192 clutches and power-stop control – Elements – Clutch element resiliently carried on hub
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-24
2003-03-25
Bonck, Rodney H. (Department: 3681)
192 clutches and power-stop control
Elements
Clutch element resiliently carried on hub
C192S200000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06536575
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clutch disk for a motor vehicle friction clutch, having a hub couplable fixedly in terms of rotation to a transmission input shaft. Friction linings are provided in a radially outer region of the clutch disk. The friction linings lie, at least partially, essentially parallel to, or in one plane which is essentially orthogonal to, a hub rotation axis. The clutch further has a connecting arrangement, by means of which the friction linings of the clutch disk are connected to the hub so that the friction linings can execute a radial movement with respect to the hub rotation axis and/or a tilting movement with respect to the plane.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In vehicle construction, there is often the problem, where transversely installed drive assemblies are concerned, that a transmission input shaft is no longer mounted in a pilot bearing in the crankshaft and is therefore no longer centered with respect to the crankshaft. The result of this is that slight axial offsets and wobbling movements may occur during operation, which are induced by the untrue running of the crankshaft or of the flywheel fixed to the crankshaft.
When rigid clutch disks are used, in which the friction linings are coupled essentially rigidly to the hub of the clutch disk, the axial offset or the wobbling movement often gives rise to the problem of excessive wear in the region of the hub profile or of the transmission input shaft profile, or there is the problem that the welding or caulking between the hub and the driving disk carrying the friction linings fractures. Furthermore, the bearings, for example in the dual-mass flywheel and in the transmission, are subjected to greater load, and often there is poor vibration uncoupling which may lead to changing idling states.
German reference DE 43 22 578 A1 discloses a clutch disk in which a driving disk with an internal toothing is received on an external toothing of the hub of the clutch disk so that limited radial displaceability or relative rotation becomes possible between these two parts. Furthermore, the driving disk has arranged on it a spring element which presses against a bearing element supported on the hub and which thus causes the driving disk to be centered with respect to the hub.
German reference DE 44 16 949 C1 discloses a wobblable clutch disk in which the friction linings, that is to say lining springs of the latter, are connected to the clutch hub via a plurality of leaf-spring elements running essentially tangentially to the clutch hub.
Furthermore, French reference FR-A-27 24 995 discloses a clutch disk in which the lining carriers are fixed to the driving disk via bolts. The bolts are pivotable with respect to the driving disk by the interposition of elastic elements so that corresponding pivotability or displaceability of the lining carriers becomes possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a clutch disk in which wobbling movements or axial offsets occurring during operation can be balanced out or compensated in a reliable way. According to a first embodiment of the present invention, this object is achieved in that, in a generic clutch disk, the connecting arrangement comprises a driving disk which is coupled essentially fixedly in terms of rotation to the hub, on the one hand, and the friction linings, on the other hand, and which, in a region radially between the coupling to the hub and the coupling to the friction linings, has at least one deformation region running in the axial direction or bent toward the axial direction.
Elasticity, which reliably and effectively permits wobbling movements and compensates axial offsets, is integrated into the clutch disk by the provision of this deformation region extending or bent in the axial direction.
This effect may be reinforced, particularly when the deformation region comprises a plurality of bend regions which provide an axially serpentine contouring running from radially inward to radially outward.
An easily practicable adaption of the clutch disks according to the invention to various requirements, that is to say the provision of various elasticities, may be implemented in a simple way, in that the driving disk has a radially inner annular region for coupling to the hub, a radially outer annular region for coupling to the friction linings and a plurality of connecting portions, and in that the deformation region is provided in each case in the region of the connecting portions. It is also advantageous, here, that weight can be saved by the provision of cutouts in the region of the driving disk.
Alternatively, however, it is also possible for the disk part to be an essentially completely closed diaphragm-like disk part. In this case, to, the elasticity can be selected by the choice of material, on the one hand, and by the special design of the meander-like structure, on the other hand.
The connecting portions may extend essentially radially.
According to a further independent aspect of the invention, there is provision for the connecting arrangement to comprise a disk part with a radially inner annular portion, a radially outer annular portion and a plurality of connecting portions. The connecting portions are bent from radially inward to radially outward and in at least one circumferential direction. Bending in the circumferential direction also allows highly constraint-free tilting or displacement in the radial direction, so that wobbling movements and axial offsets can be compensated.
Of course, it is also possible to combine this aspect with the previously specified aspects via the provision of three-dimensionally bent connecting portions.
Preferably, in this case, the connecting portions are approximately S-shaped.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the foregoing object can be achieved in that the connecting device comprises a driving disk which radially outwardly is coupled to the friction linings and radially has an internal toothing which meshes with an external toothing on the hub, radial movement play being provided. The device furthermore comprises a centering spring arrangement by means of which the driving disk is centered elastically with respect to the hub. A particularly simple design may be obtained, in this case, if the centering spring arrangement comprises at least one angularly designed centering spring portion which is supported on an outer circumferential surface of the hub.
In this case, there may, for example, be provision for the at least one angularly designed centering spring portion to be provided by at least one essentially ring-like spring part which has, on an inner circumferential region, a plurality of spring tabs which are bent in the direction of the hub rotation axis so as to bear on the outer surface of the clutch hub.
So that the axial securing function, in addition to radial centering, can also be integrated into the clutch disk in a simple way, in another embodiment that at least one spring part has at least one axial securing projection supported axially on a radial projection of the hub, preferably in the region of the external toothing.
Preferably, a spring part is arranged on each of the two axial sides of the driving disk.
The design may be simplified further and the number of parts reduced if the at least one spring part is designed integrally with the driving disk and forms a radially inner region of the latter.
In an alternative embodiment, the centering spring arrangement comprises at least one spring part fixed to one component, either the hub or the driving disk, which engages axially with at least one spring tab into an interspace formed between the internal toothing and the external toothing and which is supported under prestress on the other component. Since, in this case, the individual spring tabs engage into the region of the toothing, an embodiment which is axially extremely short is produced.
Here too, it is advantageous for the distribution of forces if a spring part
Ament Norbert
Dollhopf Klaus
Feldhaus Reinhard
Kleifges Jürgen
Link Achim
Bonck Rodney H.
Cohen & Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane
Mannesmann Sachs AG
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