EP1831061A2

EP1831061A2 - Articulated connection for a release device

Info

Publication number: EP1831061A2
Application number: EP05849408A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Markus Heitbaum; Roland Welter; Volker Lang; Urban Panther
Original assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG; LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
Current assignee: Schaeffler Buehl Verwaltungs GmbH; LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
Priority date: 2004-12-22
Filing date: 2005-12-09
Publication date: 2007-09-12
Also published as: WO2006066542A2; BRPI0519196A2; KR20070086241A; WO2006066542A3; DE112005002999A5; JP2008524528A; KR101230163B1

Abstract

The invention relates to an articulated connection which is arranged between the piston rod of a slave cylinder and a release element of a release device, in particular for a coupling of a motor vehicle. The aim of the invention is to provide a solution of a seal of a spherical head which is compact in relation to the surroundings without restricting the mobility of the articulated joint which is made of a spherical head of a piston rod and a release element, between which an adapter in the form of an anti-slip protection element and/or an anti-slip cap which is made of an elastic material is provided, which comprises on the lower side of the periphery thereof and in the axial direction, spring elements. According to the invention, the spring elements are provided with a peripheral groove and the spherical head, which is made of an elastic material, is formed from several spring elements which are arranged in a distributed manner on the periphery thereof.

Description

Articulated connection to a release device

The invention relates to a hinge connection between the piston rod of a slave cylinder and a release element of a release device, in particular for a clutch of a motor vehicle.

From the prior art release devices are known in which the piston rod of a slave cylinder is pivotally connected to a release element. Thus, DE 103 20 004 A1 describes a pressure medium drive, which is preferably designed as a hydraulic cylinder with an axially movable piston rod which engages with its free end via a non-slip on a pivotally mounted release element. This anti-slip serves as an adapter between the piston rod and the disengagement, inter alia, to realize a hinge connection between the two components. For this purpose, the designated as anti-slip adapter on a plurality of adjacent and circumferentially arranged holding elements which are separated by axial slots and are briefly spread when snapped onto the ball head of the piston rod radially outward from its initial position to thereafter at the smaller of the diameter of the ball head again snap back.

This adapter (anti-skid) is designed so that it encloses on the one hand with its inner contour, the end of the piston rod and is received with its outer contour of a correspondingly shaped recess in the release element. With this training for anti-skid on the one hand the joint function between the two parts is guaranteed and on the other hand, the dustproof cover of the ball head of the piston rod. This dust-tight seal is supported by appropriate sealing elements in the region of the approach of the ball head to the piston rod. By appropriate design measures ensures that the piston rod covering the bellows is held at this. This solution solves several problems. For example, the anti-slip device serves to reduce the wear occurring due to the rotational movement between the piston rod and slave cylinder, to produce the articulation between the two elements, and also to realize a connection of the bellows to the piston rod. However, no axial fixation of the bellows is possible, which can lead to dirt entry within the bellows and thus on the piston rod. Furthermore, from DE 103 20 004 A1 a pressure medium drive with an axially movable piston rod is known, which engages at its free end via a non-slip on a pivotally mounted release element. In this case, the inner shape of the anti-slip corresponds to the shape of the ball head and the outer with the shape of the release element in the joint area and the anti-slip is made of elastic plastic material. Due to this elastic material, supported by interruptions of its circumference by axial slots in the receiving area to the ball head, it can be snapped or clipped onto a piston rod. A radial extension of the outer contour of the anti-slip, in which a groove is introduced, serves to receive a bellows.

The object of the invention is to make the sealing of the ball head relative to the environment so, without restricting the mobility of the joint and also perform the joint connection space-saving.

This object is achieved with the features of the main claim. Here, a hinge connection is provided, which consists of a ball head of a piston rod and a disengagement, between which an adapter in the form of an anti-slip or a Gleitschutzkappe of elastic material is arranged, which has on its underside on the circumference in the axial direction of spring elements, which with a circumferential groove are provided. This circumferential groove serves to attach a dirt cover. Even before the production of this joint connection, the anti-slip cap can be clipped onto the ball head of the piston rod, whereby initially the Gleitschutzkappe is fixed in position on the ball head. In a further operation, arranged on the piston rod dirt cover can be connected to the Gleitschutzkappe to also achieve a dirt protection for the ball head.

