WO2009105402A2

WO2009105402A2 - Clutch damper unit

Info

Publication number: WO2009105402A2
Application number: PCT/US2009/034218
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans Jürgen HAUCK
Original assignee: Borgwarner Inc.
Priority date: 2008-02-18
Filing date: 2009-02-16
Publication date: 2009-08-27
Also published as: DE102008038101B4; DE102008038101A1; WO2009105402A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a clutch damper unit (2) with a clutch device (8), which comprises a plate carrier (54) or a clutch housing with axial projections (66), a damping device (4), which comprises a damper housing (34) accommodating at least one spring device (40) with a first housing wall (36) facing the axial projections (66), and a rotational drive device (6), which has a rotational drive connection to the damper housing (34) on the one hand and the plate carrier (54) or the clutch housing on the other. According to the invention recesses (42) and/or depressions (90), which are assigned to the axial projections (66) and into which the axial projections (66) can be or are introduced in an axial direction (16), are provided in the first housing wall (36).

Description

CLUTCH DAMPER UNIT

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a clutch damper unit with a clutch device, which comprises a plate carrier or a clutch housing having axial projections, a damping device, which comprises a damper housing accommodating at least one spring device with a first housing wall facing the axial projections, and a rotational drive device, which has a rotational drive connection to the damper housing on the one hand and to the plate carrier or clutch housing on the other.

The state of the art discloses clutch damper units, which are made up of a clutch device, generally a multiple clutch device on the one hand, and a damping device, such as a torsional vibration damper, for example, on the other. Here the clutch device comprises a plate carrier or a clutch housing, whilst the damping device comprises a damper housing, which accommodates at least one spring device, which serves for flexibly coupling the inlet side of the damping device to the damper housing. The damper housing generally comprises a dished first housing wall and a dished second housing wall, which after inserting the spring device are joined together, so that the spring device is enclosed externally and in both axial directions by the damper housing. The first housing wall of the damper housing in an axial direction here faces the clutch device or the plate carrier or the clutch housing of the clutch device. In order to achieve a rotational drive connection between the damper housing on the one hand and the plate carrier or the clutch housing on the other, a rotational drive device, which may be embodied in the manner of a drive disk, for example, is furthermore provided. This rotational drive device has a rotational drive connection to the damper housing on the one hand and to the plate carrier or the clutch housing of the clutch device on the other. In order to bring about the rotational drive connection between the plate carrier or the clutch housing on the one hand and the rotational drive device on the other, axial projections, which in an axial direction extend into drive recesses inside the rotational drive device, are provided on the plate carrier or clutch housing. The axial projections here extend right through the drive recesses, so that they project from the drive recesses on the other side.

The arrangement hitherto described for producing a rotational drive connection between the damper housing on the one hand and the plate carrier or clutch housing on the other is used particularly in clutch damper units, the clutch device of which is embodied as a multiple clutch device and in which at least two clutches are arranged concentrically with one another, that is to say the clutches and the associated plate packs are arranged nested in a radial direction. In such an arrangement the radial extent of the clutch device is especially great, so that in the radial direction at least the plate carrier of the outer clutch or the clutch housing of the clutch device is arranged approximately on a level with the spring device of the damping device. The axial projections of the plate carrier or of the clutch housing facing the damping device are therefore also arranged radially on a level with the first housing wall of the damper housing facing axial projections. Since the plate carrier or the clutch housing can be displaced in an axial direction relative to the damper housing, there is a risk here that under a relative axial displacement of the plate carrier or the clutch housing the axial projections will collide with the side of the first housing wall of the damper housing facing the axial projections. In order to prevent such a collision, the components of the known clutch damper unit are adjusted in relation to one another in such a way that a minimum interval in an axial direction always remains between the free end of the axial projections and the side of the first housing wall of the damper housing facing the axial projections. This approach has proven successful, but carries the inherent disadvantage that the overall axial length of the clutch damper unit is increased due to the minimum interval that has to be maintained.

The object of the present invention therefore is to create a clutch damper unit with a clutch device, a damping device and a rotational drive device, which has a smaller overall axial length. This object is achieved by the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention form the subject matter of the dependent claims.

