Central release bearing with radial inner sensor

Abstract

Central release bearing (1) with a (CSC) housing (2) in which a piston (3) is arranged to be axially displaceable in the axial direction depending on hydraulic pressure in order to displace a release bearing (5) and thereby open or close a clutch (16), wherein at least one magnet (6) is attached to the piston (3) which can be used for position determination via a sensor (7), wherein the sensor (7) is connected to an electrical conductor (8), wherein the sensor (7) is arranged radially inside the annular piston (3), characterized in that the electrical conductor (8) is embedded in a retaining component (9) and that the retaining component (9) has a sensor housing (26) which is connected to a line adapter (25), wherein the line adapter (25) has a centering lug (35) which engages in a hole (36) in the end face of the housing (2).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a central release bearing / Concentric Slave Cylinder (CSC) with a (CSC) housing in which a piston is arranged to be axially displaceable in the axial direction depending on hydraulic pressure in order to displace a release bearing and thereby open or close a clutch, wherein at least one magnet is attached to the piston which can be used for position determination via a sensor, in particular when it is detected by the sensor, wherein the sensor is connected to an electrical conductor in order to transmit pulses to an evaluation unit.

[0002] Slave cylinders configured as central release bearings and corresponding release systems are already known in the prior art. For example, EP 2 205 883 B1 discloses a slave cylinder, designed as a central release bearing, particularly for a hydraulic system of a motor vehicle, with a housing in which a piston is axially displaceable within a pressure chamber between two end positions. The pressure chamber is sealed by two sealing elements having different diameters, and the piston is operatively connected via an actuating rod to a release bearing, which is preloaded by means of at least one energy storage device located in the pressure chamber. A particularly noteworthy feature is that the sealing element with the larger diameter is axially fixed by an annular magnet, which is used to determine the position or stroke length of the piston.

[0003] In known solutions, a module is flanged between the transmission and the internal combustion engine to a clutch housing section. The invention aims to be applicable to axle-parallel hybrid systems and to be usable with as many engine-transmission combinations as possible. In particular, it should be compatible with combinations that also require position detection via a CSC (Combined Speed ​​Control).

[0004] The most common application to date, however, is coaxial hybrid systems. These often utilize nearly standard components for the CSC and coupling. Standard sensors are also used, typically mounted radially on the outside of the CSC. However, there are applications where extremely little installation space is available in the axial direction. In such cases, the available axial installation space is very limited. There are even applications where less than 24 mm of axial installation space is available for the entire CSC. Conventional arrangements cannot be used in these situations. A hybrid system according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from DE 10 2013 218 708 A1. Further prior art is disclosed in DE 10 2010 046 700 A1, DE 20 2016 103 604 U1, and JP H04-307 123 A.

[0005] The object of the present invention is therefore to enable a cost-effective and efficient solution for position detection in a release system for axle-parallel hybrid systems with as many engine-gearbox combinations as possible.

[0006] This problem is solved according to the invention in a generic central release bearing by arranging the sensor radially inside the annular piston. This allows for particularly good use of the small / short installation space, especially when the bearing is built completely around the central release bearing. The length of the bearing is then almost the same as the length of the central release bearing. Instead of a conventional arrangement, an intelligent alternative solution can now be used.

[0007] Advantageous embodiments are claimed in the dependent claims and are explained in more detail below.

[0008] It is therefore advantageous if the sensor is fixed to an inner surface of the housing. This allows for assembly at a relatively early stage and the creation of a sub-assembly that can then be mounted together on the coupling housing, particularly on a bearing shield. This reduces assembly time while simultaneously ensuring good use of installation space, even in extreme cases.

[0009] It is also beneficial to the compactness if the electrical conductor from the sensor is routed along the inner surface of the (CSC) housing and / or between a coupling housing section, such as the bearing shield, and an end face of the (CSC) housing facing the coupling housing section.

