Metal deforming – With temperature modification of tool or of specified...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-15
2001-02-13
Larson, Lowell A. (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
With temperature modification of tool or of specified...
C029S869000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185976
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a method for adjusting a diaphragm spring, more particularly for adjusting the axial height and/or path of the tips of a diaphragm spring.
Diaphragm springs of this kind are known for example from DE OS 34 28 001, DE OS 33 04 670, U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,504 andU.S. Pat. No. 3,951,393. With diaphragm springs or plate springs which are provided in active engagement in a friction clutch between the housing and contact pressure plate it is already known to adjust the radially inwardly directed tongues of the plate spring which is installed in the friction clutch individually by means of a device which has a number of movable rams in order to bring the radially inner tongue tips at least approximately to the same axial height. The introduction of the operating force into the friction clutch by means of a disengagement bearing can thereby be significantly improved whereby the function and degree of efficiency of the friction clutch as well as of the disengagement system associated therewith can be significantly improved. More particularly the operating path required for the friction clutch can thereby be reduced. Furthermore a more even strain on the various component parts of the friction clutch and disengagement system is also achieved. More particularly it is also possible to avoid inadmissible high canting force on the disengagement bearing and thus on the disengagement member. Such canting is disadvantageous particularly in the case of disengagement members which can be axially moved on a guide tube on the gearbox side since through such canting the operating force is increased and the wear on the guides significantly increased. Furthermore through the more even force introduction which takes place over the circumference in the area of the tongue tips it is possible to avoid distortion or lateral impact of the plate spring, more particularly in the area of its radially outer ring-shaped foundation body.
The object of the present invention is to provide a simple cost-effective adjustment of the path of at least one or individual fingers of a diaphragm spring or a matching of the relative path of at least individual fingers relative to each other and/or the adjustment of the height of at least the free end areas of individual fingers of a diaphragm spring in a simple and cost-effective manner. Furthermore the invention is to guarantee a particularly simple and cost-effective construction of the device which is required for adjusting or aligning at least some individual fingers of a diaphragm spring.
According to a variation of the invention this is achieved in that at least one finger of the diaphragm spring is heated in a predetermined area so that this area and/or sections of the finger adjoining this area can be aligned without significant or practically without any elastic deformation. The partial heating of the finger can thereby take place so that an area located between the end areas of the finger is heated correspondingly so that the sections of the finger provided either side of this area can be aligned relative to each other whereby even the free end area of the corresponding finger can be brought to a defined axial position relative to the longitudinal axis of the diaphragm spring. It is however also possible only to heat and adjust the free end areas or finger tips. Furthermore at least two areas or zones of at least one finger can be heated in order to adjust same. The areas can thereby be heated simultaneously or staggered in time. Thus for example an intermediate area and the finger tips can be heated. Through a rapid cooling it is possible to harden at least in part at least one of these areas.
According to a variation of the invention the at least one finger of a diaphragm spring which is to be adjusted can first be stressed to bending and then at least the tensions produced thereby in the finger can be at least reduced by heating an area of the tensioned finger. Through heating at least the elastic tension of the finger is reduced or even practically completely removed.
Advantageously the heated area can be cooled down after the adjustment of the at least one finger so that at least a partial hardening is again produced in this area.
A method according to the invention can be used particularly in the case of diaphragm springs or plate springs which have already been thermally finished with regard to their spring properties prior to the alignment of at least one finger, preferably several or even of all fingers
where applicable apart from a tempering and/or hardening of the finger tips −.
In order to ensure after the adjustment process when the fingers are relaxed that there is only the smallest possible or practically no spring back or resetting of the fingers or finger sections it is expedient if through the heating in the deformation area of the individual fingers at least in areas the material strength is reduced to a very low value compared with the strength present in the other areas of the corresponding finger. The material strength in the heated deformation area is thus to be reduced at least in areas to 0 N/mm
2
.
Advantageously the diaphragm spring can be at least partially radiated prior to the alignment of the fingers relative to each other. The zones of the fingers to be heated can be positioned so that at least a partial heat setting of the diaphragm takes place. This heat setting is due to the heat which radiates out from the heated areas as a result of the conductivity of the material and into the elastically deformable or resilient areas of the diaphragm spring. These areas can be formed for example through a ring-shaped foundation body of a plate spring.
Advantageously the method can be used in the case of plate springs which have a ring-shaped foundation body serving as energy accumulator and which has integral fingers e.g. in the form of tongues formed on its radially inner and/or on its radially outer circumferential area. These fingers can extend radially and/or circumferentially. Advantageously a plate spring of this kind or at least its ring-shaped foundation body can be set up conically in the untensioned state. It can thereby be particularly expedient if radially inwardly pointing tongues are formed on the foundation body and are separated from each other by radially aligned recesses such as slits.
Advantageously for the mutual alignment of the fingers all the fingers can be heated targeted in a predetermined area, thus in a restricted zone, and deformed jointly. Particularly in the case of plate springs to be used in connection with friction clutches it can be particularly expedient if through the alignment of the extension arms or tongues at least the free end areas thereof come to lie at least approximately in one plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the diaphragm spring or plate spring or tough such a plane. In many cases it can however also be advantageous if at least individual fingers have at least over a partial area of their longitudinal extension a path off-set relative to the remaining fingers whereby this path can be produced or corrected with the method according to the invention.
Particularly in the case of plate springs installed in friction clutches and having radially inwardly directed tongues whose tongue tips are biased axially by an operating means such as a disengagement bearing, it is particularly advantageous if these tongue tips are brought at least approximately to the same axial height through the alignment process according to the invention.
For the method according to the invention it is expedient if the finger areas to be heated are heated to a temperature between 600 and 950 degs., preferably to a temperature in the order of about 850 degs. The aforementioned temperatures are to be considered in connection with diaphragm springs which are made of steel. Higher or lower temperatures can however also be expedient depending on the type of material.
The methods according to the invention can be used both on the diaphragm spring itself, thus on the individual component par
Gabriotti Rui P.
Moser Dieter
Darby & Darby
Larson Lowell A.
LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
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