The clutch damper unit according to the invention comprises a clutch device, which is preferably a multiple clutch device with radially nested clutches, a damping device, which is preferably a torsional vibration damper, and a rotational drive device. The clutch device, the damping device and the rotational drive device are here preferably embodied as separate parts, which are only put together when assembling the clutch damper unit. The clutch device comprises a plate carrier or a clutch housing, whilst the damping device comprises a damper housing accommodating at least one spring device. The rotational drive device serves to transmit a torque from the damper housing to the plate carrier or the clutch housing and is therefore in a rotational drive connection with the damper housing on the one hand and the plate carrier or the clutch housing on the other. Axial projections, which may serve, for example, to accommodate a retainer ring on the plate carrier or the clutch housing or for the rotationally fixed connection of the plate carriers or the clutch housing to the rotational drive device are furthermore provided on the plate carrier or clutch housing, the rotational drive device preferably being embodied in the manner of a drive disk. For accommodating the spring device the damper housing furthermore comprises a first housing wall, which faces the plate carrier or the clutch housing, or more precisely the axial projections on the plate carrier or the clutch housing. According to the invention recesses and/or depressions, which are assigned to the axial projections and in which the axial projections can be or are introduced in an axial direction, are provided in the first housing wall of the damper housing.

Should an axial displacement of the plate carrier or of the clutch housing in relation to the damper housing occur during operation of the clutch damper unit according to the invention, a collision of the axial projections with the first housing wall of the damper housing will be prevented by the recesses and/or depressions assigned to the axial projections, in that the axial projections sink in an axial direction into the recesses and/or depressions. Whereas in the clutch damper units according to the state of the art a minimum interval has to be maintained between the free end of the axial projections and the closed side of the first housing wall of the damper housing facing the axial projections, which inevitably leads to an increase in the overall axial length of the clutch damper unit, this is no longer necessary in the clutch damper unit according to the invention. Since in the clutch damper unit according to the invention the side of the first housing wall of the damper housing facing the axial projections is partially recessed or inset in an axial direction, such a minimum interval in an axial direction preferably only has to be maintained between the free end of the axial projections on the one hand and the spring device or the bottom of the depression on the other. In this way the overall axial length of the clutch damper unit according to the invention can be permanently reduced, without the risk of the axial projections colliding with the first housing wall of the damper housing.

It can be appreciated from the preceding description that the axial projections on the plate carrier or clutch housing could alternatively in themselves form a rotational drive connection to the first housing wall of the damper housing, so that the rotational drive device previously described could be dispensed with altogether. Furthermore, a rotational drive connection generated by the axial projections on the plate carrier or clutch housing and the recesses and/or depressions in the first housing wall of the damper housing could supplement the rotational drive device. Although such embodiments have some advantages, such as the reduction in the number of components, for example, they also have the inherent disadvantage that they make assembly of the clutch damper unit more difficult. For this reason, in a preferred embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the recesses and/or depressions and the axial projections are configured and arranged in such a way that the axial projections can be or are introduced into the recesses and/or depressions in the first housing wall in a circumferential direction without colliding This arrangement is maintained both in assembly and in operation of the clutch damper unit, so that the rotational drive connection between the damper 5 housing on the one hand and the plate carrier or clutch housing on the other ensues exclusively via the rotational drive device not via the axial projections introduced into the recesses and/or depressions This means that there is no impact of the axial projections in a circumferential direction against the πm of the recesses and/or depressions, making the clutch i O damper unit especially quiet in operation In addition the axial projections can preferably also be or are introduced in an axial direction into the recesses and/or depressions in the first housing wall, and more preferably still without any collision at all occurring Thus any collision in an axial direction with the spring device inside the damper housing is avoided In

15 addition fitting the damping device to the clutch device is especially facilitated if the axial projections can be introduced into the recesses and/or depressions in the first housing wall without any collision at all occurring

Since the spring device inside the damper housing is generally arranged in the same wet chamber as the clutches of the clutch device, in

20 an advantageous embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the first housing wall of the damper housing is substantially of an annular disk-shaped design Thus the first housing wall of an annular disk shape is preferably not supported radially inwards against a hub of the clutch damper unit, especially since this can preferably already be achieved

2 c by a second housing wall of the damper housing, which in forming the damper housing is rotationally fixed to the first housing wall The opening inside the annular disk-shaped first housing wall can therefore serve to connect the wet chamber of the clutch device to the wet chamber of the damper housing It is especially preferred if the second housing wall is here

30 of dished design shape, in order to permit a simple arrangement of the spring device inside the dished second housing wall before the damper housing is completed by means of the first annular disk-shaped housing wall.

In a further preferred embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the rotational drive device has a rotational drive connection to the plate carrier or the clutch housing via the axial projections on the plate carrier or the clutch housing, in the manner of a slip-on gearing. This makes fitting the rotational drive device to the plate carrier and the clutch housing particularly easy. The rotational drive device, which may be partially formed by a drive disk, for example, for this purpose preferably comprises drive recesses, which are assigned to the axial projections on the plate carrier or the clutch housing and into which the axial projections are introduced in an axial direction. In order to obtain an especially reliable rotational drive connection, the drive recesses should here preferably be embodied as completely enclosed drive recesses. Drive recesses in the form of edge indentations, on the other hand, should be dispensed with, especially since these are not capable of affording any greater strength.

