JPH0147650B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a clutch device that is installed between an engine and a transmission to transmit and cut off power, and in particular, a driven gear that meshes with a drive gear connected to the engine is attached to one side of a clutch outer. This invention relates to a clutch outer and a clutch inner connected to a transmission that are connectably and disconnectably connected via a friction plate.

In such a conventional clutch device, when the engine is idling, the driving and driven gears vibrate in the rotational direction due to torque fluctuations, causing the teeth to hit opposing tooth surfaces against each other with a bump, resulting in a so-called bump crash. It has the disadvantage of generating noise.

Therefore, in the present invention, the driven gear is composed of first and second gears that overlap each other so as to be able to rotate relative to each other, and a force is generated between the first and second gears by acting to shift the phase of their teeth. A damper is provided to eliminate the above drawback by substantially eliminating backlash between the driving and driven gears, and to use the spring to buffer torque transmission between the engine and the transmission. It is an object of the present invention to provide a clutch device with a simple structure that can be used also as a spring.

In order to achieve this object, the present invention attaches a driven gear that meshes with a driving gear connected to the engine to one side of a clutch outer, and makes it possible to connect and disconnect this clutch outer and a clutch inner connected to a transmission via a clutch plate. In the coupled clutch device, the driven gear is composed of first and second gears that overlap each other so as to be able to rotate relative to each other, and
A clearance is provided between the first and second gears and the clutch outer to allow relative rotation therebetween, and a first gear that acts to shift the phase of the teeth between the first and second gears is provided. the spring, and the first
A second spring is interposed between the gear and the clutch outer to transmit torque therebetween, and the clutch outer is normally spaced apart from the first spring, and the first and second gears are arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to the clutch outer. The present invention is characterized in that a spring engaging portion is provided that engages with the first spring so as to elastically deform the first spring between the first gear and the first gear when the relative rotation occurs.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A clutch outer 1 of a clutch device is
It has a cylindrical shape with one end surface open and the other end surface closed end wall 1a, and a driven gear 3 meshing with a driving gear 2 connected to a crankshaft of an engine (not shown) is mounted on the outer surface of the closed end wall 1a as follows. Installed.

The driven gear 3 is composed of first and second gears 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ that overlap each other so as to be able to rotate relative to each other. Three elongated holes 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ extending in the circumferential direction are provided in the disk portions of both gears 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and each matching elongated hole 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ the closed end wall 1
A cylindrical boss 5 protruding from the outer surface of a is inserted,
A side plate 6, which overlaps the disk portion of the first gear ₃₁ located at the outermost side, is fixed to the boss 5 with rivets 7. Therefore, the first and second gears 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ are
Play space s formed between the long holes 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ and the boss 5
Normally, the boss 5 occupies the center position of the elongated holes 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ , and the first and second gears 3 1 , ₃ are rotated from that position.
3 ₂ is an angle θ in one direction with respect to the clutch outer 1,
It is designed to be able to rotate by an angle -θ in the other direction.

In addition, substantially rectangular first windows 8 ₁ , which extend in the circumferential direction, are provided in the disk portions of the first and second gears 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ , respectively.
9 ₁ is provided for 1 window, 2nd windows 8 ₂ and 9 ₂ are for 2 windows, and 3rd windows 8 ₃ and 9 ₃ are for 3 windows, arranged in the circumferential direction, and the same number of windows are provided at the same position as those windows. The first, second, and third recesses 10 ₁ , 10 ₂ , and 10 ₃ are formed on the outer surface of the closed end wall 1a of the clutch outer 1, and the same number of first, second, and third windows 11 ₁ are formed at the same positions as the recesses 10 1 , 10 2 , and 10 3 . , 11 ₂ , 11 ₃ are provided on the side plate 6, and the first windows and recesses 8 ₁ , 9 ₁ , 10 ₁ , 11 ₁ , the second windows and recesses 8 ₂ , 9 ₂ , 10 ₂ , 11 ₂ , third window and recess 8 ₃ , 9
₃ , 10 ₃ , 11 ₃ coiled first, second, third
The springs 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ , 12 ₃ are housed with their axes facing the circumferential direction of the driven gear 3 , and the side plate 6 is installed to prevent the springs 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ , 12 ₃ from coming off.
An eave-shaped presser piece 13 is continuously provided on both long sides of each window 10 ₁ , 10 ₂ , 10 ₃ .

