GB2100827A

GB2100827A - Clutch release bearing assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2100827A
Application number: GB08213469A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lothar Walter; Manfred Brandenstein; Horst Manfred Ernst
Original assignee: SKF Kugellagerfabriken GmbH
Current assignee: SKF GmbH
Priority date: 1981-05-09
Filing date: 1982-05-10
Publication date: 1983-01-06
Also published as: IT1190812B; DE8113664U1; IT8221113A0; GB2100827B; IT8221791V0; FR2505427A1; FR2505427B1

Abstract

A clutch release bearing assembly comprising a sliding sleeve (18) with a thrust plate (17) and a retaining ring (19), and a rolling bearing (10). A race ring (11) of the bearing is held against rotational movement in the centred position by a coating of fibre flock (21) on that race ring (11) (or retaining ring (19)) engaged by a projection or projections (20) extending from the retaining ring (19) (or race ring (11)). The projection(s) may be constituted by a further coating of fibre flock. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Clutch releaser The present invention relates to a clutch releaser, for example for a vehicle clutch, which comprises a sliding sleeve and a clutch bearing axially fixed thereto through a retaining ring or the like, the clutch bearing with the stationary bearing race ring being arranged radially displaceably on a thrust plate or flange of the sliding sleeve and fixed in the centred position by means which are provided on a part of the clutch bearing and cooperate with a part of the sliding sleeve or the like.

A clutch releaser is known in which the clutch bearing is limitedly liftable by a stop and movable in the radial direction in relation to the engagement element for the clutch actuation means, for centring upon the axis of the clutch, a plastically deformable material being provided on the stop in which a raised portion arranged on the stationary bearing race ring engages upon engagement of the clutch and holds the clutch gearing in the centred position (published specification DE 22 21 231).

This known device has the disadvantage that special means are required for the axial application of the clutch bearing and that the bearing must be displaced in the axial direction with every clutch operation, the raised portion arranged on the stationary bearing race ring being drawn out of the plastically deformable material.

The subject of the present invention is a clutch releaser in which the clutch bearing does not have to be displaced in the axial direction, which consists of relatively few, cheaply producible and easily assemblable individual parts, which is compact and occupies only little construction space.

According to the present invention on one of the mutually opposite faces of the stationary bearing race ring and retaining ring a flock fibre coating is provided in which engage projections or the like extending from the other face.

The retaining ring may also be provided with a flock fibre coating the fibres of which engage in the flock fibre coating arranged on the stationary bearing race ring.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is part of a longitudinal section of a clutch releaser according to the invention with a flock fibre coating arranged on the flange of the stationary bearing race ring, in which coating axial projections of a retaining ring engage; Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1 but in which the retaining ring engages with a circumferential projection in the flock fibre coating; Figure 3 is an end elevation of the retaining ring shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is part of a longitudinal section of another clutch releaser according to the invention in which the retaining ring and the stationary bearing race ring are both provided with a flock fibre coating.

The clutch releaser illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a clutch thrust bearing 10 which comprises a stationary outer race ring 11 with a radially inwardly directed flange 12, a rotating inner race ring 1 3 with a convexly curved abutment face 14 for the clutch diaphragm spring (not shown) and balls 1 5 arranged between the bearing race rings 11 and 13 in a cage 16. The clutch thrust bearing 10 lies with the flange 12 radially displaceably on a thrust plate 17 of sliding sleeve 1 8 and is fixed in the centred position by a retaining ring 19 which engages with axially directed projections 20 in a flock fibre coating 21.

The retaining ring 19 is made in L-form and arranged with a sleeve-like section 22 on the sliding sleeve 1 8.

The clutch thrust bearing shown in Figures 2 and 3 differs from the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 merely in that a surrounding projection 23 is provided on the retaining ring 24 and is angled off towards the flock fibre coating 25 and preferably comprises radially extending grooves 26 arranged in distribution on the circumference.

The flock fibres 25 engaging in the grooves 26 present rotation of the stationary outer race ring 2 relative to the sliding sleeve 1 8.

