JPH0139502B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a fluid friction clutch device used for transmitting rotation and changing speeds of automobiles, etc.

In general, a clutch used as a power transmission device for automobiles, etc. not only has sufficient capacity to transmit power during driving, but also to provide the desired slip when starting, and to continue power when changing gear transmissions. , a friction clutch, an electromagnetic clutch, a fluid coupling, etc., which are provided between an internal combustion engine and a transmission, have been conventionally employed.

The present invention has been made with the object of further simplifying the structure of such a fluid friction clutch device.

That is, in the present invention, a plurality of cylindrical members are arranged in series around an actuating cylindrical body that is integrally connected to a driven shaft, so that each cylindrical member rotates with the rotation of the prime mover shaft, and the inner part of each cylindrical member is A guide piece is attached to the circumferential surface, which is gradually thinned in the direction of rotation, and fits smoothly with the inner circumferential surface, and the inside thereof is filled with working fluid, and a guide piece is attached to the insertion portion of each cylindrical member of the actuating cylinder. A spring supported by a seat formed on the driven shaft and an actuator that is urged outward by the elastic force of the spring are movably mounted, and a hole is drilled in the longitudinal direction of the actuating cylinder. An operating rod is provided that can slide freely in the provided hole, and the operating rod has only one notch with the same angle as the obtuse angle formed by the two inclined upper surfaces of the protruding pieces protruding from the side of the actuator. The feature is that the top of the actuator and the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member are brought into close contact with and separated from each other by the cooperation of the two inclined guide surfaces at the notch and the protrusion. be.

The present invention will be described in detail with respect to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the solid line indicates the fluid friction clutch device of the present invention, and the dashed-dotted line indicates related devices. First, we will outline the entire device. Gears C, E, F, and G are attached to an intermediate shaft B driven by the rotation of the prime mover shaft A, of which gear C meshes with an idler gear D. The fluid friction clutch device according to the present invention includes a gear 1a that meshes with the gears D, E, F, and G.
(for reverse), 1b (for first gear), 1c (for second gear), and 1d (for third gear). In Fig. 1, the first-speed clutch unit is cut away to clearly show the internal structure, but since the other clutch units are structurally the same, the first-speed clutch unit is used as a representative example. I will add an explanation to this. The gear 1b has a plurality of countersunk bolts 2
is attached to the cylindrical member 3b, and the cylindrical member 3b
As shown in Figure 2A, on the inner peripheral surface of
A guide piece 5 is fixed by a bolt 4. Arrow R
is the rotation direction of the cylindrical member 3b. The shape of the guide piece 5 is such that it gradually becomes thinner in the direction of rotation R.
It fits smoothly with the inner peripheral surface of b. Gears 1a-1
Each of the cylindrical members 3a to 3d with the guide piece 5 integrally connected to the clutch unit constitutes the casing of each clutch unit. The second and third speeds are arranged coaxially in order, and the operating cylinder 7 is fitted into the center in the rotational direction, and the operating cylinder 7
A driven shaft 8 is fitted into and the two are integrally connected.

As shown in FIG. 4, both sides of the driven shaft 8 are cut off at positions corresponding to reverse and first to third gears to form flat surfaces, and these flat surfaces are used as seats 8a and 8 of the springs 10.
b. Note that the small hole 8b provided in the driven shaft 8 is a pin hole for integrally connecting the driven shaft 8 and the operating cylinder 7. Spring 10 whose rear end is received by catch seat 8a
is a spring receiving hole drilled in the actuator 9 shown in Fig. 5.
9a, and always bounce the actuator 9 outward.
The actuator 9 has a protruding piece 9b protruding from one side thereof, the angle θ formed by the two inclined upper surfaces being an obtuse angle.

FIG. 6 shows an operating rod 12 that engages with the projection 9b of the actuator 9 and is capable of drawing the actuator 9 inward against the force of the spring 10. This operating rod 12 has only one cut point at an angle θ equal to the angle θ formed by the two inclined upper surfaces of the actuator 9 described above. 12a and 12b are two inclined guide surfaces obtained by notches.

The details of the actuating cylinder 7 to which the actuator 9, spring 10 and operating rod 12 are mounted are shown in FIG. That is, in the longitudinal direction of the actuating cylinder 7,
There is a hole 7a in the center through which the driven shaft 8 is inserted, and holes 7b on both sides through which the two operating rods 12, 12 are slidably inserted. A hole 7c for mounting the child 9 and spring 10 as shown in the sectional view of FIG. 2A is provided.
Note that 7d is a pin hole that pairs with the pin hole 8b of the driven shaft 8, and 7e is a screw hole into which the mounting bolt 13 (see FIG. 1) is screwed.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the assembly consists of the end member 1
4. The clutch units for reverse, neutral, and first to third gear and the end member 14 are integrally connected by appropriate means. At this time, the cylinder members 3a to 3d are filled with a working fluid 11 such as oil or grease. Although not shown, each of the cylindrical members 3a to 3d and the collar 6 are packed with packing to prevent the working fluid 11 from flowing out.

