Shifting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12049926-B2
Application number	US-202117919845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2021
Priority date	May 7, 2020
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

A shifting device for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, includes a housing which a first and a second drive shaft are rotatably mounted. The first and second drive shafts are arranged coaxially to one another such that they have a common axis of rotation. The shifting device also includes a shiftable clutch device which is arranged between the first and the second drive shaft. The clutch device has an open shift position in which the first drive shaft is freely rotatable with respect to the second drive shaft, and the clutch device has a closed shift position in which the first drive shaft is connected non-rotatably by the clutch device to the second drive shaft. A control element is displaceable in the direction of the axis of rotation of the drive shafts and, depending on its displacement position, shifts the clutch device to the open or closed shift position. The control element is formed by a sliding sleeve which surrounds at least one of the two drive shafts, and a gear element is provided on an outer circumference of the sliding sleeve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shifting device for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, comprising:
a housing, in which a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft are rotatably mounted, the first and second drive shaft being arranged coaxially with respect to one another so that they have a common axis of rotation;
a shiftable clutch device arranged between the first and the second drive shaft;
the clutch device having an open shift position, in which the first drive shaft is freely rotatable relative to the second drive shaft, and
the clutch device having a closed shift position in which the first drive shaft is connected for conjoint rotation with the second drive shaft via the clutch device; and
a control element displaceable in a direction of the common axis of rotation of the drive shafts and, depending on a displacement position of the control element, the control element being configured for shifting the clutch device to the open shift position or the closed shift position,
the control element being formed by a sliding sleeve, which surrounds at least one of the first and second drive shafts, a gear element being provided on an outer circumference of the sliding sleeve,
the housing including a first housing part and a second housing part, the first drive shaft being rotatably mounted in the first housing part, the second drive shaft being rotatably mounted in the second housing part,
the second housing part having a mounting flange with fastening means, via which the shifting device is fastenable to a transmission housing, the mounting flange being configured for being fastened to a transmission housing while the first housing part is inside of the transmission housing.

2. The shifting device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one bearing element, which enables a displacement movement of the control element in the direction of the common axis of rotation of the first and second drive shafts, and prevents a rotation of the control element about the common axis of rotation.

3. The shifting device according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one bearing element is formed by a pin which is immovably mounted in the housing and engages in a receptacle of the control element.

4. The shifting device according to claim 3 , wherein the receptacle for the control element is open radially outwards.

5. The shifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the gear element of the control element is formed by an outer toothing.

6. The shifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the clutch device is formed by a dog clutch, with each drive shaft being connected for conjoint rotation with a dog clutch element.

7. The shifting device according to claim 6 , wherein two undercuts are provided on a base between two dogs of the dog clutch, a tangential extension of the undercuts corresponding to at least 10% of a tangential spacing between the two dogs.

8. The shifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the first housing part has a cylindrical outer contour, an outer radius of the mounting flange being larger than an outer radius of the cylindrical outer contour of the first housing part.

9. The shifting device according to claim 8 , wherein in the second housing part the control element is mounted on a section of the first or the second drive shaft so that the control element can be displaced in the direction of the axis of rotation, with the second housing part having an access opening via which the control element is actuable.

10. The shifting device according to claim 8 , wherein the clutch device is arranged entirely in the first housing part.

11. A shifting device for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, comprising:
a housing including a first housing part and a second housing part;
a first drive shaft rotatably mounted in the first housing part by a first bearing;
a second drive shaft rotatably mounted in the second housing part by a second bearing;
a shiftable clutch device inside the housing arranged axially between the first bearing and the second bearing, the clutch device being axially movable between an open shift position, in which the first drive shaft is freely rotatable relative to the second drive shaft, and a closed shift position in which the first drive shaft is connected for conjoint rotation with the second drive shaft via the clutch device,
the clutch device including a sliding sleeve axially displaceable to shift the clutch device to the open or closed shift position, the sliding sleeve surrounding at least one of the first and second drive shafts, an outer circumference of the sliding sleeve including a gear element,
the second housing part including a mounting flange protruding away from an outer surface of the first housing part, the mounting flange being configured for being fastened to a transmission housing,
wherein the second housing part includes an access opening to drive the gear element.

12. The shifting device according to claim 11 , wherein the mounting flange is configured for being fastened to the transmission housing while the first housing part is inside of the transmission housing.

13. The shifting device according to claim 11 , wherein the first drive shaft extends away from the second drive shaft and axially outside of the first housing part.

14. The shifting device according to claim 11 , wherein the second drive shaft extends away from the first drive shaft and axially outside of the second housing part.

15. The shifting device according to claim 11 , wherein the outer surface of the first housing part has a cylindrical contour.

16. The shifting device according to claim 11 , wherein the mounting flange includes a plurality of bores configured for receiving bolts or screws.

17. The shifting device according to claim 11 , wherein the mounting flange has an axially facing planar contact surface configured to bear against the transmission housing in a mounted state.

18. A method of installing the shifting device as recited in claim 11 into the transmission housing, the method comprising
inserting the first housing part into the transmission housing; and
fixing the mounting flange to the transmission housing.

19. A method of constructing a shifting device for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, comprising:
providing a housing including a first housing part and a second housing part; and
installing first drive shaft, a second drive shaft and a shiftable clutch device inside of the housing,
the first drive shaft being rotatably mounted in the first housing part by a first bearing, the second drive shaft being rotatably mounted in the second housing part by a second bearing,
the shiftable clutch device being axially movable between an open shift position, in which the first drive shaft is freely rotatable relative to the second drive shaft, and a closed shift position in which the first drive shaft is connected for conjoint rotation with the second drive shaft via the clutch device,
the clutch device including a sliding sleeve axially displaceable to shift the clutch device to the open or closed shift position, the sliding sleeve surrounding at least one of the first and second drive shafts, an outer circumference of the sliding sleeve including a gear element,
the second housing part including a mounting flange protruding away from an outer surface of the first housing part, the mounting flange being configured for being fastened to a transmission housing while the first housing part is inside of the transmission housing.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Loeffelmann Jochen
• Huemmer Thomas
• Ruder Viktor

Classifications

• B60K23/08

  for changing number of driven wheels {, for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles (B60K17/3515 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16D2300/12

  Mounting or assembling · CPC title

• F16D2250/0084

  Assembly or disassembly · CPC title

• F16D2011/008

  characterised by the form of the teeth forming the inter-engaging parts; Details of shape or structure of these teeth · CPC title

• F16D2011/002

  using an external and axially slidable sleeve for coupling the teeth of both coupling components together · CPC title