JP2007333150A - Clutch release bearing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely prevent intrusion of foreign matter and water with a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: This clutch release bearing device has a side plate 30 engaging with a clutch releasing fork member, a cover 40 joined to its side plate 30, a ball bearing 10 of sandwiching an outer ring 14 from both sides in the axial direction by the side plate 30 and the cover 40, and a sleeve 20 composed of a cylindrical part 22 and a flange part 24 extending outward in the radial direction from one end of its cylindrical part 22, and elastically supports the flange part 24 of the sleeve 20 in the axial direction between the outer ring 14 of the ball bearing 10 and the cover 40. A labyrinth structure is formed by arranging a rubber-vulcanized and adhered seal part 42 in an inner diameter part of the cover 40. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an automobile clutch release bearing device. The clutch release bearing is used for a clutch that is interposed between an engine and a transmission of an automobile and transmits / cuts power from the engine to the transmission.

  FIG. 3 shows a clutch release bearing device and its peripheral mechanism interposed between an automobile engine and a transmission. As shown in the figure, the clutch release bearing device mainly comprises a ball bearing 1, a sleeve 2, a side plate 3, and a cover 4, and corrects the eccentricity between the rotation center of the diaphragm spring 8 and the rotation center of the ball bearing 1. (Self-aligning type). In this clutch release bearing device, the clutch is disengaged by pulling the diaphragm spring 8 in the direction of the arrow F in the drawing through the ball bearing 1 by the circular motion of the clutch releasing fork member (not shown) engaged with the side plate 3. It has become.

  FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the main part of the clutch release bearing device described above. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main part showing the clutch release bearing device and the transmission-side front cover 9 of FIG.

  In this clutch release bearing device, as shown in the figure, the ball bearing 1 is wrapped with a side plate 3 that engages with a clutch releasing fork member and a cover 4 that is fixed to the side plate 3 by caulking. . The ball bearing 1 is fixed to the inner diameter portion of the diaphragm spring 8 by a wedge collar 7 with a mounting portion 6 integrally extending in the axial direction from the inner ring (see FIG. 3).

The sleeve 2 includes a cylindrical portion 2a that slides in the axial direction on the front cover 9 on the transmission side, and a flange portion 2b that extends radially outward from one end of the cylindrical portion 2a. The sleeve 2 is configured by integrally forming a cylindrical portion 2a made of resin and a flange portion 2b made of steel plate by insert molding. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-172143 (FIGS. 4 and 5)

  By the way, in the conventional clutch release bearing device described above, the side plate 3 moves in the axial direction by the circular motion of the clutch releasing fork member by the driver's clutch depression operation, and the operating force is transmitted through the outer ring of the ball bearing 1. The clutch release bearing device slides as a whole. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the sleeve 2, which is a component, is guided by the front cover 9 on the transmission side and slides on the front cover 9 in the axial direction.

  On the other hand, since this clutch release bearing device is interposed between the engine and the transmission of an automobile, for example, when traveling in muddy water like a cross-country traveling vehicle, the muddy water is rebounded from a pool of water. Thus, the inside of the clutch release bearing device is in an environment in which foreign substances and water from the outside easily enter.

  There is a cover 4 fixed to the side plate 3 as means for preventing the entry of foreign matter and water. In other words, the cover 4 has a function of preventing the entry of foreign matter and water, but if the function is insufficient, the foreign matter is caught between the sleeve 2 and the front cover 9, and the sleeve 2 is smooth. Not only is the sliding prevented, but the sliding of the sleeve 2 itself may be impossible.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a clutch release bearing device that can reliably prevent foreign matter and water from entering with a simple structure. is there.

  As technical means for achieving the above-mentioned object, the present invention sandwiches an outer ring from both sides in the axial direction by a side plate engaged with a fork member for releasing a clutch, a cover coupled to the side plate, and the side plate and the cover. A ball bearing, a cylindrical portion sliding in the axial direction on the front cover, and a sleeve including a flange portion extending radially outward from one end of the cylindrical portion, and the flange portion of the sleeve is connected to the outer ring of the ball bearing and the cover In the clutch release bearing device that is elastically supported in the axial direction between the two, a labyrinth structure is provided by providing a seal portion obtained by vulcanizing and bonding rubber to the inner diameter portion of the cover. Here, the labyrinth structure means a seal structure in which a seal portion provided on the inner diameter portion of the cover is not in contact with the front cover.

  In the clutch release bearing device according to the present invention, the seal portion formed by vulcanizing and bonding rubber is provided on the inner diameter portion of the cover to form a labyrinth structure, so that the sleeve slides on the front cover in the minimum necessary space. In contrast, it is possible to reliably prevent foreign matter and water from entering between the sleeve and the front cover without increasing the torque.

  According to the present invention, by providing a seal portion formed by vulcanizing and bonding rubber to the inner diameter portion of the cover to form a labyrinth structure, foreign matter and water can be reliably prevented from entering between the sleeve and the front cover. it can. As a result, smooth sliding of the sleeve on the front cover can be ensured, so that the reliability and durability of the clutch release bearing device can be improved.