[0010] It has proven advantageous to use either a conductive trace or a wire / cable for the electrical conductor. Using a conductive trace allows for particularly efficient use of axial installation space, whereas using a wire / cable enables the use of cost-effective standard components.

[0011] Since the electrical conductor is embedded in a holding component, assembly can be simplified on the one hand, and on the other hand, contact between the electrical conductor and any fluid that might otherwise be present in the surrounding area can be avoided.

[0012] It is advantageous that the mounting component has a sensor housing connected to a separate cable adapter. This allows the assembly to be divided into several steps, simplifying the process.

[0013] It is also advantageous if the cable adapter has retaining sections that are designed for positive and / or non-positive attachment to the housing. This facilitates tool-free installation.

[0014] Clip solutions that are particularly cost-efficient can be easily implemented if the holding sections are designed as holding hooks and / or engage in corresponding recesses in / on the (CSC) housing.

[0015] It is also advantageous that the cable adapter has at least one centering lug that engages in a hole in the adjacent end face of the (CSC) housing that is as close as possible to a matching hole.

[0016] The invention also relates to a clutch housing, in particular a hybrid module housing, with a main body to which a radially inwardly projecting bearing shield is attached, wherein this clutch housing is further developed according to the invention in that a central release bearing of the preferably inventive type is attached to the bearing shield by means of a retaining component facing the bearing shield. This means that the retaining component containing / encapsulating / surrounding the electrical conductor is fitted between an end face of the (CSC) housing and a surface of the bearing shield facing the central release bearing.

[0017] In other words, the solution lies in arranging a sensor on the inner diameter of the central release bearing (CSC). Several innovations are advantageous in this regard. For example, the magnets should be held in their angular position to achieve a precise measurement. Furthermore, the CSC stop should be designed to ensure a smooth stroke, prevent rotation, and facilitate easy installation. The present invention achieves this. The invention also ensures that the sensor, with its contacts, passes beneath the CSC, i.e., on the side facing the bearing shield, with the connection of the components being designed to prevent corrosion or bridging at the contact points.

[0018] The sensor is therefore located on the inside of the CSC. The conductive traces pass beneath the CSC. The conductive trace and the sensor are soldered together externally, after which resin is poured into the sensor housing and / or onto the cable adapter, so that the conductive trace is encased in resin. This resin filling takes place after the conductor has been soldered to the sensor. The resin seals the connection and simultaneously acts as a clip to connect the conductive trace and the sensor housing. Different sized holes, either pre-formed or drilled later, are present in the sensor housing and the cable adapter to prevent the two components from separating. This assembly is then centered on the outside of the housing, for example, via a hole, and held in place by the CSC housing.

[0019] The cable adapter features crimp ribs on its underside, facing the bearing shield, to ensure a defined sensor position. The adapter has a circumferential collar that acts as a sealing geometry / overlap seal, allowing the sensor to be embedded in the resin and the two parts to be joined. The piston itself is, of course, secured against rotation. The electrical conductor can be a conductive track, which can be replaced by a wire / cable in emergencies or other applications. If a conductive track is used, a connector is attached to the outer end furthest from the sensor. This connector can be specifically designed for the application or replicate a standard component.

[0020] In the field of a disconnect clutch actuated via a central release bearing, a solution is thus proposed, particularly for axially parallel operating systems. Axial installation space is saved or used particularly efficiently. According to the invention, a sensor of the central release bearing is mounted on the inner diameter of the CSC, i.e., radially (and axially) inside the CSC. Conductor tracks or lines for connection to an electronic unit are arranged radially inside the CSC. Additionally, the release bearing, which is inert within the CSC, is arranged radially outside the rest of the CSC. The release bearing, the disconnect clutch, and the sensor have essentially the same axial position.

