JP2000145815A - Automatic aligning type clutch release bearing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To generate a stable alignment resisting force without depending upon the accuracy of components or the assembling precision. SOLUTION: The flange 3b1 of an inner ring 3b is pressed to one surface of a side plate resiliently using an initially coned disc spring 4, and a ball bearing 3 is held in such a way as making aligning movement in the radial direction. The deflection vs. load curve of the disc spring 4 should include a flat region in which the spring load is approx. constant, and the spring 4 is interposed between a sleeve 1 and flange 3b1 with a deflection amount lying within the flat region.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a self-aligning clutch release bearing device which is incorporated between an engine and a transmission and automatically aligns a misalignment between the two.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As conceptually shown in FIG. 5, a clutch release bearing device A is disposed between an engine (output shaft 39) of a manual transmission vehicle and a transmission 32, and operates a clutch pedal (not shown). Is pressed by a release fork 34 that swings in conjunction with the shaft, slides axially on the front cover 33 toward the engine, and has a function of temporarily blocking transmission of the rotational force of the engine to the transmission 32. .

A clutch release bearing device A as described above
For example, a sleeve that slides on the front cover 33, a ball bearing that is externally inserted into the sleeve, and an outer diameter extending from the outer periphery of the sleeve in an outer radial direction, and an outer ring of the ball bearing is slidably contacted on one surface in the radial direction. It mainly comprises a side plate that is in contact with the release fork on the other surface, and a disc spring that elastically presses and holds the outer ring of the ball bearing against one surface of the side plate.

[0004] When the clutch pedal is depressed, the release fork 34 swings counterclockwise in the figure, contacts the other surface of the side plate, and presses and slides the clutch release bearing A toward the engine in the axial direction. As a result, the inner ring of the ball bearing comes into contact with the diaphragm spring 35 of the clutch device, and further, the deflection of the diaphragm spring 35 causes the pressure plate 38 pressing the clutch disc 36 to the flywheel 37 to be separated from the clutch disc 36, The torque of the output shaft 39 of the engine is temporarily disconnected from the transmission 32.

[0005] When there is a deviation between the shaft center on the engine side and the shaft center on the transmission side, the ball bearing of the clutch release bearing device A slides in the radial direction in accordance with the amount of the deviation, so that it is displaced. The misalignment is automatically centered. This alignment is completed by several clutch operations.
After the ball bearing has been centered and moved by a required amount, the ball bearing is elastically held at that position by the urging force of the disc spring, and has a so-called centering drag, which does not shift even when it is subjected to engine vibration, impact or the like.

If the centering drag is too small, the vibration of the engine
The centering position is destroyed by the impact, while if the centering drag is too large, it takes a considerable time for centering. From the above, the centering drag is set within an appropriate range.

[0007]

Heretofore, attempts have been made to use a disc spring having a circular cross section and a plurality of slits formed in an inner diameter portion as a disc spring. The general spring characteristics of this type of spring are as shown in FIG. 6, and in a practical range, the spring load greatly fluctuates with the fluctuation of the deflection amount.

From the above spring characteristics, the centering drag of the disc spring depends on the variation in the amount of deflection, that is, the error in the mounting position of the disc spring and the size of the spring. ). Conventionally, the centering drag is managed by reducing the error. However, since there is a limit in improving the accuracy, it is difficult to obtain a stable centering drag.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a self-aligning clutch release bearing device capable of obtaining a stable centering resistance without being affected by the accuracy of parts and the accuracy of assembly.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a self-aligning clutch release bearing device according to the present invention comprises a ball bearing having a contact portion that contacts a rotating member of a clutch device, and a ball bearing having an inner portion. And a side plate that extends radially outwardly from the outer periphery of the sleeve, a ball bearing abuts on one surface in a radially slidable manner, and a release fork abuts on the other surface, and a ball bearing on one side of the side plate. And a disc spring which elastically presses and holds the disc spring.
The load curve has a flat region in which the load is substantially constant, and is arranged with the amount of deflection in the flat region.

The disc spring has a tapered annular base portion and an inner diameter portion provided on the inner diameter side and having a plurality of slits formed in a notch and having a circular cross section, and is smoothly connected from the inner diameter portion to the annular base portion. It shall be assumed. The reason why the annular base portion is tapered is that it has rigidity and a ball bearing (for example, a flange portion of an outer ring).
The reason why the inner diameter portion and the annular base portion are smoothly continuous is that if there is a bent portion, the disc spring is deformed at that portion, and the flat region is not obtained, Alternatively, the range of the region becomes narrow.

The slit is formed up to the boundary between the inner diameter portion and the annular base.

