Coupling device

Abstract

Clutch device, comprising an outer disk carrier (2), a pressure pot (11) and a lever spring (14) supported on a support bearing (17) for axially moving the pressure pot (11) relative to the outer disk carrier (2), wherein the support bearing (17) fastened to the outer disk carrier (2) has axially extending fingers (21) with which it engages through recesses (22) formed in the lever spring (14), characterized in that an axially positionally fixed support (8) for a spring element (10) is provided on the outer disk carrier (2), which spring-loaded pressure pot (11), which has fingers (12) engaging through the support (8) in openings (13), against the lever spring (14).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a clutch device comprising an outer disk carrier, a pressure pot and a lever spring supported on a support bearing for axially moving the pressure pot relative to the outer disk carrier.

[0002] Such a clutch device is known to be used to temporarily establish a torque-transmitting frictional connection between the drive shaft of an internal combustion engine and an output shaft leading to a transmission. The clutch device, when designed as a single clutch, typically comprises an outer disk carrier with axially displaceable outer disks, an inner disk carrier with axially displaceable inner disks that engage between the outer disks, and a pressure chamber that is axially movable to axially compress the disk pack. The outer disk carrier is connected, for example, to the drive shaft of the internal combustion engine, while the inner disk carrier is connected to the output shaft leading to the transmission.Compressing the plate pack creates a force or frictional connection, allowing torques introduced from the input shaft via the outer plate carrier to be transmitted to the inner plate carrier, and from there to the output shaft and the transmission. To compress the plate pack, the pressure chamber is moved axially using a lever spring supported by a support bearing. The lever spring is pressed by an actuator; it interacts with the pressure chamber and displaces it axially, compressing the plate pack. When the lever spring is released, the pressure chamber is also released, the compressed plate pack is released, and the frictional connection is released.

[0003] The operation of such a clutch device is well known. It can be designed either as a single clutch, comprising only a pair of plate carriers and a plate pack along with a pressure chamber and lever spring. It can also be designed as a double clutch or as a triple or multiple clutch, comprising two or more separately actuated sub-clutches, each having a pair of plate carriers along with a plate pack, pressure chamber, and lever spring. Typically, the outer plate carrier rotates as a result of its coupling to the drive shaft. Along with the outer plate carrier, the pressure chamber, the lever spring, and the support bearing also rotate. In known clutch devices, the support bearing is designed as a separate ring on which the lever spring is supported. This is the sole function of the support bearing or support ring.

[0004] Furthermore, it is pointed out that a coupling device with the features of the preamble of patent claim 1 is known from DE 10 2014 218 548 B3 and DE 10 2016 124 821 A1.

[0005] The invention is therefore based on the problem of providing a coupling device which is improved compared to the aforementioned.

[0006] To solve this problem, the invention provides that the support bearing attached to the outer disk carrier has axially extending fingers with which it engages through recesses formed on the lever spring.

[0007] In the clutch device according to the invention, the support bearing, i.e., the support ring, is attached to the outer disk carrier. As described, the lever spring is supported on it, thus forming a counterbearing when the lever spring is pressed to move the print head.

[0008] At the same time, however, in the clutch device according to the invention, the support bearing also performs a centering function for centering the lever spring. For this purpose, the support bearing or support ring is provided with axially extending fingers that are bent axially in the region of its inner circumference. These fingers engage through corresponding window-like recesses formed in the lever spring. The finger width and the recess width are coordinated in such a way that the lever spring has only minimal play relative to the fingers, allowing it to be very well centered by the fingers.

[0009] In the clutch device according to the invention, the support bearing therefore has a dual function: on the one hand, the supporting function for supporting the lever spring, and on the other hand, the centering function. Additional elements, such as centering bolts riveted to other components or the like, are unnecessary, since the existing support bearing, or rather the support ring, fulfills the dual function according to the invention.

[0010] In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the fingers of the support bearing also engage through openings formed on the pressure pot axially downstream of the lever spring. The fingers of the support bearing or support ring are therefore somewhat extended axially and also engage through corresponding openings in the pressure pot coupled to the lever spring or adjacent to it. This means that it is also possible to center the pressure pot using the fingers if necessary. All that is required is to adjust the width of the openings on the pressure pot side to the width of the fingers so that the pressure pot can also be moved relative to the fingers with only minimal play. In this case, the support bearing or support ring even has a dual centering function, namely one for the lever spring and the other for the pressure pot.

