Control arrangement for a transmission brake with a quick exhaust valve

Abstract

An assembly (12) for actuating a transmission brake (1) that has a transmission brake cylinder (7), at least one control valve (16, 17) for controlling pressurizing and/or exhausting of the transmission brake cylinder (7), and at least one pressure line (14) via which the at least one control valve (16, 17) is connected to the transmission brake cylinder (7) to supply a pressure medium (10) to and discharge the pressure medium (10) from a pressure chamber (9) of the transmission brake cylinder (7). The assembly (12) includes a quick-exhaust valve (15), which is arranged in the pressure line (14) between the transmission brake cylinder (7), and the at least one control valve (16, 17).

Claims

1. An assembly for actuating a transmission brake comprising: a transmission brake cylinder, at least one control valve for controlling at least one of pressurizing and exhausting of the transmission brake cylinder, at least one pressure line, via which the at least one control valve being connected to the transmission brake cylinder to supply and discharge a pressure medium to and from a pressure chamber, and the assembly having a quick-exhaust valve being arranged in the pressure line, between the transmission brake cylinder and the at least one control valve.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the quick-exhaust valve comprises a closure element which is axially displaceable, between a pressurizing position and a quick-exhaust position, as a function of a pressure on a valve side and on a brake cylinder side.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the closure element has a base body by which at least one of: an exhaust orifice of the quick-exhaust valve is completely closable in a pressurizing position, and a valve orifice, on the valve side, is at least partially closable in a quick-exhaust position.

4. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the closure element has a control element which is at least one of elastic and radially displaceable, and by which at least one of: a volume flow between a valve orifice and a cylinder orifice is controlled, and the valve orifice, on the valve side, is partially closable.

5. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the control element is movable between a radially inner opening position and a radially outer closure position, and the control element is elastically biased towards the closure position.

6. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the control element is at least one of arranged and configured to be movable towards an opening position, in an event of an increase in pressure on the valve side, and towards a closure position, in an event of an increase in pressure on a brake cylinder side.

7. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the control element has a radially outer first control surface, on the valve side, and a radially inner second control surface, on a brake cylinder side.

8. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the closure element has a cavity that is at least partially formed by a second control surface of a control element.

9. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the control element is at least one of arranged on an outer periphery of a base body and extends slanted to an axial displacement axis.

10. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the closure element is made of an elastic material.

11. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a pressure source-side and a timeable inlet valve and an outlet-side outlet valve.

12. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pressure line has a line junction in which an inlet valve-side inlet portion, an outlet valve-side outlet portion, and a brake cylinder-side supply/discharge portion of the pressure line are joined together.

13. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the quick-exhaust valve is arranged in the supply/discharge portion.

14. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the assembly has a valve control system, which can be used to actuate the inlet valve and/or the outlet valve for exhausting the transmission brake cylinder in such a way that initially a first partial quantity of the pressure medium in the pressure chamber is discharged, via the outlet valve, and then a partial quantity, that is larger relative to the first partial quantity, is discharged via the quick-exhaust valve.

15. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the inlet valve is a 2/2-way normally closed control valve, and the outlet-side outlet valve is a 2/2-way normally open control valve.

16. A transmission brake having a control assembly for actuating a transmission brake, the assembly comprising: a transmission brake cylinder, at least one control valve for controlling at least one of pressurizing and exhausting of the transmission brake cylinder, at least one pressure line via which the at least one control valve is connected to the transmission brake cylinder to supply and discharge a pressure medium to and from a pressure chamber, and the assembly having a quick-exhaust valve being arranged in the pressure line between the transmission brake cylinder and the at least one control valve.