It is desirable that the rigidity of the annular base be higher than that of the inner diameter.

The ball bearing has an inner ring having a contact portion that comes into contact with the rotating member of the clutch device, and an outer ring having an inward flange portion provided at an end thereof. The flange portion is brought into contact with the outer ring, and the flange portion of the outer ring is elastically pressed against one surface of the side plate by a disc spring.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The self-aligning clutch release bearing device shown in FIG. 1 is similar to the clutch release bearing device A shown in FIG. 5 in that an engine (output shaft 39) and a transmission (32) of a manual transmission vehicle are provided. Which slides axially on the front cover (33) toward the engine by the operation of the release fork (34) to temporarily block the transmission of the rotational force of the engine to the transmission (32). It is.

In the clutch release bearing device of this embodiment, a sleeve 1 made of resin, a side plate 2 integrally formed with the sleeve 1 (insert molding), and an outer periphery 1a of the sleeve 1 and one end surface 2a of the side plate 2 are provided. The ball bearing 3 is provided and is elastically held by elastic means, for example, a disc spring 4.

The sleeve 1 is a substantially cylindrical molded body (such as an injection molded body) made of a resin material. Inner circumference 1b of sleeve 1
Is slidably inserted into the front cover (33).
A tapered guide surface 1a1 is formed at one end of the outer periphery 1a of the sleeve 1 at a corner thereof, and a stopper 1a2 projecting toward the outer diameter is formed at a substantially central portion (closer to the other end), and at the other end. The side plate 2 is integrally protruded. The guide surface 1a1 is provided on an outer periphery 1a of the sleeve 1 for assembling a ball bearing 3 and a disc spring 4 described later.
Has a function of guiding the small-diameter end of the disc spring 4 when extrapolating the disc spring. Further, the stopper portion 1a2 has a function of engaging with the small-diameter end of the disc spring 4 in a state after the completion of the assembly to prevent the displacement thereof. The stopper 1a2 is narrow, and one end of the stopper 1a2 is an obtuse inclined wall, and the other end to which the small diameter end of the disc spring 4 is engaged is a vertical wall or a slightly acute inclined wall. The inclined wall at one end has a function of guiding the small-diameter end of the disc spring 4 at the time of installation. Further, a circumferential groove 1a3 is provided continuously with the innermost diameter portion of the wall surface on the other end side, and the outer diameter of the circumferential groove 1a3 is
Slightly smaller than a.

The side plate 2 is a ring made of a steel plate press, and is integrally insert-molded on the outer periphery of the other end of the sleeve 1 made of resin. A flange portion 3b1 of an outer ring 3b of a ball bearing 3, which will be described later, abuts on one end surface 2a of the side plate 2 slidably in the radial direction.
On the other end face side, contact portions 2b with which the release fork (34) comes into contact are disposed, for example, at 180 ° facing positions. The side plate 2 of this embodiment is a cold-rolled steel plate, for example, S
It is obtained by forming a PCC steel sheet into a predetermined shape by press working and then performing a carbonitriding treatment as a surface hardening treatment.

The ball bearing 3 includes an inner race 3a made of a steel plate press having an outward flange 3a1 at one end and a steel plate press having an inward flange portion 3b1 at the other end, which is in contact with a diaphragm spring (35) of a clutch device. Outer race 3b, and the inner race 3a and the outer race 3b are interposed between the respective raceways 3a.
Plural balls 3c in angular contact with 2, 3b2
And a retainer 3d for holding the ball 3c at a predetermined circumferential distance
And a first seal member 3e for sealing at one end between the outer diameter surface of the inner ring 3a and the inner diameter surface of the outer ring 3b, and a second seal member 3f for sealing at the other end. In this embodiment, the diaphragm spring (35)
ΦT> PCD ｛r = (φT / PC) is the diameter φT of the contact portion of the flange 3a1 of the inner ring 3a and the pitch circle diameter PCD of the ball 3c (diameter of the circle passing through the center of the ball 3c).
D)> 1}. Also, the first seal member 3e
Is a non-contact type elastic seal, the outer diameter side of which is an outer ring 3
b is press-fitted and fixed to the inner diameter surface on one end side, and the lip portion on the inner diameter side approaches the outer diameter surface on one end side of the inner ring 3a via a labyrinth gap. The second seal member 3f is a shield plate made of a steel plate press having a substantially U-shaped cross section, and its outer diameter side portion is the outer race 3
b is press-fitted and fixed to the inner diameter surface on the other end side, and the inner diameter end portion approaches the outer diameter surface on the other end side of the inner ring 3a via a labyrinth gap. In addition, a contact-type seal may be used as the first seal member and the second seal member.