[0011] As described, the support bearing or support ring is attached to the annular outer plate carrier and axially fixed. To enable a simple connection here, openings are expediently formed on the support bearing through which axially extending fingers formed on the outer plate carrier engage. The outer plate carrier, which is provided with internal teeth, is axially extended slightly so that corresponding fingers are formed, spaced apart in the circumferential direction, which engage corresponding openings formed on the support bearing or support ring. This creates a rotationally fixed connection between the outer plate carrier and the support bearing. A retaining ring can be used to axially secure the support bearing to the outer ring. This is expediently inserted on the outer plate carrier in grooves formed on the radially inward-facing side of the fingers.The retaining ring inserted in the grooves protrudes radially slightly inwards and thus forms the abutment for the support bearing or the support ring.

[0012] The support bearing or support ring itself is preferably formed as a simple sheet metal part, so that the corresponding geometries or functional sections, namely the fingers and, if applicable, the openings penetrated by the outer disk carrier fingers, can be easily formed on it. Accordingly, the pressure pot is also preferably a corresponding sheet metal part, so that it too can be easily formed into the corresponding geometry and the openings, if necessary, can be formed.

[0013] Furthermore, according to the invention, an axially fixed support for a spring element, for example a disc spring, is provided on the outer disc carrier. This support spring-loaded element, which has fingers extending through openings in the support, springs the pressure pot against the lever spring. When the lever spring is pressed and the pressure pot is moved to compress the disc pack, the spring element, i.e. the disc spring, is compressed; it creates a restoring force which, when the lever spring or pressure pot is relieved, pushes the pressure pot back to its original position. This relieves the disc pack and allows it to ventilate. Overall, this results in a very compact design of the actuating mechanism, comprising only the support bearing, the lever spring, the pressure pot, the spring element in the form of the disc spring, and the annular support.

[0014] The clutch device itself is preferably a wet clutch device. It can be a single clutch, or alternatively, the clutch device can be part of a double clutch or a triple or multiple clutch.

[0015] The invention is explained below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. The drawings are schematic representations and show: Fig. 1 shows a further schematic diagram of a coupling device according to the invention, and Fig. 2 a perspective partial view of the support bearing of the coupling device from Fig. 1.

[0016] Fig. 1 shows a clutch device 1 according to the invention, comprising an outer disk carrier 2, which is coupled in a manner not shown in detail to a drive shaft of an internal combustion engine via a corresponding hub connection.

[0017] The outer disk carrier 2 has an internal toothing 3 into which annular outer disks, for example steel disks, are inserted (not shown individually here). Also provided is a radially inner inner disk carrier 4, which has an external toothing 5 into which annular inner disks, also not shown in detail, are inserted and engage between the outer disks. The outer and inner disks together form a disk pack 6, which, after the outer and inner disks are axially movably received on the toothings 3, 5, is axially pressed together to create a frictional or force-locking connection. The inner disk carrier 4 is coupled to an output shaft leading to a transmission via a hub connection (not shown in detail).

[0018] The outer disk carrier 3 is annular in the area of ​​the disk pack 6 and, apart from any lubricant perforations, is closed. In the adjoining carrier section up to its free end, shown on the right in the figure, the outer disk carrier 2 has axially extending fingers 7. A support 8 is pushed onto these, which has perforations 9 through which the fingers 7 extend. The support 8 serves as an abutment for a spring element 10, here, for example, a disc spring, which, as will be discussed below, serves to release the axially compressed disk pack 6.

[0019] To axially compress the disk pack 6, a pressure pot 11 is provided, which has axially projecting fingers 12 that penetrate the support 8 through openings 13 formed therein. The fingers 12 can be moved against the disk pack 6 and compress it.

[0020] To enable axial movement of the pressure pot 11, a lever spring 14 is provided, which is subjected to an actuating force in the region of the lower end 15 and pivots about a support point 16, where it is supported or mounted on a support bearing 17. The pressure pot 11 rests directly against the lever spring 14 and is axially displaced when the lever spring 14 pivots, so that the fingers 12 are pushed through the openings 13 and pressed against the plate pack 6.

[0021] The support bearing 17, which can also be referred to as a support ring, is also pushed onto the fingers 7 of the outer disk carrier 2. For this purpose, the support bearing has corresponding openings 18 through which the fingers 7 extend. To axially secure the support bearing 17 to the outer disk carrier 2, grooves 19 are formed in the area of ​​the radially inward-facing side of the fingers 7, into which grooves a support ring 20 is inserted, serving as an axial stop or abutment for the support bearing 17.

[0022] How Fig. 1 shows, the support bearing 17 further comprises a plurality of axially directed fingers 21, which, in the example shown, on the one hand, extend through the lever spring 14 in corresponding recesses 22, and on the other hand, also extend through the pressure pot in corresponding recesses 23. These fingers 22 serve at least to center the lever spring 14. For this reason, the width of the fingers 21 and the width of the window-like recesses 22, viewed in the circumferential direction, are coordinated and dimensioned such that the lever spring 14 has only minimal circumferential play relative to the fingers 22, whose side surfaces or edges achieve centering. This means that the support bearing 17 or the support ring has a dual function: on the one hand, supporting the lever spring 14 in the area of ​​the support point 16, and on the other hand, centering the lever spring 14 via the fingers 21.

