Lever system for operating a clutch

Abstract

Lever system for actuating a clutch, with at least one pivotably arranged lever (2) which is mounted on a slide (5, 19) which can be driven in a horizontal direction on a roller track (8, 18) by a motor-driven actuating element, wherein the slide (5, 19) slides on a rolling cam (10, 21) and a free end (4) of the lever (2) acts on an engagement or disengagement system of the clutch, wherein a retaining contour (11, 13, 31, 27, 28) is provided for the slide (5, 19), characterized in that the retaining contour (13) is formed on the slide (19), wherein a roller (17) running on the slide (19) is fixedly arranged on the lever.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a lever system for actuating a clutch, comprising at least one pivotably arranged lever which is mounted on a carriage which can be driven by a motor-driven actuating element in a horizontal direction on a roller track, wherein the carriage slides on a rolling curve and a free end of the lever acts on an engagement or disengagement system of the clutch.

[0002] DE 10 2013 211 227 A1 discloses a lever system for actuating at least one clutch, which comprises a pivotably arranged lever. The lever rests on a carriage which can be moved back and forth in a horizontal direction. For this purpose, the carriage has rollers which can be moved on the corresponding roller track. The lever rests on an upper roller of the carriage with a corresponding curved track. When the carriage is actuated and moves along the lever, an actuating force of the clutch, also referred to as the engagement force, is exerted on the carriage. When the clutch is fully actuated, i.e. when the clutch remains in a closed or open state, the carriage must be held permanently in a predetermined position. This requires a high actuator load to be applied by an electric motor which actuates the carriage, since the clutch acts on this holding point of the carriage.

[0003] From DE 10 2013 225 009 A1 an actuator which is locked in the maximum position for actuating a hydraulic clutch actuator is known, in which a holding structure is designed on a link structure of the actuator, so that an actuating rod of the link structure remains in a position which is essentially maximally disengaged from the clutch actuator due to the effect of the holding structure.

[0004] Other relevant actuators with lever systems are known from DE 10 2005 048 614 A1 and DE 10 2009 010 136 A1.

[0005] The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a lever system for actuating a clutch in which the force to be applied is reduced when the lever system remains in a predetermined state.

[0006] According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing a retaining contour for the slide. The retaining contour is located at a position of the lever system into which the slide retracts with at least one roller and is secured against the actuating force transmitted from the coupling to the slide. This retaining contour makes it possible to reduce the force applied by the electric motor-driven actuating element to position the slide.

[0007] Advantageously, the retaining contour is formed in the roller track of the lever. This has the advantage that the actuating force of the clutch, which acts perpendicularly on the slide, presses the slide, which engages the retaining contour, against the retaining contour, ensuring that the slide remains reliably in the retaining contour.

[0008] In an alternative, the retaining contour is formed in the roller track of the carriage. Here, too, the carriage is anchored in the retaining contour.

[0009] In a first embodiment of the invention, the retaining contour is formed on the carriage, with a roller running on the carriage being fixedly mounted on the lever arm. The roller track of the carriage is formed on the carriage itself, and the roller, which is fixedly mounted on the lever, can engage the retaining structure of the carriage when the carriage assumes the corresponding position.

[0010] In a second and third embodiment of the invention, the retaining contour is designed as a recess. This is particularly advantageous when the carriage is designed as a traverse carriage with rollers, so that at least one roller engages in the recess and is held there by the lever system against the actuating force of the coupling.

[0011] In the second embodiment of the invention, a raised portion is formed in front of the recess, facing a pivot point of the lever. This means that, even before the carriage reaches the support structure, an active approach to the recess is required to overcome the raised portion. This prevents the carriage from accidentally engaging the recess.

[0012] In the third embodiment of the invention, a block is formed directly adjacent to the recess on the side facing away from the pivot point of the lever, projecting beyond the recess. This block limits the travel path of the slide.

[0013] In another embodiment, the retaining contour is designed as a raised portion. To overcome this retaining contour, an additional resistance must be overcome, so that the detent formed by the retaining contour cannot be overcome without additional actuator load.

[0014] Advantageously, the holding contour is designed as an angle change. The advantageously square-shaped angle change allows the force of the electric motor-driven actuating element to be reduced to near zero or even zero, eliminating any resistance when leaving the detent position.

[0015] In one embodiment, the angle change is gentle, which achieves a further reduction in force.

[0016] The invention permits numerous embodiments. Several of these will be explained in more detail with reference to the figures shown in the drawing.

[0017] They show: Fig. 1 a first embodiment of the lever system with a holding contour in the rolling curve, Fig. 2 the first embodiment of the lever system with a holding contour in the roller track, Fig. 3 a second embodiment with a holding contour in the carriage, Fig. 4 the second embodiment of the lever system with the holding contour in the roller track, Fig. 5 the second embodiment of the lever system with the holding contour in the second rolling curve, Fig. 6 the second embodiment of the lever system with the holding contour in the rolling curve, Fig. 7 the second embodiment of the lever system with the holding contour in the roller track, Fig. 8 the second embodiment of the lever system with a holding contour in the second rolling curve, Fig. 9 a third embodiment of the lever system with the holding contour in the rolling curve, Fig. 10 the third embodiment of the holding contour in the roller track, Fig. 11 a fourth embodiment of the lever system with the holding contour in a rocking curve, Fig. 12 the fourth embodiment of the lever system with the holding contour in the roller track, Fig. 13 another embodiment of the holding contour by changing the angle, Fig. 14 the embodiment of the holding contour according to Fig. 13 by gently changing the angle, Fig. 15 another embodiment of the holding contour with upstream elevation Fig. 16 a further embodiment of the holding contour as a recess with block, Fig. 17 another embodiment of the holding contour as an elevation.

