WET DUAL MULTI-PLATE CLUTCH WITH LEVERS OUTSIDE THE WET CHAMBER

Abstract

A multi-plate dual clutch for coupling a motor vehicle engine to a drive shaft of a motor vehicle transmission and to an auxiliary power take-off output shaft of the motor vehicle. The dual clutch includes a drive clutch for coupling the motor vehicle engine with the drive shaft, and an auxiliary power take-off clutch for coupling the motor vehicle engine with the auxiliary output shaft. The drive clutch and the auxiliary power take-off clutch can each to be operated independently of one another by a separate lever mechanism. The dual clutch includes a wet chamber housing in which the drive clutch and the auxiliary power take-off clutch are accommodated in fluid-tight relationship, while the respective lever mechanisms for the drive clutch and the auxiliary power take-off clutch are located outside the wet chamber housing.

Claims

1. A multi-plate dual clutch for coupling a motor vehicle engine to a drive shaft of a motor vehicle transmission and to an auxiliary output shaft of an auxiliary power take-off of the motor vehicle, said dual clutch comprising: a drive clutch for coupling the motor vehicle engine with a drive shaft of the dual clutch: an auxiliary power take-off clutch for coupling the motor vehicle engine with an auxiliary output shaft of the dual clutch: wherein the drive clutch and the auxiliary power output clutch can each to be actuated separately from one another by means of a respective separate lever mechanism; wherein the dual clutch includes a fluid-tight wet chamber housing in which the drive clutch and the auxiliary power take-off clutch received; and wherein the respective lever mechanisms for the drive clutch and the auxiliary power take-off clutch are located outside the wet chamber housing.

2. A dual clutch according to claim 1, wherein the dual clutch includes a clutch housing for receiving and supporting the respective lever mechanisms wherein a drive clutch friction lining coupled with the drive shaft is positioned so that it can be pressed between a first contact plate and the clutch housing; wherein an auxiliary output clutch friction lining coupled with the auxiliary output clutch shaft is positioned so that it can be pressed between a second contact plate and the clutch housing; and wherein the first contact plate and the second contact plate are each movable in an axial direction of the dual clutch by a lever mechanism to selectively engage the drive clutch and the auxiliary power take-off clutch.

3. A dual clutch according to claim 2, wherein the wet chamber housing rests against the clutch housing and is sealed in relation thereto by a seal.

4. A dual clutch according to claim 1, wherein the wet chamber housing includes a first wet chamber housing half having a first housing part and a second housing part, which first and second housing parts are connected to one another in fluid-tight relationship.

5. A dual clutch according to claim 4, wherein the wet chamber housing includes a second wet chamber housing half that is firmly connected to the clutch housing and is in contact with at least one of the driveshaft and the auxiliary power take-off shaft to provide a seal therebetween.

6. A dual clutch according to claim 1, wherein the wet chamber housing includes a flange for connecting the wet chamber housing to the motor vehicle.

7. A dual clutch according to claim 1, wherein the wet chamber housing includes a housing part that forms a bearing seat.

8. A dual clutch according to claim 1, wherein the wet chamber housing includes a coolant inlet and includes a coolant outlet located on an underside of the wet chamber housing.

9. A dual clutch according to claim 1, wherein the clutch housing includes a feed-through in which at least one of the first contact plate and the second contact plate and a transmission element connected to at least one of the first contact plate and the second contact plate is positioned between the lever mechanism and the respective contact plate in the axial direction of the dual clutch.

10. A dual clutch according to claim 1, wherein the first housing part and the second housing part are each formed sheet metal parts.

11. A dual clutch according to claim 1, wherein a labyrinth seal is positioned between the second housing part and an auxiliary power take-off clutch base plate carrier that carries a clutch disk pack.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The drawing figures show the following:

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a dual clutch according to the present invention and having a drive shaft clutch and a power take-off shaft clutch,

[0040] FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail of the power take-off clutch of FIG. 1,

[0041] FIG. 3 shows the flow of torque in the power take-off shaft clutch of the dual clutch of FIG. 1,

[0042] FIG. 4 shows the flow of torque in the drive shaft clutch of the dual clutch of FIG. 1,

[0043] FIG. 5 shows a basic layout diagram of clutch forces in the deactivated state,

[0044] FIG. 6 shows a basic layout diagram of the actuation of the power take-off shaft clutch,

[0045] FIG. 7 shows a basic layout diagram of the actuation of the drive shaft clutch,

[0046] FIGS. 8A and 8B show basic layout diagrams of the cooling oil flow directions within the clutch,

[0047] FIG. 9 shows an enlarged detail of the axial support of the dual clutch of FIG. 1,

