IP Library Granted Patent US 8,733,525
Granted Patent B2
US 8,733,525 · App. 13/896,790 · Granted May 27, 2014

Adjusting device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,733,525
App. No.
13/896,790
Granted
May 27, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to an adjusting device for a friction clutch of a motor vehicle, having a spindle, a spindle nut screwed onto the spindle to carry along an adjusting element to adjust a wear-related incorrect gap between a counter plate and a pressure plate for pressing a clutch plate between the pressure plate and the counter plate, and an essentially frictionally engaged and/or essentially stepless means of swiveling for swiveling the spindle to adjust the wear-related incorrect gap, as well as to a friction clutch having such an adjusting device.

Claims (30)

1. An adjusting device for a friction clutch ( 38 ) of a motor vehicle, having a spindle ( 12 ), a spindle nut ( 14 ) screwed onto the spindle ( 12 ) to carry along an adjusting element ( 44 ) to adjust a wear-related incorrect gap between a counter plate ( 54 ) and a pressure plate ( 52 ) for pressing a clutch plate ( 40 ) between the pressure plate ( 52 ) and the counter plate ( 54 ), a means of swiveling for swiveling the spindle ( 12 ) to adjust the wear-related incorrect gap, wherein:

the means of swiveling has a sling rope ( 18 ) that is wrapped around a drum ( 16 ), which is connected to the spindle ( 12 ), and wherein the sling rope ( 18 ) is connected on a first end ( 20 ) to a first spring element ( 22 ); and,

the means of swiveling is essentially frictionally engaged; or,

the means of swiveling is essentially stepless.

2. The adjusting device recited in claim 1 , wherein a spring element ( 42 ) proximate the spindle nut ( 14 ) is provided, to transmit an adjustment force from the spindle nut ( 14 ) to the adjusting element ( 44 ).

3. The adjusting device recited in claim 1 , wherein the spindle ( 12 ) may be swiveled around a pivotal axis which runs eccentrically to the center axis of the spindle ( 12 ).

4. The adjusting device recited in claim 1 , wherein the spindle ( 12 ) is supported in a rocker ( 32 ) that is rotatably connected to a retainer ( 24 ), where the rocker ( 32 ) is rotatable via a projecting extension ( 34 ) from an actuating element ( 36 ), the drum ( 16 ) being rotatable by the swiveling of the rocker ( 32 ).

5. The adjusting device recited in claim 1 , wherein a spring force and a pre-tensioning of the first spring element ( 22 ), as well as a spring force and a pre-tensioning of the second spring element ( 42 ), are chosen so that when the drum ( 16 ) is rotated the sling rope ( 18 ) is non-positively, frictionally, joined to the drum ( 16 ), and when the pressure plate ( 52 ) is lifted off the counter plate ( 54 ) the sling rope ( 18 ) slips on the drum ( 16 ).

6. The adjusting device recited in claim 1 , wherein the spindle ( 12 ) is received in a retainer ( 24 ) in particular to attach it to a clutch cover ( 50 ), the first end ( 20 ) of the sling rope ( 18 ) being connected through the first spring element ( 22 ) and a second end ( 28 ) of the spring rope being connected directly to the retainer ( 24 ).

7. A double plate friction clutch, for a motor vehicle, having a counter plate ( 54 ), a pressure plate ( 52 ) that is movable relative to the counter plate ( 54 ) to clamp a clutch plate ( 40 ) between the counter plate ( 54 ) and the pressure plate ( 52 ), a clutch cover ( 50 ) to at least partially cover the pressure plate ( 52 ), and an adjusting device ( 10 ), in particular connected to the clutch cover ( 52 ), said adjusting device ( 10 ) comprising a spindle ( 12 ), a spindle nut ( 14 ) screwed onto the spindle ( 12 ) to carry along an adjusting element ( 44 ) to adjust a wear-related incorrect gap between a counter plate ( 54 ) and a pressure plate ( 52 ) for pressing a clutch plate ( 40 ) between the pressure plate ( 52 ) and the counter plate ( 54 ), and a means of swiveling for swiveling the spindle ( 12 ) to adjust the wear-related incorrect gap, wherein:

said adjusting device is operatively arranged to adjust a wear-related incorrect gap between the pressure plate ( 52 ) and the counter plate ( 54 );

the adjusting device ( 10 ) is connected through at least one elongated hole ( 48 ) to the clutch cover ( 50 ) or the pressure plate ( 52 ), while in a first end position of the elongated hole ( 48 ) actuation of the adjusting device ( 10 ) is disabled, and in a second end position of the elongated hole ( 48 ) actuation of the adjusting device ( 10 ) is enabled; and,

the means of swiveling is essentially frictionally engaged; or,

the means of swiveling is essentially stepless.

8. The friction clutch recited in claim 7 , wherein the adjusting device ( 10 ) is situated radially outside of the pressure plate ( 52 ).

9. A friction clutch for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a clutch plate;

a counter plate;

a pressure plate;

an actuator arranged to move the pressure plate relative to the counter plate to clamp the clutch plate between the counter plate and the pressure plate; and,

an adjusting device including:

an adjustment element engaged with the pressure plate;

a spindle;

a spindle nut screwed onto the spindle;

a drum connected to the spindle;

first spring element urging the spindle and the drum in a first rotational direction with a first force; and,

a second spring element engaged with the spindle nut and the adjustment element and applying a second force to the spindle nut in a first direction, wherein for an incorrect gap between the pressure plate and the clutch plate:

the actuator is arranged to engage the adjusting device to rotate the drum and the spindle in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction;

the spindle is arranged to displace the spindle nut in a second direction opposite the first direction; and,

when the actuator disengages from the adjusting device, the second spring element is arranged to displace the adjustment element to move the pressure plate.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROPERTY NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037732 FRAME 0347. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE APP. NO. 14/553248 SHOULD BE APP. NO. 14/553258. Recorded Oct 11, 2016
From: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 040404/0530 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 5, 2016
From: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG; SCHAEFFLER VERWALTUNGS 5 GMBH
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 037732/0228 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 5, 2016
From: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 037732/0347 →