A clutch assembly, comprising:
 a clutch pack for selective transferring torque including a plurality of friction disks having friction surfaces;   a clutch hub disposed radially inward of the clutch pack, wherein at least a portion of the clutch hub is coupled for rotation with at least a portion of the friction disks;   a plurality of cooling fluid inlets disposed in a radially outer wall of the clutch hub for directing a cooling fluid to the clutch pack; and   wherein the plurality of cooling fluid inlets respectively have an effective fluid flow area that is sized to provide a desired relative fluid flow to the friction surfaces based on temperature variations in the clutch pack.   
     
     
         17 . The clutch assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of cooling fluid inlets includes a first cooling fluid inlet having a flow cross section that is larger than that of a second cooling fluid inlet of the plurality of cooling fluid inlets to supply a greater volume of fluid to a friction surface determined to have a higher operating temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The clutch assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the first cooling fluid inlet is in fluid communication with a first friction disk arranged at a first axial location and the second cooling fluid inlet is in fluid communication with a second friction disk arranged at a second axial location, and wherein the first axial location is different from the second axial location. 
     
     
         19 . The clutch assembly of  claim 16 , wherein at least two of the plurality of cooling fluid inlets have differing dimensions to provide dissimilar effective fluid flow areas. 
     
     
         20 . The clutch assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of cooling fluid inlets have circular diameters.