In order to fix the rotational drive device axially to the plate carrier or the clutch housing, in an especially preferred embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention means for axially fixing the rotational drive device are provided on the axial projections. The means for axially fixing the rotational drive device to the axial projections here preferably comprise radial depressions and/or radial projections. Thus the rotational drive device can be fixed directly in or to the radial depressions or radial projections in an axial direction, for example. It is especially preferred, however, if the means for axially fixing the rotational drive device comprise radial depressions and/or radial projections, in or to which a releasable retainer ring is axially fixed. Thus although the retainer ring increases the number of parts, the axial fixing of the rotational drive device when assembling the clutch damper unit is easier than would be the case with an axial fixing directly to or in the radial projections and/or radial depressions. In an advantageous embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the damping device comprises an input-side intermediate disk with at least one primary driver and the output-side damper housing with at least one secondary driver, at least one spring device for flexible coupling of the intermediate disk and the damper housing being arranged in a circumferential direction between the primary driver and the secondary driver, in this embodiment of the clutch damper unit a conventional torsional vibration damper is therefore used, into which a torque is introduced via the intermediate disk and transmitted to the damper housing, any torque fluctuations being attenuated by the spring device. The damper housing therefore forms a torque transmission element within the torque transmission chain.

In an especially advantageous embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention at least one secondary driver is provided on the first housing wall of the clutch housing, the secondary driver being formed by a wall section of the first housing wall inset in an axial direction. At least one depression, into which an axial projection is or can be introduced in an axial direction, is here produced by the insetting of the wall section. Thus the secondary driver on the first housing wall, for example, may be formed by a wall section of the first housing wall pressed into the damper housing like a bridge, as is already the case in the state of the art. The particular advantage of this embodiment is that the depression produced by insetting of the wall section at the same time forms one of those depressions, into which the axial projections on the plate carrier or clutch housing are or can be introduced in an axial direction, it is therefore not necessary to provide an additional depression or recess on the first housing wall of the damper housing, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the damper housing and hence of the clutch damper unit. Such an embodiment furthermore entirely precludes any collision between the axial projection introduced into the depression in axial direction and the spring device supported on the secondary driver. In a further advantageous embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the plate carrier or the clutch housing comprises at least one tubular section, preferably two tubular sections, on the rim of which facing the damping device the axial projections are provided. Thus the tubular sections may serve, for example, to accommodate plates or to define the extent of the wet chamber in the clutch housing in a radially outward direction. Here the tubular section is formed together with the axial projections in a coronal shaped design, for example.

In order to be able to use a rotational drive device of particularly short radial construction, in a further advantageous embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention a radially inner and a radially outer tubular section are provided, the axial projections being provided on the radially outer tubular section.

In a further preferred embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the tubular section comprises a plate support section for rotationally fixed accommodation of the plates. The plate support section comprises a toothed profile having radially outward- projecting axial webs and radially inward-projecting axial webs distributed in a circumferential direction, preferably in an alternating arrangement. Such a toothed profile is particularly easy to produce and ensures a secure, rotationally fixed accommodation of the plates, which have a corresponding toothed profile.

In a further preferred embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the axial projections are in each case made up of axial extensions of the tubular section. Thus a single axial projection is formed by the axial extension of an axial web projecting radially inwards or outwards, preferably inwards, and the axial extensions of two axial webs projecting axially outwards or inwards, preferably outwards, adjoining the aforementioned axial web in a circumferential direction. The aforementioned axial extensions are here preferably formed cohesively in a circumferential direction. The axial projections formed in the manner _ Q _

described cannot be bent over so easily in a radial direction, so that any accidental breaking of the axial projections during the manufacturing of the tubular section and when fitting this inside the clutch damper unit is largely precluded. The rotational drive connection between the rotational drive device and the plate carrier or clutch housing and the introduction of the axial projections into the recesses and/or depression assigned to the axial projections can therefore be correctly established, thus facilitating the assembly process.

In a further especially preferred embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the recesses and/or depressions in the first housing wall of the damper housing and the axial projections on the plate carrier or clutch housing are in an axial direction arranged at least partially in alignment with at least one spring device. In such an embodiment, advantages afforded by the invention, particularly the reduction in the overall axial length, are especially manifest, particularly since clutch damper units with axial projections, which in an axial direction are arranged in alignment with the spring device, already have a large overall axial length anyway, owing to the large axial extent of the damper housing in the area of the spring devices. In a further preferred embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the rotational drive device is axially displaceable in its rotational drive connection to the damper housing, in the manner of a slip-on gearing. The rotational drive connection between the damper housing on the one hand and the plate carrier or clutch housing on the other can thereby be produced especially rapidly and easily, particularly since this facilitates the process of fitting the rotational drive device to the damper housing.

