CLUTCH DEVICE

Abstract

A clutch device, comprising an inner ring, an outer ring, one or more clutch discs arranged radially between the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein the one or more clutch discs are formed by the plurality of segments arranged next to one another in the peripheral direction and connected to one another via a cage, wherein the segments are configured to contact the outer ring in an unactuated state of the clutch device and configured to come into contact with the inner ring in an actuated state of the clutch device, and a first and second piston, wherein the first and second piston are configured to radially move the segments, wherein the first piston is configured to move at least one portion of the segments in a first peripheral direction in order to actuate the clutch device.

Claims

1. A clutch device, comprising: an inner ring; an outer ring; at least one clutch disc that is arranged radially between the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein the at least one clutch disc is formed by a plurality of segments that are arranged adjacent to each other in circumferential direction and elastically connected to each other via a cage, wherein the segments are configured to contact the outer ring in an unactuated state of the clutch device and contact the inner ring in an actuated state of the clutch device to generate a frictional torque for the transmitting of torque between the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein the outer ring features a plurality of ramps on an inner circumferential surface, which interact with correspondingly designed ramps on a respective outer circumferential surface of the respective segment, and wherein the segments can be radially moved via a first and a second piston that can be operated in axial direction, wherein the first piston is provided to displace at least one portion of the segments in a first circumferential direction in order to actuate the clutch device, and wherein the second piston is provided to displace at least another portion of the segments in a second circumferential direction, in the opposite direction to the first circumferential direction, in order to actuate the clutch device.

2. The clutch device of claim 1, wherein the first and second pistons are guided on a ring element in such a way that they can be moved in axial direction.

3. The clutch device of claim 2, wherein the two pistons feature axial grooves for the guiding on the ring element.

4. The clutch device of claim 3, wherein the first and second piston includes a plurality of wedge elements that are designed in an axial manner and are tangentially arranged between two respective segments, wherein one of the wedge elements is intended to interact with the respective segment in a tangential manner.

5. The clutch device of claim 4, wherein two respective wedge elements are arranged in circumferential direction after two successive segments in a tangential manner between two segments.

6. The clutch device of claim 5, wherein two respective ramps form a partial circle contour on the outer ring together.

7. The clutch device of claim 6, wherein the segments are designed in an essentially wedge-shaped manner towards the radial inside.

8. The clutch device of claim 7, wherein the segments are arranged in a circumferential groove on the inner ring and the segments come into frictional engagement in the circumferential groove in the actuated state of the clutch device.

9. The clutch device of claim 8, wherein the respective segment is mounted radially via two respective spring elements at the cage, wherein the two respective spring elements press the respective segment in radial direction against the outer ring in the unactivated state of the clutch device.

10. The clutch device of claim 1, wherein the outer ring is rotatably connected to a housing.

11. A clutch device, comprising: an inner ring; an outer ring including a plurality of ramps on an inner peripheral surface, wherein the plurality of ramps are configured to cooperate with correspondingly designed ramps on a respective outer peripheral surface of one of a plurality of segments; one or more clutch discs arranged radially between the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein the one or more clutch discs are formed by the plurality of segments arranged next to one another in the peripheral direction and connected to one another via a cage, wherein the segments are configured to contact the outer ring in an unactuated state of the clutch device and configured to come into contact with the inner ring in an actuated state of the clutch device; and a first and second piston, wherein the first and second piston are configured to radially move the segments, wherein the first piston is configured to move at least one portion of the segments in a first peripheral direction in order to actuate the clutch device, and the second piston is configured to move at least another portion of the segments in a second peripheral direction in order to actuate the clutch device.

12. The clutch device of claim 11, wherein the second peripheral direction is opposite the first peripheral direction.

13. The clutch device of claim 11, wherein the outer ring is rotatably connected to a housing.

14. The clutch device of claim 11, wherein the first and second pistons are guided on a ring element in such a way that they can be moved in axial direction.

15. The clutch device of claim 14, wherein the two pistons feature axial grooves for the guiding on the ring element.

16. The clutch device of claim 11, wherein a gap is formed between at least one clutch disc and the inner ring in the unactuated state of the clutch device.

17. The clutch device of claim 11, wherein the segments are arranged in a circumferential groove on the inner ring and the segments come into frictional engagement in the circumferential groove in the actuated state of the clutch device.

18. A clutch device, comprising: an inner ring; an outer ring; one or more clutch discs arranged radially between the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein the one or more clutch discs are formed by a plurality of segments arranged next to one another in a peripheral direction and connected to one another via a cage, wherein the segments are configured to contact the outer ring in an unactuated state of the clutch device and configured to come into contact with the inner ring in an actuated state of the clutch device; and a first piston configured to move at least one portion of the segments in a first peripheral direction in order to actuate the clutch device.

19. The clutch device of claim 18, wherein the outer ring further includes a plurality of ramps on an inner peripheral surface of one of the plurality of segments, wherein the plurality of ramps are configured to cooperate with correspondingly designed ramps on a respective outer peripheral surface of one of the plurality of segments.