The inner ring 3a and the outer ring 3b as described above are
For example, press working from steel plate material → heat treatment → track surface 3a
It is manufactured through a process of grinding the 2, 3b2 and sealing surfaces. As the steel plate material, a carburized steel plate can be used, and as the heat treatment, carburized quenching can be used. As carburized steel, chromium molybdenum steel (S
CM) is preferably used. Chrome molybdenum steel (S
CM) means SCM415, SCM4 depending on the carbon content.
18, SCM420, SCM421, and SCM822, and among them, SCM415M is most preferable.

The disc spring 4 as the elastic means is a substantially conical cylindrical steel plate press-formed product. As shown in FIG. 2, the disc spring 4 includes a tapered annular base portion 4a and an inner diameter portion 4c provided on the inner diameter side and having a plurality of slits 4b1 and 4b2 formed in a notch and having an arc-shaped cross section. Thus, the rigidity of the annular base portion 4c is sufficiently larger than that of the inner diameter portion 4c. The boundary between the annular base 4a and the inner diameter 4c is smoothly continuous. In the drawings, the case where the annular base 4a is formed in the tangential direction of the outer diameter end of the inner diameter portion 4c and is smoothly continuous is illustrated, but a curvature larger than the inner diameter portion 4c is provided between the annular base 4a and the inner diameter portion 4c. May be interposed. Inner diameter part 4c
May extend in the tangential direction, or may extend in an arc shape having a smaller curvature than the inner diameter portion 4c.

As shown in FIG. 3, the disc spring 4 of this embodiment
Is provided with a plurality of slits 4b1 and 4b2 all around the inner diameter,
A portion between adjacent slits is a tongue piece 4d. These slits include a main slit 4b1 having a large depth and an auxiliary slit 4b2 having a small depth, which are provided alternately.
The portion on the outer diameter side from the bottom of the main slit 4b1 is the annular base 4a having a tapered cross section, and the portion on the inner diameter side is the inner diameter portion 4c having a circular arc cross section. In this case, the annular base 4a has a disc spring element, the tongue piece 4d has a leaf spring element, and the central part 4e has an arc spring element. The central portion 4e is a portion of the disc spring between the adjacent main slits 4b1 and the portion between the bottom of the auxiliary slit 4b2.

In the disc spring 4 of the above embodiment, the auxiliary slit 4b2 is for making the tongue piece 4d easily deformable, and can be easily formed without changing the main slit 4b1 only by adjusting the depth of the slit 4b2. Alignment drag can be adjusted. Since the depth of the main slit 4b1 remains at the optimum value and does not need to be changed, the rigidity and strength of the annular base 4a can be maintained at the optimum values.

The material of the disc spring 4 is spring steel, for example, S
K5 is used, but carbon steel S60C for machine structural use and SUS-based materials can also be used in addition to the SK material. The board thickness is
If it is for an automobile, the thickness is preferably 0.3 to 0.5 mm. If it is larger than 0.5 mm, the spring load becomes excessive, and if it is 0.3 mm or less, a spring load that generates an appropriate centering drag cannot be obtained (centering drag = α × spring load).

In this disc spring 4, the main deformation is dominated by the tongues 4d, and the elastic deformation of each tongue 4d causes
The small-diameter end of the disc spring 4 contracts and expands. FIG. 4 is an actual measurement diagram of a deflection amount-spring load curve of the disc spring 4 of the above-described embodiment, and a region where the deflection amount is substantially constant within a range of 0.95 to 1.45 mm (flat region A). ). The length of the flat region A in the horizontal axis direction is set in a range that can sufficiently absorb these errors in consideration of molding errors of the disc spring 4 and variations in the position of the circumferential groove 1a3.

When assembling the clutch release bearing device, the assembly of the ball bearing 3 assembly and the disc spring 4 is
From one end side, it is extrapolated to the outer circumference 1a of the sleeve 1, the flange 3b1 of the outer ring 3b of the ball bearing 3 abuts against the end face 2a of the side plate 2, and the small-diameter end (tongue) of the disc spring 4 is the stopper 1
Push until it touches the wall on the other end side of a2. In the process of pushing the assembly forward, the small-diameter end (tongue piece) of the disc spring 4 first comes into contact with the guide surface 1 at one end of the sleeve 1.
Guided by a1, rides on the outer circumference 1a, then slides on the outer circumference 1a, abuts against the inclined wall at one end of the stopper 1a2, and is guided by the inclined wall to form a circle at the other end of the stopper 1a2. It fits into the circumferential groove 1a3. Annular base 4a of disc spring 4
Is interposed in a space formed between the seal 3f and the inner surface of the flange 3b1 of the outer ring 3b, and abuts against the inner surface of the flange 3b1 to elastically press the flange 3b1 against the end surface 2a of the side plate 2. . At this time, the disc spring 4 is mounted so that the amount of deflection after the mounting is within the range of the flat area A.