[0048] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the installation of the dual clutch of FIG. 1 on a vehicle,

[0049] FIG. 11 shows a perspective partial sectional view of a housing seal, and

[0050] FIG. 12 shows basic layout diagrams of the components of the housing seal of FIG. 11.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0051] The figures are merely schematic in nature, and serve only to aid in understanding the present invention. The same elements are identified by the same reference numerals. Details of the different embodiments can be combined with one another.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a dual clutch 1 according to the present invention. It includes a first, radially inner clutch unit 2, in the present exemplary embodiment a drive shaft clutch 2, and a second, radially outer clutch unit 3, in the present exemplary embodiment a power take-off shaft clutch 3. The dual clutch 1 is designed as a wet clutch.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 2, power take-off shaft clutch 3 has a disk carrier 4, that is non-rotatably positioned on a power take-off shaft 6 by means of power take-off shaft toothed connection 5. The disk carrier 4 is an essentially bell-shaped formed sheet metal part, for example a deep drawn part, and carries a disk pack 8 on the outer side of its radially outer edge segment 7.

[0054] The drive shaft clutch 2 has a disk carrier 9, that is non-rotatably positioned on a drive shaft 11 by means of drive shaft toothed connection 10. The disk carrier 9 is an essentially bell-shaped formed sheet metal part, for example a deep drawn part, and carries a disk pack 13 on the inner side of its radially outer edge segment 12.

[0055] Furthermore, the dual clutch 1 has a clutch housing 14. The latter is formed essentially of a clutch base plate 15, also referred to as the power take-off clutch housing 14, and a base plate carrier 16, that are each designed as an essentially bell-shaped formed sheet metal part, for example as a deep drawn part. The clutch base plate 15 and the base plate carrier 16 are welded together by means of a welded seam 17 running in the circumferential direction. Positioned on the clutch base plate 15 are a plurality of lever holders 18, also referred to as lever bearing blocks 18, by means of rivets 19. Each lever holder 18 serves as a pivot support for an actuating lever 20 for the power take-off shaft clutch 3 or for an actuating lever 21 (see FIG. 1) for the drive shaft clutch 2, in each case about a respective pivot axis 22 located in a respective lever holder 18.

[0056] The base plate carrier 16 is connected to an arc-shaped spring damper unit 24 through a toothed connection 23, and is thereby coupled rotationally with the arc-shaped spring damper unit 24. The latter has a flange by means of threaded connections 25 and is connected to a flywheel 26, which in turn is connected by means of threaded connections 27 to a drive (not shown), for example an internal combustion engine.

[0057] As shown in particular in FIG. 9, the base plate carrier 16 is supported on the flywheel 26 in the axial direction by means of a journal bearing unit 28. The journal bearing unit 28 serves to enable relative movements between the flywheel 26 and the base plate carrier 16, which is non-rotatably positioned in contact with the arc-shaped spring damper unit 24. Furthermore, the power take-off shaft 6 is supported in the flywheel 26 by means of a roller bearing 29. The result is that the base plate carrier 16 rotates at the drive speed N.sub.an, and with it also the clutch base plate 15, as shown in FIG. 1, aside from rotation speed fluctuations due to a damping effect brought about by means of the arc-shaped spring damper unit 24.

[0058] As best seen in FIG. 2, the disk pack 8 of the power take-off shaft clutch 3 is positioned between the clutch base plate 15 and the disk carrier 4. Its disks are arranged in the axial direction, and can be pressed together in the axial direction by means of a contact plate 30 between the latter and the base plate carrier 16, so that torque is transmitted from the flywheel 26 through the arc-shaped spring damper unit 24, the toothed connection 23, the base plate carrier 16, the clutch base plate 15, the disk pack 8, the disk carrier 4 and the power take-off shaft toothed connection 5 to the power take-off shaft 6.

[0059] The disk pack 13 of the drive shaft clutch 2 is located radially inside the disk carrier 9 between the latter and a drive clutch housing 46. Its disks are arranged in the axial direction, and can be pressed together by means of the drive clutch housing 46 between the latter and the clutch base plate 15, so that torque is transmitted from the flywheel 26 through the arc-shaped spring damper unit 24, the toothed connection 23, the base plate carrier 16, the clutch base plate 15, the disk pack 13, the disk carrier 9, and the drive shaft toothed connection 10 to the drive shaft 11.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 1, contact plate 30 consists essentially of an inner contact plate part 36 and an outer contact plate part 37. The inner contact plate part 36 is positioned on the side of the clutch base plate 15 facing toward the disk pack 8 (the inner side or wet side of the clutch). The outer contact plate part 37 is positioned on the side of the clutch base plate 15 facing away from the disk pack 8 (toward the outer side or dry side of the clutch). The inner contact plate part 36 and the outer contact plate part 37 are connected to one another by means of a thrust cylinder 38, which extends through an opening formed in the axial direction in the clutch base plate 15. The thrust cylinder 38 is sealed in relation to the clutch base plate 15 by means of an O-ring seal, and is movable in the axial direction in the opening in the clutch base plate 15, relative to the latter.