20. The clutch device of claim 18, wherein the clutch device further includes a second piston configured to move at least another portion of one of the plurality of segments in a second peripheral direction in order to actuate the clutch device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] A design example of the disclosure is explained in more detail on the basis of the drawings in the following, in which identical or similar elements are identified with the same reference signs. It is shown

[0016] FIG. 1 a schematic sectional depiction to illustrate the structure of a clutch device according to the disclosure,

[0017] FIG. 2 an enlarged schematic sectional depiction of the clutch device according to the disclosure in accordance with FIG. 1 in an unactivated state, and

[0018] FIG. 3 a further enlarged schematic sectional depiction of the clutch device according to the disclosure in accordance with FIG. 1 in an activated state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] According to FIG. 1, a clutch device according to the disclosure for anot depictedmotor vehicle comprises an inner ring 1, an outer ring 2 and a clutch disc 3 that is arranged radially between the inner ring 1 and the outer ring 2. The outer ring 2 is rotatably connected to a housing 10. A form-fitting structure is particularly formed between the outer ring 2 and the housing 10, which prevents a relative rotating between the outer ring 2 and the housing 10. The clutch disc 3 is made up of a plurality of segments 5 that are arranged circumferentially adjacent to each other as well as that are interconnected by means of a cage 4.

[0020] According to FIG. 2, the respective segment 5 is mounted radially via two respective spring elements 9 at the cage 4. In aherein depictedunactuated state of the clutch device, the respective segment 5 is pressed in radial direction against the outer ring 2 by means of the two respective spring elements 9. Therefore, the segments 5 come to rest in radial direction on an inner circumferential surface of the outer ring 2. The outer ring 2 furthermore features a plurality of ramps 6 on an inner peripheral surface, which interact with correspondingly designed ramps 7 on a respective outer peripheral surface of the respective segment 5, in order to cause a radial displacement of the respective segment 5 when a radial rotation occurs between the outer ring 2 and a respective segment 5. In such a case, two respective ramps 6 form a partial circle contour on the outer ring 2 together.

[0021] The segments 5 are tangentially displaceable via a first and a second piston 13a, 13b that can be operated in axial direction. The first piston 13a is provided to displace at least a portion of the segments 5 into a first circumferential direction, in the current case in counterclockwise direction, in order to actuate the clutch device. The second piston 13b is provided to displace the remaining portion of the segments 5 into a second circumferential direction, in the current case in clockwise direction, in order to actuate the clutch device. Thus, a distinction is made between an actuation of the clutch device by means of a pushing operation and by means of a pulling operation.

[0022] The two pistons 13a, 13b are designed in a ring-shaped manner and feature a respective plurality of axially formed wedge elements 14a, 14b, which are arranged tangentially between two respective segments 5, in order to distance the two respective segments 5 tangentially from each other when the respective piston 13a, 13b is operated and to thereby move at least one segment 5 in tangential direction. The two respective wedge elements 14a, 14b are respectively arranged in circumferential direction after two successive segments 5 in a tangential manner between two segments 5.

[0023] In an unactuated state of the clutch device, the segments 5 only come into contact with the outer ring 2, wherein a radial gap 11 is formed between the inner ring 1 and the clutch disc 3, in particular between the inner ring 1 and the segments 5. Thus, no torque is transmitted between the inner ring 1 and the outer ring 2. An axial force can be applied to the two pistons 13a, 13b in order to operate the segments 5 in radial direction.

[0024] In an activated state of the clutch device, the segments 5 also come into contact with the inner ring 1, in order to generate a frictional torque for the transmitting of torque between the inner ring 1 and the outer ring 2. The reason for this is the induced tangential displacement of the respective segments 5 due to the axial shifting of the respective piston 13a, 13b. The segments 5 are radially displaced via the interaction of the ramps 6 on the outer ring 2 and of the ramps 7 on the respective segment 5. In other words, the inner ring 1 is coupled and thus rotationally fixed to the outer ring 2 via the clutch disc 3 in the actuated state of the clutch device. Due to the ramps 6 on the outer ring 2 as well as the correspondingly formed ramps 7 on the respective segment 5, a wedging of the clutch disc 3 between the outer ring 2 and the inner ring 1 is carried out after a slight relative rotation between the clutch disc 3 and the outer ring 2. Due to this wedging in the actuated state of the clutch device, the frictional torque is increased for the transmitting of torque between the inner ring 1 and the outer ring 2.

[0025] In FIG. 3, the clutch device is shown in the actuated state in accordance with another sectional depiction. It can be particularly derived from FIG. 3 that the segments 5 that are held by cage 4 are arranged within a circumferential groove 8 on the inner ring 1. In the activated state of the clutch device, the segments 5 come to rest within the circumferential groove 8. An arrow 12 illustrates an axial force that is applied onto the first piston 13a, which has shifted the wedge elements 14a in axial direction between two respective segments 5 and thereby has displaced the respective segment 5 in tangential direction, and thus also in radial direction. The second piston 13b has not been operated. The two pistons 13a, 13b are guided on a ring element 15 in such a way that they can be moved in axial direction. Therefore, the two pistons 13a, 13b feature axial grooves 16 for the guiding on the ring element 15, wherein the axial grooves 16 are evenly arranged around the circumference of the respective piston 13a, 13b. Due to the radial displacement of the respective segments 5, the displaced segments 5 come to rest within the radial groove 8 on the inner ring 1. The segments 5 are essentially wedge-shaped towards the radial inside, particularly in a trapezoidal-shape in cross-section. Furthermore, the groove 8 is essentially formed in a complementary manner with regards to the segments 5 in order to prevent a tilting of the respective segment 5.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0026] 1 Inner ring

[0027] 2 Outer ring

[0028] 3 Clutch disc

[0029] 4 Cage

[0030] 5 Segments

[0031] 6 Ramp

[0032] 7 Ramp

[0033] 8 Groove

[0034] 9 Spring element

[0035] 10 Housing

[0036] 11 Gap

[0037] 12 Arrow

[0038] 13a, 13b Piston

[0039] 14a Wedge element

[0040] 14b Wedge element

[0041] 15 Ring element

[0042] 16 Groove