Just as well, the ball head can essentially be formed from spring elements whose length is determined by the length of the circumference of the ball head arranged axial slots. This length should advantageously be chosen larger than the largest radial extent of the ball head, in order to achieve optimum elasticity of the spring elements during radial compression.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the anti-slip cap is not provided with spring elements to increase their elasticity in the overcap area, but in this end, which is provided with a circumferential recess, a seal is used, which may for example be an O-ring. However, the use of other possible. To produce a releasable connection of this so-formed anti-slip cap on the end region of the piston rod, this has a transition region between the ball head piston rod, a so-called neck, in which a correspondingly shaped groove is provided. After clipping the anti-slip cap on the piston rod, the anti-slip cap is thereby locked on the piston rod.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the ball head of the piston rod is designed as a ball socket, distributed over the circumference of several lugs are provided. These lugs are intended to receive the end of a mudguard. However, instead of the noses, a closed ring can be mounted on the circumference of the ball socket, which performs the same function.

If the ball head is designed as a ball socket for producing a joint connection, it is advantageous to design the anti-slip cap so that its lower portion corresponds to the shape of the ball socket and thus is also spherical. It is particularly advantageous to separate the lower region of the anti-slip cap from the upper region assigned to the disengagement element by a radial extension in the form of an edge and to attach a plurality of extensions distributed on the underside thereof on the underside. These extensions, which may also be formed annularly formed as a survey, serve in conjunction with the lugs or ring of the ball socket to the fact that the pollution protection can be clamped between the two, thereby achieving a secure axial locking of the pollution control.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the anti-slip cap is produced by molding the ball head of the piston rod. In this case, both the outer and the inner shape of the Gleitschutzkappe can be produced in one operation. In this injection process, it is also possible to form a collar at the lower region of the anti-slip cap, which surrounds the end region of the piston rod at a distance. This predetermined distance between the collar of Gleitschutzkappe and piston rod serves to receive the end of the pollution control.

To solve the task, the hinge connection is advantageously formed from a ball head of a piston rod which is sealed by a bellows and a release element. Between both joint parts, a lubricant is introduced in this case to reduce the friction. To seal the ball head is at the - A -

Piston rod already provided radially and axially fixed dirt protection with a wave-shaped axial extension, which is either supported on the release element or connected to this.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that instead of a sliding protection between the two joint parts or the introduction of a lubricant, the ball head is made of two plastic components. In this case, the piston rod is made with a ball head of a sprayable, such as PA 66 GF 35. In the contact area to the recess of the release element of the ball head is provided with a sliding layer of plastic, which has a high proportion of slip-modified components such. B. PA 66 GF 10 TF 25.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment.

Show it:

1 shows a slave cylinder with inventive joint design,

Figure 2 variant of the design of the joint,

FIG. 3 further possibility of designing the articulated connection,

FIG. 4 shows a further possibility of designing the joint connection according to the invention, FIG.

FIG. 5 ball head with molded anti-slip,

FIG. 6 joint connection without anti-slip cap,

FIG. 6 a joint connection with wear protection integrated in the ball head;

1 shows a slave cylinder 1 with a piston rod 2. On the ball head 4 of this piston rod 2, a non-slip cap 5 is clipped. This anti-slip cap 5 is made of a resilient plastic material and surrounds with its lower end the KoI- Rod 2. Piston rod 2 and ball head 4 are preferably made in one piece and are advantageously made of plastic. However, another material, such as aluminum, could equally well be used for it. The anti-slip cap 5 has a hat-like design, wherein the edge 6 serves as a support or stop for the disengagement element 9, not shown in this figure. Below the edge 6 of the diameter of the Gleitschutzkappe 5 is provided with a plurality of arranged on the circumference axial slots, whereby the Gleitschutzkappe 5 for producing a clip connection with the ball head 4 in this area is radially expandable. In this lower portion of the anti-slip cap 5, a circumferential groove 7 is also provided, in which the piston rod 2 enveloping the bellows 3 can be used and thus the bellows 3 is received on the Gleitschutzkappe 5 axially and radially movable. The inner diameter of the anti-slip cap 5 is formed so that it corresponds to the shape of the ball head 4. By producing a clip connection between the antiskid cap 5 and the ball head 4, it is possible to provide the slave cylinder 1 with the release element 9 with the antiskid cap 5 already prior to assembly, and either at this time fix the bellows 3 on the antislip cap 5 or in a later operation.

