MULTI-CLUTCH DEVICE AND HYBRID MODULE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a multi-clutch device for a hybrid module, which is intended for a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car, a truck or another commercial vehicle, and which is to be coupled to an internal combustion engine. The invention further relates to the hybrid module itself, which comprises the multi-clutch device.

[0002] A hybrid module typically comprises a connection device for the mechanical coupling of an internal combustion engine, a disconnect clutch for transmitting torque from the internal combustion engine to the hybrid module and for disconnecting the hybrid module from the internal combustion engine, an electric motor with a rotor for generating drive torque, and a dual-clutch device for transmitting torque from the electric motor and / or the disconnect clutch to a drivetrain. The dual-clutch device comprises a first partial clutch and a second partial clutch. Each clutch is associated with an actuation system.

[0003] The electric motor enables electric driving, increased power output compared to combustion engine operation, and energy recuperation. The disconnect clutch and its actuation system ensure the engagement and disengagement of the combustion engine.

[0004] When a hybrid module with a dual clutch is integrated into a powertrain in such a way that the hybrid module is located between the combustion engine and the transmission in the torque transmission direction, the combustion engine, the hybrid module, the dual clutch with its actuation systems, and the transmission must be arranged one behind the other or side by side in the vehicle. However, such an arrangement occasionally leads to space constraints.

[0005] To create a very compact hybrid module with an integrated double clutch, an advantageous design principle is to arrange the disconnect clutch and the two partial clutches of the double clutch directly next to each other.

[0006] Various designs of hybrid modules or their multiple coupling devices are known from the prior art.

[0007] DE 10 2009 002 805 A1 discloses a parallel hybrid drive for motor vehicles with a variable-ratio vehicle transmission arranged in the drivetrain, an electric motor connected to the transmission input shaft, and an internal combustion engine that can be coupled to and disengaged from the transmission input shaft via a clutch assembly. The clutch assembly further comprises a freewheel clutch that engages when the internal combustion engine is running and a parallel, switchable friction clutch.

[0008] WO2008 / 052909 A1 discloses a powertrain for a hybrid vehicle for the mechanical coupling of an internal combustion engine to an electric machine by means of a clutch. The clutch may comprise a dog clutch, as well as a starting element connected to the electric machine that extracts selectable portions of the drive power from the electric machine. The starting element may comprise a torque converter, a proportional clutch, and / or a dual clutch.

[0009] From WO 2017 / 129165 A1, a coupling arrangement for a powertrain of a motor vehicle with a hybrid drive is known, wherein this coupling arrangement comprises a first coupling and a second coupling, each having rotating parts that can be decoupled from one another, wherein a first rotating part of the first coupling is non-rotatably connected to a first rotating part of the second coupling. It is specified here as an advantageous embodiment that the second coupling is designed as a dual coupling, preferably as a wet or wet-running dual coupling.

[0010] The unpublished international application PCT / DE2017 / 100577 discloses a coupling arrangement for a motor vehicle drivetrain comprising an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, the torque of which can be transmitted to a transmission via a coupling assembly. A disengaging clutch is arranged between a coupling element, which is designed to transmit torque from the electric motor towards the coupling assembly, and a transmission element driven by the internal combustion engine. An endless tension member designed as a chain is used to transmit torque from the electric motor to the coupling element.

[0011] All of the hybrid modules and coupling devices shown are subject to operational wear and require a certain amount of installation space.

[0012] FR 2 871 111 A1 also discloses a multiple coupling device for a hybrid module for coupling an internal combustion engine.

[0013] The present invention is based on the objective of providing a multiple clutch device and a hybrid module equipped with the multiple clutch device for a motor vehicle, which have a long service life with flexibly designed installation space.

[0014] This problem is solved by the multiple coupling device according to claim 1 and by the hybrid module according to claim 9. Advantageous embodiments of the multiple coupling device are specified in dependent claims 2 to 8.

