Clutch device and switching device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10774885-B2
Application number	US-201615781736-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2016
Priority date	Dec 10, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A clutch device transmits a torque between a rotatable drive-input element and a rotatable drive-output element. Upon demand, the elements are coupled in non-positively locking fashion by a clutch element. Each of the drive-input element and the drive-output element form one clutch surface. A clutch gap decreases in a radial direction relative to at least one axis of rotation of the elements. The clutch element can be placed into a first position and into a second position which differ with regard to the radial position within the clutch gap and thus with regard to the contact pressure between the clutch element and the clutch surfaces. The clutch device permits an axial arrangement of its components, namely, the drive-input element, the clutch elements and the drive-output element, that keeps the size of a clutch device small in a radial direction relative to the axes of rotation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A clutch device for a demand-actuated transmission of a torque between a drive element, which is rotatable about a first axis of rotation, and a driven element, which is rotatable about a second axis of rotation, the clutch device comprising:
each of the drive element and the driven element being formed with a clutch surface disposed to form a clutch gap with a gap width that decreases in a radial direction with respect to at least one of the first and second axes of rotation;
a clutch element for coupling the drive element and the driven element to one another by friction;
said clutch element being formed with contact surfaces for contacting said clutch surfaces, and said clutch element being movably disposed to be brought into a first position and a second position that differ in terms of a radial position of said clutch element within said clutch gap and in terms of a contact pressure between said contact surfaces of said clutch element and said clutch surfaces.

2. The clutch device according to claim 1 , comprising means for resiliently loading said clutch element.

3. The clutch device according to claim 1 , configured to be a self-energizing device.

4. The clutch device according to claim 1 , wherein said clutch element assumes the first position in a state in which the clutch device is not resiliently loaded or as a result of a constructive resilient loading, while the second position is selectively set by an active setting device.

5. The clutch device according to claim 4 , wherein said setting device comprises an adjustable stop element for said clutch element.

6. The clutch device according to claim 5 , wherein said stop element is selectively activated and deactivated, and wherein said stop element forms a stop for said clutch element in an activated state and does not form a stop for said clutch element in a deactivated state.

7. The clutch device according to claim 1 , wherein the first position is characterized by contact pressure that is higher than a contact pressure characterizing the second position.

8. The clutch device according to claim 1 , wherein said clutch element is formed with clutch surfaces that are aligned parallel to said clutch surfaces of said drive element and said driven element.

9. A shift device, comprising:
the clutch device according to claim 1 ;
a first element and a second element to be positioned in at least one rotational alignment relative to one another;
said first element serving as the driven element of the clutch device which, when the clutch device is closed, may be rotated into rotational alignment relative to said second element by the drive element of the clutch device, and wherein the clutch device may be released when the rotational alignment is achieved.

10. The shift device according to claim 9 , further comprising a locking element for a form-fitting connection, securing the rotational alignment, between said first element and said second element.

11. The shift device according to claim 10 , wherein the clutch element of said clutch device assumes the first position in a state in which the clutch device is not resiliently loaded or as a result of a constructive resilient loading, while the second position is selectively set by an active setting device that includes an adjustable stop element for said clutch element, and wherein said locking element serves as a stop element of said clutch device.

12. The shift device according to claim 9 , wherein said clutch device is one of at least two said clutch devices including a first clutch device and a second clutch device, wherein said clutch element assumes the first position in a state in which the respective clutch device is not resiliently loaded or as a result of a constructive resilient loading, wherein the second position of the clutch element of said first clutch device may be set in a first rotational alignment of the first element relative to the second element by way of a setting device and the second position of the clutch element of said second clutch device may be set in a second rotational alignment of the first element relative to the second element by way of the setting device.

13. The shift device according to claim 12 , wherein each of said first and second clutch devices comprises a locking element for a form-fitting connection, securing the rotational alignment, between said first element and said second element, and which comprises a common actuating element configured to alternately actuate said locking element of said first clutch device and said locking element of said second clutch device.

14. The shift device according to claim 13 , wherein:
in the first rotational alignment of said first element relative to said second element, in which the second position of said clutch element of said first clutch device is set by way of the setting device, the second position of the clutch element of the second clutch device is set by way of a passive setting element; and
in the second rotational alignment of said first element relative to said second element, in which the second position of said clutch element of said second clutch device is set by way of the setting device, the second position of said clutch element of said first clutch device is set by way of the passive setting element.

15. The shift device according to claim 13 , wherein:
in the first rotational alignment of said first element relative to said second element, said locking element of said second clutch device is held in a release position by way of said actuating element, while said locking element of said first clutch device is loaded in a locking position by way of a spring element supported between said locking elements; and
in the second rotational alignment of said first element relative to said second element, said locking element of said first clutch device is held in a release position by way of said actuating element, while said locking element of said second clutch device is loaded in a locking position by way of said spring element.

Assignees

• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Cornelius Volker

Classifications

• F16D41/20

  with expandable or contractable clamping ring or band (F16D41/02, F16D41/24 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16D43/02

  actuated entirely mechanically · CPC title

• F16D43/22

  controlled by both speed and torque · CPC title

• F16D41/206 Primary

  having axially adjacent coils, e.g. helical wrap-springs · CPC title

• F02B75/045

  by means of a variable connecting rod length · CPC title