As shown in FIG. 3, the first and second gears 3 ₁ ,
The first windows 8 ₁ and 9 ₁ of the gears 3 ₂ are greatly shifted in phase from each other in the circumferential direction when the teeth of both the gears _{3 1} and _{3 2} are in phase. A first spring ₁₂₁ is compressed with a predetermined set load between short sides a and b' on the proximal side diagonally opposite to each other. Therefore, the first spring 12 ₁ is applied to both gears 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ ,
The teeth of the first and second gears 3 ₁ and 3 2 clamp the teeth of the drive gear 2 at the meshing part of the drive and driven gears 2 and ₃ by exerting an elastic force that shifts the phase of those teeth. This can substantially eliminate backlash. (See Figure 6). In this state, the clutch outer 1 and the first side plate 6
Short sides c and c' of the recess and windows 10 ₁ and 11 ₁ : d,
d' faces the first spring 12 ₁ at predetermined angles −β and β, respectively. The short sides c' and d' are normally spaced apart from the first spring ₁₂₁ , and when the first and second gears ₃₁ and ₃₁ rotate relative to the clutch outer 1 by a predetermined angle β or more, the short sides c' and d' 1 constitutes a spring engaging portion of the present invention that engages with the first spring 12 ₁ so as to elastically deform the first spring 12 ₁ between the first spring 12 1 and the first gear 3 ₁ .

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the clutch outer 1
The second recess and the windows 10 ₂ and 11 ₂ of the side plate 6 are in phase with each other, and the opposing short sides g and
A second spring ₁₂₂ is compressed between each of g', h and h' with a predetermined set load. On the other hand, the second windows 8 ₂ and 9 ₂ of the first and second gears 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ are out of phase with each other, and the short sides e and f' on the diagonally opposite side are connected to the second spring. 12 _{and 2} are in contact with each other.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the third recess and the windows 10 ₃ and 11 ₃ of the clutch outer 1 and the side plate 6 are aligned in phase, and their opposing short sides k
A third spring ₁₂₃ is compressed between and k' and l and l' with a predetermined set load. On the other hand, the phases of the third windows 8 ₃ and 9 ₃ of the first and second gears 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ are made to substantially match each other, and their short sides i, j: i', j' are connected to the third spring 12. ₃ , and are opposed to each other with predetermined angles α and −α apart.

Therefore, in the illustrated example, the angles |θ|, |α|, |β
| is set according to the following relationship.

|θ|>|β|>|α| The driven gear 3, that is, the first and second gears 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ or the clutch outer 1 is rotatably supported on the main shaft 14 of the transmission via a bearing 15, and the clutch outer A cylindrical clutch inner 16 housed in
is spline-fitted to the main shaft 14 and fixed with a nut 17.

The clutch inner 16 is integrally formed with a flange-shaped pressure receiving plate 18 on one side and several supporting shafts 20 (only one is shown in the figure) extending in the axial direction on the other side. The pressure plate 19
is slidably supported, and a clutch spring 21 is attached that presses the pressure plate 19 toward the pressure receiving plate 18 side.

The pressure receiving plate 18 and the pressure plate 19 are interposed with a group of drive clutch plates 22 having friction material bonded to both sides and a group of driven clutch plates 23 having no friction material, which are alternately overlapped with each other. The outer periphery of the clutch plate 22 is slidably spline-fitted to the clutch outer 1, and the driven clutch plate 23 is slidably spline-fitted to the clutch inner 16 at the inner periphery.

A release bearing 2 is located in the center of the pressure plate 19.
A release cylinder 25 is fitted through the main shaft 14, and one end of a push rod 26 passing through the main shaft 14 is connected to the release cylinder 25.

In addition, 27 in the figure is an engine crankcase that supports the main shaft 14 via a bearing 28.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

First, when the clutch is in the connected state, the pressure plate 19 cooperates with the pressure receiving plate 18 to pinch the driving and driven clutch plates 22 and 23 using the elastic force of the clutch spring 21, so that both the clutch plates 22 and 23 are Frictionally connect. Therefore, the power of the engine is transmitted to the main shaft 14 through a transmission path including the drive gear 2, the driven gear 3, the clutch outer 1, the drive clutch plate 22 group, the driven clutch plate 23 group, and the clutch inner 16.

