Hydraulic adapter with intermediate adapter, clutch slave cylinder with hydraulic adapter and assembly procedure

Abstract

Hydraulic adapter (1) with a hydraulic line (2) received therein, which has a bead (3) on its outer circumferential surface (4), wherein the hydraulic line (2) is fixed in its position on the hydraulic adapter (1), wherein an intermediate adapter (5) is on the one hand in contact with the bead (3) and on the other hand is inserted into the hydraulic adapter (1) such that the position of the bead (3) and thus of the hydraulic line (2) relative to the hydraulic adapter (1) is predetermined, and wherein the intermediate adapter (5) is attached to an inner side of the hydraulic adapter (1) by means of a positive fit, force fit and / or material fit, characterized in that the intermediate adapter (5) is formed by a distal axial piece (6) and a separate proximal axial piece (7) which contact the bead (3) from opposite sides in the axial direction,wherein the distal axial piece (6) is fixed in the axial direction relative to the proximal axial piece (7) by a positive locking mechanism (10), wherein the positive locking mechanism (8) is designed as a snap connection (11).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a hydraulic adapter with a hydraulic line accommodated therein, which has a radially outwardly projecting bead, i.e., a thickened portion, on its outer circumferential surface, wherein the hydraulic line is fixed in its position on the hydraulic adapter. Furthermore, the invention relates to a clutch slave cylinder for actuating a clutch or a brake with such a hydraulic adapter. Furthermore, the invention relates to an assembly method for connecting the hydraulic adapter to a hydraulic line.

[0002] Hydraulic adapters / connectors are already known from the prior art. These adapters are used in a clutch release system, particularly in a clutch slave cylinder, to connect a hydraulic line to a housing of the slave cylinder in order to introduce hydraulic fluid into a pressure chamber of the slave cylinder. For this purpose, these hydraulic adapters are inserted into a fluid supply opening in a housing of the slave cylinder. The hydraulic line is inserted into this hydraulic adapter and usually welded to the hydraulic adapter. However, since the hydraulic line is usually made of plastic, the increased temperature during welding often leads to a reduction in the diameter of the hydraulic line, particularly at the bead of the hydraulic line, which must be avoided.

[0003] DE 10 2014 222 634 A1 discloses a hydraulic adapter according to the preamble of claim 1. The hydraulic adapter disclosed therein comprises an intermediate adapter formed in one piece and having a plurality of longitudinal slots, allowing it to be elastically expanded and slid over a bead of a hydraulic line. Further prior art is disclosed in KR 10 2011 0 001 614 A and DE 31 43 041 A1.

[0004] It is therefore the object of the invention to avoid or at least reduce the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide an alternative hydraulic adapter that is easy to install and ensures improved hold under tensile load.

[0005] The object of the invention is achieved in a generic device in that an intermediate adapter, on the one hand, is in contact with the bead and, on the other hand, is inserted into the hydraulic adapter in such a way that the position of the bead and thus of the hydraulic line relative to the hydraulic adapter is predetermined. In other words, an additional intermediate adapter is used, which is attached to the hydraulic line, in particular to the bead of the hydraulic line. The hydraulic line is therefore not attached directly to the hydraulic adapter, but indirectly via the intermediate adapter. This has the advantage that no weld seam needs to be formed on the hydraulic line, thus preventing a reduction in the diameter of the hydraulic line.

[0006] It is also advantageous that the intermediate adapter is formed by a distal axial piece and a separate proximal axial piece, which contact the bead from opposite sides in the axial direction. This makes it possible to secure the intermediate adapter to the hydraulic line without the need for an additional fastening device on the hydraulic line, since the two axial pieces can be secured relative to the hydraulic line by being secured to one another and by bearing against the bead. A distal axial piece is understood to be the axial piece of the two axial pieces that, in the assembled state, is further away from a fluid opening to which the hydraulic medium is to be guided. Conversely, a proximal axial piece is understood to be the other axial piece that is arranged on a side facing the hydraulic adapter.

[0007] Furthermore, it is advantageous that the distal axial piece and the proximal axial piece form a positive connection, by which they are secured to one another in the axial direction. Because the distal axial piece is pushed from one side in the axial direction onto the hydraulic line up to the bead, in particular a first axial end face of the bead, and the proximal axial piece is pushed from the other side in the axial direction onto the hydraulic line up to the bead, in particular to a second axial end face opposite the first axial end face and / or an axial end face of the distal axial piece facing the bead, the axial displacement of the two axial pieces is limited in one direction each, namely by the bead.Through the additional interaction with the other axial piece, axial displacement can be achieved, which is opposite to the direction already limited by the bead. This makes it possible to utilize the radial protrusion of the bead to fix the intermediate adapter axially relative to the bead without the need for a material-bonding process.