In order to achieve a compact construction of small overall axial and radial length and to facilitate production, in a further preferred embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the rotational drive device is preferably formed by a rotational drive disk, in which both the drive recesses for the axial projections on the plate carrier or clutch housing and also further drive recesses are provided, into which axial projections on the damper housing are introduced. The axial projections on the damper housing and the further drive recesses therefore form the aforementioned slip-on gearing. The rotational drive disk is here supported in an axial direction by way of at least one spring element on the first housing wall of the damper housing. The spring element is preferably a compression spring element, more preferably still a disk spring, particularly since the latter is especially easy to introduce in the process of assembling the clutch damper unit.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the rotational drive device comprises an input- side first section, which is axially displaceable in its rotational drive connection to the damper housing, in order to facilitate assembly and to reduce the overall axial length, the input-side first section of the rotational drive device is here preferably of tubular design, so that this externally surrounds or radially encloses the damper housing. The rotational drive device furthermore comprises an output-side second section adjoining the first section and having a rotational drive connection to the plate carrier or clutch housing. The second section here preferably extends radially inwards and is more preferably still of annular disk shape. In order to pretension the second section of the rotational drive device into an axial position relative to the damper housing, in which the second section of the rotational drive device is further distanced in an axial direction from the first housing wall of the damper housing, the second section of the rotational drive device is supported in an axial direction by way of at least one spring element on the first housing wall of the damper housing. The spring element is preferably a compression spring element, more preferably still a disk spring, particularly since the latter is especially easy to introduce in the process of assembling the clutch damper unit. In a further especially preferred embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the spring element is or can be supported in a radial direction on the axial projections of the plate carrier or clutch housing, on the axial projections of the damper housing or on the first 5 section the rotational drive device. Thus, for example, the rotational drive device can first be rotationally fixed to the plate carrier or clutch housing via the axial projections on the plate carrier or clutch housing, so that the axial projections project through the drive recesses inside the rotational drive device. The spring element can then be pushed in an axial direction over i o the axially protruding projections, so that said element is supported and centered radially inwards on the axial projections. Alternatively the spring element, for the time being radially supported on the projections of the damper housing, can be fixed to the damper housing or to the first section of the rotational drive device on the rotational drive device. In each case no

15 additional securing of the spring element or the disk spring is necessary, it instead being possible to continue immediately with the rotationally fixed attachment of the damper housing to the rotational drive device, the spring element already being centered. In this embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention, therefore, the assembly process is

20 facilitated to an even greater extent.

As already described previously with reference to another embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention, it is the radially extremely remote components of the plate carrier or the clutch housing, which in the state of the art lead to a larger overall axial length in

25 the clutch damper unit, especially since the damping device also has a particularly large axial extent in this area. For this reason the invention makes particularly good use of its advantages in a further preferred embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention, in which the plate carrier or the clutch housing is embodied as an outer plate carrier.

30 In a further advantageous embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention the clutch device is embodied as a multiple- clutch device. This may be a dual-clutch device, for example, it being particularly preferred if the clutches or plate packs of the dual-clutch device are arranged nested in a radial direction, which affords all the advantages already previously mentioned. It is further preferred if the clutch device is a wet clutch device, which comprises a common wet chamber with the damping device, for example.

The invention will be explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawings attached, in which:

Fig. 1 in a sectional representation shows a partially side view of a first embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the detached outer plate carrier in Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged representation of the detail A in Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged representation of the detail A in Fig. 1 with an axial projection sunk into the recess,

Fig. 5 shows the detail A in Fig. 1 in a second embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention,

Fig. 6 in a sectional representation shows a partially side view of a second embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention, and

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a detail of the clutch damper unit in Fig. 1 in the area of the drive recesses.

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the clutch damper unit 2 according to the invention. The clutch damper unit 2 substantially comprises a damping device 4 in the form of a torsional vibration damper, a rotational drive device 6 and a clutch device 8, the latter being embodied as a wet dual-clutch device, the clutches or plate packs 10, 12 of which are arranged nested in a radial direction. It is consequently a concentric dual- clutch device. The axis of rotation 14 of the clutch damper unit 2 is indicated by a dashed line in Fig. 1 , whilst the opposing axial directions are indicated by means of arrows 16, 18. The opposing radial directions 20, 22 and the opposing circumferential directions 24, 26 of the clutch damper unit 2 are likewise indicated by arrows.