In the clutch releaser illustrated in Figure 4, the retaining ring 27 is also provided with a flock fibre coating 28 on the side remote from the clutch, which coating co-operates with the flock fibre coating 29 arranged on the stationary bearing race ring 11. In this embodiment the flock fibres of the two coatings 28 and 29 hook into one another and fix the stationary bearing race ring 11 in the centred position. The circumferential surface 30 of the retaining ring 27, against which the bore surface 31 of the stationary bearing race ring 11 comes to abut in the case of heavy impacts, serves as an end stop.

Due to this arrangement of the retaining rings 1 9, 24 and 27 on the circumferential surface of the sliding sleeve 18 or the like, which rings engage with correspondingly formed projections 20 and 23 or the like in a flock fibre coating 21, 25 and 29 fixed with respect to the stationary bearing race ring 11 , the object is achieved that the clutch bearing 10 can shift in every radial direction and adjust itself without great constraint forces exactly centrally in relation to the ends of the tongues of the diaphragm spring of the clutch (not shown), while the relative movements of the clutch bearing 10 in relation to the sliding sleeve 18 are damped in every position by the flock fibres 21,25 and 29 bending over elastically on radial displacement of the bearing 1 0.

Modifications of the individual parts of the clutch releaser are readily possible. Thus, by way of example, the retaining ring 24 can be provided with one or more concentrically arranged surrounding projections 23 with, for example, a wedge-shaped cross-section.

1. Clutch releaser, especially for vehicle clutches, which consists of a sliding sleeve and a

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Clutch releaser The present invention relates to a clutch releaser, for example for a vehicle clutch, which comprises a sliding sleeve and a clutch bearing axially fixed thereto through a retaining ring or the like, the clutch bearing with the stationary bearing race ring being arranged radially displaceably on a thrust plate or flange of the sliding sleeve and fixed in the centred position by means which are provided on a part of the clutch bearing and cooperate with a part of the sliding sleeve or the like. A clutch releaser is known in which the clutch bearing is limitedly liftable by a stop and movable in the radial direction in relation to the engagement element for the clutch actuation means, for centring upon the axis of the clutch, a plastically deformable material being provided on the stop in which a raised portion arranged on the stationary bearing race ring engages upon engagement of the clutch and holds the clutch gearing in the centred position (published specification DE 22 21 231). This known device has the disadvantage that special means are required for the axial application of the clutch bearing and that the bearing must be displaced in the axial direction with every clutch operation, the raised portion arranged on the stationary bearing race ring being drawn out of the plastically deformable material. The subject of the present invention is a clutch releaser in which the clutch bearing does not have to be displaced in the axial direction, which consists of relatively few, cheaply producible and easily assemblable individual parts, which is compact and occupies only little construction space. According to the present invention on one of the mutually opposite faces of the stationary bearing race ring and retaining ring a flock fibre coating is provided in which engage projections or the like extending from the other face. The retaining ring may also be provided with a flock fibre coating the fibres of which engage in the flock fibre coating arranged on the stationary bearing race ring. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is part of a longitudinal section of a clutch releaser according to the invention with a flock fibre coating arranged on the flange of the stationary bearing race ring, in which coating axial projections of a retaining ring engage; Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1 but in which the retaining ring engages with a circumferential projection in the flock fibre coating; Figure 3 is an end elevation of the retaining ring shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is part of a longitudinal section of another clutch releaser according to the invention in which the retaining ring and the stationary bearing race ring are both provided with a flock fibre coating. The clutch releaser illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a clutch thrust bearing 10 which comprises a stationary outer race ring 11 with a radially inwardly directed flange 12, a rotating inner race ring 1 3 with a convexly curved abutment face 14 for the clutch diaphragm spring (not shown) and balls 1 5 arranged between the bearing race rings 11 and 13 in a cage 16. The clutch thrust bearing 10 lies with the flange 12 radially displaceably on a thrust plate 17 of sliding sleeve 1 8 and is fixed in the centred position by a retaining ring 19 which engages with axially directed projections 20 in a flock fibre coating 21. The retaining ring 19 is made in L-form and arranged with a sleeve-like section 22 on the sliding sleeve 1 8. The clutch thrust bearing shown in Figures 2 and 3 differs from the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 merely in that a surrounding projection 23 is provided on the retaining ring 24 and is angled off towards the flock fibre coating 25 and preferably comprises radially extending grooves 26 arranged in distribution on the circumference. The flock fibres 25 engaging in the grooves 26 present rotation of the stationary outer race ring 2 relative to the sliding sleeve 1 8. In the clutch releaser illustrated in Figure 4, the retaining ring 27 is also provided with a flock fibre coating 28 on the side remote from the clutch, which coating co-operates with the flock fibre coating 29 arranged on the stationary bearing race ring 11. In this embodiment the flock fibres of the two coatings 28 and 29 hook into one another and fix the stationary bearing race ring 11 in the centred position. The circumferential surface 30 of the retaining ring 27, against which the bore surface 31 of the stationary bearing race ring 11 comes to abut in the case of heavy impacts, serves as an end stop. Due to this arrangement of the retaining rings 1 9, 24 and 27 on the circumferential surface of the sliding sleeve 18 or the like, which rings engage with correspondingly formed projections 20 and 23 or the like in a flock fibre coating 21, 25 and 29 fixed with respect to the stationary bearing race ring 11 , the object is achieved that the clutch bearing 10 can shift in every radial direction and adjust itself without great constraint forces exactly centrally in relation to the ends of the tongues of the diaphragm spring of the clutch (not shown), while the relative movements of the clutch bearing 10 in relation to the sliding sleeve 18 are damped in every position by the flock fibres 21,25 and 29 bending over elastically on radial displacement of the bearing 1 0. Modifications of the individual parts of the clutch releaser are readily possible. Thus, by way of example, the retaining ring 24 can be provided with one or more concentrically arranged surrounding projections 23 with, for example, a wedge-shaped cross-section. CLAIMS