[0015] An advantageous embodiment of the hybrid module is specified in dependent claim 10. The features of the claims can be combined in any technically meaningful way, whereby the explanations from the following description as well as features from the figures, which comprise supplementary embodiments of the invention, can also be used for this purpose.

[0016] Within the scope of the present invention, the terms radial and axial always refer to the axis of rotation of the multiple coupling device or the hybrid module.

[0017] The invention relates to a multi-clutch device for a hybrid module for coupling an internal combustion engine, comprising a disconnect clutch with which torque can be transmitted from the internal combustion engine to the multi-clutch device and with which the multi-clutch device can be disconnected from the internal combustion engine, as well as a dual-clutch device with which torque can be transmitted from an electric motor and / or from the disconnect clutch to a drive train. The dual-clutch device has a first partial clutch and a second partial clutch; as well as a transmission element for forming a transmission between the electric motor and the multi-clutch device for transmitting rotary motion between the electric motor and the multi-clutch device. The individual clutches and the transmission element are arranged in a wet chamber.According to the invention, the disconnect coupling is designed as a normally closed coupling.

[0018] This means that the disconnect clutch is a coupling device that is closed in the normal, unactuated state and can transmit torque, and must be actuated with an actuating force to open it.

[0019] All three partial couplings of the multiple coupling device are designed as wet couplings.

[0020] This design allows the use of wear-reduced wet clutches without having to forgo a combination with the operation of an electric motor to form a hybrid module.

[0021] At the same time, the multi-clutch device according to the invention enables emergency operation in the event of a failure of up to two clutch actuators, since even in such a condition the vehicle can reach a workshop by running its combustion engine. Furthermore, this arrangement reduces the bearing load on the rotary bearing as well as on the actuating bearing, since forces only need to be applied to temporarily open the disconnect clutch.

[0022] It is preferably provided that the couplings and the gear element are arranged coaxially around a common axis of rotation. This allows for a very compact axial multi-coupling device or a very compact axial hybrid module.

[0023] Preferably, the gear element is designed for axial connection of an electric machine, whereby in this case the connected electric machine is not arranged coaxially.

[0024] The multiple coupling device can be designed such that the disconnect coupling and the two sub-couplings are arranged radially superimposed on each other. This means that the disconnect coupling and the two sub-couplings are arranged radially nested within one another, having essentially the same axial position along the common axis of rotation, but with radially different positions or dimensions.

[0025] The disconnect coupling can be arranged radially inwards relative to the two sub-couplings. This means that the two sub-couplings are located further outwards relative to the disconnect coupling and consequently on its radial outer surface, with one of the two sub-couplings radially overlapping the other sub-coupling.

[0026] The disconnect clutch actuation system can comprise a substantially annular piston-cylinder unit, the piston of which is substantially axially displaceable, and further comprise an annular actuating bearing which allows a rotational relative movement between the piston-cylinder unit and a clutch element of the disconnect clutch to be actuated. It is further specifically provided that the disconnect clutch and the partial clutches are mechanically connected to one another by means of a common rotating part, and that the disconnect clutch is associated with a spring device which is supported along the axial direction on the common rotating part and, at least when the disconnect clutch is actuated for the purpose of opening it, applies a force acting along the axial direction to a force transmission element, in particular a tie rod.The power transmission element is in turn supported by a lamellar pack of the disconnecting clutch, so that the lamellars are pressed together and the spring force of the spring device thus causes the disconnecting clutch to be actuated into the closed position.

[0027] The power transmission element is therefore also a component of the multiple coupling device according to the invention.

[0028] Preferably, a disc spring is provided as a spring device, which works together with a tie rod and is supported on the output-side lamellar basket of the disconnect coupling, so that the disc spring constantly applies a force to one side of the disconnect coupling via the tie rod and thus closes it.

[0029] Furthermore, the multi-clutch device can include a disconnect clutch actuation system for actuating the disconnect clutch, wherein the disconnect clutch actuation system is mechanically connected to the power transmission element so that the power transmission element is displaceable against the direction of action of the force applied by the spring device, thus allowing the disconnect clutch to be opened. A well-designed characteristic curve of the spring device can ensure that even when the disconnect clutch is fully open, only a relatively small actuation force needs to be applied by the disconnect clutch actuation system, and consequently, a release bearing of the disconnect clutch, arranged between the disconnect clutch actuation system and the power transmission element, is subjected to a correspondingly low load.

