CN113187828A

CN113187828A - Actuating device of clutch and clutch

Info

Publication number: CN113187828A
Application number: CN202110459113.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李欣
Original assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG and Co KG
Current assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG and Co KG
Priority date: 2021-04-27
Filing date: 2021-04-27
Publication date: 2021-07-30

Abstract

The invention provides an actuating device of a clutch and the clutch. The actuating device of the clutch comprises a piston (P), a supporting disk (H) and an elastic piece, wherein the piston (P) and the supporting disk (H) are annular and are oppositely arranged in the axial direction (A) of the actuating device, the elastic piece is arranged between the piston (P) and the supporting disk (H), the piston (P) can compress the elastic piece to move in the axial direction (A) relative to the supporting disk (H) so as to drive the clutch to be engaged, a guide piece (G) is further arranged between the piston (P) and the supporting disk (H), and the guide piece (G) separates the piston (P) and the supporting disk (H) in the radial direction (R) of the actuating device, so that the piston (P) is not directly contacted with the supporting disk (H) on the inner circumferential side and the outer circumferential side in the process that the piston (P) moves in the axial direction (A) relative to the supporting disk (H). The actuating device of the clutch according to the invention is simple in construction and the friction between the piston and the bearing disk is low.

Description

Actuating device of clutch and clutch

Technical Field

The invention relates to the field of clutches, in particular to an actuating device of a clutch and the clutch.

Background

Fig. 1 and 2 show a transmission mechanism using clutches, which include two clutches, each including an actuator for engaging the driving and driven discs of the driving clutch. Taking the clutch C1 located radially inside as an example, the corresponding actuator includes a piston P and a support disk H disposed opposite to each other in the axial direction a, and a spring S disposed between the piston P and the support disk H.

The piston P can reciprocate in the axial direction a. For example, a driving force is applied to the piston P, causing the piston P to compress the spring S to approach the support disk H and partially (the pushing portion Pi of the piston P) to pass through the opening in the support disk H to push the driving disk and the driven disk into engagement to engage the clutch; when the driving force is removed or reduced, the spring S is reset and the piston P is moved away from the driving and driven discs of the clutch.

The support disk H limits the radial movement of the piston P during its reciprocating movement. However, the piston P and the support disk H are still inevitably displaced relative to each other in the radial direction R, so that friction is generated between the piston P and the support disk H, which not only increases the resistance of the piston P during the reciprocating movement, but also causes the surfaces of the piston P and the support disk H to wear and brings metal debris to the system.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention aims to overcome or at least alleviate the above-mentioned deficiencies of the prior art and to provide an actuator for a clutch and a clutch.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an actuator for a clutch, comprising a piston, a support disc and an elastic member, the piston and the support disc being annular and being disposed opposite to each other in an axial direction of the actuator, the elastic member being disposed between the piston and the support disc, the piston being capable of compressing the elastic member to move in the axial direction relative to the support disc to drive the clutch into engagement,

a guide is further provided between the piston and the support disc, the guide spacing the piston and the support disc in a radial direction of the actuator such that the piston does not directly contact the support disc on an inner circumferential side and an outer circumferential side during movement of the piston relative to the support disc in the axial direction.

In at least one embodiment, the guide member is provided in plurality, and the plurality of guide members are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the support plate.

In at least one embodiment, the guide includes a main body formed with a roller groove accommodating the roller, and a roller partially accommodated in the roller groove and capable of rolling in the roller groove with respect to the main body,

the main body is fixed to the support plate, and the roller is in contact with the piston.

In at least one embodiment, the body includes a contiguous base portion and a connecting portion, the connecting portion and the support tray being nestingly connected to one another, the base portion being positioned partially against a surface of the support tray.

In at least one embodiment, the connecting portion has a cylindrical shape, and the support plate is formed with a connecting hole through which the connecting portion passes.

In at least one embodiment, the connecting portion includes a plurality of branches spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the connecting hole, the plurality of branches being capable of passing through the connecting hole while converging radially inward of each other,

the connecting part is in interference fit with the connecting hole.

