Clutch assembly for a motor vehicle drive train, and motor vehicle drive train

Abstract

A clutch assembly for the drive train of a motor vehicle includes a ratchet pawl carrier, which can be coupled to a first coupling element in a rotationally fixed manner, and a ratchet pawl counter element, which can be coupled to a second coupling element in a rotationally fixed manner. In a coupled state, ratchet pawls fastened to the ratchet pawl carrier engage in respective associated coupling recesses provided on the ratchet pawl counter-element. In a decoupled state, the ratchet pawls are positioned outside the coupling recesses. Each of the locking pawls is thereby loaded into a first locking pawl position by means of a respective associated spring, and can be loaded into a second locking pawl position by means of an associated actuating tappet.

Claims

1. A clutch assembly for a motor vehicle drive train, comprising: a pawl carrier which is couplable in a rotationally fixed manner to a first coupling element which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, wherein a plurality of pawls are pivotably fastened on the pawl carrier; a pawl counter element which is couplable in a rotationally fixed manner to a second coupling element which is rotatable about the axis of rotation, wherein, in a coupled state, each of the pawls engages in the circumferential direction in a form-fitting manner into a coupling recess provided on the pawl counter element, with a result that the pawl carrier and the pawl counter element are coupled in a rotationally fixed manner at least in one direction of rotation, wherein, in an uncoupled state, each of the pawls are positioned outside the coupling recesses, with a result that the pawl counter element and the pawl carrier are rotationally uncoupled from one another, wherein each of the pawls is urged into a first pawl position via a respectively assigned spring, wherein each of the pawls is movable into a second pawl position counter to the urging of the respectively assigned spring via a respectively assigned actuating tappet mounted on the pawl carrier, and wherein the actuating tappets are mounted on the pawl carrier via a carriage and are rigidly connected to the carriage in the direction of the axis of rotation, the clutch assembly further comprising a sensor arrangement by which a position of the carriage along the axis of rotation is detectable.

2. The clutch assembly according to claim 1, wherein in the uncoupled state, the pawls assume the first pawl position and, in the coupled state, the pawls assume the second pawl position.

3. The clutch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the carriage is displaceable with respect to the pawl carrier only along the axis of rotation.

4. The clutch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the actuating tappets are each connected to the carriage without intermediate elements.

5. The clutch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the carriage is connected to an actuator such that the carriage is movable along the axis of rotation at least into a first carriage position and a second carriage position, and the first carriage position is associated with the coupled state and the second carriage position is associated with the uncoupled state.

6. The clutch assembly according to claim 5, wherein the actuator comprises a carriage-side magnet arrangement which is connected to the carriage, and the carriage-side magnet arrangement is acted upon by a stator-side magnet arrangement.

7. The clutch assembly according to claim 6, wherein the carriage-side magnet arrangement and the stator-side magnet arrangement act as a magnetic spring element via which the carriage is supported on the stator.

8. The clutch assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a position control circuit for the carriage which comprises the actuator and the sensor arrangement, with a result that a position of the carriage along the axis of rotation is controlled.

9. The clutch assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the actuating tappets interacts with the respectively assigned pawl via a contact surface which tapers in the direction of the pawl-side tappet end.

10. The clutch assembly according to claim 9, wherein the contact surface comprises a cone portion.

11. The clutch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pawls form two groups, the pawls of a first group produce rotationally fixed coupling of the pawl carrier with the pawl counter element in a first direction of rotation, and the pawls of a second group produce rotationally fixed coupling of the pawl carrier with the pawl counter element in a second direction of rotation, wherein the second direction of rotation is opposite to the first direction of rotation.

12. A motor vehicle drive train comprising a clutch assembly according to claim 1.

13. The motor vehicle drive train according to claim 12, wherein the clutch assembly acts in a summing transmission assembly by which: a first electric drive motor and/or a second electric drive motor, or the first electric drive motor and/or an internal combustion engine, are couplable to a torque output of the motor vehicle drive train in a torque-transmitting manner.

14. A motor vehicle drive train comprising: a clutch assembly comprising: a pawl carrier which is couplable in a rotationally fixed manner to a first coupling element which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, wherein a plurality of pawls are pivotably fastened on the pawl carrier; a pawl counter element which is couplable in a rotationally fixed manner to a second coupling element which is rotatable about the axis of rotation, wherein, in a coupled state, each of the pawls engages in the circumferential direction in a form-fitting manner into a coupling recess provided on the pawl counter element, with a result that the pawl carrier and the pawl counter element are coupled in a rotationally fixed manner at least in one direction of rotation, wherein, in an uncoupled state, each of the pawls are positioned outside the coupling recesses, with a result that the pawl counter element and the pawl carrier are rotationally uncoupled from one another, wherein each of the pawls is urged into a first pawl position via a respectively assigned spring, wherein each of the pawls is movable into a second pawl position counter to the urging of the respectively assigned spring via a respectively assigned actuating tappet mounted on the pawl carrier, and wherein the actuating tappets are mounted on the pawl carrier via a carriage and are rigidly connected to the carriage in the direction of the axis of rotation, wherein the clutch assembly acts in a summing transmission assembly by which: a first electric drive motor and/or a second electric drive motor, or the first electric drive motor and/or an internal combustion engine, are couplable to a torque output of the motor vehicle drive train in a torque-transmitting manner.