[0061] The actuating lever 20 for the power take-off shaft clutch 3 has an outer lever end 31 formed radially outside the pivot axis 22, and an inner lever end 32 formed radially inside the pivot axis 22, and is pre-biased by means of a torsion spring 65. The outer lever end 31 includes a peg 33 on which an eye bolt 34 is carried by means of its eye so that it can pivot around the peg 33. The end of the eye bolt 34 opposite the eye is provided with threads and extends through an opening provided in the outer contact plate part 37 in the axial direction. The outer contact plate part 37 and the eye bolt 34 are fixed in the axial direction in positions that are adjustable relative to one another by means of a threaded connection with lock nut 35. The radially inner lever end 32 works together with a conventional release unit which is not shown in the drawings, and by means of the latter is able to be moved in the axial direction.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 1, actuating lever 21 for the drive shaft clutch 2 has a radially inner lever end 39 formed radially inside the pivot axis 22, and is pre-biased by means of a torsion spring 66. The radially outer lever end 40 of the actuating lever 21 is provided with an opening through which the pivot axis 22 extends. The inner lever end 39 works together with a release unit (not shown) and by means of the latter is able to be actuated in the axial direction. Radially inside the pivot axis 22, the actuating lever 21 is provided with a threaded through opening 44 running in the axial direction. An adjusting screw 45 is screwed into the latter, which extends through the actuating lever 21 in the axial direction and is in contact with the drive clutch housing 46. The drive clutch 2 can be adjusted by repositioning the adjusting screw 45 relative to the actuating lever 21. The drive clutch housing 46 has a collar 47 that is located on the side of the disk pack 13 facing away from the actuating lever 21 in the axial direction, and presses the disk pack in the axial direction against the clutch base plate 16 by actuation of the actuating lever 21.

[0063] Positioned between the drive clutch housing 46 and the outer contact plate part 37 is a diaphragm spring 48 (see FIG. 4). The radially inner side of the diaphragm spring 48 rests against the drive clutch housing 46, with a metal ring 49 inserted in between. The radially outer side of the diaphragm spring 48 is in contact with the contact plate part 37. It can also be noted that the outer contact plate part 37 and the drive clutch housing 46 are under tension with one another in the axial direction by means of the diaphragm spring 48.

[0064] The drive shaft clutch 2 and the power take-off shaft clutch 3 are actuatable independently of one another. In the non-actuated state, both the power take-off shaft clutch 3 and the drive shaft clutch 2 are engaged (normally closed). The pressure force necessary to engage the clutches 2, 3 and press the disk packs 8, 13 together is produced by the diaphragm spring 48. The non-actuated state is shown in FIG. 5.

[0065] The description of the actuation of the power take-off shaft clutch 3 is provided with reference to FIG. 6. Relative to the non-actuated state, the actuating lever 20 is pivoted clockwise about the pivot axis 22 by means of the release unit, which is not shown in the drawings. The outer lever end 31 moves in the axial direction away from the flywheel 26, taking the eye bolt 34 with it. The outer contact plate part 37 together with the thrust cylinder 38 and the inner contact plate part 36 is moved away from the disk pack 13 toward the diaphragm spring 48, so that the latter is no longer clamped between the contact plate 30 and the base plate carrier 16 and the power take-off shaft clutch 3 disengages.

[0066] The description of the actuation of the drive shaft clutch 2 is provided with reference to FIG. 7. Relative to the non-actuated state, the actuating lever 21 is pivoted clockwise about the pivot axis 22 by means of the release unit (not shown).

[0067] The pivoting of the actuating lever 21 causes a shift of the adjusting screw 45 in the direction of the flywheel 26. The drive clutch housing 46 with the collar 47 is moved toward the diaphragm spring 48 in the direction of the flywheel and away from the disk pack 13, so that the latter is no longer clamped between the collar 47 and the clutch base plate 15 and the drive shaft clutch 2 disengages.