Next, the operation of this device will be explained. When the motor shaft A rotates, the cylindrical member 3 of each clutch unit
A to 3d rotate around the actuating cylinder 7 at different speeds and in predetermined directions. Which of the four units including the neutral unit is to be operated is selected by the operating position of the operating rod 12. Reference numeral 15 denotes an operating lever, which is moved by hand or foot to move the operating rod 12 linearly, from side to side in the figure, via a movable groove wheel 16. Only the clutches selected in this way will effect a substantial connection with the driven shaft 8, as will be described below. Projection piece 9b of actuator 9
is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the actuating rod 12 other than the inclined guide surfaces 12a and 12b, the actuating element 9 is pulled inward as much as possible, and the top of the actuating element 9 and the cylindrical member 3
As shown in FIG. 2B, a large gap is formed between the cylinder member 3b and the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder member 3b, so that the rotational force from the cylinder member 3b is sufficiently transmitted to the working cylinder body 7 side via the working fluid 11. Not communicated. Further, when the projecting piece 9 comes into contact with approximately the middle of the inclined guide surfaces 12a and 12b, and a considerable gap is still formed between the top of the actuator 9 and the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder member 3b (see FIG. The same is true for A), and the fluid 11 on the front side of the guide piece 5 is pushed out through the gap, and the resistance at that time is not yet large enough, so the complete rotation to the actuating cylinder 7 is impossible. Force transmission is not possible. Even if the top of the actuator 9 collides with the guide piece 5 due to the rotation of the cylindrical member 3b,
Since the actuator 9 can be retracted by compressing the spring 10, the guide piece 5 passes smoothly over the location where the actuator 9 is located.
By the way, the projecting piece 9b of the actuator 9 is connected to the inclined guide surface 12.
When the actuator 9 is engaged at the deepest point of the intersection of a and 12b, the actuator 9 protrudes to the maximum in the radial direction with the help of the spring 10 and the centrifugal force, and the top of the protruding piece 9b touches the cylindrical member 3b. It comes into close contact with the inner peripheral surface (see Figure 2C).

In other words, the working fluid 11 is sealed between the guide piece 5 fixed to the cylinder member 3b and the actuator 9 attached to the actuating cylinder 7, and the working fluid 11 is trapped from the motor shaft A side through this sealed working fluid 11. The rotational force is completely transmitted to the driven shaft 8 connected to the actuating cylinder 7. still,
The operating lever 15 has a protrusion and a spring attached thereto to enable positioning, as in the usual case, and when reversing the vehicle, the position is determined by manually moving a stopper.

As is clear from the above description, the present invention is similar to the so-called no-clutch type, and allows for smooth switching without impact by linearly pulling or pushing the operating rod 12 with a hand or foot. . In particular, since the clutch units are common to each other, it is sufficient to connect in series a number of clutch units corresponding to the desired number of switching stages, which has the advantage of being easy to handle. In addition, two inclined guide surfaces 12a, 1 at the notch part of the operating rod 12
2b and the angle formed by the two inclined upper surfaces of the protruding piece 9b of the actuator 9 are obtuse angles.
When switching is performed from the reverse side to the first speed side, or conversely from the first speed side to the reverse side, it can be performed smoothly in either case.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway view of the fluid friction clutch device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2A is the same as that shown in FIG.
A sectional view taken along the line and viewed in the direction of the arrow; FIGS. 2B and 2C are sectional views showing a different operating mode from FIG. 2A; FIGS. , a perspective view of a driven shaft, an operating rod, and an actuator. A...Motor shaft, 3a to 3d...Cylinder member, 5...
...Guide piece, 7... Operating cylinder, 8... Driven shaft, 8a
...Catch, 9... Actuator, 9b... Protrusion, 11...
...Working fluid, 12...Operation rod, 12a, 12b...
...Slope guideway.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of cylindrical members 3a to 3d are arranged in series around the actuating cylinder 7 which is integrally connected to the driven shaft 8, so that each cylindrical member rotates with the rotation of the motor shaft A. A guide piece 5 is attached to the inner circumferential surface, which is gradually thinned in the direction of rotation so as to fit smoothly with the inner circumferential surface. A spring 10 supported by a seat 8a formed on the driven shaft 8 and an actuator 9 urged outward by the elastic force of the spring are movably attached to the fitting parts 3a to 3d. At the same time, an operating rod 12 is provided which is slidable in a hole 7a bored in the longitudinal direction of the actuating cylinder 7, and the operating rod 12 has two inclined protrusions 9b protruding from the side surface of the actuator 9. Only one notch having the same angle as the obtuse angle θ made on the upper surface is formed, and the two inclined guide surfaces 12a, 12b at that notch cooperate with the protruding piece 9b to separate the top of the actuator 9 and the cylindrical members 3a to 3. 1. A fluid friction clutch device characterized in that the clutch is brought into close contact with and separated from an inner circumferential surface of 3d.