Another possibility for producing a clip connection between ball head 4 and anti-slip 5 is shown in FIG. In this case, as in Figure 1 piston rod 2 and ball head 4 are made in one piece and made of elastic material. In contrast to Figure 1, however, the ball head 4 is formed as a hollow body and provided with axial slots whose length extends slightly beyond the largest radial diameter of the ball head 4 addition. The body of the anti-slip cap 5 is again made of elastic material and describes a shortened hollow ball whose diameter is adapted to that of the ball head 4. The diameter at the opening of the hollow sphere is smaller than the diameter to choose. At the bottom of the Gleitschutzkappe 5 a circumferential groove 7 is provided for receiving the bellows 3.

When joining anti-skid cap 5 and ball head 4 whose diameter during the axial movement of the Gleitschutzkappe 5 via its axial slots, which divide the ball head 4 into individual spring elements 8, first to the opening diameter of the Gleitschutzkappe 5 squeeze around inside the Gleitschutzkappe 5 due its elasticity to return to its original form. The outer contour of the anti-slip cap 5 is chosen so that it reproduces the contour of the recess 10 of the disengaging element 9.

FIG. 3 shows a further variant of the production of an articulated connection of and piston rod 2 and disengaging element 9, in which the antiskid cap 5 can likewise be previously clipped.

In this example, the diameter of the ball head 4 is followed by a constriction in the form of a neck 11, via which the ball head is preferably integrally connected to the piston rod 2. In the transition from the ball head 4 to the neck 11, a groove 13 is further provided. In the turn made of elastic material Gleitschutzkappe 5 a circumferential recess 14 is introduced in the region of its opening, which serves for receiving, for example, an O-ring 12. The inner contour of the anti-slip cap 5 is in the remaining area of the contour of the ball head 4 and its outer contour is adapted to the recess 10 of the disengaging element 9. At the end, the anti-slip cap has an edge 6 for receiving the bellows 3.

In the preparation of the clip connection of anti-slip cap 5 and ball head 4, this is pressed with the O-ring used in the end to the ball head 4 until it snaps into the groove 13 of the neck 11 and is thus fixed axially and radially on the piston rod 2.

In order to reduce the friction at the connection between the anti-slip cap 5 and the disengaging element 9, a lubricant 19 can be introduced into the recess 10 of the disengaging element 9.

FIG. 4 shows a further possibility of forming a hinge connection according to the invention. In this case, the piston rod 2 instead of a ball head 4, a ball socket 15, which is made in one piece with the piston rod 2 made of elastic material. The ball socket 15 has advantageously the shape of a shortened hemisphere whose diameter at the shortened position is slightly smaller than its remaining diameter.

The ball socket 15 also has at its periphery in the radial direction a plurality of lugs 16 or a continuous ring. The anti-skid 5 is designed in this case so that it simulates the contour of the release element with its upper side and with its underside the cavity of the ball socket 15 can form-fit fill. Top and bottom are separated by an edge 6, which serves as a stop or support the Gleitschutzkappe 5 on disengagement 9. At the bottom of the anti-slip cap 5 distributed over the circumference, several extensions 17 are provided. Alternatively, instead of these extensions 17, a closed ring may also be attached.

When clip-together of anti-slip cap 5 and ball socket 15, the diameter of the ball socket 15 is slightly radially pressed apart due to the elastic material to snap after joining the two parts in the slight undercut of the spherical bottom of the Gleitschutzkappe 5. Thus, first, the connection between the antiskid cap 5 and piston rod 2 is made. For axial fixation of the bellows 3, this is placed over the attached to the ball socket 15 lugs 16. The provided on the Gleitschutzkappe 5 projections 17 have the task of pinching the bellows 3 between the projections 17 and the lugs 16 and thus to fix axially.