[0030] For example, the spring characteristic curve of the spring device may, at least in sections, exhibit the shape of a downward-opening parabola.

[0031] This refers to the spring characteristic of the spring device in a force-displacement diagram, such that increasing force is required to open the disconnect clutch in order to achieve an initial spring travel, but less force is required towards the end of the actuation travel, so that keeping the open disconnect clutch open is possible with relatively little force.

[0032] The power transmission element can be mechanically connected to a pressure ring which directs the force generated by the spring device and transmitted by the power transmission element essentially parallel to the axis towards the input side of the lamellar pack of the disconnecting clutch.

[0033] In a further advantageous embodiment of the multi-clutch device, it is provided that the multi-clutch device has a first actuating system for actuating the first partial clutch and a second actuating system for actuating the second partial clutch, wherein the first actuating system and the second actuating system radially overlap each other, at least section by section. This means that a radially nested double central engagement or disengagement mechanism can be used for the dual-clutch device.

[0034] It can be provided that both actuation systems each have a substantially annular piston-cylinder unit, the piston of which is substantially axially displaceable, and furthermore each have an annular actuating bearing which allows a rotational relative movement between the piston-cylinder unit and a clutch element of the respective partial clutch to be actuated, wherein the radial extent of each piston-cylinder unit with respect to the axis of rotation is greater than the distance of an orbit of a respective actuating bearing from the axis of rotation. In an alternative embodiment, it is provided that the radial extents of the respective piston-cylinder units and the orbits are the same.

[0035] The transmission element can be a sprocket for a chain drive; a pulley for a belt drive; or a gear for a gear drive. When configured as a pulley, it is advantageous to design the belt drive as a toothed belt drive or a V-belt drive.

[0036] A realised gear transmission can be single-stage or multi-stage.

[0037] To solve this problem, a hybrid module is further provided, comprising a multi-coupling device according to the invention and an electric machine for generating drive torque with a rotor, wherein the rotor is arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the multi-coupling device and is connected to the multi-coupling device by means of a gearbox, which includes the gearbox element of the multi-coupling device. The gearbox thus allows torque or rotational movement to be transmitted from the electric machine to the multi-coupling device to drive the multi-coupling device and consequently a drive module, or in the reverse direction from the multi-coupling device to the electric machine for recuperation. The hybrid module can be configured such that the rotor of the electric machine is arranged outside the wet chamber.

[0038] In addition, a drive arrangement for a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine and a hybrid module according to the invention as well as with a vehicle transmission is provided, wherein the hybrid module is mechanically connected to the internal combustion engine and the vehicle transmission via couplings of the hybrid module.

[0039] The invention described above is explained in detail below against the relevant technical background with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show preferred embodiments. The invention is in no way limited by the purely schematic drawings, and it should be noted that the embodiments shown in the drawings are not limited to the dimensions depicted. It is illustrated in Figure 1 : a multiple coupling device according to the invention in a partial section, and Figure 2 : an enlarged view of a section from the in Figure 1illustrated multiple coupling device according to the invention.

[0040] It is evident that a disconnect coupling 10 and a double coupling device 30 are arranged on a common axis of rotation 1. The double coupling device 30 comprises a first partial coupling 40 and a second partial coupling 50. All three couplings 10, 40, 50 are arranged in a wet chamber 90. This means that all three couplings 10, 40, 50 are designed as wet couplings. Furthermore, all three couplings 10, 40, 50 are rotationally coupled to each other via a common rotating part 80. A gear element 70 is fixedly arranged on the common rotating part 80, which, in the embodiment shown here, is a sprocket for forming a chain drive. This chain drive is connected to a pinion of an electric machine (not shown here) that is located outside the wet chamber 90.In this way, torque can be transmitted from the electric machine to the common rotating part 80 and consequently to all three clutches 10, 40, 50, and in the reverse direction. A disconnect clutch actuation system 11 is associated with the disconnect clutch 10, which comprises an annular piston-cylinder unit 12 and an actuating bearing 20.

