FR2678332A1 - CLUTCH WITH END OF SHAFT, IN PARTICULAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLE. - Google Patents

Abstract

This is a clutch in which the clutch friction (13) is intended to be fixed in rotation on an output shaft. According to the invention, this clutch comprises by itself a shaft end (14), on which its clutch friction (13) is from the beginning fixed in rotation, either directly or indirectly, and which in the form therefore the output shaft. Application, in particular, to motor vehicles.

Description

"Clutch at the end of a shaft, especially for a motor vehicle" The invention

  relates to clutches of the kind comprising, successively axially, a reaction plate, which is intended to be wedged in rotation on an input shaft, a clutch friction, which is intended to be locked in rotation on an output shaft, a pressure plate, which is wedged in rotation on the reaction plate while being axially movable relative thereto, and a diaphragm, which, resting on a lid secured to the reaction plate, permanently urges the plate of pressure towards the reaction plate, for tightening the

clutch friction.

  With regard for example to the equipment of a motor vehicle, the input shaft is constituted by the output shaft, or crankshaft, of the engine block, while, most often, to date, the output tree is constituted by

  the input shaft of a gearbox.

  The mounting of the assembly usually involves a relative approximation of the gearbox with respect to the engine block previously equipped with the clutch, and this relative approximation requires sufficient movement of the gearbox so that its input shaft comes into operation. taking

  with the clutch friction clutch.

  Overall, this displacement corresponds to the entire axial length of the clutch, from the diaphragm to the plateau of

  reaction, and so it is relatively important.

  It is further increased when the clutch has itself the own control loosen its clutch friction, especially when it is a hydraulic control. The subject of the invention is a clutch in which this displacement is, on the contrary, in all cases advantageously limited. This clutch, which is of the kind previously explained, is characterized in that it comprises by itself a shaft end, on which its clutch friction is originally locked in rotation, either directly or indirectly, and that

so shaped the output shaft.

  Thus, the necessary relative reconciliation between the gearbox and the engine block may advantageously correspond only to the fitting of this output shaft into an input part of the gearbox wedged into

  rotation on the tree of the latter.

  The corresponding displacement of this one is in

  advantageously very limited practice, and therefore easy to ensure.

  The characteristics and advantages of the invention

  will emerge from the description which follows,

  by way of example, with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a partial view in axial section illustrating the implementation of the invention; FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are partial views in axial section, which, partly taking again that of FIG. 1, respectively relate to variants of FIG.

production.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, it is a question of bringing back a clutch 10 at the end of a shaft 11 forming for it an input shaft and constituted in practice by the output shaft, or

  crankshaft, an engine block not shown.

  In a manner known per se, the clutch 10 comprises, successively axially, a reaction plate 12, or flywheel, which is intended to be wedged in rotation on the input shaft 11, a clutch friction 13, which as explained later, is intended to be keyed in rotation on an output shaft, a pressure plate 16, which is rotatably wedged to the reaction plate 12 while being axially movable relative thereto, and a diaphragm 18, which, supported, by its outer periphery, on a cover 19 secured to the reaction plate 12, permanently urges the pressure plate 16 towards the plateau of

  reaction 12, for clamping the clutch friction 13.

  The corresponding arrangements being well known in themselves, and not falling under the present invention, they will not be described in more detail here, and the input shaft 11 and the clutch friction 13 were only partially schematized, in fine lines, by their outline, in Figure 1. It is the same for the gearbox 15

usually associated.

  Here, this gearbox 15 comprises a piece 14 ', which forms the input piece, and on which its shaft 14 "

is locked in rotation.

  According to the invention, the clutch 10 comprises by itself

  even a shaft end 14, on which its clutch friction 13 is originally locked in rotation, and which therefore forms

the output shaft.

  In the assembly, it is first reported on the input shaft there a flange 20, then reported on the flange 20

  the clutch 10, which here is in the form of a sub-

  unit assembly adapted to be reported as such on the flange 20, and, during a relative approximation of the gearbox 15 vis-à-vis the engine block whose output shaft constitutes the input shaft 11, a simple fitting of this gearbox 15 by its input part 14 'on the shaft end 14 forming the output shaft is carried out

clutch 10.

  The corresponding axial displacement is therefore very small. It is indeed at most equal to the necessary grip of the shaft end 14 to transmit to the input piece 14 'of the

  gearbox 15 the torque in use.

  Here, there is provided on the input shaft 11, a same centering surface 22 for the flange 20 and for the clutch, and, more precisely, for the reaction plate 12 of this clutch 10, the flange 20 is attached to the input shaft 11 by means of screws 23, which, suitably distributed circularly, are axially facing the other end, not shown, of the input shaft 11, and thus maintain the flange 20 bearing against a shoulder 24 of the input shaft 11 limiting its centering surface 22, and the clutch 10 is itself attached to the flange 20 with screws 25, which, also properly distributed circularly, are axially turned in the opposite direction to the previous one. Thus, the screws 23 and 25 intervene on both

opposite sides of the flange 20.

  Of course, it is provided, on the clutch 10, and, more precisely, on the reaction plate 12, on the outer face thereof, clearances 26 specific to the housing

of the head of the screws 23.

  Here, in addition to the constituents already specified, the clutch comprises itself, for the release of the clutch friction 13, a control 28 adapted to enable action to be taken.

consequence on the diaphragm 18.

  The shaft end 14 protrudes axially beyond

  this control 28 with respect to the clutch friction 13.

  Here, the control 28 is here a hydraulic control comprising, in cylinder-piston relation, two elements 29 A, 29 B, one inside the other outside, one of which is intended to act on the diaphragm 18, at the periphery internal of it,

  for loosening the clutch friction 13.