[0021] The invention is described in more detail below with the aid of a drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 a longitudinal section through a hybrid module with partially shown clutch housing / hybrid module housing and attached to it the central release bearing / CSC according to the invention, Fig. 2 a holding component combined with the central release bearing to form a sub-assembly unit, in which an electrical conductor is connected to a sensor designed to detect two magnets in the piston, wherein the sub-assembly unit is only partially shown in a longitudinal section view, Fig. 3 a perspective view of an enlarged representation of only one section of the cable adapter of the holding component made of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 a perspective view of the holding component made of Fig. 2 with two sections, namely a sensor housing and the cable adapter, Fig. 5 a partial representation of area V from Fig. 4 in the area of ​​a sealing geometry at the end of the cable adapter facing a sensor housing, and Fig. 6 a view from below, i.e. a side of the retaining component closest to the clutch housing or a bearing shield of the clutch housing, showing the crush ribs on the retaining component which are used for tolerance compensation.

[0022] The drawings are purely schematic and serve only to illustrate the invention. The same elements are identified by the same reference numerals.

[0023] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a central release bearing 1 according to the invention with a (CSC) housing 2. The (CSC) housing 2 accommodates a piston 3, which is arranged to be longitudinally displaceable in a pressure chamber 4. A release bearing 5 is moved by the piston during its axial movement.

[0024] Piston 3 has two magnets 6. These can be detected by a sensor 7. The sensor 7 is connected to an electrical conductor 8.

[0025] It should be noted that only one half of the central release bearing (CSC / Concentric Slave Cylinder) 1 is shown. It is therefore clear that the piston 3 is ring-shaped.

[0026] The sensor 7 is together with a retaining component 9 (see Fig. 3) attached / mounted on an inner surface 10 of the central release bearing 1.

[0027] A spring 12 is located radially between the release bearing 5 and an outer surface 11.

[0028] It is noticeable that the release bearing 5 is positioned radially extremely far outwards, even outside the spring 12. This allows for particularly efficient use of axial installation space. In other words, the central release bearing 1 is extremely flat, i.e., has little axial dimension. An inner bearing shell 13, i.e., an inner ring 13, is coupled to the piston 3 for displacement, whereas an outer bearing shell 14, i.e., an outer ring 14 of the release bearing 5, is coupled to a pressure cup 15 to actuate a clutch 16. This is a multi-plate clutch, specifically a multi-plate clutch. In particular, it is a normally closed clutch, so that actuation of the piston 3 causes it to open. Naturally, rolling elements 17 are present between the outer ring 14 and the inner ring 13.

[0029] It is equally obvious that the pressure pot 15 engages by means of an extension of an inner lamellar carrier 18, with an endless tensile element 19, like a chain, engaging at the radially outer end.

[0030] In the Fig. Figure 2 shows the retaining component 9 in the attached state on a bearing shield 20, which is a separate section of a coupling housing / hybrid module housing 21 (see Figure 2). Fig. 1) is. The central release bearing 1, together with its housing 2, forms the pressure chamber 4 in which the piston 3 is movable. A seal 22 is used in this chamber. The magnets 6, which are attached to the piston 3 in recesses there, are detected by the sensor 7. A signal from the sensor 7 is then fed to the electrical conductor 8. For this purpose, the sensor 7 is connected at a connection point 23 via a solder joint 24. The mounting component 9 essentially consists of two components: a cable adapter 25 and a sensor housing 26.

[0031] The cable adapter 25 is in the Fig. 3 shown even larger, so that its coupling point 27 is more clearly visible, this coupling point 27 being designed to form a connection with the sensor housing 26 (see Fig. 2) to produce. The coupling point 27 is in particular designed as a collar 28, wherein the collar 28 extends into an open end 29 (see Fig. 2) of the sensor housing 26.

[0032] Returning to Fig. 3 It is then conceivable how the collar 28 engages in the open end 29 of the sensor housing 26 and simultaneously provides a stop 30. The collar 28 has collar through-holes 31 which are connected to sensor housing blind holes 32, as in Fig. 5 to recognize, escaped. Will now, as in Fig. As indicated in Figure 4, a sealant 33, in particular of the type of epoxy resin, is introduced into a cavity 34 in the sensor housing 26, thus protecting the sensor 7 from contact with fluid, such as oil or hydraulic fluid.