[0041] The radial extent of the piston-cylinder unit 12 is clearly smaller than the radial distance of the actuating bearing 20 to the axis of rotation 1. This enables the illustrated radial nesting of the piston-cylinder unit 12 and the actuating bearing 20.

[0042] A first actuating system 41 assigned to the first partial coupling 40 and a second actuating system 51 assigned to the second partial coupling 50 are arranged radially nested within each other.

[0043] The measures described make it possible to create a coupling device with a very compact axial design.

[0044] Torque can be introduced into the disconnect clutch 10 via its disconnect clutch plate carrier 22 from a drive shaft or clutch input shaft 130, which can be coupled to an internal combustion engine (not shown) and on which a centrifugal pendulum 2 and a dual-mass flywheel 3 are mounted in the drive train and which are mechanically coupled to the clutch input shaft 130. When the disconnect clutch 10 is closed by actuating the disconnect clutch actuating system 11, torque is transmitted from the disconnect clutch 10 to the common rotating part 80. Depending on the engagement of one of the partial clutches 40, 50 connected to the common rotating part 80, torque is transmitted from this partial clutch 40, 50 via a respective first plate carrier 42 or second plate carrier 52 to a first transmission input shaft 100 or to a second transmission input shaft 101. For this purpose, a first pressure pot 43 or 42 is opened by means of the first actuating system 41.A second pressure pot 53 is axially displaced by means of a second actuation system 51 to close the respective partial coupling 40, 50.

[0045] The common rotating part 80 is rotatably mounted on a clutch cover 120 or its axial projection 121 by means of a rotary bearing 110. The clutch input shaft 130 is also rotatably mounted on the clutch cover 120 or its projection 121 by means of a fixed bearing 131 designed as a rolling bearing and a floating bearing 132 designed as a needle bearing.

[0046] The multiple coupling device according to the invention comprises a spring assembly 60, which is preferably, as shown in the figures, a coaxially arranged disc spring. A force transmission element 62, shown here as a tie rod, is mechanically coupled to the spring assembly 60. This force transmission element 62, in turn, acts on a pressure ring 63, which bears against the lamellar pack 23 of the disconnecting coupling 10. The spring assembly 60 exerts a force 61 acting along the axial direction on the force transmission element 62 and thus on the pressure ring 63, which transmits this force 61 to the lamellar pack 23 of the disconnecting coupling 11. Thus, the spring assembly 60 exerts a constantly acting force 61 on the disconnecting coupling 10, so that it is closed in the unactuated state and therefore represents a "normally closed" coupling.The actuating bearing 20 of the disconnect clutch actuating system 11 acts on the power transmission element 62, so that when the disconnect clutch actuating system 11 is actuated, an actuating force is introduced from it into the power transmission element 62 via the actuating bearing 20, thus bringing the disconnect clutch 10 into an open state. It is evident that a force is only required to open the disconnect clutch 10 when the disconnect clutch 10 is opened, namely during a switching process. Consequently, loads on the rotary bearing 110 and the actuating bearing 20 occur only relatively rarely. By selecting the spring assembly 60 with a suitable characteristic curve, which, for example, can partially correspond to the shape of a parabola open at the bottom, it is also possible to reduce the actuating forces or the axial forces acting on the bearings, especially when the disconnect clutch 10 is fully open.

[0047] The open state of the disconnect coupling 10 is particularly due to Figure 2 The open position 64 of the disconnecting clutch 10 is indicated there by a dashed line, when, due to the actuation of the disconnecting clutch actuation system 11, this has caused an axial movement and thereby axially displaced the actuating bearing 20, so that, against the action of the force of the spring device 60, it has axially displaced the force transmission element 62 and consequently also the pressure ring 63.