The damping device 4 comprises an input-side intermediate disk 28, to which a drive-side torque can be transmitted by way of an input hub 30. The intermediate disk 28 may also be referred to as a torque transmission disk or plate. At least one primary driver 32 projecting in a radial direction 20 is provided on the outer circumference of the intermediate disk 28. The damping device 4 comprises a damper housing 34 on the output side. The damper housing 34 comprises a first housing wall 36 situated in an axial direction 18, which is substantially of annular disk shape and faces the clutch device 8, and a second housing wall 38 situated in an axial direction 16, the second housing wall 38 being of dished design and in forming the damper housing 34 being rotationally fixed to the first housing wall 36. Whilst the second housing wall 38 in a radial direction 22 is supported on the input hub 30 by way of a radial bearing, the first housing wall 36 does not extend up to a hub of the damping device 4 or the clutch device 8. Instead, the annular disk-shaped first housing wall 36 encloses a central recess, via which the wet chamber of the damping device 4 is connected to the wet chamber of the clutch device 8.

The output-side damper housing 34 in an outer area in the radial direction 20 comprises secondary drivers (not shown in more detail), at least one secondary driver protruding from the first housing wall 36 in an axial direction 16, whilst a further secondary driver protrudes from the second housing wall 38 in an axial direction 18. Extending between the primary driver 32 and the secondary drivers on the damper housing 34 in a circumferential direction 24 and 26 is a spring device 40, which serves for flexibly coupling the intermediate disk 28 and the damper housing 34 of the damping device 4. Also provided in the first housing wall 36 are multiple recesses 42 spaced at a distance from one another in a circumferential direction 24 and 26, which in the radial direction 20 are arranged at approximately the same height as the spring devices 40, so that the recesses 42 in an axial direction 16 and 18 are arranged in alignment with the spring devices 42. As will be apparent from the preceding description, the damper housing 34 therefore serves to accommodate the spring devices 40 and the input-side intermediate disk 28 of the damping device 4.

The rotational drive device 6 adjoins the damper housing 34 of the damping device 4, the rotational drive device 6 comprising an input-side, tubular first section 44 and an output-side second section 46, adjoining the first section 44 and extending radially inwards. In the fitted state the tubular first section 44 externally encloses the damper housing 34 in a radial direction 20 and has a rotational drive connection to the damper housing 34. The rotational drive connection between the first section 44 and the damper housing 34 is here preferably afforded by a slip-on gearing, so that to assemble it the damper housing 34 merely has to be inserted in an axial direction 18 into the tubular first section 44 of the rotational drive device 6. Although the first section 44 is fixed to the damper housing 34 by means of a retainer ring 48 in an axial direction 16 or 18, the rotational drive device 6 nevertheless to a certain extent remains axially displaceable in relation to the damper housing 34.

The second section 46 adjoining the first section 44 in an axial direction 18 is, like the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34, of annular disk-shaped design and extends inwards in a radial direction 22 from the first section 44. The second section 46 of the rotational drive device 6 is therefore arranged in front of the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34 in an axial direction 16, the second section 46 of the rotational drive device 6 in an axial direction 16 being supported on the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34 by way of a compression spring element, which is preferably a disk spring 50, so that the damper housing 34 in an axial direction 16 is pre-tensioned against the retainer ring 48 on the first section 44 of the rotational drive device 6.

Drive recesses 52 which are continuous in an axial direction 16, 18 and spaced at a distance from one another in a circumferential direction 24, 26, and which in an axial direction 16 are arranged in alignment with the recesses 52 in the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34 and the spring devices 40, are furthermore provided in the second section 46 of the rotational drive device 6. The drive recesses 52 serve to form a rotational drive connection between an outer plate carrier 54 of the clutch device 8 and the rotational drive device 6, the outer plate carrier 54 and the clutch device 8 first being described in more detail below, before going on to examine the rotational drive connection between the rotational drive device 6 and the outer plate carrier 54.

