Jaw Clutch

Abstract

The invention relates to a dog clutch (10) with an axially fixed coupling element (12) and an axially movable coupling element (14), in which the axially fixed coupling element (12) and the axially movable coupling element (14) are configured to be sleeve-shaped and are disposed coaxially to one another, in which the axially movable coupling element (14) is axially displaceable by means of a pressurizing medium-actuatable piston (22) to establish a positively locking connection with the axially fixed coupling element (12), in which the piston (22) is disposed in a longitudinally displaceable manner in a cylinder housing (20), which radially on the outside carries the axially movable coupling element (14), in which the piston (22) is connected to the axially movable coupling element (14) via a piston pin (26), and in which a pressurizing medium (40) can be supplied to the cylinder space (60) of the cylinder housing (20) via a supply duct (38), wherein, at one axial end, the piston (22) is permanently connected to a coaxially aligned sensor bolt (48) and, on a sensor section (52) in the area of its free, piston-remote axial end (78), the sensor bolt (48) is configured as a transmitter element for a position sensor (70).

Claims

1. Dog clutch (10) with an axially fixed coupling element (12) and an axially movable coupling element (14), in which the axially fixed coupling element (12) and the axially movable coupling element (14) are configured to be sleeve-shaped and are disposed coaxially to one another, in which the axially movable coupling element (14) is axially displaceable by means of a pressurizing medium-actuatable piston (22) to establish a positively locking connection with the axially fixed coupling element (12), in which the piston (22) is disposed in a longitudinally displaceable manner in a cylinder housing (20), which radially on the outside carries the axially movable coupling element (14), in which the piston (22) is connected to the axially movable coupling element (14) via a piston pin (26), and in which a pressurizing medium (40) can be supplied to the cylinder space (60) of the cylinder housing (20) via a supply duct (38), wherein, at one axial end, the piston (22) is firmly connected to a coaxially aligned sensor bolt (48) and, on a sensor section (52) in the area of its free, piston-remote axial end (78), the sensor bolt (48) is configured as a transmitter element for a position sensor (70).

2-17. (canceled)

Description

[0026] To better understand the invention, the description is accompanied by a drawing of a design example. Similar constructive components in the drawings always have the same reference numerals. The drawings show:

[0027] FIG. 1 a longitudinal section through the dog clutch in the open state,

[0028] FIG. 2 a longitudinal section through the dog clutch in the closed state,

[0029] FIG. 3 an axial rear view of a pressurizing medium supply flange of the dog clutch in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0030] The dog clutch 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises a fixed coupling element 12 and an axially movable coupling element 14. The two coupling elements 12, 14 are respectively substantially formed as hollow cylinders, wherein the fixed coupling element 12 comprises an axial internal gearing 16 and the movable coupling element 14 comprises an axial external gearing 18, the teeth of which fit into the tooth gaps of the respective other gearing. The two coupling elements 12, 14 are coaxially disposed, so that, in axial direction, the moveable coupling element 14 which has a smaller diameter can be inserted partially into the fixed coupling element 12. This creates a positively locking connection, which allows a transmission of torque between the two coupling elements 12, 14.

[0031] For the actuation of the dog clutch 10, said dog clutch further has an approximately hollow cylindrical cylinder housing 20, in which a cup-like piston 22 is accommodated displaceable and coaxial to its longitudinal center axis 24. The movable coupling element 14 is disposed radially above the cylinder housing 20 and displaceable upon it coaxially to the longitudinal center axis 24. The piston 22 and the cylinder housing 20 form a pressurizing medium-operated actuator for displacing the movable coupling element 14. For this purpose, the piston 22 is connected to the movable coupling element 14 by means of a piston pin 26, which extends transverse to the longitudinal center axis 24.

[0032] To allow both the axial displaceability of the movable coupling element 14 and the connection thereof to the piston 22 by means of the piston pin 26, two oblong holes 28, 30, which are configured to be diametrically opposite to one another with respect to the longitudinal center axis 24 in the cylinder housing 20, are formed in the cylinder housing 20. An external longitudinal gearing 31 is formed on the cylinder housing 20 and an internal axial gearing 33 with a shallow depth of engagement is formed on the movable coupling element 14 to guide and prevent rotation of the movable coupling element 14, wherein the prevention of rotation is additionally ensured by the two oblong holes 28, 30 in the cylinder housing 20 and the piston pin 26 inserted therein.

