GB2182111A - Disengageable snap connection for clutch release bearing - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the configuration of the components of a snap connection of a pulled-type diaphragm spring clutch. On the tongue ends of the diaphragm spring there is secured a sheet metal component 10 into which a wire ring 19 is inserted from the releaser side, which is held secure against twisting in the circumferential direction by apertures 18 in the sheet metal component and comprises annular holding zones 14 which are connected by way of axially cranked-off zones 20 with radially outwardly pointing loops and free ends. The annular holding zones are held, in the operating condition, between a taper in the sheet metal component and a seating in the inner race ring of the releaser. The wire ring can be lifted out of this operating position by spreading apart of its free ends 15, so that the connection can be separated again readily. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Releasersnapconnectionfora pulled-typedia- phragm spring clutch The invention relates to an arrangementforthe snap connection of a releaser and of an annular compo nentto be secured to the spring tongue ends ofthe diaphragm spring of a diaphragm spring clutch of the pulled-type style of construction.

In a known releaser snap connection the inner race ofthe releaser has a taper and a seating adjoining it for a wire ring with substantially round cross-section.

Afurthertaper is provided on the annularcompo- nent. The wire ring further has several radially protruding loops distributed on the circumference, and its two free ends likewise protrude radially. The loops and ends correspond with circumferentially limited apertures ofthe annular component and the release force is transmitted by the holding regions extending between the loops and the ends ofthe wire ring.

Diaphragm spring clutches with snap connections ofthe above-stated construction style have been in usefora long time already. In these the annularcomponent, which is secured to the ends of the diaphragm spring tongues, is provided with slots so as to accommodate the wire ring with its loops and the free ends in these slots. This accommodation takes place on the one hand, before assembly, forthe loose securing of the wire ring and on the other hand for securing the wire ring against twisting during operation.

However it has appeared that this embodiment of the annular component with holes, in combination with a wire ring formed in one plane, raises both strength problems and wear problems due to the contact between the component and the wire ring in the circumferential direction, which involves high loadings per unit of area.

In orderto avoid the problems ofthe prior-art itis proposed to form the annularcomponent on the tongue ends ofthe diaphragm spring and also the wire ring in accordance with the characterising part ofthe Main Claim. Due to the open formation ofthe apertures ofthe annularcomponentthe latter can be made significantly shorter in the axial direction and the loadings occurring in operation no longer lead to locally over-increased stresses. Moreoverthewire ring, as a result of its formation and the formation of the annular component, can be fitted from there- leaser side substantially more easily.At the same time it also renders possible a simpler execution of the "snap connection" operation, since the wire ring, during the operation of introduction of the releaser, is axially fixed with its radially protruding zones in the openings ofthe annular component and theretaining region ofthe wire ring is arranged offset in the inward thrust direction.

Further advantageous possibilities of embodiment appearfrom the Sub-Claims. Thus bywayofexample it can be ensured, by radial support walls on the apertures, that an increased linear contact is brought about in the circumferential direction between wire ring and annular component. Thus work- ing into one another in this region is suppressed from the outset. It is expediently also provided that the taper is provided with a step, for the transmission ofthe release movement in the annular part, in the opening direction. In this way it is ensured that even in the case of violent vibrations, especially in the axial direction, within the drive line and in the case of higher rotation rates,thewire ring cannot wander out of its force-transmission position.

The invention will next be explained in greater detail byreferenceto an example of embodiment. Individually : Figure 1 showsthe longitudinal section through a thrust plate of a diaphragm spring clutch, represented on a reduced scale; Figure2showsanendviewoftheannularcompo nentwith inserted wire ring, approximately in actual size; Figure 3 shows a sectional view along a line Ill-Ill in Figure 2; Figure4shows a partial longitudinal section in enlarged representation during the operation offitting the snap connection; Figure 5shows a partial section, in enlarged representation, in the operating position; Figure Gshows a partial view of component and wire ring in the region of a loop and a free end.