[0033] Returning to Fig. 3. A centering nose 35 is mentioned, which, as in Fig. 2, engages in a corresponding hole 36. On the sides of the cable adapter 25, two opposing retaining components 37 are also formed, which are designed in the manner of mutually locating retaining hooks 38. These retaining hooks 38 engage behind a plate section 39 of the housing 2 of the central release bearing 1 (see Fig. 2) The centering nose 35 is located almost exactly in the middle between the retaining hooks 38, but can also be positioned exactly in the middle.

[0034] Returning to the collar 28, it should be mentioned that it acts as a sealing geometry. The electrical conductor 8 is designed in this case as a conductor track 40. This can be seen in particular in the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 especially good.

[0035] To Fig. Figure 6 states that crimp ribs 41 are present on a lower surface 42, i.e., the side of the line adapter 25 facing away from the central release bearing 1. The crimp ribs 41 run equidistant from each other and parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the line adapter 25. They have a tapered contour, in particular a triangular contour.

[0036] To Fig. It should also be noted that the collar through-hole 31 has a smaller diameter relative to the sensor housing blind hole 32. In particular, the diameter is 40% to 60% smaller. Reference symbol list 1 Central Release Bearing / CSC 2 (CSC) cases 3 pistons 4 pressure chamber 5 Release bearings 6 magnets 7 Sensor 8 electrical conductors 9 Mounting component 10 Inner surface of the central release bearing 11 Outer shell area 12 springs 13 Bottom bracket cup / inner ring 14 Outer bearing cup / outer ring 15 Pressure pot 16 Clutch 17 rolling elements 18 internal slat carriers 19 Endless Traction Units 20 Storage sign 21 Clutch housing / Hybrid module housing 22 Seal 23 liaison point 24 solder points 25 cable adapters 26 sensor housings 27 coupling point 28 collars 29 open end of the sensor housing 30 strikes 31 Collar opening 32 Sensor housing blind hole 33 Sealant 34 Cavity 35 Centering nose 36 holes 37 Mounting component 38 retaining hooks 39 Plate section 40 conductor track 41 squashed rib 42 Underside

Claims

[1] Central release bearing (1) with a (CSC) housing (2) in which a piston (3) is arranged to be axially displaceable in the direction depending on hydraulic pressure in order to displace a release bearing (5) and thereby open or close a clutch (16), wherein at least one magnet (6) is attached to the piston (3) which can be used for position determination via a sensor (7), wherein the sensor (7) is connected to an electrical conductor (8), wherein the sensor (7) is arranged radially inside the annular piston (3), characterized by , that the electrical conductor (8) is embedded in a holding component (9) and that the holding component (9) has a sensor housing (26) which is connected to a cable adapter (25), wherein the cable adapter (25) has a centering lug (35) which engages in a hole (36) in the end face of the housing (2). [2] Central release bearing (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the sensor (7) is fixed to an inner surface (10) of the housing (2). [3] Central release bearing (1) according to claim 2, characterized by , that the electrical conductor (8) is guided from the sensor (7) along the inner surface (10) of the housing (2) and / or between a coupling housing section and an end face facing the coupling housing section. [4] Central release bearing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the electrical conductor (8) is designed as a conductor track (40) or as a conductor. [5] Central release bearing (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the cable adapter (25) has retaining sections which are prepared for form-fitting and / or force-fitting attachment to the housing (2). [6] Central release bearing (1) according to claim 5, characterized by , that the retaining sections are designed as retaining hooks (38) and / or engage in corresponding recesses in / on the housing (2). [7] Coupling housing (21) with a main body to which a radially inwardly pointing bearing shield (20) is attached, characterized by , that a central release bearing (1) according to one of the preceding claims is attached to the bearing shield (20) by a retaining component (9) facing the bearing shield.

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