As described above, when the assembly of the ball bearing 3 and the disc spring 4 is extrapolated to the outer periphery 1 a of the sleeve 1,
The clutch release bearing device of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is completed. Outer circumference 1a of sleeve 1 and inner ring 3a of ball bearing 3
Has a radial clearance S1 between the outer ring 3 and the inner ring surface.
There is a radial gap S2 between the inner diameter of the flange 3b1 and the outer circumference 1a of the sleeve 1. Radial clearance S2
Is smaller than the radial clearance S1 (S1> S2).
Then, the flange 3b1 of the outer ring 3b is elastically pressed against the end surface 2a of the side plate 2 by the urging force of the disc spring 4 compressed between the stopper 1a2 of the sleeve 1 and the inner surface of the flange 3b1 of the outer ring 3b. Thereby, the ball bearing 3 is elastically held between the outer periphery 1a of the sleeve 1 and the end surface 2a of the side plate 2 so as to be slidable in the radial direction. The ball bearing 3 can be radially moved with respect to the sleeve 1 and the side plate 2 by the presence of the radial clearances S1 and S2, and the amount of the centering movement is regulated by the smaller radial clearance S2. You. There is an error in assembling between the axis of the front cover (33) and the axis of the output shaft (39), and misalignment occurs between the rotation center of the diaphragm spring (35) and the rotation center of the clutch release bearing device. Even if it occurs, the ball bearing 3 moves in alignment according to the deviation amount,
The misalignment is automatically centered.

Also, after the ball bearing 3 has been centered and moved by a required amount,
By the urging force of the disc spring 4, it is elastically held at that position,
It has a so-called centering drag, which does not shift even if it receives engine vibration, impact, or the like. In this case, even if there is some variation in the position of the circumferential groove 1a3, the size of the disc spring 4, and the like, the spring load is substantially constant from the above-mentioned spring characteristics, and therefore, stable adjustment without being affected by these variations. You can get heart drag.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the disc spring is
In the deflection amount-load curve, a flat region where the load is substantially constant is provided, and the bending amount is provided within the flat region, so that it is affected by dimensional errors of the disc springs and variations in the mounting position. Without this, stable centering drag can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a clutch release bearing device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the disc spring (a line BB in FIG. 3).

FIG. 3 is a front view of the disc spring.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a deflection-spring load curve.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a peripheral portion of a clutch device of an automobile.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a deflection-spring load curve of a conventional product.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sleeve 2 Side plate 3 Ball bearing 3a Inner ring 3b Outer ring 3b1 Flange part 4 Disc spring 4a Annular base 4b1 Main slit 4b2 Auxiliary slit 4c Inner diameter part 4d Tongue

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Katsuaki Sasaki 1578 Higashikaizuka, Iwata City, Shizuoka Pref.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A ball bearing having a contact portion that contacts a rotating member of a clutch device, a sleeve inserted inside the ball bearing, and extending in an outer radial direction from an outer periphery of the sleeve. A side plate that slidably abuts in the direction and a release fork abuts on the other surface, and a disc spring that elastically presses and holds the ball bearing against one surface of the side plate, wherein the disc spring has a deflection-load curve. , A self-aligning clutch release bearing device having a flat region in which a load is substantially constant, and being disposed with a deflection amount in the flat region. 2. A disc spring having a tapered annular base and an inner diameter having an arc-shaped cross section provided with a plurality of slits formed on an inner diameter side thereof, and having a smooth shape from the inner diameter to the annular base. The self-aligning clutch release bearing device according to claim 1, which is continuous. 3. The self-centering clutch release bearing device according to claim 2, wherein the slit is formed up to a boundary portion between the inner diameter portion and the annular base portion. 4. The self-aligning clutch release bearing device according to claim 2, wherein the rigidity of the annular base portion is higher than that of the inner diameter portion. 5. The ball bearing has an inner ring having a contact portion that contacts a rotating member of the clutch device, and an outer ring having an inward flange portion provided at an end, and the outer ring of the ball bearing is provided on one surface of the side plate. The self-centering clutch release bearing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the flange portion of the self-aligning clutch release bearing is abutted, and the flange portion of the outer ring is elastically pressed against one surface of the side plate by a disc spring.