Figure 1 shows the longitudinal section through a thrust plate 1, reproducing as an overall view the situation as a whole of a snap connection before assembly. The thrust plate 1 consists of a presser plate 2, a clutch cover 3, a diaphragm spring 4with spring tongues 5 and an annularcomponent 10 which is made as a sheet metal part and is secured with a wire ring 23 on the ends ofthe spring tongues 5. The component 10 carries a wire ring 9 which, after filling with a releaser 6, has to transmit the release force as indicated by an arrow P from an outer race ring 24through an inner race ring 7 to the component 10 and the diaphragm spring 4. Further details ofthe construction and manner of operation may be seen especially from the description of Figures 2 to 6.

In Figures 2 and 3 there are reproduced, in end viewand in longitudinal section,thecomponent10 with the wire ring 9. The component 10 is deepdrawn from sheet metal and secured fast in rotation, in a manner not further described, in the radially inner region ofthe spring tongues 5 ofthe diaphragm spring 4. It comprises a bead 19 formed in the direction towards the releaser 6 and interrupted by apertures 11 and 18 at several points distributed on the circumference. These apertures 11 and 18 are open in the direction towards the releaser 6 and are circumferentially limited by radially outwardly drawn-up support zones 12.These special zones of the component 10 are reproduced in Figure 6 in enlarged representation, and in fact in the right half of Figure 6 a loop 14 ofthe wire ring 9 is represented in two positions. The position shown in chain lines shows the operational condition and the position in solid lines the open condition of the wire ring in the disengagement ofthe snap connection. The left half of Figure 6showsthe one free end 15 ofthewire ring 9 likewise in two positions, namely in chain lines in the operating position and in solid lines in the open position. The two apertures 11 and 18 are limited in the circumferential direction, namely in each case by asupportzone 12which is drawn up radiallyout wards outofthe bead 1 9.In 19. lnthecaseoftheapertures 18this supportzone 12 atthetransition to the bead 19, in its transition zone 20 serves for the rotation fast mounting of the wire ring 9 in its cranked-offzones 17. These cranked-off zones 17 are represented in Figure 3. Between these cranked-off zones 17 there are situatedthe annular holding regions 16 ofthe wire ring 9which, as isto be explained in greaterdetail hereinafter- abut on the taper 13 of the component 10 while in the operational position.As may be seen especially from Figure 2, the wire ring 9 has two free ends 15 which serve both for the fitting ofthe wire ring 9, in which they are pressed together, and for the dismantling of the snap connection, in that they are spread apart as far as possible, under some circumstances into abutment on the support zones 12.

In Figures 4 to 6there is reproduced an enlarged representation in longitudinal section and elevation ofthose components which participate directly in the snap connection. Starting from Figure4,the assembly action is to be described: The wire ring 9, already inserted into the compo nent 10, possesses in its annular holding zones 16, as a result of inherent stress, a diameterwhich is smallerthan the diameter in the end zone of a taper 8 of the inner race ring 7. During the operation of pushing the inner race ring 7 into the component 10thewire ring 9 is entrained, in the initial zone ofthe taper 8, in the direction towards the component 10 until the free ends 15 and the loops 14 cometo abut in the apertures 11 and 18.On further pushing in ofthe inner race ring 7 the wire ring 9 runs up with its annular holding zones 1 6 on the taper 8, widening at the same time. The condition when it has run fully up on to the diameter d is represented in Figure 4. If the inner race ring 7 is pushed in further, the wire ring 9 can snap with its annular holding zones 16, as a result of in herent stress, into a seating 21 in the inner race ring 7. In this position the wire ring 9 is held without in herentstress. After termination ofthis snap-in oper ationtheentire releaser6 and thus also the inner race ring 7 is loaded contrarily of the push-in direction by a spring provided in the release system, and this loading is likewise effective in accordance with the release loading according to the arrow Pin Figure 1.

