WO2001079719A1

WO2001079719A1 - Mechanically driven clutch pneumatic cylinder

Info

Publication number: WO2001079719A1
Application number: PCT/BR2001/000015
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zvonimir Raimundo Zupan
Original assignee: Zvonimir Raimundo Zupan
Priority date: 2000-04-14
Filing date: 2001-02-06
Publication date: 2001-10-25
Also published as: AU2990001A; BR8001016U

Abstract

Mechanically driven clutch pneumatic cylinder consisting of a pneumatic cylinder series connected to the cinematic chain from the automotive vehicle mechanical clutch system, having casing (01) housing piston (07) and the connecting bar (12).

Description

MECHANICALLY DRIVEN CLUTCH PNEUMATIC CYLINDER

It is related to a pneumatic cylinder improvement in order to adjust it in an automotive vehicle with a clutch mechanically driven by rods and levers The innovations can be found at the driving rods, floating bearing, sealing system and casing Patent PI 95018395 and the Patent Pending Request at LNPI-BR (Instituto Nacional de

Propriedade Industrial - Brazil) on March 30, 2000 under the number MU 80000516-0, are related to a pneumatic cylinder coupled to the automotive vehicles hydraulical cylinder clutch devices Such pneumatic cylinders don't have any industrial application in the automotive vehicles having a mechanically driven clutch system, i e , systems that don't use hydraulical cylinder(s) The mechanically driven system acts on the clutch fork by means of a physical effort that propagates itself from the clutch pedal, through rods and levers, to the clutch fork The mechanically driven system requires a bigger physical effort to push the clutch pedal, considering the low capacity of reducing forces by mechanical means such as the lever type On the other hand, it is a very reliable and enduring system when comparing it with clutch systems having hydraulical cylinder(s)

The pneumatic cylinder hereby described when coupled to a mechanical clutch system, works like an auxiliary force supplier that significantly reduces the main driven force applied on the clutch pedal The so formed system keeps all the mechanical characteristics of robustness and durability, it still performs in the same original way, i e , if there isn't any auxiliary force on account of the lacking of compressed air in the pneumatic cylinder, the hole system will go on normally performing with its original mechanic characteristics

Figure 1 is the device longitudinal section A-A showing the following parts Casing (01) casting process manufactured and machined in a preliminary shape of two truncated cylinders (01A)(01B) axially hollowed (02)(04) and tangentially stuck, its length varies according to several existing displacements and has different diameters according to the force demanded by each clutch type and to the compressed air pressure available in the air tanks of the existing different models and/or types vehicles.

Floating bearing (06) fixed in the pneumatic cylinder casing (01B) having a hole (08) perpendicular to the cylinder axis that couples to a non represented rod. The non-represented rod is fixed on the transmission case casing. Preferably, the positioning of the non-represented rod is on the transmission case external lateral side at the superior rear end. Piston (07) has an externally and internally machined cylindrical body with variable diameters depending on the force demanded by each clutch type and, on the air compressed pressure available for work in the reservoirs of the existing different vehicles models and/or types. Its functions are transforming the energy from the stored compressed air in the expansion chamber (04) into mechanical energy (force) and of transmitting this mechanical energy through the piston rod (11) to the clutch fork. Piston rod (11) has an externally and internally machined cylindrical body, coupled to piston (07) which function is transmitting to clutch fork the resultant force from the adding of the mechanical energies (forces) generated by the piston (7) and by the clutch pedal. Driving rod (03) has an externally machined cylindrical body, which function is transmitting to piston (07) the force generated by the clutch pedal; one of its ends is connected to piston (07) and the other one to the joining plate (09). Connecting bar (12) is a rigid cylindrical bar that slides into the through hole (02) in the casing (01 A); having one of its ends coupled to the clutch long rod coming from the clutch pedal and the other one fixed to joining plate (09). This clutch long rod isn't shown in the drawing and has the function of transmitting to piston (07) the force applied on the clutch pedal. Joining plate (09) rigidly joins the driving rod (03) to the connecting bar (12) which axial displacement is fully transmitted to driving rod (03).

Gasket (05) of piston (07) is a"U"section ring in which the height of end (10), tangent to the expansion chamber (04) inner wall, is 2 or 3 times smaller than the other one. Figure 2 is a transversal section B-B from the pneumatic cylinder and the mechanical drive showing casing (01,01A,01B), connecting bar (12) guide hole (02), driving rod (03), expansion chamber (04), the shorter end (10) of gasket (05), floating bearing (06), piston (07) and the floating bearing (06) hole (08).

Figure 3 is an enlarged view showing the "U" form ring section gasket (05) in detail, having the end (10), tangent to the expansion chamber (04) inner wall, smaller than the other one adjacent to piston (07).

At first, the clutch long rod was coupled to the clutch fork. The invention hereby described uncoupled it to couple it again to the connecting bar (12) through point (13) and then fastening the clutch fork loose end to the piston rod (11) through point (14). When one presses the clutch pedal, a tractive force is transmitted to the clutch long rod that in its turn tensions the connecting bar (12). The joining plate (09) transmits that movement to driving rod (03) that when compressed moves the pneumatic cylinder which then tensions the piston rod (11) of piston (07). On its turn, piston rod (11) tensions through point (14) the clutch fork. The driving rod (03) displacement is the same as the one from the connecting bar (12), which is a function of the displacement adjusted on the clutch pedal. The piston rod (11) displacement corresponds to the wanted clutch fork displacement that it is a function of piston (07) displacement. The auxiliary recoil spring(15) is to return the connecting bar(12). Piston (07) diameter and displacement are calculated in order to satisfy each automotive vehicle model requirements. In order to reduce the driving force imparted to the clutch pedal by the driver in about 50%, keeping the pneumatic cylinder response period the same, piston (07) gasket (05) has been modified. The height of end (10), tangential to expansion chamber (04), has been reduced to 2/3 the height of piston (07) adjacent end. Such change increased the work pressure without increasing the force due to friction from piston (07) on the expansion chamber (04) wall.

Claims

1 - MECHANICALLY DRIVEN CLUTCH PNEUMATIC CYLINDER, characterized by being the connecting bar (12), the piston (07) driving rod (03), the pneumatic valve and the piston rod (11) series-connected, in such a way the connecting bar (12) end (13) be connected to the clutch long rod, which connects to the clutch pedal; and also by piston rod (11) end (14) being connected to the automotive vehicle clutch fork system.

2 - MECHANICALLY DRIVEN CLUTCH PNEUMATIC CYLINDER, according to claim 1, characterized by being connecting bar (12) parallel to' the assembly formed by the driving rod (03), piston (07) and piston rod (11); and also that the so mentioned assembly be joined by a joining plate (09), coupled to one end of the connecting rod (12) and to one end of the driving rod (03).

3 - MECHANICALLY DRIVEN CLUTCH PNEUMATIC CYLINDER, according to claim 1, characterized by having a casing (01) in a two truncated cylindrical shape (01 A) and (01B) axially hollowed; the smaller (01A) contains the connecting bar (12) and the bigger one (01B) contains piston (07), driving rod (03) and the piston (07) rod (11); also having the so mentioned casing (01) a floating bearing (06).

4 - MECHANICALLY DRIVEN CLUTCH PNEUMATIC CYLINDER, according to claim 1, characterized by gasket (05), which seals piston (07) in relation to the expansion chamber (04), being of a "U" form section and by being the "U" end (10) - tangential to the expansion chamber (04) - 1/3 shorter than the other end that is adjacent to piston (07).