[0033] A substantially hollow cylindrical pressurizing medium supply flange 34, which is configured to be rotationally symmetric to the longitudinal center axis 24, is disposed on the cylinder housing 20 in the area of a piston-remote hollow cylindrical end section 32 of said cylinder housing. A continuous pilot bore 36, into which a supply duct 38 for a pressurizing medium 40 opens, which is inclined in this design example at a setting angle α of about 22.5° to the longitudinal center axis 24, extends centrically to the longitudinal center axis 24 in the pressurizing medium supply flange 34. The pressurizing medium 40 used is preferably a hydraulic oil of suitable viscosity.

[0034] A circular collar 42, against which a hollow-cylindrical sleeve 44 axially rests, is formed in the pilot bore 36. A cylindrical bearing section 46 of a sensor bolt 48, which is displaceable parallel to the longitudinal center axis 24, is accommodated in the sleeve 44. Independent of the respective axial position of the sensor bolt 48, to prevent excessive wear, the sleeve 44 always surrounds the bearing section 46 of said sensor bolt as a slide bearing.

[0035] The sleeve 44 is preferably made of a low-friction plastic, for example a rubber-like elastomer, or something similar, while the sensor bolt 48 and the pressurizing medium supply flange 34 are made of some kind of steel.

[0036] The sensor bolt 48 comprises a mounting section 50 on its piston 22 facing end, and a sensor section 52 in the area of its free axial end 78. The mounting section 50 and the bearing section 46 are connected to one another by means of a connecting section 54 with a reduced diameter. The sleeve 44 and the collar 42 in the pilot bore 36 in the pressurizing medium supply flange 34 can be omitted if, in an alternative embodiment, the bearing section 46 of the sensor bolt 48 itself is, at least in areas, coated with a low-friction material.

[0037] The substantially cylindrical mounting section 50 of the sensor bolt 48 is accommodated in a cup-shaped piston recess 56 of the piston 22, and is simultaneously connected to both the piston 22 and the movable coupling element 14 by means of the piston pin 26. A sealing element 58, which is configured here as an O-ring inserted into a piston groove, is disposed between the piston recess 56 and the mounting section 50 of the sensor bolt 48.

[0038] The seal between a cylinder space 60 of the cylinder housing 20 and, for example, adjacent areas of an automated manual transmission 62 not shown in more detail, is achieved by the piston-side sealing element 58. Due to its hydraulic sealing effect, the sealing element 58 additionally creates two pressure surfaces 64, 65 on the piston 22 and on the piston-remote end 78 on the sensor bolt 48. The pressure surface 64 on the piston 22 has an annular geometry, while the pressure surface 65 the piston-remote end 78 of the sensor bolt 48 is circular. The overall surface area, which upon application of pressure on the piston 22 and the sensor bolt 48 with a pressurizing medium is hydraulically effective in terms of actuating force, is therefore the sum of both pressure surfaces 64, 65, so that an actuation force of the dog clutch 10 that can be created by means of the piston 22 is not impaired by the presence of the sensor bolt 48.

[0039] Radial play between the piston recess 56 and the mounting section 50 of the sensor bolt 48 is designed to be such that jamming is excluded, even at a maximum radial offset. Between the piston pin 26 and the mounting section 50 of the sensor bolt 48 there is likewise such a large amount of play that, even in case of a maximum radial offset, jamming is reliably excluded.

[0040] The supply duct 38 in the pressurizing medium supply flange 34, which is inclined at an angle α, is in flow connection with a connecting duct 66 in the area of a transmission housing wall 68, which extends transverse to the longitudinal center axis 24. Starting from a peripheral pressurizing medium source, the supply of said piston-cylinder assembly of the dog clutch 10 with the operationally necessary pressurizing medium 40 is carried out via the connecting duct 66.

[0041] In a design variant not shown in the figures, the pressurizing medium supply in the pressurizing medium supply flange 34 can also be performed in an axial manner without the angled supply duct 38. In this case, however, a metallic seal would be required between the pressurizing medium supply flange 34 and the transmission housing wall 68, that had to be effective across the entire operating temperature range of the dog clutch 10. In this context, particularly the different coefficients of thermal expansion of the transmission housing wall 68 and the pressurizing medium supply flange 34 have to be taken into consideration, because the pressurizing medium supply flange 34 is usually made of a steel alloy, while the transmission housing wall 68 preferably consists of an aluminum alloy.