[0018] Identical features are provided with the same reference symbols.

[0019] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the lever system, in which the lever system is designed as a hinge actuator 1. The hinge actuator 1 has a lever 2, which is firmly connected via a hinge 3. The lever 2 is thus designed to pivot about the hinge 3. On the opposite, freely movable side of the lever 2, an actuation point 4 is formed for an engagement or disengagement system of a clutch (not shown in detail) to be actuated by the lever system.

[0020] The lever 2 rests on a carriage 5, which is designed as a traverse carriage and has two rollers 6, 7, which move the carriage 5 back and forth in a horizontal direction. The carriage 5 moves with the rollers 6 and 7 on the roller track 8. A third roller 9 of the carriage 5 rests on the lever 2, so that the roller 9 runs on this rolling curve 10. The carriage 5 is moved back and forth in a horizontal direction by an electric motor-driven actuating element (not shown in detail). When the carriage 5 engages the lever 2 in a predetermined position, a clutch set to a maximum position, which in this state is either fully open or fully closed, presses with a force K perpendicular to the roller track 8 against the lever 2, which in turn presses on the carriage 5. The y-component of this force K is supported by the roller track 8 and the x-component by the actuating element ( Fig. 2). In order to reliably hold the slide 5 in this position, a detent in the form of a retaining contour 11 is arranged on the lever 2, which in this case is designed as a recess. The retaining contour 11 is arranged at the end of the rolling curve 10, so that the lever system remains in this position regardless of the load on the engagement system, and no force from the actuating element of the slide 5 is required to remain in this position.

[0021] Fig. Figure 2 also shows a hinge actuator 1 in which the retaining contour 11 is arranged on the roller track 8 of the carriage 5. Since the lever 2 rests on the carriage 5 as a crossbar, the force K of the engagement system acts on the carriage 5, whereby the roller 7, which engages in the retaining contour 11 formed as a recess in the roller track 8, is held therein. Here, too, an additional force of the actuating element of the carriage 5 is reduced in order to hold it in the retaining contour 11.

[0022] Fig. 3 shows a lever system designed as an articulated actuator 12, in which the holding contour 13 is processed in the carriage 19. The lever 2 is connected to its pivot position via a spring 14 for force compensation and has a second support for the freely movable lever 2. The pivotable lever 2 comprises two lever arms 15, 16, with the lever arm 16 extending approximately at right angles to the lever arm 15 towards the actuation point 4 of the engagement system. A roller 17 is fixedly positioned on the lever arm 15, which rolls on a roller track 18 formed on the carriage 19. When the carriage 19 moves, the lever arm 17 slides linearly along a roller 20 of the engagement system, which moves horizontally. The roller 17, which is fixedly positioned on the lever arm 15, moves along the roller track 18 and reaches the holding contour 13, which is designed as a recess, when the coupling has assumed a maximum position.

[0023] A joint actuator 12 in which the holding contour 13 formed as a recess is formed on the roller track 8 of the carriage 19 is shown in Fig. 4. The rolling curve 21 of the roller 17 is also formed on the carriage 19, but with a continuous gradient.

[0024] Fig. Figure 5 shows a further embodiment of the articulated actuator 12, in which the recess serving as the holding contour 13 is formed on the second lever arm 16. When the carriage 19 is moved, the roller 20 engages this holding contour 13 when the second lever arm 16 is pushed vertically upward.

[0025] A modified joint actuator 12 is shown in Fig. 6, in which the carriage 19 has the configuration with rollers 6, 7, 9 according to Fig. 1, wherein the rollers 6, 7 roll on the roller track 8 and the holding contour 13 is designed as a recess in the rolling curve 32 on the first lever arm 15 for receiving the roller 9.

[0026] In an alternative to this, Fig. 7 shows a modified joint actuator 12 in which the holding contour 13 is positioned in the roller track 8 of the carriage 19.

[0027] Fig. 8 again shows a joint actuator 12, in which the carriage 19 according to Fig. 1 and the holding contour 13 is arranged in the second lever arm 16.

[0028] In all these embodiments, which are described in Fig. 3 to 8, the force required to move and hold the carriage 19 is reduced when it has retracted into the holding contour 13.

[0029] Fig. Figure 9 shows the lever system as a long hinge actuator 22, in which the hinge 3 and the slide 5 are located on different sides of the actuation point 4 for the engagement system. The actuation point 4 for the engagement system is marked by the elevation 23. In this embodiment, the holding contour 11 of the slide 5, which according to Fig. 1 is formed on the rolling curve 10. Alternatively, in Fig. 10 shows the long-hinge actuator 22, in which the retaining contour 11 is positioned in the roller track 8 of the carriage 5. In these cases, too, the retaining contour 11 is designed as a recess.