15. The motor vehicle drive train according to claim 14, wherein in the uncoupled state, the pawls assume the first pawl position and, in the coupled state, the pawls assume the second pawl position.

16. The motor vehicle drive train according to claim 14, wherein the carriage is displaceable with respect to the pawl carrier only along the axis of rotation.

17. The motor vehicle drive train according to claim 14, wherein the carriage is connected to an actuator such that the carriage is movable along the axis of rotation at least into a first carriage position and a second carriage position, and the first carriage position is associated with the coupled state and the second carriage position is associated with the uncoupled state.

18. The motor vehicle drive train according to claim 17, wherein the actuator comprises a carriage-side magnet arrangement which is connected to the carriage, and the carriage-side magnet arrangement is acted upon by a stator-side magnet arrangement.

19. The motor vehicle drive train according to claim 18, wherein the carriage-side magnet arrangement and the stator-side magnet arrangement act as a magnetic spring element via which the carriage is supported on the stator.

20. The motor vehicle drive train according to claim 14, wherein the pawls form two groups, the pawls of a first group produce rotationally fixed coupling of the pawl carrier with the pawl counter element in a first direction of rotation, and the pawls of a second group produce rotationally fixed coupling of the pawl carrier with the pawl counter element in a second direction of rotation, wherein the second direction of rotation is opposite to the first direction of rotation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle drive train according to an embodiment of the invention having two clutch assemblies.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a clutch assembly according to an embodiment of the invention in a schematic illustration.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a view of the clutch assembly from FIG. 2 along the direction III, with the clutch assembly being situated in the uncoupled state.

(4) FIG. 4 shows the view from FIG. 3, but with the clutch assembly being situated in the coupled state.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a detail V of the clutch assembly from FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(6) FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle drive train 10 in which two clutch assemblies 12 are provided.

(7) Both clutch assemblies 12 act in a summing transmission assembly 14 by means of which a first electric drive motor 16 and/or a second electric drive motor 18 can be coupled to a torque output 20 of the motor vehicle drive train 10 in a torque-transmitting manner.

(8) In the embodiment illustrated, two wheels 22 of the motor vehicle having the motor vehicle drive train 10 are coupled to the torque output 20 in a torque-transmitting manner.

(9) The wheels 22 can thus be driven either via the first electric drive motor 16 or via the second electric drive motor 18. It is also possible for the wheels 22 to be driven simultaneously by both electric drive motors 16, 18.

(10) It is always the case here that that motor of the electric drive motors 16, 18 which is used to drive the wheels 22 is coupled in terms of drive to the summing transmission assembly 14 by means of the associated clutch assembly 12. That motor of the electric drive motors 16, 18 which is not used to drive the wheels 22 is uncoupled in terms of drive from the summing transmission assembly 14 by means of the respectively assigned clutch assembly 12.

(11) Both clutch assemblies 12 are of identical design in the exemplary embodiment illustrated.

(12) The motor vehicle drive train 10 explained above is of purely electric configuration. Of course, it is also conceivable for one of the electric drive motors 16, 18 to be replaced by an internal combustion engine. The motor vehicle drive train 10 is then a hybrid one. Equally, it is possible, instead of the two electric drive motors, to provide two internal combustion engines.

(13) FIG. 2 shows one of the clutch assemblies 12 in detail.

(14) It comprises a pawl carrier 24 which, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated, is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a first coupling element 28 which can be rotated about an axis of rotation 26, with the coupling element 28 being a shaft.

(15) A plurality of pawls 30 are pivotably fastened on the pawl carrier 24 (see also FIGS. 3 and 4).

(16) Furthermore, the clutch assembly 12 comprises a pawl counter element 32 which, in the embodiment illustrated, is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a second coupling element 34 which can be rotated about the axis of rotation 26.

(17) The second coupling element 34 is also a shaft.

(18) The clutch assembly 12 can assume two states.

(19) In a coupled state, which is illustrated in the lower half of FIG. 2 and in FIG. 4, each of the pawls 30 engages in the circumferential direction in a form-fitting manner into a respectively assigned coupling recess 36 provided on the pawl counter element 32.

(20) Consequently, in the coupled state, the pawl carrier 24 and the pawl counter element 32 are coupled with one another in a rotationally fixed manner.

(21) As is particularly apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4, the pawls 30 form two groups. The reference signs of the pawls 30 of a first group are here each followed by an “I”.

(22) It is possible by means of these pawls 301 for the pawl carrier 24 to be coupled with the pawl counter element 32 in a rotationally fixed manner, with this rotationally fixed coupling acting in a first direction of rotation of the pawl carrier 24, which corresponds to the clockwise direction in FIGS. 3 and 4.