[0023] How Fig. 1 shows, the support point 16, or rather this section, is formed as a radius against which the lever spring 14 rests. The lever spring 14 rotates around this point upon actuation in the direction of the illustrated actuation force F. Due to the radius, the lever ratio changes only very slightly when the lever force is applied, so that there is no "jump" in the actuation force or contact force.

[0024] Fig. 1 further shows that, as described, the fingers 21 also extend through the pressure pot 11 in corresponding openings 23. Centering is also possible there, albeit optionally, meaning that the fingers 21 can also center the pressure pot 11. For this purpose, the width of the openings 23, viewed in the circumferential direction, is again matched to the width of the fingers 21, so that there is only minimal circumferential play there as well.

[0025] The central, multifunctional component of the coupling device 1 is, as described, the support bearing 17, which has a dual function, namely, on the one hand, the support of the lever spring when pivoting the same, and on the other hand, the centering of the lever spring 14 and, if applicable, also of the pressure pot 11. Fig.Figure 2 shows a partial perspective view of the annular support bearing 17. Shown are several fingers 21 that are axially aligned or bent out. Also shown are some of the openings 18 through which the fingers 7 of the outer disk carrier 2 engage. These openings 18 are formed on a corresponding radial flange section of the annular support bearing 17. Their cross-sectional shape essentially corresponds to the cross-sectional shape or geometry of the fingers 7 on the outer disk carrier side, so that there is only minimal play in the circumferential direction there as well. Of course, this can also minimize radial play, just as with the fingers 21.

[0026] The support bearing 17 is preferably a simple sheet metal part, which facilitates the formation of the fingers 21 and the openings 18, as well as the cross-sectional geometry. To protect against wear in the stressed areas, the support bearing 17 can also be either fully or at least locally hardened. This means that corresponding hardened sections are formed at least in the area of ​​the support point 16, and possibly also in the area of ​​the fingers 21 and the openings 18, if the support bearing 17 is not fully hardened.

[0027] A further advantage of the clutch device according to the invention, in addition to the dual function of the support bearing 17, is the fact that this dual function allows for a reduction in the number of components and simplifies assembly. Furthermore, the clutch device can advantageously be disassembled without causing any damage. For this purpose, it is only necessary to loosen the retaining ring 20, after which all elements of the actuating device (support bearing 17, lever spring 14, pressure pot 11, spring element 10, and support 8) can be removed one after the other. List of reference symbols 1 coupling device 2 outer disc carriers 3 Internal gearing 4 inner disc carriers 5 External gearing 6 slat pack 7 fingers 8 supports 9 Breakthrough 10 spring element 11 Pressure cooker 12 fingers 13 Breakthrough 14 lever spring 15 End 16 Support point 17 support bearings 18 Breakthrough 19 grooves 20 support ring 21 fingers 22 Recess 23 Breakthrough

Claims

[1] Clutch device, comprising an outer disk carrier (2), a pressure pot (11) and a lever spring (14) supported on a support bearing (17) for axially moving the pressure pot (11) relative to the outer disk carrier (2), wherein the support bearing (17) fastened to the outer disk carrier (2) has axially extending fingers (21) with which it engages through recesses (22) formed on the lever spring (14), characterized by that an axially positionally fixed support (8) for a spring element (10) is provided on the outer disk carrier (2), which spring-loaded pressure pot (11), which has fingers (12) passing through the support (8) in openings (13), against the lever spring (14). [2] Coupling device according to claim 1, characterized by that the fingers (21) of the support bearing (17) also pass through openings (23) formed on the pressure pot (11) axially downstream of the lever spring (14). [3] Coupling device according to claim 2, characterized bythat the fingers (21) either only center the lever spring (14) or also the pressure pot (11). [4] Coupling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that openings (19) are formed on the support bearing (17) through which axially extending fingers (7) formed on the outer disk carrier (2) engage. [5] Coupling device according to claim 4, characterized by that the support bearing (17) is axially secured to the outer disk carrier (2) by means of a retaining ring (20). [6] Coupling device according to claim 5, characterized by that grooves (19) are provided on the radially inward-facing side of the fingers (7) of the outer disk carrier (2), into which the retaining ring (20) is inserted. [7] Coupling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the support bearing (17) is hardened at least in some areas. [8] Coupling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the support (8) has openings (9) through which the fingers (7) of the outer disk carrier (2) pass. [9] Coupling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it is part of a double clutch or a multiple clutch.

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