GB2076100A

GB2076100A - A clutch release bearing assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2076100A
Application number: GB8114674A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SKF Kugellagerfabriken GmbH
Current assignee: SKF GmbH
Priority date: 1980-05-16
Filing date: 1981-05-13
Publication date: 1981-11-25
Also published as: IT8121711V0; FR2482685B1; IT8121617A0; GB2076100B; FR2482685A1; DE8013202U1; IT1211042B

Abstract

A clutch release bearing assembly is disclosed having a sliding sleeve (10), a rolling bearing (12) with one race ring (13) arranged non- rotatably with respect to the sleeve, and an annular closed tube (23) of an elastic material filled with a liquid (26) and disposed radially between the race ring (13) and a further component of the assembly such as the sleeve (10) or a cover secured thereto. The tube (23), in use of the assembly, allows the bearing (12) to be centred and thereafter maintains the centred position of the bearing. The liquid may be grease or a curable plastics material which, when cured, is substantially solid. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A clutch release bearing assembly This invention is concerned with a clutch release bearing assembly for use with, for example a motor vehicle clutch.

The invention provides a clutch release bearing assembly including a sliding sleeve, a rolling bearing having one race ring arranged for rotation with the sleeve, and an annular closed tube of an elastic material filled with a liquid and disposed radially between the said one race ring and a further component of the assembly, which annular tube, in use of the assembly, allows the bearing to be centred and thereafter maintains the centred position of the bearing.

The annular tube may engage in an annular recess in one or both of the said one race ring and further component.

The assembly may also include a thrust plate fixed with respect to the sleeve and a cover secured to the thrust plate and surrounding the said one race ring, and the annular tube may contact the bore of the cover.

The annular tube may have one or more transverse partitions dividing the interior of the tube into two or more chambers communicating with each other. The or each partition may have one or more apertures.

The liquid may be a grease.

The liquid may be a curable plastics material which, when cured, is substantially solid.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is half of a longitudinal section through a clutch release bearing assembly according to the invention with an annular closed tube disposed radially between an inner race ring and sliding sleeve; and Figure 2 is half of a longitudinal section through another clutch release bearing assembly according to the invention with an annular closed tube disposed radially between an outer race ring and a cover.

The clutch release bearing assembly shown in Figure 1 comprises a sliding sleeve 10 having an integral annular flange 11 forming a thrust plate, and a rolling bearing 12 disposed around the sleeve.

The bearing 12 comprises inner and outer race rings 1 3 and 14 respectively and an annular row of balls 1 5 arranged to roll on the raceways of the race rings. The inner race ring 13 is arranged to rotate with the sleeve 10 and has a radially outwardly extending flange 1 6 disposed for radially sliding movement against the thrust plate 1 The outer periphery of the thrust plate 11 has an annular portion 17 extending axially to surround the flange 1 6 of the inner race ring 13 and acts as a stop in the event of large radial movements of the bearing 12.

The outer race ring 14 is rotatable relative to the sleeve 10 and has a flange 1 8 extending radially inwardly on the end furthest from the thrust plate 11. This flange 1 8 provides an axially facing surface 1 9 for contacting the clutch plate spring 20.

The bearing 12 is sealed on the end nearest the thrust plate 11 by an annular washer 21 which is fixed to the outer race ring 14 by a cylindrical cap 22 secured to the outer circumferential surface of the outer race ring.

An annular closed tube 23 is radially between ths inner race ring 13 and the sliding sleeve 10 and engages in annular recesses 24 and 25 in the inner race ring and sliding sleeve respectively. The tube 23 is made of an elastic material such as rubber and is filled with a liquid 26 such as grease.

When the bearing 12 is arranged co-axial with the sleeve 10, there is an annular radial gap 27 between the radially opposed surfaces of the inner race ring 1 3 and the sleeve.

If the bearing 12 is not co-axial with the clutch plate spring 20, a self-centring action of the bearing takes place in the first operation to release or disengage the clutch. As the bearing 1 2 is centred relative to the clutch plate spring 20, the tube 23 conforms to the gap 27 between the inner race ring 13 and the sleeve 10, and the liquid in the tube is forced from where the gap is smallest to where the gap is largest. Thereafter, the bearing 12 is held or maintained in the centred position even when the clutch is engaged, so that the bearing does not have to be centred each time the clutch is disengaged.

The clutch release bearing shown in Figure 2 is similar to that of Figure 1 in having a sleeve 30 a thrust plate 31 and a rolling bearing 32. However in this embodiment the bearing 32 has an inner race ring 33 which is rotatable relative to the sleeve 30 and an outer race ring 34 arranged to rotate with the sleeve. An annular row of balls 35 are arranged to roll on the raceways of the race rings 33 and 34.

The outer race ring 34 has a radially inwardly extending flange 36 disposed for radially sliding movement against the thrust plate 31, and the inner race ring 33 has a radially outwardly extending flange 37 on the end furthest from the thrust plate providing an axially facing surface 38 for contacting a clutch plate spring 39.

A sheet metal cover 40 is secured to the thrust plate 31 and extends axially to surround the outer race ring 34.

An annular closed tube 41 of an elastic material such as rubber is disposed in an annular recess 42 in the outer circumferential surface of the outer race ring 34 and contacts the bore of the cover 40. The tube 41 is filled with a liquid such as grease. The tube 41 has one or more transverse partitions 43 which divide the interior of the tube into two or more chambers, and the or each partition has one or more valve-type apertures 44 which allow the chambers to communicate with each other.

In the operation to release or disengage the clutch, the bearing 32 is centred relative to the clutch plate spring 39, and the liquid in the tube 41 is forced from one chamber to another until the bearing is centred. Once centred, the bearing 32 cannot be moved out from the centred position even by heavy impacts.

In both the described and illustrated embodiments, the annular tube filled with liquid damps vibrations and noise.

A modification to the described and illustrated embodiments is envisaged: the tube contains a liquid which is a curable plastics material which, when cured, is substantially solid. In the first operation to disengage the clutch, the plastics material in the tube is caused to cure and harden so that the bearing is thereafter fixed in the centred position. This may be achieved by including a curing agent and possible an accelerator in capsules in the liquid plastics material, which capsules rupture in the operation to disengage the clutch when the tube is squashed.

Claims

1. A clutch release bearing assembly including a sliding sleeve, a rolling bearing having one race ring arranged for rotation with the sleeve, and an annular closed tube of an elastic material filled with a liquid and disposed radially between the said one race ring and a further component of the assembly, which annular tube, in use of the assembly, allows the baring to be centred and thereafter maintains the centred position of the bearing.

2. A clutch release bearing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular tube engages in an annular recess in one or both of the said one race ring and further component.

3. A clutch release bearing assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the assembly also includes a thrust plate fixed with respect to the sleeve and a cover secured to the thrust plate and surrounding the said one race ring, the annular tube contacting the bore of the cover.

4. A clutch release bearing assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the annular tube has one or more transverse partitions dividing the interior of the tube into two or more chambers communicating with each other.

5. A clutch release bearing assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the or each partition has one or more apertures.

6. A clutch release bearing assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the liquid is a grease.

7. A clutch release bearing assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the liquid is a curable plastics material which, when cured, is substantially solid.

8. A clutch release bearing assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 or with reference to and as shown in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.