17. An assembly for actuating a transmission brake having a transmission brake cylinder, the assembly comprising: at least one control valve being connected, via a pressure line, to the transmission brake cylinder for controlling a flow of pressure medium to and from the transmission brake cylinder for engaging and disengaging the transmission brake; a quick-exhaust valve being arranged in the pressure line, between the transmission brake cylinder and the at least one control valve, and the quick-exhaust valve having valve orifice located on a valve side of the quick-exhaust valve and which is connected, via the pressure line, to the at least one control valve, and a cylinder orifice located on a brake cylinder side of the quick-exhaust valve and which is connected, via the pressure line, to the transmission brake cylinder; the quick-exhaust valve having a housing part that forms a passage which extends along a displacement axis between the valve side and the brake cylinder side thereof, the quick-exhaust valve having a closure element located within the passage and being entirely axially movable along the displacement axis in a first direction within the quick-exhaust valve to a pressurizing position and in an opposite second direction to a quick-exhaust position as a function of a pressure on the valve side of the quick-exhaust valve and a pressure on the brake cylinder side of the quick-exhaust valve; and the closure element having a radially extending base body and an axially extending annular control element, a first axial end of the control element being connected to periphery of the base body and radially spaced from the housing part by a gap, the control element extending axially at an angle to the displacement axis such that an opposite second axial end of the control element contacts the housing part, the control element being movable between a radial opening position and a radial closing position as a function of the pressure on the valve side and the brake cylinder side, and the base body completely closes, in the pressurizing position of the closure element, the exhaust orifice of the quick-exhaust valve, and the base body, in the quick-exhaust position of the closure element, at least partially closes the valve orifice on the valve side of the quick-exhaust valve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a cross section through a transmission brake with a quick-exhaust valve,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of an assembly for controlling the transmission brake depicted in FIG. 1 and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the quick-exhaust valve of the transmission brake depicted in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(5) FIG. 1 shows a transmission brake 1 of a manual transmission that is not depicted in any further detail here. The manual transmission is preferably a countershaft-type automated manual transmission having a dog clutch. Such transmission brakes 1 are preferably installed in utility vehicles or buses. The transmission brake 1 is configured as a hydraulically or pneumatically actuatable multiple disc brake.

(6) According to this exemplary embodiment, the transmission brake 1 is arranged on the engine-side end of a countershaft 2 of the manual transmission not shown in any greater detail. The transmission brake 1 has a brake housing 3, which is connected to a transmission housing 4. As already mentioned above, the transmission brake 1 according to this exemplary embodiment is configured as a multiple disc brake and accordingly has several inner discs 5 and outer discs 6. The inner and outer discs 5, 6 of the transmission brake 1 are alternatingly connected via inner and outer splines to the countershaft 2 and the brake housing 3 for conjoint rotation.

(7) The transmission brake 1 has a transmission brake cylinder 7. In the present case it is at least partially formed by the transmission housing 4. An axially displaceable piston 8 is furthermore arranged in the interior of the transmission brake cylinder 7. A pressure chamber 9 is formed between the piston 8 and the transmission brake cylinder 7. The transmission brake 1 is actuated via the piston 8 arranged for axial displacement in the transmission brake cylinder 7 by introducing a pressure medium 10 into the pressure chamber 9 via an assembly 12 for controlling the transmission brake 1, which assembly shall be described in detail below. As a result the piston 8 is pushed against the discs 5, 6, against the reset force of a spring 11 arranged between the piston 8 and the countershaft 2. As a result the countershaft 2 is decelerated in order to synchronize the manual transmission. To release the transmission brake 1, the pressure chamber 9 or rather the transmission brake cylinder 7 is exhausted again, making the spring 11 push the piston 8 back again.

(8) According to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the assembly 12 for actuating the transmission brake 1 comprises at least one control valve 13, by means of which the filling and/or exhausting of the transmission brake cylinder 7 can be controlled. In addition the assembly 12 comprises a pressure line 14 via which the at least one control valve 13 is connected to the transmission brake cylinder 7.

(9) According to FIG. 1, the assembly 12 comprises a quick-exhaust valve 15. It is arranged in the pressure line 14 between the transmission brake cylinder 7 and the at least one control valve 13. Increased piston speeds in reverse are achievable as a result because the pressure medium in the pressure chamber 9 can be discharged very quickly via the quick-exhaust valve 15 when exhausting the transmission brake cylinder 7. According to the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the quick-exhaust valve 15 vents to a clutch housing.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the assembly 12 for controlling the transmission brake 1 depicted in FIG. 1. The assembly 12 in this case comprises two control valves 13, namely an inlet valve 16 and an outlet valve 17. The assembly 12 additionally comprises a valve control system 18 by means of which the inlet valve 16 and the outlet valve 17 can be actuated electrically. The inlet valve 16 is configured as a 2/2-way NC control valve. In this case NC means that the inlet valve 16 is normally closed without power supply and therefore shuts off the associated line portion. According to this exemplary embodiment, the outlet valve 17 is configured as a 2/2-way NO control valve. NO means that the outlet valve 17 in question is normally open without power supply and therefore does not shut off the associated line portion. In an advantageous fashion the pressure medium 10 can thus escape from the pressure chamber 9 in case of a loss of electric power. As a result the transmission brake 1 can be prevented from remaining closed in the event of a power failure.