  The corresponding provisions are also well known by themselves, and not falling within the scope of this

  invention, they will not be described in more detail here.

  Here, it is external element 29 B which acts on the diaphragm 18, by means of a ball bearing 30, and, upon disengagement, it acts on it in traction, along the arrow Fl, brought back to the axis of

the whole, of Figure 1.

  Here, this outer element 29 B acts on the inner ring of the ball bearing 30, while by its ring

  external, this one is on the diaphragm 18.

  According to arrangements, which, not falling within the scope of the present invention, will not be described in detail here, it is associated with the other element of the control 28, and therefore here with its inner element 29 A, a spacer element 32 by which this inner member 29 A is adapted to bear, axially, in thrust, on the reaction plate 12, following

  the arrow F 2 opposite the arrow F1 in FIG.

  Thus, upon disengagement, there is a direct loopback, by the reaction plate 12 and the cover 19, of the forces developing within the control 28, and, therefore, a balancing of the reaction of which the object is subjected. inner element 29 A of

  this one, which saves the bearings of the tree 11.

  In FIG. 1, the shaft end 14 constitutes by itself the spacer element 32, the inner element 29A of the control 28 bearing, via a ball bearing 33 and the flange 34 an auxiliary ring 35, on a split elastic ring 36 engaged with a groove of the shaft end 14, while, by a shoulder 37 and a ball bearing 38, the latter bears jointly against a split elastic ring 40 in taken with a throat of the plateau

  reaction 12, in the central opening thereof.

  It is in this case directly that the friction

  clutch 13 is locked in rotation on the shaft end 14.

  In FIG. 2, the spacer element 32 is constituted by a bushing which passes through the clutch friction 13 and which has splines 42 at its outer periphery, for its rotational locking on this clutch friction 13, and splines 43 at its inner periphery, for its calibration in

rotation on the shaft end 14.

  It is therefore in this case indirectly, through the spacer element 32, that the friction

  clutch 13 is locked in rotation on the shaft end 14.

  Furthermore, in this FIG. 2, the ball bearing 38 bears against a shoulder 40 'of the reaction plate 12. In the above, the fixing of the cover 19 on

  the reaction plate 12 is made using screws 43.

  Alternatively, Figures 3 and 4, it is done by crimping the peripheral edge of the cover 19 on a bead 44 that has radially projecting for this purpose

  at its outer periphery the reaction plate 12.

  In Figures 1 to 3, the starter ring 45 that usually comprises a clutch 10 is usually carried by its reaction plate 12 and the flange 20 is flat. As a variant, FIG. 4, the starter ring 45 is carried by the flange 20, and it has, for this purpose, at its outer periphery, a flange 46, on the back of which is reported this starter ring 45, and which presents itself, along its free edge, for contact with a shoulder 47 of the reaction plate 12, a return 48 directed

  radially in the direction opposite to the axis of the assembly.

  In all cases, the clutch 10 advantageously forms with its control 28, the shaft end 14, and the corresponding ball bearings, a unitary assembly, or module adapted to be reported as such on the flange 20 by the

  manufacturer of the vehicle concerned.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, but encompasses any variant embodiment and / or combination of their various elements,

  as well as any variant of implementation.

  In particular, the clutch 10 according to the invention can, with its shaft end 14, be mounted first on the gearbox 15, by fitting on the input piece 14 'thereof, with, then, a reconciliation of the engine block, then the fixing, by means of screws 25, of the clutch 10, on the flange 20 provided for this purpose on the output shaft 11 of this

engine block.

Claims (5)

  1 Clutch of the kind comprising, successively axially, a reaction plate (12), which is intended to be wedged in rotation on an input shaft (11), a clutch friction (13), which is intended to be wedged in rotation on an output shaft, a pressure plate (16), which is rotatably mounted on the reaction plate (12) while being axially movable relative thereto, and a diaphragm (18) which, resting on a cover (19) integral with the reaction plate (12), permanently urges the pressure plate (16) towards the reaction plate (12), for clamping the clutch friction (13), characterized in that it comprises by itself a shaft end (14), on which its clutch friction is originally locked in rotation, either directly or indirectly, and which therefore forms the output shaft.   2 clutch according to claim 1, characterized in that, further comprising by itself, for the release of the clutch friction (13), a control (28) adapted to allow to act accordingly on the diaphragm ( 18), its shaft end (14) protrudes axially beyond said   control (28) with respect to said clutch friction (13).   3 clutch according to claim 2, characterized in that, the control (28) it comprises being a hydraulic control comprising in cylinder-piston relation two elements (29 A, 29 B), one of which is intended to act on the diaphragm (18), its shaft end (14) constitutes in itself a spacer element (32) which is associated with the other of said elements (29 A, 29 B), and by which the latter is able to take   axially pressing on the reaction plate (12).   4 clutch according to claim 2, characterized in that, the control (28) it comprises being a hydraulic control comprising in cylinder-piston relation two elements (29 A, 29 B), one of which is intended to act on the diaphragm (18), it is associated with the other of said elements (29 A, 29 B), a spacer element (32) by which it is adapted to take axial support on the reaction plate (12), and said spacer element (32) is constituted by a sleeve, which passes through the clutch friction (13), and which has splines (42) at its outer periphery, for its rotational setting on this clutch friction (13), and splines (43) at its inner periphery, for its wedging in rotation on the shaft end (14).   Clutch according to any one of   Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is   the form of a unitary subassembly adapted to be reported as such on a flange (20) previously reported on   the input shaft (11) to be equipped.   Clutch according to claim 5, characterized in that on its outer surface its reaction plate (12) has clearances (26) specific to the housing of the screw head (23) ensuring the attachment of the flange (20) to the tree input (11).