As can be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the outer plate carrier 54 first comprises a support section 56 extending in a radial direction 20 and 22, which serves to support the outer plate carrier 54 in a radially inward direction 22 on a clutch hub 58. The outer plate carrier 54 further comprises an outer tubular section 60 in a radial direction 20 and an inner tubular section 62 in a radial direction 22, both tubular section 60, 62 extending from the support section 56 in an axial direction 16 to the damping device 4. The outer tubular section 60 has a circumferential rim 64 pointing in an axial direction 16 and facing the damping device 4, which may here also be described as a circumferential edge. Multiple axial projections 66 separated by a distance from one another in a circumferential direction 24 or 26, which extend from the rim 64 in the axial direction 16, are provided on the rim 64 of the radial outer tubular section 60. The outer tubular section 60 is therefore of a substantially coronal shape. Over their entire length in an axial direction 16, 18 the two tubular sections 60, 62 form a plate support section 68 and 70 respectively, on which the outer plates of the respective plate packs 10, 12 can be accommodated so that they are rotationally fixed but displaceable in an axial direction 16, 18. The plate support sections 68, 70 here each comprise a toothed profile with alternating radially outward-projecting axial webs 72 and radially inward-projecting axial webs 74 distributed in a circumferential direction 24, 26, as is indicated in Fig. 2. It can further be seen from Fig. 2 that each axial projection 66 consists of an axial extension 76 of a radially inward-projecting axial web 74, an axial extension 78 of a radially outward-projecting axial web 72, which in a circumferential direction 26 adjoins the aforementioned axial web 74, and an axial extension 80 of a radially inward-projecting axial web 72, which in a circumferential direction 24 adjoins the aforementioned radially inward-projecting axial web 74. This configuration of the axial projections 66 means that the axial projections 66 can be accidentally bent in a radial direction 20 or 22 only with difficulty, thereby facilitating the handling, assembly and manufacture of the outer plate carrier 54.

Also provided on the axial projections 66 are means 82 for axially fixing the rotational drive device 6 to the outer plate carrier 54. These means 82 are formed by bridge-like punched sections in the area of the axial projections 66, so that depressions are formed in a radial direction 20 and radial projections in a radial direction 22. A retainer ring 84 can be introduced into the radial depressions or fixed against the radial projections, as is indicated in Fig. 1.

The clutch device 8 further comprises a first inner plate carrier 86 assigned to the plate pack 10 and a second inner plate carrier 88 assigned to the plate pack 12, which can be connected to different transmission input shafts via corresponding output hubs, as is indicated in Fig. 1. It is not proposed here to examine the operating actuators for the two plate packs 10, 12, also represented in Fig. 1 , in any more detail, and reference should instead be made to the state of the art, although it should be noted that the plate packs 10, 12 can be hydraulically actuated.

As can be seen from Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, which shows an enlarged representation of the detail A from Fig. 1 , the axial projections 66 of the outer plate carrier 54 extend in an axial direction 16 in the manner of a slip- on gearing through the drive recesses 52 inside the second section 46 of the rotational drive device 6, so that a rotational drive connection exists between the outer plate carrier 54 and the rotational drive device 6 in a circumferential direction 24, 26. If the projections 66 are introduced through the drive recesses 52 in an axial direction 16 in the process of assembling the clutch damper unit 2, the rotational drive device 6 can be fixed to the tubular section 60 of the outer plate carrier 54 in an axial direction 16 via the retainer ring 84 already mentioned previously.

As can further be seen from Fig. 3, the disk spring 50 is or can be supported in a radially inward direction 22 on the axial projections 66, which project via the drive recesses 52, so as to facilitate the attachment of the disk spring 50 and the ensuing establishment of the rotational drive connection between the damper housing 34 and the rotational drive device 6. Alternatively, however, the disk spring 50 can also be supported in a radial direction 20 on the inside of the first section 44 of the rotational drive device 6. In this case the disk spring 50 can be securely fixed to the rotational drive device 6 before the rotational drive device 6 is connected to the damper housing 34 and the plate carrier 54. Regardless of which alternative is chosen, supporting the disk spring 50 in a radial direction 20, 22 produces a centering and provisional fixing thereof, thereby facilitating the assembly process.

Further features of the clutch damper unit 2 and its operating principle in service will be described below with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. As already previously mentioned, the axial projections 66, the associated drive recesses 52 in the rotational drive device 6 and the recesses 42 in the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34 are arranged in series so that they align in an axial direction 16, 18. In Fig. 3 the damper housing 34 and the outer plate carrier 54 assume a relative axial arrangement in relation to one another, in which these are pre- tensioned by means of the disk spring 50. In this predefined starting position the free ends of the axial projections 66 are separated in an axial direction 16 and 18 by the recesses 42 inside the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34. Alternatively, the axial projections 66 can be introduced into the recesses 42 in the predefined starting position but also already partially in an axial direction 16.