[0008] Furthermore, it is preferred that the positive connection be formed by a snap connection, wherein, for example, snap hooks formed on the proximal axial piece engage behind a radially outwardly projecting flange formed on the distal axial piece. This advantageously creates a connection between the two axial pieces that is easy to assemble and simultaneously easy to detach.

[0009] Furthermore, it is advantageous for the intermediate adapter to be attached to an inner side of the hydraulic adapter via a positive fit, friction fit, and / or a material fit. This allows the position of the hydraulic line relative to the hydraulic adapter to be indirectly determined without the need for a positive fit, friction fit, and / or material fit between the hydraulic line and the hydraulic adapter. The hydraulic line is thus fixed via the intermediate adapter, which is attached to the hydraulic adapter.

[0010] Additionally, it is advisable to install a seal on the end face of the proximal axial piece, away from the bead. This reliably prevents hydraulic fluid from escaping between the hydraulic adapter and the intermediate adapter.

[0011] A favorable embodiment is characterized by the intermediate adapter and / or the hydraulic line being made of a plastic. For example, an injection molding process can be used to manufacture these components, which offers advantages in terms of the freedom of designing the geometry of these components. Furthermore, the hydraulic line and / or the intermediate adapter can be manufactured particularly cost-effectively and in large quantities.

[0012] Furthermore, it is advantageous if anti-twist projections distributed over the circumference are formed on the distal axial piece or on the proximal axial piece, which engage in opposing recesses on the proximal axial piece and / or the distal axial piece. This can prevent the two axial pieces from twisting relative to each other.

[0013] The object of the invention is also achieved by a clutch slave cylinder for actuating a clutch or a brake, wherein the clutch slave cylinder has a hydraulic adapter according to the invention, via which hydraulic medium can be fed into a pressure chamber of the clutch slave cylinder.

[0014] Furthermore, the invention relates to an assembly method for connecting the hydraulic adapter to a hydraulic line, wherein in a first step, a distal axial piece is pushed onto the hydraulic line from one side of a bead of the hydraulic line, wherein in a second assembly step, a proximal axial piece of an intermediate adapter is pushed onto the hydraulic line from the other side of the bead, wherein in a third assembly step, the distal axial piece and the proximal axial piece are fastened to one another such that they are fixed relative to one another in the axial direction, wherein in a fourth assembly step, a sealing ring is pushed onto the hydraulic line, preferably in the direction in which the proximal axial piece is pushed onto the hydraulic line, wherein in a fifth assembly step, the hydraulic line with the intermediate adapter is pushed into the hydraulic adapter,In a sixth assembly step, the intermediate adapter is connected to the hydraulic adapter.

[0015] This means that in the assembly method, in the first assembly step, the distal axial piece is pushed onto the hydraulic line in an axial direction until the distal axial piece is in contact with the bead of the hydraulic line. In the second assembly step, the proximal axial piece is pushed onto the hydraulic line in a direction opposite to the axial direction in which the distal axial piece is pushed onto the hydraulic line, until the proximal axial piece is in contact with the bead and / or the distal axial piece of the hydraulic line. In the third assembly step, the proximal axial piece is fixed in the axial direction to the distal axial piece, in particular via a snap connection.

[0016] This means that in the fourth assembly step, the sealing ring is pushed onto the hydraulic line in such a way that it is arranged on the side of the proximal axial piece on the hydraulic line that is facing away from the bead.

[0017] Furthermore, it is preferred if, in the fifth assembly step, the hydraulic line with the intermediate adapter and the sealing ring is inserted into the hydraulic adapter, in particular is inserted in an axial direction of the hydraulic adapter.

[0018] It is also advantageous if the intermediate adapter is attached to the hydraulic adapter by a material-to-material process such as welding.

[0019] In other words, the distal axial piece is pushed onto the hydraulic line from one side, while the proximal axial piece and the sealing ring are pushed onto the hydraulic line from the other side. The two axial pieces are coordinated in such a way that a snap hook formed on the proximal axial piece engages behind a flange of the distal axial piece when it rests against the bead. This prevents the two axial pieces from being separated from each other in the axial direction; they are thus firmly connected to each other in the axial direction.However, since the distal axial piece cannot be displaced further in one direction and the proximal axial piece cannot be displaced further in the other direction since they are both in contact with the bead on opposite sides in the axial direction, the position of the intermediate adapter formed by the two axial pieces is thus fixed relative to the hydraulic line, in particular to the bead.

