192 clutches and power-stop control – Clutches – Operators
Patent
1983-01-12
1986-05-06
Bonck, Rodney H.
192 clutches and power-stop control
Clutches
Operators
192 331, 192 85F, 192105F, F16D 2506
Patent
active
045865949
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a clutch assembly capable of being engaged by fluid pressure depending on centrifugal force, in particular according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a clutch assembly is preferably arrange between a driving motor and a machine to be driven. It is open at rest or when the driving motor is being started so that the start-up process occurs substantially free of load, and the driving motor is thereby relieved. When a preselected speed has been attained, the clutch assembly automatically becomes engaged. This preferably occurs without any control command being transmitted from outside to the clutch assembly. When needed, the clutch assembly may be combined with a hydrodynamic coupling or a hydrodynamic torque converter. This is expedient, above all, in those situations wherein the machine to be driven constitutes a large mass. In such cases, it is preferred that the power transmission, during the start-up process, be strictly hydrodynamic. The clutch assembly becomes engaged only upon termination of the start-up process. Thereby, the primary portion and the secondary portion of the hydrodynamic unit are connected to each other, thus ensuring operation without slip, which generally appears in hydrodynamic units.
BACKGROUND ART
Document 1 discloses clutch assemblies each of which having the features mentioned in the preamble of claim 1. There, the reservoir chamber has a larger inside diameter than the pressure chamber. Upon rotation, the fluid forms a torus of fluid in the reservoir chamber and is delivered into the pressure chamber by a non-rotating scoop tube. Located in the radially outer region of the pressure chamber is a outlet opening; therethrough the fluid may return into the reservoir chamber. The quantity of returning fluid is always smaller than the delivery of the scoop tube. Thus, the pressure chamber is filled with fluid, as long as the scoop tube delivers fluid.
A problem exists with these known clutch assemblies in that they do not remain open long enough during the start-up process, because the scoop tube already fills the pressure chamber at an early time. Therefore, in FIG. 1 of Document 1, the following has been provided for: the scoop tube may be shifted axially from the exterior, whereby the outlet opening of the scoop tube may be closed. Thus, the moment when the clutch assembly is closed may be determined arbitrarily. However, additional devices allowing an intervention from the exterior are necessary. A further disadvantage resides in the following: as long as the scoop tube dips into the rotating torus of fluid and as long as it cannot yet deliver fluid because its outlet opening is closed, a relatively high loss of torque is caused.
The latter also applies to the embodiment as per FIG. 5 of Document 1. There, a valve is arranged at the outlet opening of the scoop tube, the valve initially being kept closed by the force of a spring. It opens only when, upon the attainment of a preselected speed, a sufficiently high fluid pressure has built up in the scoop tube. Thus, in that case, no intervention from the exterior is necessary to keep the clutch assembly open for a sufficiently long time. However, there again exists the disadvantage that the scoop tube causes a loss of torque for a certain time.
In FIGS. 2 to 4 of said document 1, there is shown an embodiment which attempts to overcome the noted disadvantage. For this purpose, however, the scoop tube must be swingably mounted in such a way that its scoop opening is out of the torus of fluid during the start-up process. Furthermore, a lug 96 must be arranged on the scoop tube, which lug always dips into the torus of fluid in order to swing the scoop tube into its operating position when a preselected rotational speed has been attained. A disadvantage of this mode of construction exists in that it is complicated and susceptible to trouble and that, also in this case, a loss of torque is caused.
An additional demand frequently made on clutches of this type consists in the following: If the cl
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Bonck Rodney H.
Merek James J.
Romanski Lon H.
Voith Turbo GmbH & Co. KG
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