[0048] The multi-coupling device proposed here combines a long service life with a very small axial dimension and flexibly arrangable installation space due to the arrangement of the couplings in the wet room. Reference symbol list

[0049] 1 Rotation axis 2 Centrifugal pendulum 3 Dual-mass flywheel 10 Disconnect clutch 11 Disconnect clutch actuation system 12 Piston-cylinder unit 20 Actuating bearing 22 Disconnect clutch plate carrier 23 Disconnect clutch plate pack 30 Dual clutch device 40 First partial clutch 41 First actuation system 42 First plate carrier 43 First pressure pot 50 Second partial clutch 51 Second actuation system 52 Second plate carrier 53 Second pressure pot 60 Spring assembly 61 Force acting along the axial direction 62 Power transmission element 63 Pressure ring 64 Open position 70 Gear element 80 Common rotating part 90 Wet chamber 100 First transmission input shaft 101 Second transmission input shaft 110 Rotation bearing 120 Clutch cover 121 Cantilever 130 Clutch input shaft 131 Fixed bearing of the clutch input shaft 132 Floating bearing of the clutch input shaft

Claims

1. A multi-clutch device for a hybrid module for coupling an internal combustion engine, wherein the multi-clutch device has: a disconnect clutch (10), with which a torque can be transmitted from the internal combustion engine to the multi-clutch device and with which the multi-clutch device can be disconnected from the internal combustion engine; a dual-clutch device (30), with which the torque can be transmitted from an electrical machine and / or from the disconnect clutch (10) to a drive train, having a first partial clutch (40) and a second partial clutch (50); and a transmission element (70) for forming a transmission between the electrical machine and the multi-clutch device to transmit a rotational movement between the electrical machine and the multi-clutch device, wherein the individual clutches and the transmission element (70) are arranged in a wet space (90), and the disconnect clutch (10) is designed as a normally closed clutch.

2. The multi-clutch device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transmission element (70) is designed for the axially parallel connection of an electrical machine.

3. The multi-clutch device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the disconnect clutch (10) and the two partial clutches (40, 50) are arranged radially superimposed on one another.

4. The multi-clutch device according to claim 3, characterised in that the disconnect clutch (10) is arranged radially inward with respect to the two partial clutches (40, 50).

5. The multi-clutch device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the disconnect clutch (10) and the partial clutches (40, 50) are mechanically connected to one another by means of a common rotating part (80), and the disconnect clutch (10) is assigned a spring device (60) supported along the axial direction on the common rotating part (80) and, at least when the disconnect clutch (10) is actuated for the purpose of opening it, applies a force (61) acting along the axial direction to a force transmission element (62), in particular a tie rod, which is supported on a disc pack (23) of the disconnect clutch, in such a way that the discs are pressed against one another and the spring force of the spring device (60) causes the disconnect clutch (10) to be actuated into the closed position.

6. The multi-clutch device according to claim 5, characterised in that the multi-clutch device has a disconnect clutch actuation system (11) for actuating the disconnect clutch (10), wherein the disconnect clutch actuation system (11) is mechanically connected to the force transmission element (62) in such a way that the force transmission element (62) can be displaced counter to the direction of action of the force (61) applied by the spring device (60) and the disconnect clutch (10) can thereby be opened.

7. The multi-clutch device according to claim 6, characterised in that the spring characteristic curve of the spring device (60) has, at least in sections, the course of a downwardly open parabola.

8. The multi-clutch device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the force transmission element (62) is mechanically connected to a pressure ring (63) that directs the force generated by the spring device (60) and transmitted by the force transmission element (62) essentially axially parallel to the input side of the disc pack (23) of the disconnect clutch (10).

9. A hybrid module having: a multi-clutch device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and an electrical machine for generating a drive torque with a rotor, wherein the rotor is arranged axially parallel with respect to a rotational axis of the multi-clutch device and is connected to the multi-clutch device by means of a transmission having the transmission element (70) of the multi-clutch device.

10. The hybrid module according to claim 9, characterised in that the rotor of the electrical machine is arranged outside of the wet space (90).