(11) The inlet valve 16 and the outlet valve 17 are connected via the pressure line 14 to the transmission brake cylinder 7 and/or to the pressure chamber 9. The quick-exhaust valve 15 is arranged between the transmission brake cylinder 7 and the inlet valve 16. Accordingly, the quick-exhaust valve 15 is situated in a pressurizing path of the assembly 12 so that the pressure medium 10 for filling the transmission brake cylinder 7 enters the transmission brake cylinder 7 from a pressure source 19 via the inlet valve 16 and the quick-exhaust valve 15.

(12) The quick-exhaust valve 15 is in addition arranged between the transmission brake cylinder 7 and the outlet valve 17. Consequently, the quick-exhaust valve 15 is also situated in an exhaust path, i.e. when exhausting the transmission brake cylinder 7, at least part of the pressure medium 10 in the pressure chamber 9 can be discharged via the quick-exhaust valve 15 and the outlet valve 17.

(13) According to this exemplary embodiment, the pressure line 14 comprises a supply/discharge portion 20, which extends from the transmission brake cylinder 7 towards both valves 16, 17. The quick-exhaust valve 15 is arranged in the supply/discharge portion 20. In addition, the pressure line 14 comprises an inlet portion 21, which extends starting from the inlet valve 16 towards the transmission brake cylinder 7 and is connected to the supply/discharge portion 20. The pressure line 14 furthermore has an outlet portion 22, which extends from the outlet valve 17 towards the transmission brake cylinder 7 and is likewise connected to the supply/discharge portion 20. The connection of the inlet portion 21 and the outlet portion 22 to the supply/discharge portion 20 is established in a joint line junction 23.

(14) For pressurizing the transmission brake cylinder 7, the outlet valve 17 is closed by the valve control system 18 and the inlet valve 16 is opened. As a result the pressure medium 10 can flow out of the pressure source 19 and via the inlet valve 16 into the inlet portion 21 and from there into the supply/discharge portion 20, particularly into a first part. The pressure medium 10 then flows through the quick-exhaust valve 15 and enters the transmission brake cylinder 7 via a second part of the supply/discharge portion 20. The inlet valve 16 is preferably configured as a time-controlled valve. Accordingly, it is cyclically actuated by the valve control system 18 in order to adjust the braking power of the transmission brake 1.

(15) For exhausting the transmission brake cylinder 7, the inlet valve 16 is closed and the outlet valve 17 is opened. A first partial quantity 24 of the pressure medium 10 in the pressure chamber 9 can thus be discharged via the supply/discharge portion 20 and the outlet portion 22 via the outlet valve 17. On the other hand, a second partial quantity 25 of the pressure medium 10 in the pressure chamber 9 that is larger relative to the first partial quantity 24 is discharged via the quick-exhaust valve 15 upstream.

(16) The exact functioning and design of the quick-exhaust valve 15 will be described in more detail below, with reference to the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows a close-up sectional view of the quick-exhaust valve 15. The quick-exhaust valve 15 has a valve orifice 26 on the control valve side and a cylinder orifice 27 on the brake cylinder side. Accordingly, the valve orifice 26 is connected to the valve-side part of the supply/discharge portion 20 and the cylinder orifice 27 is connected to the transmission brake cylinder-side part of the supply/discharge portion 20. In addition the quick-exhaust valve 15 comprises an exhaust orifice 28 via which the second partial quantity 25 can be discharged upon exhausting the transmission brake cylinder 7.

(17) The quick-exhaust valve 15 has a closure element 29. The closure element 29 is moveable, in particular axially displaceable along a displacement axis 30, between the pressurizing position depicted in FIG. 3 and a quick-exhaust position as a function of a pressure on the valve side and on the brake cylinder side.