[0042] A cylindrical position sensor 70 is disposed above the sensor section 52 of the sensor bolt 48. The longitudinal center axis 71 of the position sensor 70 extends at a setting angle β to the longitudinal center axis 24, wherein a value of 90° is selected here for the angle β solely as an example. An inclined installation position of the sensor 70 at a setting angle β of 30° to 90° is possible, in particular to be able to better account for restricted installation space conditions.

[0043] Simply for the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned here that the pressurizing medium supply flange 34 is bolted to the transmission housing wall 68 by means of an internal bolt 72.

[0044] On its side facing the sensor section 52, the position sensor 70 can have a surface geometry that approximates the surface geometry of a half cylinder, which results in optimum adaptation of the position sensor 70 to the cross-section geometry of the sensor section 52. The cross-section geometry of the sensor section 52 of the sensor bolt 48 along the longitudinal center axis 24 thus corresponds to respective circular areas with different diameters.

[0045] . The sensor section 52 has a circumferential recess 74 that is V-shaped when viewed in longitudinal section in this example. A vertical distance 76 between the recess 74 and the position sensor 70 can thus be identified by means of the position sensor 70. When the sensor bolt 48, and with it its sensor section 52, moves coaxially to the longitudinal center axis 24, the distance 76 also changes proportionally to the displacement, in an unambiguously evaluable manner. From this, with the aid of a suitable electronic evaluation system, the axial displacement of the sensor bolt 48 and with it the axial position of both the piston 22 and the movable coupling element 14 can be recorded continuously and with high precision. As a result, the exact axial position of the movable coupling element 14 is known to the transmission control at all times, so that gear shift operations or gear changes within the automatic transmission 62 can be performed in an optimum manner. As long as an unambiguous determination of the axial position of the sensor bolt 48 is ensured, deviating from the V-shaped design of the recess 74, the contouring of said recess can be different.

[0046] To facilitate the rotation of the sensor bolt 48 about its longitudinal center axis 24 during assembly, the free axial end 78 of the sensor bolt 48 has a flat area 80 on both sides as a contact surface for a tool. In this way, in particular the alignment of the transverse bore 82 in the mounting section 50 of the sensor bolt 48 for insertion of the piston pin 26 through the transverse bore 82 of the sensor bolt 48 and through a transverse bore 83 in the piston 22, is simplified during assembly of the dog clutch 10. In the assembled state, through the connection with the piston pin 26, i.e. with the movable coupling element 14, the sensor bolt 48 is secured against rotation about the longitudinal center axis 24.

[0047] To facilitate the insertion of the mounting section 50 of the sensor bolt 48 into the cup-shaped piston recess 56 of the piston 22 during assembly of the dog clutch 10, the mounting section 50 of the sensor bolt 48 additionally has a circumferential, beveled lead-in chamfer 86 on its end 84 facing the piston recess 56. For the same purpose, an inclined lead-in chamfer 90 is configured radially on the inside of the open end 88 of the piston 22.

[0048] A cup-shaped additional space 92 for dynamic pressure reduction is additionally configured in the transmission housing wall 68. This additional space 92 is disposed centrically to the common longitudinal center axis 24, in such a manner that it represents an axial continuation of the pilot bore 36. The additional space 92 is also fluidically connected to the connecting duct 66. This allows the liquid pressurizing medium 40, represented with dotted arrows, to flow into or out of the cylinder space 60 and the additional space 92 sufficiently quickly, even at low temperatures, so that a proper functioning of the clutch is ensured.

[0049] To minimize the effect of a radial clearance which may occur between the sleeve 44 and the bearing section 46, which could lead to an impairment of the measurement accuracy of the distance 76, and at the same time suppress a lever action of the sensor bolt 48 in case ofwobbling which may occur, the sleeve 44, which together with the bearing section 46 of the sensor bolt 48 forms a slide bearing, is disposed as close in axial direction to the position sensor 70 as possible.

[0050] The position sensor 70 is preferably configured as a contact-free Hall sensor and sealed with respect to the transmission housing wall 68 by a further sealing element 94, here in the form of an O-ring or the like.