In at least one embodiment, the connecting portion includes a stem portion and a head portion, the stem portion is connected to the base portion, and the stem portion is embedded in the connecting hole,

the outer diameter of the head portion is larger than the inner diameter of the connecting hole, and the head portion and the base portion abut against the supporting disc at two ends in the axial direction respectively.

In at least one embodiment, the base includes a first portion and a second portion that are perpendicular to each other such that the base forms an L-shape,

the first portion defines a limit for the body and the support disk in the axial direction, and the second portion defines a limit for the body and the support disk in the radial direction.

In at least one embodiment, the guide is made of a material comprising plastic.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a clutch is provided comprising an actuator device according to the invention.

The actuating device of the clutch according to the invention is simple in construction and the friction between the piston and the bearing disk is low.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a half sectional view of one possible transmission utilizing a clutch.

Fig. 2 is an axial view of an actuator of the clutch in the arrangement of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partially broken-away schematic view of an actuator of the clutch according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a partially broken away schematic view of a guide of an actuator of a clutch according to an embodiment of the invention.

Description of reference numerals:

a first clutch of C1; s spring; a P piston; h supporting the disc; a G guide;

a Pm piston main body; a Pi pushing part; h0 opening;

10 a main body; 11a base; 11a first portion; 11b a second portion; 12a connecting part; 12a is branched; 120 a shaft portion; 121 a head portion; 20 rollers; axial direction A; r is radial.

Detailed Description

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the detailed description is intended only to teach one skilled in the art how to practice the invention, and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention.

Referring to fig. 3, a indicates the axial direction of the actuator of the clutch, which axis direction a coincides with the axial direction of the piston P and the bearing disk H in the actuator, unless otherwise specified; r denotes the radial direction of the actuator of the clutch, which corresponds to the radial direction of the piston P and the bearing disk H in the actuator.

An actuator (hereinafter simply referred to as an actuator) of a clutch according to the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 3 and 4.

The actuator according to the present application comprises a piston P, a bearing disc H, an elastic member and a guide G.

The piston P and the support disk H are both annular and are arranged opposite one another, partially nested, in the axial direction a. And the piston P can reciprocate in the axial direction a relative to the support disc H to drive engagement of the clutch and allow disengagement of the clutch.

The piston P includes a piston main body Pm and pushing portions Pi connected to an outer peripheral portion of the piston main body Pm at intervals in the circumferential direction in a tooth form, the pushing portions Pi being formed as cylindrical walls of the piston P (the walls have notches in the circumferential direction because the pushing portions Pi are in the tooth form).

The support plate H is provided with a plurality of openings H0, and the pushing portions Pi pass through the openings H0. The size of the opening H0 in the radial direction R is larger than the size of the pushing portion Pi in the radial direction R so that neither the inner peripheral surface nor the outer peripheral surface of the pushing portion Pi is in contact with the support disk H.

In the case where the piston P is applied with a driving force to move the piston P gradually closer to the support disk H, the pushing portion Pi passes through the opening H0 and exerts an axial pushing action on the engagement disks (e.g., the driving disk and the driven disk of the clutch) of the clutch, thereby achieving engagement of the clutch.

An elastic member, for example comprising a plurality of helical springs, or for example being a belleville spring, is arranged between the piston P and the support disc H. The elastic piece is applied with pretightening force, and two ends of the elastic piece in the axial direction A respectively abut against the piston P and the supporting disk H. The elastic member serves to restore the piston P when the clutch is disengaged.

A guide G is provided between the piston P and the bearing disc H, the guide G being capable of providing positioning of the piston P in the radial direction R relative to the bearing disc H, and the guide G being capable of spacing the piston P and the bearing disc H apart such that the piston P and the bearing disc H are not in direct contact in the radial direction R.

The guide member G is plural, and plural guide members G are provided at intervals (preferably, at even intervals) in the circumferential direction of the support disk H.