(18) According to FIG. 3, the closure element 29 has a base body 31, which is essentially configured to be rotationally symmetric. On its end face the base body 31 has a sealing surface 32, with which the exhaust orifice 28 is closed in the pressurizing position of the closure element 29. In the pressurizing position, the pressure medium 10 can flow via the valve orifice 26 into the quick-exhaust valve 15 and then flow out of the same via the cylinder orifice 27.

(19) A control element 33 is arranged in the flow path formed between the valve orifice 26 and the cylinder orifice 27. The control element 33 is part of the closure element 29. According to the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the control element 33 is a control lip by means of which a volume flow between the valve orifice 26 and the cylinder office 27 can be controlled. In addition, the valve orifice 26 can be completely closed via the control lip in coaction with the base body 31.

(20) The control element 33 is configured as elastic and/or flexible. By virtue of this elasticity and/or flexibility, the control element can be moved between the radially outer closure position depicted in FIG. 3 and a radially inner opening position. The anchoring point is preferably formed in a connecting zone between the control element 33 and the base body 31 of the closure element 29.

(21) The control element 33 or rather the control lip is preferably elastically pushed radially outwards into the closure position depicted in FIG. 3. Accordingly, when pressurizing the transmission brake cylinder 7, the closure element 29 is pushed by the pressure medium 10 flowing in via the valve orifice 26 into its pressurizing position depicted here so that the exhaust opening 28 is completely closed by the sealing surface 32. In addition, the control element 33, in particular the control lip, is pushed radially inwards via the increasing pressure on the valve orifice side from its closure position depicted in FIG. 3 towards its opening position. As a result the pressure medium 10 can flow towards the cylinder orifice 27 through a gap formed between the closure element 29 and the housing part of the quick-exhaust valve 15.

(22) For controlling the movement of the control element 33, the latter has a radially outer first control surface 34 and a radially inner second control surface 35. The first control surface 34 in this case is arranged on the valve side and the second control surface 35 is arranged on the brake cylinder side. Accordingly, the pressure on the valve orifice side is applied to the first control surface 34 of the control element 33 and the pressure is applied to the cylinder orifice side is on the second control surface 35. The closure element additionally comprises a cavity 36, which is at least partially delimited by the second control surface 35. The pressure medium 10 can flow via this cavity from the cylinder orifice 27 to the exhaust orifice 28.

(23) For exhausting the transmission brake cylinder 7, initially the first partial quantity 24 reaches the valve orifice 26 via the gap formed between the control element 33 in its opening position and the radially outer housing of the quick-exhaust valve 15. From there the pressure medium 10 flows to the outlet valve 17 (for comparison see FIG. 2).

(24) As soon as the pressure on the cylinder orifice side is greater than the pressure on the valve orifice side, the control element 33 is pushed out of its radially inner opening position into its radially outer closure position, thereby closing the gap. As a result the valve orifice 26 is now closed by the base body 31 and the control element 33.

(25) As a result of the increasing pressure on the cylinder orifice side and/or decreasing pressure on the valve orifice side, the closure element 29 moves out of its pressurizing position depicted in FIG. 3 towards the valve orifice 26 and into a quick-exhaust position. As a result the exhaust orifice 28 is unblocked so that the second partial quantity 25 can rapidly escape from the quick-exhaust valve 15. Owing to the short exhaust intervals, the shifting time of the transmission brake 1 can be shortened to be able to master time-sensitive shifting situations more effectively.

(26) This invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments depicted and described here. Modifications in the scope of the claims are possible, as is a combination of the features, even if they are depicted and described in different exemplary embodiments.

REFERENCE SIGNS

(27) 1 Transmission brake 2 Countershaft 3 Brake housing 4 Transmission housing 5 Inner discs 6 Outer discs 7 Transmission brake cylinder 8 Piston 9 Pressure chamber 10 Pressure medium 11 Spring 12 Assembly 13 Control valve 14 Pressure line 15 Quick-exhaust valve 16 Inlet valve 17 Outlet valve 18 Valve control system 19 Pressure source 20 Supply/discharge portion 21 Inlet portion 22 Outlet portion 23 Line junction 24 First partial quantity 25 Second partial quantity 26 Valve orifice 27 Cylinder orifice 28 Exhaust orifice 29 Closure element 30 Displacement axis 31 Base body 32 Sealing surface 33 Control element 34 First control surface 35 Second control surface 36 Cavity