Should the damper housing 34 and the outer plate carrier 54 draw closer to one another in an axial direction 16, 18 due to compression of the disk spring 50, the axial projections 66 are able to sink into their respectively associated recesses 52 in the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34, as is shown in Fig. 4. In the embodiment shown the recesses 42 are matched to the associated axial projections 66 in such a way that the axial projections 66 can be introduced into the recesses 42 without any collision at all occurring. Collision therefore occurs neither in an axial direction 16 with the spring devices 40, nor in a circumferential direction 24, 26 and a radial direction 20, 22, with the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34, as can be seen from Fig. 4. The recesses 42 inside the first housing wall 36, which faces the axial projections 66, mean that no longer need a predefined minimum interval be maintained in an axial direction 16, 18 between the free end of the axial projections 66 and the side of the first housing wall 36 facing the axial projections 66, as is the case in the state of the art. Instead the overall axial length of the clutch damper unit 2 can be reduced thanks to the recesses 42. Fig. 5 shows the detail A from Fig. 1 in a second embodiment of the clutch damper unit 2 according to the invention, which corresponds substantially to the first embodiment, so that in the following examination confined solely to the differences the same reference numerals will be used for identical or similar parts and the preceding description regarding this will apply analogously.

Whereas in the first embodiment according to Figs. 1 to 4 only recesses 42 in the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34 are used in order to allow the axial projections 66 to sink into the damper housing 34 in an axial direction 16, in the second embodiment shown in Fig. 5 depressions 90 inside the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34 are used as an alternative or in addition. In order to produce the depressions 90, a wall section 92 of the first housing wall 36 has been inset in an axial direction 16 like a bridge, which can be achieved, for example, by a punching and stamping process. The wall section 92 inset in an axial direction 16 equally forms the secondary driver on the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34 already previously mentioned, which in a circumferential direction 24, 26 adjoins the end side of the spring device 40. In this second embodiment too, therefore, the axial projection 66 can sink into the depression 90 in an axial direction 16 in the event of a reduction in the interval between the clutch housing 34 and the outer plate carrier 54, without the axial projection 66 prematurely colliding with the first housing wall 36 of the damper housing 34. Thus the overall axial length of the clutch damper unit 2 can also be reduced in the second embodiment. Fig. 6 shows a second embodiment of the clutch damper unit according to the invention, the following examination being confined solely to the difference between this and the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals being used for identical or similar parts. The preceding description regarding this will apply analogously. In contrast to the first embodiment, in the second embodiment use of the rotational drive device 6 comprising a first and second section 44, 46 is replaced by the use of a rotational drive device 6, which is formed by a rotational drive disk 94, which is formed in substantially the same way as the second section 46 in the first embodiment. The rotational drive disk 94, which is of annular disk shape, comprises both the drive recesses 52 for the axial projections 66 on the outer plate carrier 54 and also further drive recesses 96. In addition, axial projections 98 are provided on the damper housing 34, which extend beyond the first housing wall 36 in an axial direction 18 into the drive recesses 96, in order to provide a slip-on gearing between the damper housing 34 and the rotational drive disk 94. The axial projections 98 are here preferably formed by extensions of a tubular housing section 100 of the damper housing 34. The tubular housing section 100 is here formed as part of the aforementioned dished second housing wall 38 and defines the interior chamber of the damping device 4 in a radially outward direction 20.

In the second embodiment, too, the rotational drive disk 94 is to a certain extent displaceable in an axial direction 16, 18 relative to the damper housing 34. The rotational drive disk 94 is supported by way of the disk spring 50 in an axial direction 16 on the first housing wall 36. In addition the disk spring 50 is supported in a radially outward direction 20 on the axial projections 98 and is thereby centered. In order to prevent the rotational drive disk 94 being pressed in the axial direction 18 of the axial projections 98 due to the pre-tensioning force of the disk spring 50, thereby releasing the slip-on gearing, the rotational drive disk 94 is fixed by means of a retainer ring 102.

As can be seen from Figs. 2 and 7, depressions 104 are provided in the rim 64 of the outer tubular section 60 in the area of those axial webs 74 projecting radially inwards, which do not have any axial extension for forming the axial projections 66. In the rotationally locked fixing of the plate carrier 54 to the rotational drive disk 94, the webs 106 formed between the drive recesses 52 in a circumferential direction 24, 26 lie in these depressions 104, the bottom of the depressions 104 serving as stop for the webs 106. The webs 106 here lie in the depressions 104 with some play in a circumferential direction 24, 26, so that no torque is transmitted by the webs 104. The axial webs 72, 74 and the flanks 108 arranged between them in a circumferential direction 24, 26 are instead preferably matched to the drive recesses 52 in such a way that torque is transmitted exclusively by the flanks 108. The design variant described with reference to Figs. 2 and 7 applies analogously to the first embodiment.

Claims

1. A clutch damper unit (2) with a clutch device (8), which comprises a plate carrier (54) or a clutch housing with axial projections (66), a damping device (4), which comprises a damper housing (34) accommodating at least one spring device (40) with a first housing wall (36) facing the axial projections (66), and a rotational drive device (6), which has a rotational drive connection to the damper housing (34) on the one hand and to the plate carrier (54) or the clutch housing on the other, characterized in that recesses (42) and/or depressions (90), which are assigned to the axial projections (66) and into which the axial projections (66) can be or are introduced in an axial direction (16), are provided in the first housing wall (36).

2. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the recesses (42) and/or depressions (90) and the axial projections (66) are formed and arranged in such a way that the axial projections (66) in a circumferential direction (24, 26) can be or are also preferably introduced in an axial direction (16, 18) into the recesses (42) and/or depressions (90) in the first housing wall (36), and more preferably still without any collision at all occurring.

3. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first housing wall (36) is substantially of an annular disk-shaped design, which in forming the damper housing (34) is preferably rotationally fixed to a second housing wall (38), the second housing wall (38) more preferably still being of dished design shape.

4. The clutch clamper unit (2) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotational drive device (6) has a rotational drive connection to the plate carrier (54) or the clutch housing via the axial

5 projections (66) in the manner of a slip-on gearing, the rotational drive device (6) preferably having drive recesses (52), into which the axial projections (66) are introduced in an axial direction (16).

5. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in one of the preceding i o claims, characterized in that means (82) for axially fixing the rotational drive device (6) are provided on the axial projections (66), the means (82) for axially fixing the rotational drive device (6) preferably comprising radial depressions and/or radial projections, more preferably still radial depressions and/or radial projections, in or to which a releasable retainer 15 ring (84) is axially fixed.

6. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the damping device (4) comprises an input- side intermediate disk (28) with at least one primary driver (32) and the

20 output-side damper housing (34) with at least one secondary driver, at least one spring device (40) for flexible coupling of the intermediate disk (28) and the damper housing (34) being arranged in a circumferential direction (24, 26) between the primary driver (32) and the secondary driver.

25 7. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that at least one secondary driver is provided on the first housing wall (36), the secondary driver being formed by a wall section (92) of the first housing wall (36) inset in an axial direction (16) and at least one depression (90), into which an axial projection (66) can be or is introduced

30 in an axial direction (16), being produced by the insetting of the wall section (92).

8. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plate carrier (54) or the clutch housing comprises at least one tubular section (60, 62), preferably two tubular sections (60, 62), on the rim (64) of which facing the damping device (4) the axial projections (66) are provided, the provision of a radially inner and a radially outer tubular section (62; 60) being particularly preferred, with the provision of axial projections (66) on the radially outer tubular section (60).

9. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the tubular section (60, 62) comprises a plate support section (68, 70) for rotationally fixed accommodation of the plates, which comprises a toothed profile having radially outward-projecting axial webs (72) and radially inward-projecting axial webs (74) distributed in a circumferential direction (24, 26), preferably in an alternating arrangement, the axial projections (66) more preferably still in each case being formed by the axial extension (76) of a radially inward or outward, preferably an inward-projecting axial web (74) and the axial extensions (78, 80) of two axial webs (72, 72), projecting axially outwards or inwards, preferably outwards, adjoining the aforementioned axial web (74) in a circumferential direction (24, 26).

10. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the recesses (42) and/or depressions (90) and the axial projections (66) in an axial direction (16) are arranged at least partially in alignment with at least one spring device (40).

11. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotational drive device (6) is axially displaceable in its rotational drive connection to the damper housing (34), in the manner of a slip-on gearing, the rotational drive device (6) preferably being formed by a rotational drive disk (94), in which both the drive recesses (52) for the axial projections (66) and also further drive recesses (96) are provided, into which axial projections (98) on the damper housing (34) are introduced, the rotational drive disk (94) being supported in an axial direction (16) by way of at least one spring element, preferably a compression spring element, and more preferably still a disk spring (50), on the first housing wall (36).

12. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotational drive device (6) comprises an input-side, preferably tubular, first section (44), which encloses the damper housing (34) and is axially displaceable in its rotational drive connection to the damper housing (34), and a second section (46), preferably extending radially inwards and more preferably still of an annular disk shape, which adjoins the first section (44) on the output side and has a rotational drive connection to the plate carrier (54) or the clutch housing, the second section (46) of the rotational drive device (6) in an axial direction (16) being supported by way of at least one spring element, preferably a compression spring element, and more preferably still a disk spring (50), on the first housing wall (36).

13. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the spring element can be or is supported in a radial direction (20, 22) on the axial projections (66, 98) or on the first section (44).

14. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plate carrier (54) or the clutch housing is embodied as an outer plate carrier (54).

15. The clutch damper unit (2) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clutch device (8) is embodied as a preferably wet multiple-clutch device, more preferably still as a dual-clutch device, the clutches or plate packs (10, 12) being arranged nested in a radial direction (20, 22).