From Figure 5 is another way of producing a compound of anti-skid 5 and ball head 4 can be seen. Here, the anti-skid 5 is sprayed directly onto the ball head 4 of the piston rod 2 by means of a special manufacturing process. Since ball head 4 and antislip 5 are made of different materials and during the Umsprit- process of the ball head was surrounded with a special release agent, a compound of the two materials is excluded. At the anti-skid 5 a radially inwardly directed collar 21 is provided in the region of the piston rod 2, which serves for receiving or fastening of the bellows 3, not shown in this figure.

Figure 6 shows a hinge connection according to the invention without anti-slip cap 5. In this solution, the hinge connection between the release element 9 and the head of the piston rod 2 is made directly. The head of the piston rod 2 is formed substantially cylindrical, wherein it expires hemispherical in the joint region. To minimize the friction in the joint area, the application of a lubricant 19 is advantageous. In the cylindrical region of the head of the piston rod 2 a constriction 22 is provided for fastening the bellows 3, to which the bellows is frictionally connected by a Ringschnappverbindung. To seal the joint area, the bellows 3 has an extension 23 which is molded onto the last bellows shaft. This is supported under pretension on the disengaging element 9 and, due to its elastic material, resembles each Steering movement caused axial distance change from bellows 3 to disengaging 9, so that the head of the piston rod 2 is protected from contamination.

A further possibility to reduce the friction in a hinge connection without antiskid cap 5, can be seen from the figure 6a. Here, the region of the ball head 4, which is exposed during the joint movement of a particularly large friction, provided with a plastic layer having a correspondingly high proportion of slip-modified components, such as PA 66 GF 10 TF 25. The remaining part of the ball head 4 and the piston rod 2 can consist of PA 66 GF 35.

LIST OF REFERENCES

slave cylinder

piston rod

bellow

Ball head / head

Anti-slip cap / anti-slip

edge

groove

spring element

disengagement

recess

neck

O-ring / seal

Groove for seal

recess

ball socket

Nose / wreath

Ring process / extensions

undercut

lubricant

Overlay

collar

constriction

Extension bellows

Claims

claims

1. articulation consisting of a ball head (4) of a piston rod (2) and a release element (9) between which an adapter in the form of a slide (5) or a Gleitschutzkappe (5) made of elastic material is provided, on its underside on Circumference in the axial direction spring elements (8), characterized in that these spring elements (8) are provided with a circumferential groove (7) and consisting of elastic material ball head (4) consists of several distributed over its circumference arranged spring elements (8) becomes.

2. Joint according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the spring elements (8) of the ball head (4) is longer than the largest radial extent of the ball head (4).

3. Joint according to claim 1, characterized in that in the transition region (neck (11)) between the ball head (4) piston rod (2) has a groove (13) is provided.

4. Joint according to claim 1, characterized in that the Gleitschutzkappe (5) in the end region has a circumferential recess (14) into which a seal (12) can be inserted.

5. Joint connection according to claim 1, characterized in that the piston rod (2) is designed as a ball socket (15) and distributed on its circumference several lugs (16) are provided.

6. Articulated connection according to claim 5, characterized in that the ball socket (15) has at its periphery a closed rim (16).

Has 7. Hinge connection according to claim 1, characterized in that the Gleitschutzkappe (5) in the lower region of the spherical and its edge (6) on the underside a plurality of circumferentially distributed extensions (17).

8. Joint according to claim 7, characterized in that at the bottom of the Gleitschutzkappe (5) an annular elevation (17) is provided.

9. Joint according to claim 1, characterized in that the Gleitschutzkappe (5) by encapsulation of the ball head (4) of the piston rod (2) is produced, wherein the lower portion of the Gleitschutzkappe (5) as a collar (21) is formed and the end region the piston rod (2) encloses.

10. Articulated connection consisting of a ball head (4) of a piston rod (2) which is sealed by a bellows (3) and a disengaging element (9), between which a lubricant (19) is provided, characterized in that on the piston rod (2) radially and axially fixed bellows (3) has a shaft-shaped axial extension (23).

11. Articulated connection according to claim 10, characterized in that the extension (23) on the release element (9) is supported.

12. Joint connection according to claim 11, characterized in that the extension (23) is connected to the disengaging element (9).

13. Articulated connection according to claim 10, characterized in that the ball head (4) in the contact region to the recess (14) of the disengaging element (9) is provided with a sliding layer (20).