(23) The reference signs of the pawls 30 of a second group are each followed by an “II”. They can bring about a rotationally fixed coupling of the pawl carrier 24 with the pawl counter element 32 that acts in a second direction of rotation. Here, the second direction of rotation is opposite to the first direction of rotation. It thus corresponds in FIGS. 3 and 4 to a rotation of the pawl carrier 24 in the counter-clockwise direction.

(24) In the present case, only two pawls 30 of the first group and two pawls 30 of the second group are illustrated by way of example. In principle, however, the number of pawls 30 can be freely selected.

(25) The clutch assembly 12 can also assume an uncoupled state, which is illustrated in the upper half of FIG. 2 and in FIG. 3.

(26) In the uncoupled state, the pawls 30 are positioned outside the respectively assigned coupling recesses 36.

(27) The pawl counter element 32 and the pawl carrier 24 are thus rotationally uncoupled from one another. The same applies to the first coupling element 28 connected to the pawl carrier 24 and to the second coupling element 34 connected to the pawl counter element 32.

(28) In order that the clutch assembly 12 always assumes a defined position, the pawls 30 are urged into a first pawl position by means of a respectively assigned spring 38.

(29) In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the springs 38 take the form of tension springs, with the result that the pawls 30 assume the first pawl position in the uncoupled state of the clutch assembly 12. In other words, the clutch assembly 12 is a so-called normally-open clutch which in the unactuated state is situated in the uncoupled state.

(30) In the coupled state, the pawls 30 assume a second pawl position.

(31) The pawls 30 can be transferred into this second pawl position counter to the urging of the respectively assigned spring 38 by means of a respectively assigned actuating tappet 40 mounted on the pawl carrier 24.

(32) It is possible by means of the actuating tappets 40 for the respectively assigned pawls 30 thus to be pressed or urged into the second pawl position.

(33) For this purpose, the actuating tappets 40 are mounted on the pawl carrier 24 via an annular carriage 42 in such a way that the carriage 42 is displaceable with respect to the pawl carrier 24 only along the axis of rotation 26. Depending on the displacement position of the carriage 42, the pawls 30 are thus moved by the respectively assigned actuating tappets 40 into the second pawl position or not.

(34) The contact surface 44 of each of the actuating tappets 40 via which it interacts with the respectively assigned pawl 30 tapers in the direction of the pawl-side tappet end.

(35) In the embodiment illustrated, the contact surface 44 is a cone surface (see in particular FIG. 5).

(36) Moreover, the actuating tappets 40 are rigidly attached to the carriage 42 at least in the direction of the axis of rotation 26. In particular, the actuating tappets 40 are thus not movable with respect to the carriage 42 in the direction of the axis of rotation 26.

(37) Furthermore, the actuating tappets 40 are fastened to the carriage 42 without intermediate elements. They thus engage directly on the carriage 42.

(38) In order to move the actuating tappets 40, the carriage 42 is connected to an actuator 46 in such a way that it is movable along the axis of rotation 26 at least into a first carriage position and a second carriage position.

(39) Here, the first carriage position is associated with the coupled state of the clutch assembly 12, and the second carriage position is associated with the uncoupled state of the clutch assembly 12.

(40) For this purpose, the actuator 46 comprises a carriage-side magnet arrangement 48 which is configured as a permanent magnet ring in the embodiment illustrated.

(41) Furthermore, the actuator 46 comprises a stator-side magnet arrangement 50 which comprises two magnet coils 52 in the embodiment illustrated, with the magnet coil 52 illustrated on the left in FIG. 2 being associated with the coupled state and the magnet coil 52 illustrated on the right in FIG. 2 being associated with the uncoupled state.

(42) The carriage-side magnet arrangement 48 can be acted upon by means of the stator-side magnet arrangement 50, that is to say via the magnet coils 52. As a result, the carriage 42 can be moved into the first carriage position and the second carriage position.

(43) Furthermore, the carriage-side magnet arrangement 48 and the stator-side magnet arrangement 50 act as a magnetic spring element via which the carriage 42 is supported on the stator. Here, the stator is for example mounted in a housing (not illustrated in further detail) of the clutch assembly 12.

(44) The clutch assembly 12 additionally comprises a sensor arrangement 54, which is merely illustrated in a stylized manner in FIG. 2.

(45) It is possible by means of this sensor arrangement 54 for a position of the carriage 42 along the axis of rotation 26 to be detected.

(46) By virtue of the rigid coupling of the actuating tappets 40 with the carriage 42, a position of the actuating tappets 40 can thus also be indirectly detected by way of the sensor arrangement 54.

(47) The position of the actuating tappets 40 in turn allows the setting of the pawls 30 to be derived, with the result that ultimately the sensor arrangement 54 can be used to detect the position or setting of the pawls 30 and it can thus be detected whether the clutch assembly 12 is situated in the uncoupled state or in the coupled state.

(48) In the embodiment illustrated, the sensor arrangement 54 and the actuator 46 are constituent parts of a position control circuit for the carriage 42. Therefore, the position of the carriage 42 along the axis of rotation 26 can be controlled.