[0068] As best seen in FIG. 2, dual clutch 1 according to the present invention is designed as a wet clutch, and is therefore sealed against the environment by means of a housing 50. The housing 50 has a first housing part 51, also referred to as the engine-side wet chamber cover, a second housing part 52, also referred to as the outer wet chamber cover, a third housing part 58, also referred to as the transmission-side wet chamber cover, and a fourth housing part 43 in the form of a housing ring. All four housing parts 51, 52, 58, 43 are formed sheet metal parts. The first housing part 51 and the second housing part 52 are tightly connected to one another by means of a flange 53, with a housing seal 54 interposed. The flange 53 has a passage opening 55 or a plurality of passage openings 55, with which the housing 50 and thus the dual clutch 1 is mounted on a structure of a vehicle as shown in FIG. 10, for example on a transmission housing 56 of a tractor. The base plate carrier 16 is supported opposite the first housing part 51 by means of a roller bearing 57. The second housing part 52 is sealed in relation to the clutch base plate 15 by means of a seal 59, for example a labyrinth seal.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 6, the third housing part 58 is welded to the clutch base plate 15 by means of a welded seam 41, and is sealed in relation to the drive clutch housing 46 by means of an O-ring seal 42. The fourth housing part 43 is likewise welded to the clutch base plate 15 by means of a welded seam 62, and is sealed in relation to the drive clutch housing 46 by means of a and O-ring seal 67. Stated differently, the drive clutch housing 46 is accommodated radially between the third housing part 58 and the fourth housing part 43 so that it is movable in the axial direction. To further seal off the interior of the dual clutch 1 enclosed by the housing 50, the roller bearing 57 is designed as a sealed bearing. The base plate carrier 16 is sealed in relation to the power take-off shaft 6 by means of an oil seal 60. Finally, the third housing part 58 is sealed in relation to the driveshaft 11 by means of an oil seal 61. In the illustrated embodiment, cooling oil is introduced into the interior of the housing 50 through a gap 68 between the power take-off shaft 6 and the drive shaft 11 (see for example FIG. 8A) and oil holes bored in the driveshaft. The second housing part 52 has a feed-through for an oil drain 63 (see, for example, FIG. 8B). Cooling oil (at approx. 80 C.) introduced into the housing 50 through the gap 68 and the oil bores 69 in drive shaft 11, for example from the oil sump of the transmission, is distributed in the interior of the housing 50, for example flung radially outward, due to the rotation of the clutch components accommodated in the housing 50, for example the power take-off shaft 6, the drive shaft 11, the disk carriers 4 and 9, and the parts moved thereby. The oil wets the disk packs 8 and 13 that are heating up during operation of the clutch and cools them down. The oil drain 63 is provided at the radially lowest point of the housing 50, so that oil that collects in a channel 64 and has been heated by operation of the clutch can be removed easily from the housing 50, for example to the oil sump of the transmission. The oil flow through the dual clutch is represented by the dashed lines in FIGS. 8A and 8B.

[0070] The principle of installation of the dual clutch 1 on the vehicle is shown in FIG. 10. First, the dual clutch 1 accommodated and installed in the housing 50 is mounted on the transmission housing 56 of the vehicle, by being screwed to the latter by means of the flange 53. As the mounting step is carried out, the outer ends of the actuating levers 20, 21, designed in the form of corresponding interfaces, are connected to conventional throw-out bearings (not shown) provided on the vehicle. Next, the arc-shaped spring damper unit 24 is joined with the dual clutch 1 by means of the toothed connection 23, designed for example as a splined shaft profile.

[0071] The labyrinth seal 59 is shown in detail in FIGS. 11 and 12. It has an outer ring 70 and an inner ring 71. The outer ring 70 is accommodated in the second housing part 52 and sealed in relation thereto, with a seal 72 interposed. The inner ring 71 is positioned on the clutch base plate 15, and rotates together with it. The outer ring 70 has, in its upper half, webs 73 running in the radial direction, which are formed into U-shaped catch troughs 74 at their inner ends. The lower half of the outer ring 70 is flattened out into an inclined plane 76. The inner ring 71 has continuous annular webs 75 that extend between the webs 73 of the outer ring 70.

[0072] The outside diameter of the inner ring 71 on the inner side of the clutch is greater than its outside diameter on the outer side of the clutch. The inside diameter of the outer ring 70 on the inner side of the clutch is greater than its inside diameter on the outer side of the clutch. In that way, a gap running obliquely radially inward from the inner side of the clutch to the outer side of the clutch is formed between the outer ring 70 and the inner ring 71. Because of the rotation of the latter together with the clutch base plate 15, cooling oil that gets onto the inner ring is flung outward into the spaces between the webs 73 of the outer ring 70, runs down on these into the catch troughs 74, and is guided along the inclined plane in the lower half of the outer ring 70 back into the clutch housing.