[0020] The invention is explained below with the aid of drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a hydraulic adapter according to the invention with a hydraulic line accommodated thereon, Fig. 2 a perspective view of the hydraulic line with a pushed-on distal axial piece, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of the hydraulic line with an intermediate adapter mounted on the hydraulic line, which is formed by the distal axial piece and a proximal axial piece.

[0021] The figures are merely schematic and serve solely to clarify the invention. The same elements are identified by the same reference numerals.

[0022] Fig. 1 shows a hydraulic adapter 1 in which a hydraulic line 2 for conveying hydraulic fluid is accommodated. The hydraulic line 2 has a radially outwardly projecting bead 3 on its outer circumferential surface 4. An intermediate adapter 5 is arranged radially between the hydraulic adapter 1 and the hydraulic line 2 and is used to fix the hydraulic line 2 relative to the hydraulic adapter 1. The intermediate adapter 5 is formed by a distal axial piece 6 and a separate proximal axial piece 7, which are fixed relative to each other in the axial direction when assembled.

[0023] The two axial pieces 6, 7 are arranged on opposite sides of the bead 3 in the axial direction. The distal axial piece 6 is arranged on a side of the bead 3 facing the inlet opening. This means that the distal axial piece 6 is arranged closer to an inlet opening 8 of the hydraulic adapter 1, through which the hydraulic line is inserted into the hydraulic adapter 1, and further away from a fluid outlet opening 9 of the hydraulic adapter 1, through which the hydraulic fluid is introduced out of the hydraulic adapter 1 and into a housing of a slave cylinder. The proximal axial piece 7 is arranged on a side of the bead 3 facing the fluid outlet opening. This also means that the proximal axial piece 7 is located further inside the hydraulic adapter 1 in the axial direction.

[0024] A positive connection 10 is formed between the distal axial piece 6 and the proximal axial piece 7, which fixes the two axial pieces 6, 7 to one another in the axial direction. The positive connection 10 is formed by a snap connection 11, wherein the snap connection 11 is formed by one or more radially inwardly projecting snap hooks 12, which are formed on the proximal axial piece 7, and a radially outwardly projecting flange 13, which is formed on the distal axial piece 6. The snap hooks 12 are elastically deformable and can be bent radially outward so that they can be pushed over the flange 13 of the distal axial piece 6. Due to their elasticity, the snap hooks 12 bend inward again when relaxed, so that they engage behind the flange 13 in the axial direction and are arranged in a circumferential or non-continuously circumferential radial groove 14.

[0025] An axial end face of the proximal axial piece 7, in particular the snap hook 12, rests against a circumferentially formed, radially outwardly projecting flange 15 of the distal axial piece 6. An outer circumference of the flange 15 corresponds to an outer circumference of the proximal axial piece 7 in the region of the snap hook 12, so that a smooth transition is formed.

[0026] A sealing ring 16 is arranged on an axial end face of the proximal axial piece 7 facing away from the bead, said sealing ring sealing the space between the hydraulic adapter 1 and the intermediate adapter 5 in the circumferential direction. The hydraulic adapter 1 encloses a cavity 17 in the manner of a through-opening. The inlet opening 8 is located at one axial end of the cavity 17, and the fluid outlet opening 9 is located at the other axial end of the cavity 17. The cavity 17 has a hydraulic line receiving section 18 and a fluid line section 19. The hydraulic line 2 and the intermediate adapter 5 are arranged in the hydraulic line receiving section 18 such that an opening 19 of the hydraulic line 2 opens into the fluid line section 19.

[0027] The hydraulic line 2 has a cylindrical cavity forming a through-opening 20 for guiding the hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic line 2 has an outer circumferential surface 4 that has a constant outer diameter over its entire axial length, except for the bead 3. In cross-section, the bead 3 is approximately semicircular. At the proximal end of the hydraulic line 2 in the axial direction, the hydraulic line 2 rests with its outer circumferential surface 4 against an inner circumferential surface 21 of the hydraulic adapter 1. An axial end face 22 of the hydraulic line 2 rests against a step 23 of the hydraulic adapter 1.