The guide G includes a main body 10 and a roller 20, and the roller 20 is rollably mounted to the main body 10 with respect to the main body 10. In the present embodiment, the guide G is provided on the inner peripheral side of the piston P (the pushing portion Pi of the piston P). Specifically, the main body 10 is fixed to the support disk H, and the rollers 20 are in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the pushing part Pi. So that rolling friction occurs between the piston P and the guide G during the reciprocating movement of the piston P in the axial direction a with respect to the support disc H.

The main body 10 includes a base 11 and a connection portion 12.

In the present embodiment, the base 11 forms an L-shape including a first portion 11a and a second portion 11b connected perpendicularly to each other.

The guide G is provided at the edge of the opening H0 of the support tray H on the radially inner side. The first portion 11a of the base 11 abuts against the axial end face of the support disk H to obtain a position in the axial direction a; the second part 11b rests in the radial direction R against the face of the bearing disk H at the opening H0 facing in the peripheral direction, in order to obtain a position in the radial direction R.

The connecting portion 12 provides the body 10 with the remaining positioning in the axial direction a and the radial direction R.

The support plate H is provided with a coupling hole on the inner peripheral side of the opening H0, and the coupling portion 12 passes through the coupling hole and is interference-fitted thereto.

The connecting portion 12 includes a stem portion 120 and a head portion 121. The shaft portion 120 is connected to the first portion 11a, and a head portion 121 is provided at an overhanging end of the shaft portion 120, the head portion 121 having an outer diameter larger than that of the shaft portion 120. The shaft portion 120 is adapted to project into the coupling hole, and the head portion 121 and the first portion 11a are located at both ends of the coupling hole in the axial direction, respectively. In the radial direction of the connection hole, the size of the head in a natural state is larger than that of the connection hole. The head 121 and the first portion 11a clamp the support disk H on both sides in the axial direction.

In the present embodiment, the connecting portion 12 includes a plurality of branches 12a spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the stem portion 120, and each branch 12a includes a partial stem portion 120 and a partial head portion 121. Under the action of an external force, the plurality of branches 12a can elastically deform to gather each other. Preferably, the outer diameter of the rod part 120 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the coupling hole without adding an external force to the coupling part 12. Preferably, the head 121 is substantially spherical.

During the process of mounting the guide G to the support H, the head 121 is pressed and deformed by the coupling hole so that the head 121 can pass through the coupling hole, and then the head 121 is restored to its original shape (or nearly restored to its original shape). So that the head portion 121 can be inserted through the coupling hole and the rod portion 120 located in the coupling hole is slightly pressed by the coupling hole, so that the rod portion 120 forms a tight fit with the coupling hole in a manner of having a slight elastic deformation.

The roller 20 is installed on the second portion 11b, and the roller 20 partially protrudes from the surface of the second portion 11b, so that the inner circumferential wall of the piston main body Pm is in contact with the roller 20 and is not in contact with the base 11.

Since the guides G are distributed in the circumferential direction of the support disk H, the piston P can be positioned in the radial direction R by the guides G. So that the piston P does not need to be in contact with the support disk H to obtain positioning, and the occurrence of friction with the support disk H due to the piston P shaking in the radial direction R is also avoided.

The roller 20 may be spherical. The outer peripheral surface of the second portion 11b is partially recessed radially inward to form a hemispherical roller groove, and the inner diameter of the opening of the roller groove is smaller than the diameter of the roller 20. So that the majority of the roller 20 is received in the roller slot so that the roller 20 does not fall out of the roller slot.

Preferably, the material of which the guide G is made comprises plastic. Preferably, the body 10 of the guide G is made in one piece.

It will be appreciated that the invention also provides a clutch comprising an actuator as described above. The clutch may be a dry clutch or a wet clutch. The clutch may in particular be a dual clutch.

It will be appreciated that the present invention also provides a hybrid unit for a vehicle including the above-described clutch, which may include one clutch or a plurality of clutches.

