Clutch with adjusting device

1. A friction clutch for a motor vehicle, the friction clutch being disengaged when in an unpowered state and, in the event of overtravel traversed beyond the unpowered state, compensates for an incorrect axial gap between the friction surfaces provided in a friction clutch caused by wear, the friction clutch comprising:

an actuating lever axially movable for engaging the friction clutch;

an actuating device including a further lever operating the actuating lever; and

a switchable stop provided on the actuating device, the switchable stop releasing the further lever into an overtravel path when a detected engagement path of the further lever exceeds a predefined length, the switchable stop including a controlling component and a controlled component, the controlling component and the controlled component being fixable relative to each other, by a key of the controlling component engaging the controlled component, to initiate releasing the further lever into the overtravel path.

2. The friction clutch as recited in claim 1 wherein the switchable stop prevents the overtravel from occurring again after the incorrect axial gap has been compensated for.

3. The friction clutch as recited in claim 1 wherein the switchable stop includes a further stop for the further lever, the controlling component having a ramp, the controlled component having an opposing ramp, the further lever in the course of actuation carries along the controlling component against a first return force, the controlling component acting on the controlled component, the controlled component moving traverse to the axial motion of the further lever against a second return force.

4. The friction clutch as recited in claim 3 wherein with the engagement path the controlling component and the controlled component become fixed in a current position, while in the current position the further stop is inoperative for the further lever and the further lever traverses the necessary overtravel distance to compensate for the incorrect axial gap.

5. The friction clutch as recited in claim 3 wherein the further lever has an unblocking profile displacing the controlled component beyond a current position against the second return force when traversing the overtravel path, so that the fixing of the controlling and controlled components is released again.

6. The friction clutch as recited in claim 3 wherein the controlling component is formed by a controlling leaf spring clamped in place on one end of the controlling leaf spring, a free end of the controlling leaf spring having a profile forming the ramp carried along by the further lever during an engagement process, against the first return force formed by the leaf spring constant.

7. The friction clutch as recited in claim 6 wherein the controlled component is formed by a controlled leaf spring clamped in place by one end, a free end of the controlled leaf spring having an opposing profile forming the opposing ramp corresponding to the profile of the controlling leaf spring, and during an engagement process moving contrary to the second return force from the controlling leaf spring, which is formed by the leaf spring constant and acts perpendicular to the first return force, while the further stop attached to the controlled leaf spring swivels out of a contact surface with the further lever as the engagement travel distance increases.

8. The friction clutch as recited in claim 7 wherein with a position of the profile and the opposing profile relative to each other that corresponds to a prescribed engagement distance at which the incorrect axial gap is to be compensated for, an opening in one of the controlling and controlled leaf spring is engaged by a locating key of the other of the controlling or controlled leaf spring, in the opening so that in this position the controlling and controlled leaf springs are positionally fixed relative to each other.

9. The friction clutch as recited in claim 8 wherein after the compensation for the incorrect axial gap the position fixing is suspended by an unblocking profile on the further lever, the unblocking profile moving the controlled leaf spring against the controlling leaf spring against the second return force far enough so that the opening and the locating key are separated from each other again.

10. The friction clutch as recited in claim 7 wherein the controlling and controlled leaf springs are stamped and bended in one piece.

11. The friction clutch as recited in claim 7 wherein the further stop is riveted to the controlled leaf spring.

12. A friction clutch for a motor vehicle, the friction clutch being disengaged when in an unpowered state and, in the event of overtravel traversed beyond the unpowered state, compensates for an incorrect axial gap between the friction surfaces provided in a friction clutch caused by wear, the friction clutch comprising:

an actuating lever axially movable for engaging the friction clutch;

an actuating device including a further lever operating the actuating lever; and

a switchable stop provided on the actuating device, the switchable stop releasing the further lever into an overtravel path when a detected engagement path of the further lever exceeds a predefined length, the switchable stop including a controlling component and a controlled component, the controlling component and the controlled component being fixable relative to each other to initiate releasing the further lever into the overtravel path,

wherein the switchable stop includes a further stop for the further lever, the controlling component having a ramp, the controlled component having an opposing ramp, the further lever in the course of actuation carries along the controlling component against a first return force, the controlling component acting on the controlled component, the controlled component moving traverse to the axial motion of the further lever against a second return force,

wherein the controlling component is formed by a controlling leaf spring clamped in place on one end of the controlling leaf spring, a free end of the controlling leaf spring having a profile forming the ramp carried along by the further lever during an engagement process, against the first return force formed by the leaf spring constant.

13. The friction clutch as recited in claim 12 wherein the controlled component is formed by a controlled leaf spring clamped in place by one end, a free end of the controlled leaf spring having an opposing profile forming the opposing ramp corresponding to the profile of the controlling leaf spring, and during an engagement process moving contrary to the second return force from the controlling leaf spring, which is formed by the leaf spring constant and acts perpendicular to the first return force, while the further stop attached to the controlled leaf spring swivels out of a contact surface with the further lever as the engagement travel distance increases.

14. The friction clutch as recited in claim 13 wherein with a position of the profile and the opposing profile relative to each other that corresponds to a prescribed engagement distance at which the incorrect axial gap is to be compensated for, an opening in one of the controlling and controlled leaf spring is engaged by a locating key of the other of the controlling or controlled leaf spring, in the opening so that in this position the controlling and controlled leaf springs are positionally fixed relative to each other.

15. The friction clutch as recited in claim 14 wherein after the compensation for the incorrect axial gap the position fixing is suspended by an unblocking profile on the further lever, the unblocking profile moving the controlled leaf spring against the controlling leaf spring against the second return force far enough so that the opening and the locating key are separated from each other again.

16. The friction clutch as recited in claim 13 wherein the controlling and controlled leaf springs are stamped and bended in one piece.

17. The friction clutch as recited in claim 13 wherein the further stop is riveted to the controlled leaf spring.

18. The friction clutch as recited in claim 1 wherein the controlled component and the controlling component are releasable from being fixed together by the further lever contacting the controlled component.

19. A friction clutch for a motor vehicle, the friction clutch being disengaged when in an unpowered state and, in the event of overtravel traversed beyond the unpowered state, compensates for an incorrect axial gap between the friction surfaces provided in a friction clutch caused by wear, the friction clutch comprising:

an actuating lever axially movable for engaging the friction clutch;

an actuating device including a further lever operating the actuating lever; and

a switchable stop provided on the actuating device, the switchable stop releasing the further lever into an overtravel path when a detected engagement path of the further lever exceeds a predefined length, the switchable stop including a first leaf spring and a second leaf spring fixed together at a first end of the switchable stop and being further fixable together to initiate releasing the further lever into the overtravel path.

20. The friction clutch as recited in claim 19 wherein the first leaf spring and the second leaf spring are fixable to each other by a key of the first leaf spring engaging an opening in the second leaf spring.