[0051] In the actuating position shown in FIG. 1, the dog clutch 10 is in the disengaged state, so that there is no positively locking connection between the external gearing 18 of the axially displaceable coupling element 14 and the internal gearing 16 of the axially fixed coupling element 12, and there can therefore be no transmission of torque between the two coupling elements 12, 14. To shift the dog clutch 10 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the engaged, i.e. closed, state, the pressurizing medium 40 flows from the connecting duct 66 over the supply duct 38 (as indicated by the dotted arrow lines) into the cylinder chamber 60 of the cylinder housing 20 as well as into the pilot bore 36 and into the cup-shaped additional space 92. In doing so, the pressurizing medium 40 is pressed into these spaces, or pressurizing medium 40 that is already present there is subjected to overpressure.

[0052] Due to the pressure effect of the pressurizing medium 40 on the two pressure surfaces 64, 65 on the piston 22 and on the piston-remote axial end 78 of the sensor piston 48, the piston 22 inside the cylinder housing 20 moves to the left in the direction of the first arrow 96 parallel to the longitudinal center axis 24 as in FIG. 1. When this axial actuating movement occurs, the piston 22 takes the axially movable coupling element 14 and the sensor bolt 48 along by means of the piston pin 26.

[0053] As a result of this, the movable coupling element 14 moves towards the fixed coupling element 12 and the recess 74 of the sensor section 52 of the sensor bolt 48 moves through under the position sensor 70, which allows a high-precision determination of the respective current axial position of the sensor bolt 48 and with it the determination of the axial position of the movable coupling element 14.

[0054] This axial actuating movement of the pressurizing medium-operated piston 22 continues until the position of the dog clutch 10 shown in FIG. 2 is reached, in which the positively locking connection between the external gearing 18 the movable coupling element 14 and the internal gearing 16 the fixed coupling element 12 is established and a transmission of torque between the two coupling elements 12, 14 can take place.

[0055] The axial actuating movement can, for example, be carried out against the force effect of a pressure spring 98, drawn here only as an example, to enable a self-acting resetting movement of the piston 22 to open the dog clutch 10 when the cylinder space 60 and the additional space 92 are not pressurized. Alternatively, when the cylinder space 60 and the additional space 92 are not pressurized, a sensor piston-remote axial exterior surface 100 of the piston 22, for example, can be pressurized with the pressurizing medium 40 to perform the resetting movement of the piston 22 to open the dog clutch 10.

[0056] The circumferential V-shaped recess 74 in the sensor section 52 of the sensor bolt 48 comprises two axially adjacent circumferential sections 102, 104, wherein, by definition, the first section 102 has a negative slope and the second section 104 has a positive slope. The oppositely inclined sections 102, 104 of the recess 74 of the sensor section 52 form a surface geometry which corresponds to that of two frustums abutting in the area of their tapered ends. This special surface geometry of the recess 74 ensures that, upon the axial actuating movement of the sensor bolt 48, starting from the axial position of the sensor bolt 48 shown in FIG. 1 until reaching the position of the sensor bolt 48 shown in FIG. 2, the said distance 76 initially increases and, after passing through a circumferential base 106 of the recess 74, which at the same time marks the transition between the two sections 102, 104, the distance 76 again decreases. This allows an unambiguous determination of the axial position of the sensor bolt 48 and with it the axial position of the associated movable coupling element 14. In comparison to a simple, in a longitudinal section of the sensor bolt 48 triangular-shaped recess, for example, the previously described embodiment has the advantage that, for the same maximum axial measurement path, less depth is necessary in radial direction in the sensor bolt 48 in a V-shaped recess 74, which results in reduced material weakening of the sensor bolt 48.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the dog clutch of FIG. 1, but in the fully engaged state of the dog clutch. In the shift condition shown in FIG. 2, starting from its axial position in FIG. 1, the movable coupling element 14 has moved so far toward the axially fixed coupling element 12 that the external gearing 18 of the axially movable coupling element 14 is fully engaged with the internal gearing 16 of the axially stationary coupling element 12. This creates a positively locking connection between the two coupling elements 12, 14 and a transmission of torque can take place. Including the additional area 92 and starting from the connecting duct 66 and the supply duct 38, the cylinder space 60 of the cylinder housing 20 is completely filled with the pressurizing medium 40 that is still under excess pressure, so that, against the force effect of the pressure spring 98, the piston 22 still occupies the position shown in the figure, in which the dog clutch 10 is in the closed state, and in which it remains for the time being.