The invention has at least one of the following advantages:

(i) the guide piece G is arranged between the supporting disk H and the piston P, and the piston P is radially positioned through the guide piece G, so that the radial clearance (for the radial movement of the piston P) between the supporting disk H and the piston P is small (even no radial clearance).

(ii) During the reciprocating motion of the piston P, rolling friction occurs with the roller 20 of the guide G, and the friction force is small.

(iii) The supporting disk H and the piston P are not easy to wear and generate metal chips.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the above-described embodiments of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention under the teaching of the present invention. For example:

(i) the guide G and the support disk H may be connected by other connecting structures than the connecting portion 12 shown in the present embodiment.

(ii) The guide G may also be installed at an outer circumferential side of the piston P to contact the piston P at the outer circumference thereof to position the piston P. In this case, the rollers 20 are in contact with the outer peripheral wall of the pushing part Pi, and the piston P is not in contact with the support disk H on the inner peripheral side.

(iii) The rollers on the guide G are not limited to balls, but may also be rollers, for example. The rollers on the guide G may also be replaced by one or more protrusions or ribs. The projection or rib may be integrally formed with the main body 10.

Claims

1. Actuator of a clutch, comprising a piston (P), a support disk (H) and an elastic element, both of which are annular and are arranged opposite one another in an axial direction (A) of the actuator, the elastic element being arranged between the piston (P) and the support disk (H), the piston (P) being able to compress the elastic element to move in the axial direction (A) with respect to the support disk (H) in order to drive the clutch into engagement,

a guide (G) is also arranged between the piston (P) and the supporting disk (H), and in the radial direction (R) of the actuating device, the guide (G) separates the piston (P) and the supporting disk (H) so that the piston (P) does not directly contact the supporting disk (H) on the inner circumferential side and the outer circumferential side during the movement of the piston (P) relative to the supporting disk (H) in the axial direction (A).

2. Actuator device according to claim 1, in which said guides (G) are a plurality, said guides (G) being distributed at intervals in the circumferential direction of said support disk (H).

3. Actuator of a clutch according to claim 1, characterised in that the guide (G) comprises a body (10) and a roller (20), the body (10) being formed with a roller groove housing the roller (20), the roller (20) being partially housed in the roller groove and being able to roll in the roller groove with respect to the body (10),

the body (10) is fixed to the support disc (H), the rollers (20) being in contact with the piston (P).

4. Actuator of a clutch according to claim 3, characterized in that the body (10) comprises a base part (11) and a connecting part (12) which are connected, the connecting part (12) and the support disc (H) being connected nested with each other, the base part (11) being positioned partly against the surface of the support disc (H).

5. Actuator of a clutch according to claim 4, characterized in that the connection part (12) is cylindrical and the support disc (H) is formed with a connection hole through which the connection part (12) passes.

6. Clutch actuation device according to claim 5, characterized in that the connection portion (12) comprises a plurality of branches (12a) spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the connection hole, through which the plurality of branches (12a) can pass while converging radially inwards towards each other,

the connecting part (12) is in interference fit with the connecting hole.

7. Clutch actuation device according to claim 5, characterized in that the connection portion (12) comprises a stem (120) and a head (121), the stem (120) being connected to the base (11) and the stem (120) being embedded in the connection hole,

the outer diameter of the head part (121) is larger than the inner diameter of the connecting hole, and the head part (121) and the base part (11) abut against the supporting disk (H) at two ends in the axial direction (A).

8. Clutch actuation device according to claim 4, characterized in that the base (11) comprises a first portion (11a) and a second portion (11b), the first portion (11a) and the second portion (11b) being mutually perpendicular so that the base (11) forms an L-shape,

the first portion (11a) defines a limit for the body (10) and the support disk (H) in the axial direction (A), and the second portion (11b) defines a limit for the body (10) and the support disk (H) in the radial direction (R).

9. Actuator of a clutch according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the material of which the guide (G) is made comprises plastic.

10. A clutch, characterized by comprising an actuator device of a clutch according to any one of claims 1 to 9.