  1 and 2 show an embodiment of a clutch release bearing device according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing a clutch release bearing device and a front cover on the transmission side. FIG. 2 is a clutch release bearing device of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the principal part structure of these. The same parts as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the clutch release bearing device according to this embodiment includes a ball bearing 10, a sleeve 20, a side plate 30, a cover 40, and an elastic member 50, and main parts thereof are configured.

  The ball bearing 10 is a standard ball bearing except that the inner ring 12, the outer ring 14, and the steel ball 16 are main components, and the inner ring 12 has a special shape. At one end of the inner ring 12, a mounting portion 13 fixed to the diaphragm spring 8 by a wedge collar 7 (see FIG. 3) extends in the axial direction.

  The sleeve 20 includes a cylindrical portion 22 made of resin and a flange portion 24 made of steel plate. One end of the cylindrical portion 22 is bent outward in the radial direction, and a flange portion 24 extending radially outward from the bent end portion 26 is integrally formed by insert molding. The flange portion 24 is ring-shaped and has two flat portions 21 and 23 (see FIG. 1) that are different in level.

  The side plate 30 has an inward rim 34 extending over the entire circumference at one end in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 32 that fits the outer diameter surface of the flange portion 24 of the sleeve 20, and substantially the entire circumference at the other end. With an outwardly facing rim 36. The rim 36 protrudes radially outward at two locations in the circumferential direction to form fork engaging portions 38.

  The cover 40 is ring-shaped and has a caulking portion 41 on the outer periphery (see FIG. 2). The caulking portion 41 is for fitting the side plate 30 and the cover 40 by fitting and bending the rim 36 of the side plate 30. The cover 40 has a protrusion 44 having a narrow axial width with the flange 24 at a portion facing the flat surface 23 of the flange 24 of the sleeve 20.

  The inner diameter portion of the cover 40 is set larger than the innermost diameter of the cylindrical portion 22 of the sleeve 20. A seal portion 42 is formed by vulcanizing and bonding rubber to the inner diameter portion of the cover 40. The seal portion 42 has a labyrinth structure in which the seal portion 42 is not in contact with the front cover 9 by forming a minute clearance m between the outer diameter surface of the front cover 9.

  The elastic member 50 is interposed between the flat surface portion 23 of the flange portion 24 of the sleeve 20 and the protrusion portion 44 of the cover 40 and presses both in a direction away from each other. As the elastic member 50 exhibiting such a function, for example, a wave washer can be used.

  In this clutch release bearing device, the side plate 30 is engaged with the fork member for releasing the clutch, and is moved in the axial direction by the circular motion of the fork member accompanying the driver's clutch depression operation (see arrow F in FIG. 3). This operating force is transmitted to the outer ring 14 of the ball bearing 10, and the clutch release bearing device slides as a whole. As a result, the inner diameter end of the diaphragm spring 8 fixed to the mounting portion 13 integral with the inner ring 12 with the wedge collar 7 is pulled in the direction of the arrow, and the transmission of power is cut off.

  At this time, the cylindrical portion 22 of the sleeve 20 slides in the axial direction on the front cover 9 on the transmission side. In the clutch release bearing device described above, the seal portion 42 in which rubber is vulcanized and bonded to the inner diameter portion of the cover 40 is provided. By providing the labyrinth structure, the seal portion 42 of the cover 40 can be connected to the sleeve 20 in the minimum necessary space and without increasing torque against the sliding of the sleeve 20 on the front cover 9. Intrusion of foreign matter and water into the front cover 9 can be reliably prevented.

  The seal portion 42 of the cover 40 is formed by vulcanizing and bonding rubber. The sealing function is ensured by improving the elasticity and strength of the rubber by this vulcanization adhesion.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can of course be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. It includes the equivalent meanings recited in the claims and the equivalents recited in the claims, and all modifications within the scope.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a clutch release bearing device and a front cover in the embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an overall configuration of a clutch release bearing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the peripheral device of a clutch release bearing apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows the conventional clutch release bearing apparatus. It is a principal part expanded sectional view which shows the conventional clutch release bearing apparatus and a front cover.

Explanation of symbols

9 Front cover 10 Ball bearing 14 Outer ring 20 Sleeve 22 Cylindrical part 24 Flange part 30 Side plate 40 Cover 42 Seal part

Claims (1)

  A side plate that engages with the fork member for releasing the clutch, a cover coupled to the side plate, a ball bearing that sandwiches the outer ring from both sides in the axial direction with the side plate and the cover, and a cylindrical portion that slides in the axial direction on the front cover And a sleeve formed of a flange portion extending radially outward from one end of the cylindrical portion, and a clutch release bearing in which the flange portion of the sleeve is elastically supported in the axial direction between the outer ring of the ball bearing and the cover The clutch release bearing device according to claim 1, wherein a seal portion formed by vulcanizing and bonding rubber is provided on the inner diameter portion of the cover to form a labyrinth structure.

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