Balancing element and method for balancing a clutch
A balancing element for balancing a clutch, including a shaft for inserting into a housing opening of a clutch cover, a head axially protruding from the shaft for limiting an insertion depth, and cutting edges radially protruding from the shaft for plastically deforming a wall surrounding the housing opening. A deforming stop is arranged at a distance from the cutting edges between the cutting edges and the head in order to plastically deform a part of the wall between the cutting edges and the deforming stop. By the plastic deformation of the wall into an area between the cutting edges and the deforming stop, the balancing element can be accommodated captively even under operating conditions without additional tools, whereby simple and economical production of an operationally reliable clutch is enabled.
1. A balancing element for balancing a clutch comprising a shaft for inserting into a housing opening of a clutch cover, a head axially protruding from the shaft that limits an insertion depth, and cutting edges radially protruding from the shaft adapted to deform a wall surrounding the housing opening, a deforming stop arranged at a distance from the cutting edges located between the cutting edges and the head adapted to plastically deform a part of the wall between the cutting edges and the deforming stop, wherein the head comprises a contact area for an axial contact at a clutch cover, and the contact area is radially spaced via a gap from the deforming stop.
2. The balancing element according to claim 1 , wherein a circumferential notch is provided between the cutting edges and the deforming stop, and the notch is limited by the deforming stop at an axial side allocated to the head.
3. The balancing element according to claim 2 , wherein the notch comprises a notch base extending in an axial direction with a diameter D N , and tracks are provided between the cutting edges, the tracks have a track base extending in a radial direction with a diameter D B , wherein 0.90≦D N /D B ≦1.00.
4. The balancing element according to claim 1 , wherein the deforming stop comprises an exterior diameter D V and the cutting edges have an exterior diameter D S , wherein 0.90≦D V /D S ≦1.05.
5. A clutch cover arrangement for a clutch, comprising a clutch cover having at least one housing opening limited by a wall, and at least one balancing element according to claim 1 inserted in the housing opening, the balancing element being received in a captive fashion by a deformation of the wall formed by the deforming stop.
6. The clutch cover arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the balancing element has a center of gravity located radially inside the wall of the clutch cover in the housing opening.
7. A clutch for engaging a drive shaft of an engine of a motor vehicle with at least one transmission input shaft of a motor vehicle transmission, comprising a counter plate, a compression plate that is displaceable in reference to the counter plate for a friction-fitting compression of a clutch disk between the counter plate and the compression plate, and a clutch cover arrangement according to claim 5 , and the shaft of the balancing element projects into a plate opening of the counter plate.
8. A method for balancing a clutch, comprising providing a clutch, comprising a clutch cover, with the clutch cover having a housing opening limited by a wall, subsequently inserting a balancing element according to claim 1 into the housing opening along a direction of insertion, with the wall being deformed by the balancing element such that the balancing element is held in the housing cover in a captive fashion.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the balancing element when inserted into the housing opening initially cuts grooves into the wall, essentially extending axially, and the method subsequently comprises at least partially closing the grooves at an axial side facing away from a direction of insertion by a plastic deformation of the wall by the balancing element.