Thus the wire ring 9 togetherwith the inner race ring 7 wanders two the right in relation to the component 10 and the wire ring 9 can come to abut with its annular holding zones 16 on the taper 13 ofthe component 10. Due to its support in the seating 21 ofthe inner race ring 7 the wire ring 9 can now no longer change its position even in transmission ofthe release force, since it is held in this position by the taper 13 ofthe component 10. Here the wire ring 9 has moved with itsfree ends 15 and the loops 14-asshown in Figure 5 - out ofthe axial region of the component 10.This however is of no importance, since just as previously the circumferential fixing between wire ring 9 and component 10 by the cranked-off regions 17 for the one part and the transition zones 20 between bead 19 and support zone 1 for the other part ensure fixing.

In orderto guarantee a secure snap connection even during operation with vibrations in the drive line in the axial and radial directions, which connection is effective even at higher rotation rates, in the component 10 the taper 13 is made in a manner in which, at a distance in its opening direction from the holding zones 16 a step 22 is provided which is arran gedonadiameterDwhich is smallerthanthesum of the diameter d ofthe inner race ring 7 and twice the material cross-section ofthe wire ring 9. In this way it is ensured that even at higher rotation rates and thus in the case of rotation rate loading of the wire ring 9 and in the case of great axial vibrations, the snap connection cannot open of its own accord.

The snap connection is opened by pushing of the releaser 6 with the inner race ring 7 into the component 10 and simultaneous spreading apart of the two free ends 15 of the wire ring 9. Thus the wire ring 9 can bewidened out with itsannularholding zones 16 according to Figure 6 so much thatthe internal dia meterofthe holding zones 16 is largerthantheexternal diameter d of the inner race ring 7. Thus the releaser can be drawn togetherwith the inner race ring 7 out of the component 10.

Claims (7)

1. Arrangementforthesnap connection of a clutch releaser (6) with ends of spring tongues (5) of the diaphragm spring (4) of a diaphragm spring clutch (1) of the pulled construction type, comprising a first annular part (10) forsecuring to the ends ofthe spring tongues (5), which part comprises a radially inwardlyprotrudingfirstannularstopshoulder(13) directed axially awayfrom the releaser (6), a second annular part (7) connected with the releaser (6), which part comprises a radially outwardly protruding second annular stop shoulder (21) directed axially towards the releaser (6) and is insertable, with the second annular stop shoulder (21) leading, through beneaththefirstannularstopshoulder(13) axially into the first annular part (10), a wire snap ring (9) arranged on the side ofthefirst annular shoulder (13) axially remote from there- leaser (6) with several radially protruding wire loops (14) which engage in circumferentially limited apertures (18) ofthe first annular part(10) and fix the wire snap ring (9) in the circumferential direction and axi ally on thefirstannular part (10), whilethe wire snap ring (10), in the insertion of the second annular part (7) into the first annular part (10), can be snapped rad ially overthe second annularshoulder (21) and in its annular zones (16) placed in the circumferential direction between the wire loops (14) produces a support connection between the first annular shoulder (13) and the second (21),characterised in that the apertures (18) ofthefirstannular part(10) are axially open towards the releaser (6) and in thatthe radially protruding wire loops (14) are connected with the annularzones (16) through cranked-offzones (17) extending axially in the apertures (18).

2. Arrangement according to Claim 1, characterised in that the wire snap ring (9) is formed as an open ring the ring ends (15) of which are bent off radially outwards and connected with the annularzones (16) constituting the support connection, through axially extending, cranked-offzones (17), and in that the cranked-off zones (17) allocated to the ring ends (15) extend in circumferentially limited apertures (11) of the first annular part (10) which are axially open towards the releaser (6).

3. Arrangement according to Claim 1 or2,characterised in thatthe apertures (11,18) are limited in the circumferential direction by radially outwardly bent-offsupportwalls (12).

4. Arrangement according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised inthatthesecond annular part (7) comprises an entry taper (8) tapering away from thereleaser (6), on the sideofthe second annularstop shoulder (21) axially remote from the releaser (6).

5. Arrangement according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that a securing step (22) radially outwardly grasping overthe wire snap ring (9) in the support position is provided onthefirst annular part (10) radially outside the first annular stop shoulder (13).

6. Arrangement according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the first annular stop shoulder (13) is of taper form and narrows axial Iy towards the releaser (6).

7. An arrangementforthe snap connection of a clutch releaserascaimed in Claim 1 substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.