1. Clutch releaser, especially for vehicle clutches, which consists of a sliding sleeve and a clutch bearing fixed axially thereto through a retaining ring or the like, the clutch bearing with the stationary bearing race ring being arranged radially displaceably on a thrust plate or flange of the sliding sleeve and fixed in the centred position by means which are provided on a part of the clutch bearing and co-operate with a part of the sliding sleeve or the like, characterised in that on one of the mutually opposite faces of the stationary bearing race ring and retaining ring there is provided a flock fibre coating in which engage projections or the like extending from the other face.

2. Clutch releaser according to Claim 1, characterised in that the projections are provided extending substantially axially on the radially outwardly directed flange of a retaining ring of L-shaped cross-section arranged on the circumference of the sliding sleeve.

3. Clutch releaser according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the projections are arranged extending around on one or more concentric circles.

4. Clutch releaser according to Claim 3, characterised in that the surrounding projections are provided with several radially extending grooves arranged in distribution on the circumference.

5. Clutch releaser according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the projections have a wedge-shaped cross-section.

6. Clutch releaser according to Claim 1, characterised in that the retaining ring has a flock fibre coating which lies opposite to the flock fibre coating on the stationary bearing race ring, and in that the fibres of the one coating are arranged engaging between the fibres of the other coating.

7. A clutch release bearing assembly comprising a sliding sleeve and a rolling bearing, the sliding sleeve having a radially extending thrust plate and a retaining ring fixed with respect to the sleeve and axially spaced from the thrust plate, the thrust plate and retaining ring limiting axial movement of the bearing relative to the sleeve, and the rolling bearing having a race ring freely rotatable with respect to the sleeve and another race ring having a surface axially opposed to a surface of the retaining ring, one of the opposed surfaces having a coating of flock, the retaining ring or the another race ring not having the coating of flock providing a projection or projections extending into the coating of flock.

8. A clutch release bearing assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1, or with reference to and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, or with reference to and as shown in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.