What is a clutch?

Clutches are a common component in mechanical transmissions, which can disengage or engage the transmission system at any time. Clutches are used in various industries, such as the automotive industry, agricultural machinery industry, and textile industry. Do you know the specific definition and classification of clutches? Let's take a look together.

 

 

Definition of clutch

A clutch is a device that transmits the engine power of a car or other power machinery to the axle by means of a switch. The clutch is installed between the engine and the transmission. It is an assembly directly connected to the engine in the automotive drive line. During the entire process from the start of the car to normal driving, the driver can manipulate the clutch to temporarily separate or gradually engage the engine and drive train as needed to cut off or transfer the power output by the engine to the drive train.

 

Its role is to make the engine and transmission gradually engage to ensure the smooth start of the car, temporarily cut off the connection between the engine and the transmission to facilitate shifting and reduce the impact of shifting. When the car is in emergency braking, it can be separated to prevent the transmission system and other transmission systems from overloading, thereby playing a certain protection role.

 

 

Classification of clutches

 

Electromagnetic clutch

It controls the engagement and disengagement of the clutch by turning the coil on and off. Electromagnetic clutches can be divided into: dry single-plate electromagnetic clutches, dry multi-plate electromagnetic clutches, magnetic powder clutches, slip-type electromagnetic clutches. The working mode of electromagnetic clutch can be divided into: power-on combination and power-off combination.

 

Magnetic powder clutch

Electromagnetic clutches are generally used in media with an ambient temperature of -20-50℃, humidity of less than 85%, and no risk of explosion, and the coil voltage fluctuations should not exceed ±5% of the rated voltage. It can adjust the torque by adjusting the current, allowing a large slip. The disadvantage is that the temperature rise is larger when the slip is large, and the relative price is high. Suitable for high-frequency mechanical drive systems, widely used in machine tools, packaging, printing, textiles, light industry, and office equipment.

 

Friction clutch

Friction clutches are the most widely used and have the longest history. They are basically composed of a driving part, a driven part, a pressing mechanism and an operating mechanism. The main and driven parts and the pressing mechanism are the basic structures to ensure that the clutch is in the engaged state and can transmit power, and the operating mechanism of the clutch is mainly a device that releases the clutch.

 

Hydraulic clutch

The hydraulic clutch uses fluid as the transmission medium. Its structure includes an input shaft with a speed-increasing gear train, a working fluid flow cavity, which is composed of an impeller, a driven wheel, and an impeller shell. The moving wheel, driven wheel and the impeller can be operatively combined. Generally, the impeller shell and the impeller are made of the material which has a small specific gravity and a large stress bearing range to reduce centrifugal stress.

 

The above is the basic introduction of the clutch. If you have any questions about clutches and agricultural tools, please contact us in time.