CLUTCH

• US 20100089685A1
• Filed: 10/12/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MAGNA POWERTRIAN AG & CO KG
• Original Assignee: Magna Powertrain AG & Company KG (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Eder, Klaus, Quehenberger, Johannes, Ekonen, Todd, Kaimer, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 8,443,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/383
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/35 including arrangements for suppressing or influencing the power transfer, e.g. viscous clutches differential gearing with locking devices F16H48/20
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 27/118 with interengaging jaws or gear teeth
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19116 Vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a clutch having two clutch parts which can be brought into engagement in form fitted manner for the torque transfer; and a shift member which is movable in a first direction to bring the clutch parts out of engagement and is movable in a second direction to bring the clutch parts into engagement. A motor is provided for the movement of the shift member in the first direction and a spring element is provided for the movement of the shift member in the second direction.

Claims

1. A clutch having

two clutch parts which can be brought into engagement in form fitted manner for the torque transfer;

and

a shift member (114;

214;

314) which is movable in a first direction to bring the clutch parts out of engagement and is movable in a second direction to bring the clutch parts into engagement,

wherein a motor (360) is provided for the movement of the shift member (114;

214;

314) in the first direction and a spring element (126;

226;

326) is provided for the movement of the shift member (114;

214;

314) in the second direction.

2. The clutch in accordance with claim 1, wherein a movement of the shift member (114;

214;

314) in the first direction effects a tensioning of the spring element (126;

226;

326).

3. The clutch in accordance with claim 1, wherein a triggering of the spring element (126;

226) takes place by an actuation of the motor in the same direction of rotation which previously effects a tensioning of the spring element (126;

226).

4. The clutch in accordance with claim 1, wherein a gear mechanism arranged between the motor and the shift member (114;

214) includes at least one actuating ramp (132;

232) or at least one actuating projection (260) and at least one counter-element (140;

252) which is movable relative to the actuating ramp (132;

232) or to the actuating projection (260) and which cooperates with the actuating ramp (132;

232) or with the actuating projection (260) such that the shift member (114;

214) is moved, in particular compressed, in the first direction on a running of the counter-element onto the actuating ramp (132;

232) or onto the actuating projection (260) against the restoring force of the spring element (126;

226).

5. The clutch in accordance with claim 4, wherein that the actuating ramp (132;

232) or the actuating projection (260) is formed at the shift member (114;

214).

6. The clutch in accordance with claim 4, wherein the shift member (132) is provided with a latch recess (142) for the counter-element (140) or the counter-element (252) is provided with a latch recess (258) for the actuating ramp (232) or for the actuating projection (260).

7. The clutch in accordance with claim 4, wherein the counter-element (140;

252) is movable by the motor along the actuating ramp (132;

232).

8. The clutch in accordance with claim 4, wherein the shift member (114;

214) is made in ring shape or in sleeve shape, surrounds a shaft (116;

208) and is displaceable with respect to it, with the actuating ramp (132;

232) or the actuating projection (260) in particular being made at an end face side (130;

230) of the shift member (114;

214) facing the counter-element (140;

252).

9. The clutch in accordance with claim 4, wherein the spring element (126;

226) is arranged between an end face side (128;

228) of the shift member (114;

214) remote from the actuating ramp (132;

232) or from the actuating projection (260) and an abutment.

10. The clutch in accordance with claim 4, wherein the counter-element includes a pin (240) which projects radially from an actuating shaft (116) which is rotatable by the motor relative to the shift member (114).

11. The clutch in accordance with claim 4, wherein the counter-element includes a counter-ramp (252) which is formed at an end face side facing the shift member (114) of a counter-gear surrounding the shaft (208), in particular of a worm wheel which surrounds the shaft and which is preferably in engagement with a worm (248) driven by the motor.

12. The clutch in accordance with claim 4, wherein the counter-element includes a counter-ramp (252) which has a rising first ramp section (254) and a second ramp section (256) which drops steeply or is made in step form and in particular includes a steeper first region (262), a flatter second region (264) and a steeper third region (266).

13. The clutch in accordance with claim 12, wherein the first ramp section (254) rises in a flat, and in particular linear, manner.

14. The clutch in accordance with claim 12, wherein the first ramp section (254) rises in a non-linear manner, with the gradient of the first ramp section (254) preferably reducing in the direction of the highest point of the counter-ramp (252).

15. The clutch in accordance with claim 11, wherein at least two actuating ramps (232) or actuating projections (260) and at least two counter-ramps (252) are provided.

16. The clutch in accordance with claim 11, wherein the counter-gear (246) surrounds a selector sleeve (210) seated on the shaft, coupled to the shift member (214) and displaceable by it relative to the shaft (208).

17. The clutch in accordance with claim 1, wherein a triggering of the spring element (326) takes place by an actuation of the motor (360) in a direction of rotation reversed with respect to the direction of rotation which previously effects a tensioning of the spring element (326).

18. The clutch in accordance with claim 17, wherein a return mechanism is arranged between the motor (360) and the shift member (314) which includes a driver device which can be brought into engagement with the shift member (314) to draw the shift member (314) in the first direction against the restoring force of the spring element (326).

19. The clutch in accordance with claim 18, wherein the driver device includes a spindle (362) driven by the motor (360) and a spindle nut (364) seated on the spindle (362) at which a driver finger (370) is formed which can be brought into engagement with a projection (374) of the shift member (314) by a rotation of the spindle nut (364) in one direction and can be released from the projection (347) by a rotation of the spindle nut (364) in the opposite direction.

20. The clutch in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a trigger mechanism (378, 380) which prevents an axial movement of the spindle nut (364) when it is rotated for the release of the driver finger (370) from the projection (374).

21. The clutch in accordance with claim 17, further comprising a rotational limitation device (366, 368) for the limiting of a rotation of the spindle nut (364).

22. The clutch in accordance with claim 21, wherein the rotational limitation device includes a bar (366) which extends parallel to the spindle (362) and which is connected in the region of its one end to the shift member (314) and is guided in the region of its other end in a guidance opening (368) of the spindle nut (364) curved in the peripheral direction.

23. The clutch in accordance with claim 1, wherein the shift member (114;

214;

314) is moved in the first direction only by the motor (360) and in the second direction only by the spring element (126;

226;

326).

24. A powertrain for a motor vehicle having a permanently driven primary axle (20), comprising:

a drive unit (12) for the generation of a drive torque;

a first clutch (33;

54) for the transfer of a variable portion of the drive torque to a secondary axle (30) of the motor vehicle;

a second clutch (46) for the deactuation of a torque transfer section (36) of the powertrain arranged between the first clutch (33;

54) and the second clutch (46), when the first clutch (33;

54) is opened; and

a control unit (34) for the automatic control of the first clutch (33;

54), with the control unit (34) being connected to at least one sensor for the detection of a wheel slip at the primary axle (20),

characterized in that

the second clutch (46) includes a clutch having

two clutch parts which can be brought into engagement in form fitted manner for the torque transfer; and

a shift member (114;

214;

314) which is movable in a first direction to bring the clutch parts out of engagement and is movable in a second direction to bring the clutch parts into engagement,

wherein a motor (360) is provided for the movement of the shift member (114;

214;

314) in the first direction and a spring element (126;

226;

326) is provided for the movement of the shift member (114;

214;

314) in the second direction.

25. The powertrain in accordance with claim 24, wherein the control unit (34) is made, starting from a deactuated state of the torque transfer section (36), to close the second clutch (46) in dependence on a detected wheel slip at the primary axle (20).