[0030] Fig. Figure 11 shows a fourth embodiment of the lever actuator, in which the lever 2 is attached to a rocking point 25 via a spring 24. The carriage 5 runs along a rocking curve 26 on the lever 2, wherein the holding contour 11 is formed as a depression on the rocking curve 26 of the lever 2 and the engagement system moves perpendicular to the rolling track 8 of the carriage 5. The force from the clutch presses on the carriage 5, which is moved to the left. Therefore, it is necessary for the motor-driven actuating element to always apply a force to the right in order to hold the carriage 5 in the holding contour 11. This force is, however, reduced when the carriage 5 is in the holding contour 11. In an alternative to this, Fig. 12 the lever actuator is shown with a holding contour 11 in the roller track 8 of the carriage 5.

[0031] The following examples illustrate possible designs of the retaining contour, with the carriage 5 merely indicated by a roller 7. These retaining contours are applicable to both the roller track 8 and the roller curve 10. Fig. 13 and Fig. 14 show holding contours by a simple angle change, where the angle change 27 in Fig. 13 is square, while the angle change 28 according to Fig. 14 runs smoothly. Due to these angular changes 27, 28, the force of the actuating element of the slide 5 is reduced to almost zero, with the additional advantage that no resistance needs to be overcome to exit the detent formed as an angular change 27, 28.

[0032] In Fig. 15, a protrusion 29 is formed in front of the retaining contour 11, which is designed as a recess. The detent is still formed by the recess. However, the recess must be deliberately approached by the slide 5 against the additional resistance of the protrusion 29.

[0033] In Fig. 16, a block 30 is provided at the end of the travel path immediately after the holding contour 11 formed as a recess, which block limits the travel path of the carriage 5 and cannot be overcome.

[0034] Instead of a recess, a raised area 31 can also be used as a holding contour and thus as a detent ( Fig. 17). With such a holding contour 31, a force must be applied in both directions in order to pass over the holding contour 31.

[0035] The design of the carriage 5 or 19 is not limited to the possibilities presented in this document. The number of designs of the carriage 5, 19 is diverse. For example, the carriage can have only two rollers, one arranged at the top and one at the bottom. The rollers can also be nested at the page level.

[0036] The various embodiments of the lever system thus offer the possibility that a force must be actively applied by the electric motor-driven actuating element of the slide 5 in order to remove the slide 5, 19 from the holding contour 11, 13, 31 or to make the actuating element force-free when the slide 5 takes up the holding contour 11, 13, 31. List of reference symbols 1 hinge actuator 2 levers 3 hinge 4 Actuation point 5 sleds 6 rolls 7 roll 8 roller track 9 roll 10 Roll curve 11 Holding contour 12 joint actuator 13 Holding contour 14 spring 15 lever arm 16 lever arm 17 roll 18 roller track 19 sleds 20 rolls 21 Roll curve 22 Long hinge actuator 23 Survey 24 springs 25 rocking point 26 Rocking curve 27 Angle change 28 Angle change 29 Survey 30 blocks 31 Survey 32 Roll curve

Claims

[1] Lever system for actuating a clutch, with at least one pivotally arranged lever (2) which is mounted on a carriage (5, 19) which can be driven by a motor-driven actuating element in the horizontal direction on a roller track (8, 18), wherein the carriage (5, 19) slides on a rolling curve (10, 21) and a free end (4) of the lever (2) acts on an engagement or disengagement system of the clutch, wherein a holding contour (11, 13, 31, 27, 28) is provided for the carriage (5, 19), characterized by that the holding contour (13) is formed on the carriage (19), wherein a roller (17) running on the carriage (19) is arranged in a stationary manner on the lever. [2] Lever system for actuating a clutch, with at least one pivotably arranged lever (2) which is mounted on a carriage (5, 19) which can be driven by a motor-driven actuating element in the horizontal direction on a roller track (8, 18), wherein the carriage (5, 19) slides on a roller curve (10, 21) and a free end (4) of the lever (2) acts on an engagement or disengagement system of the clutch, wherein a holding contour (11, 13, 31, 27, 28) is provided for the carriage (5, 19) and the holding contour (11, 13) is designed as a recess, characterized by that a protrusion (29) is formed directly in front of the recess, facing a pivot point of the lever (2), or that a block (30) projecting beyond the recess is formed directly on the side of the recess facing away from the pivot point of the lever (2). [3] Lever system according to claim 2, characterized bythat the holding contour (11, 13, 31) is formed in the rolling curve (10, 21) of the lever (2). [4] Lever system according to claim 2, characterized by that the holding contour (11, 13, 31, 27, 28) is formed in the roller track (8, 18) of the carriage (5, 19). [5] Lever system according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the holding contour is designed as an elevation (31). [6] Lever system according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the holding contour is designed as an angle change (27, 28). [7] Lever system according to claim 6, characterized by that the angle change (28) is smooth.

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