[0028] An outer circumferential surface 24 of the proximal axial piece 7 is matched to an inner circumferential surface in the region of the hydraulic line receiving section 18 of the hydraulic adapter 1, so that the smallest possible gap is formed between these two components. The proximal axial piece 7 has a cylindrical jacket-shaped first outer circumferential region 25 at its proximal end, which transitions via a conical second outer circumferential region 26 in the region of the bead 3 into a cylindrical jacket-shaped third outer circumferential region 27 in the region of the snap hooks 12, which has a larger outer circumference than the first outer circumferential region 25.

[0029] Fig. Figure 2 shows the hydraulic line 2, onto which the distal axial piece 6 has been attached in one direction. An axial end face 28 of the distal axial piece 6 rests against the bead 3. Fig. 3 shows an assembly state in which the intermediate adapter 5 is fully assembled. The proximal axial piece 7 has been pushed onto the hydraulic line 2 from the other side until its distal axial end face rests against the bead 3 or against the axial end face 28 of the distal axial piece 6. The snap hooks 12, which are arranged evenly over the circumference of the proximal axial piece 7, are elastically deformed radially outward upon being pushed on, so that the snap hooks 12 can be pushed over the flange 13 until the snap hooks 12 engage behind the flange 13 in the axial direction and a part of the snap hooks 12 projecting inward in the radial direction hooks into the radial groove 14 formed circumferentially in the distal axial piece 6. The snap hooks 12 rest axially against an end face of the flange 12 of the distal axial piece 6.Subsequently, the intermediate adapter 5 is mounted together with the hydraulic line 2 in the hydraulic adapter 1, so that the mounted state, as in . Fig. 1 is achieved. List of reference symbols 1 hydraulic adapter 2 hydraulic lines 3 bulge 4 Outer peripheral surface 5 intermediate adapters 6 distal axial piece 7 proximal axial piece 8 Entrance opening 9 Fluid outlet opening 10 Form closure 11 Snap connection 12 snap hooks 13 Flange 14 Radial groove 15 Flange 16 Sealing ring 17 Cavity 18 Hydraulic line receiving section 19 Fluid line section 20 passage opening 21 inner peripheral surface 22 axial end face 23 Level 24 Outer peripheral surface 25 first outer circumference area 26 second outer circumference area 27 third outer circumference area 28 axial end face

Claims

[1] Hydraulic adapter (1) with a hydraulic line (2) accommodated thereon, which has a bead (3) on its outer circumferential surface (4), wherein the hydraulic line (2) is fixed in its position on the hydraulic adapter (1), wherein an intermediate adapter (5) is on the one hand in contact with the bead (3) and on the other hand is inserted into the hydraulic adapter (1) in such a way that the position of the bead (3) and thus of the hydraulic line (2) relative to the hydraulic adapter (1) is forcibly predetermined and wherein the intermediate adapter (5) is attached to an inner side of the hydraulic adapter (1) via a form fit, force fit and / or material fit, characterized byin that the intermediate adapter (5) is formed by a distal axial piece (6) and a proximal axial piece (7) separate therefrom, which contact the bead (3) from opposite sides in the axial direction, wherein the distal axial piece (6) is fixed relative to the proximal axial piece (7) in the axial direction by a positive connection (10), wherein the positive connection (8) is designed as a snap connection (11). [2] Hydraulic adapter (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that a seal (16) is arranged on a bead-remote end face of the distal axial piece (6). [3] Hydraulic adapter (1) according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized by that the intermediate adapter (5) is made of a plastic. [4] Hydraulic adapter (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized bythat anti-twist projections distributed over the circumference are formed on the proximal axial piece (7), which interact with opposite recesses on the distal axial piece (6). [5] Clutch slave cylinder for actuating a clutch or a brake with a hydraulic adapter (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4. [6] An assembly method for connecting a hydraulic adapter (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4 to a hydraulic line (2), wherein, in a first step, a distal axial piece (6) is pushed onto the hydraulic line (2) from one side of a bead (3) of the hydraulic line (2), wherein, in a second assembly step, a proximal axial piece (7) of an intermediate adapter (5) is pushed onto the hydraulic line (2) from the other side of the bead (3), wherein, in a third assembly step, the distal axial piece (6) and the proximal axial piece (7) are fastened to one another such that they are fixed to one another in the axial direction, wherein, in a fourth assembly step, a sealing ring (16) is pushed onto the hydraulic line, wherein, in a fifth assembly step, the hydraulic line (2) with the intermediate adapter (5) is pushed into the hydraulic adapter (1), wherein, in a sixth assembly step, the intermediate adapter (5) is connected to the hydraulic adapter (1).

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