[0058] To achieve this fully engaged position of the dog clutch 10, the movable coupling element 14, i.e. the piston 22, has to travel an axial clutch path 110, which as an example is drawn here between the axially movable coupling element 14 and a component 112 of the transmission 62 that encloses the cylinder housing 20 in a sleeve-like manner. The aforementioned component 112 recognizably comprises an axial internal gearing 116, into which a not further identified external axial gearing of the cylinder housing 20 is inserted in a rotationally fixed and axially secured manner. In the shown engaged position of the dog clutch 10, the second section 104 of the recess 74 of the sensor section 52 of the sensor bolt 48, which has a positive slope, is radially below the position sensor 70 and thus within its metrological detection range.

[0059] Starting from the fully engaged position of the dog clutch 10 shown in FIG. 2, when the cylinder space 60 and the additional space 92 have become unpressurized and/or the pressurizing medium 40 has at least partially flowed out of these spaces via the supply duct 38 and the connecting duct 66, due to the force effect of the pressure spring 98 or some other effect mechanism, the piston 22 can move back in the direction of a second arrow 114 until the completely opened or disengaged condition of the dog clutch 10 shown in FIG. 1 is reached again.

[0060] FIG. 3 shows a schematic axial rear view of the pressurizing medium supply flange 34. This shows that, to lessen radial forces on the supply duct resulting from the flow of the pressurizing medium, the supply duct 38 within the pressurizing medium supply flange 34 extends tangentially to the longitudinal extension of the sensor bolt 48. FIG. 3 also shows the position of the position sensor 70 in relation to the sensor section 52 of the sensor bolt 48. Alternatively, a not depicted suitable guide contour, or a likewise not shown deflector plate, can be provided on the pressurizing medium supply flange 34.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0061] 10 Dog clutch

[0062] 12 Fixed coupling element

[0063] 14 Axially movable coupling element

[0064] 16 Internal gearing on the fixed coupling element

[0065] 18 External gearing on the movable coupling element

[0066] 20 Cylinder housing

[0067] 22 Cup-shaped piston

[0068] 24 Common longitudinal center axis

[0069] 26 Piston pin

[0070] 28 First oblong hole in the cylinder housing

[0071] 30 Second oblong hole in the cylinder housing

[0072] 31 External axial gearing on the cylinder housing

[0073] 32 Hollow cylindrical end section of the cylinder housing

[0074] 33 Internal axial gearing on the axially movable coupling element

[0075] 34 Pressurizing medium supply flange

[0076] 36 Pilot bore in the pressurizing medium supply flange

[0077] 38 Supply duct

[0078] 40 Pressurizing medium

[0079] 42 Collar in the pilot bore

[0080] 44 Sleeve

[0081] 46 Bearing section on the sensor bolt

[0082] 48 Sensor bolt

[0083] 50 Mounting section on the sensor bolt

[0084] 52 Sensor section on the sensor bolt

[0085] 54 Connecting section on the sensor bolt

[0086] 56 Piston recess

[0087] 58 Sealing element on the piston, O-ring

[0088] 60 Cylinder space

[0089] 62 Automatic or automated manual transmission

[0090] 64 Effective pressure surface on the piston

[0091] 65 Effective pressure surface on the sensor bolt

[0092] 66 Connecting duct

[0093] 68 Transmission housing wall

[0094] 70 Position sensor

[0095] 71 Longitudinal center axis of the position sensor

[0096] 72 Screw bolt

[0097] 74 Recess on the sensor section of the sensor bolt

[0098] 76 Distance between the sensor section and the sensor

[0099] 78 Free axial end of the sensor bolt

[0100] 80 Flat area on the free end of the sensor bolt

[0101] 82 Transverse bore in the mounting section of the sensor bolt

[0102] 83 Transverse bore in the piston

[0103] 84 Piston-side end of the sensor bolt

[0104] 86 Lead-in chamfer on the piston-side end of the sensor bolt

[0105] 88 Open end of the piston

[0106] 90 Lead-in chamfer on the open end of the piston

[0107] 92 Additional space

[0108] 94 Sealing element on the position sensor, O-ring

[0109] 96 First arrow

[0110] 98 Pressure spring

[0111] 100 Exterior surface of the piston

[0112] 102 First section of a V-shaped recess on the sensor bolt

[0113] 104 Second section of a V-shaped recess on the sensor bolt

[0114] 106 Base of the V-shaped recess on the sensor bolt

[0115] 110 Clutch path

[0116] 112 Component of the transmission

[0117] 114 Second arrow

[0118] 116 Internal axial gearing of component 112

[0119] α Setting angle of supply duct 38

[0120] β Setting angle of the position sensor