By the way, when the engine is idling, the teeth of the first and second gears 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ constituting the driven gear 3 clamp the teeth of the driving gear 2 with the elastic force of the first spring 12 ₁ as described above. As a result, the driving and driven gears 2, 3 mesh with each other with substantially no backlash, so that no backlash noise is generated due to engine torque fluctuations. Therefore, the driving gear 2 is the driven gear 3
It can be quietly driven in the direction of arrow R.

In this case, the rotational torque of the driving gear 2 is transmitted from the first gear 3 ₁ of the driven gear 3 to the clutch outer 1 via the second spring 12 ₂ , and the second gear 3 ₂ does not participate in the torque transmission. Furthermore, since the main shaft 14 is in an unloaded state, the second spring 1 involved in power transmission is
No compressive deformation occurs in 2 ₂ . Therefore, this state is at point O on the clutch damper characteristic line in Figure 7.
It is.

Next, when the load on the main shaft 14 increases rapidly during engine output operation, first, when the rotational torque of the first gear ₃₁ exceeds a specified value, the second spring 1
2 ₂ is the first gear 3 ₁ , clutch outer 1 and side plate 6
The deformation progresses as the rotational torque of the first gear ₃₁ increases, thereby making it possible to absorb a relatively small impact torque caused by a sudden increase in load.

This state in which only the second spring 12 ₂ is compressed and deformed continues until the relative rotation between the first gear 3 ₁ and the clutch outer 1 reaches the angle α due to the compression deformation. During this time, there is no phase change between the first and second gears ₃₁ and ₃₂ , and the driving and driven gears 2 and 3
The meshing part continues to be in a state where there is no buckling. Therefore, the second gear ₃₂ still does not participate in power transmission.

When the relative rotation between the first gear 3 ₁ and the clutch outer 1 reaches the angle α, the first and second gears 3 ₁ , 3 ₂
The short sides i and j of the third windows 8 ₃ and 9 ₃ are connected to the third spring 12
If the load on the main shaft 14 increases further, the third spring 12 ₃ will be released between the first and second gears 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ and the clutch outer 1 and the side plate _6.
Compressive deformation also begins, and as a result, the second and third springs 12 ₂ and 12 ₃ can work together to absorb a relatively large impact torque. In this way, when only the second and third springs 12 ₂ and 12 ₃ are compressed and deformed, the first gear 3 is
₁ and the clutch outer 1 continues until the angle β is reached.

When the first and second gears 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ begin to apply compressive deformation to the third spring 12 ₃ , the second gear 3 ₂ also becomes involved in power transmission for the first time, and along with this, the first and second gears 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ are in phase, and a normal backlash is formed at the meshing portion of the drive and driven gears 2 and 3. However, in such a high load region, the meshing teeth of the drive and driven gears 2 and 3 are Since it is pressed in a fixed direction by the load, no crushing noise occurs.

When the relative rotation between the first gear 3 ₁ and the clutch outer 1 reaches the angle β, the first spring 3 ₁ is activated to the first recess 10 ₁ of the clutch outer 1 and the first window 11 ₁ of the side plate 6.
Since it comes into contact with the short sides c' and d' of the main shaft 1,
If the load on the first spring 12 1 increases further, the first spring 12 ₁
Compressive deformation also begins, and as a result, all of the first, second and third springs 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ , 12 ₃ can work together to absorb even larger impact torques.
Therefore, the first spring ₁₂₁ not only contributes to eliminating bumps in the meshing portions of the driving and driven gears 2 and 3 during idling or low load, but also contributes to absorbing impact torque during high load. .

In this way, all springs 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ , 12 ₃
continues to be compressed and deformed until the relative rotation between the first gear 3 ₁ and the clutch outer 1 reaches an angle θ, after which the boss 5 of the clutch outer 1 is inserted into the long hole 4 of the first and second gears 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ . ₁ and 4 ₂ , rotational torque is directly transmitted from the driven gear 3 to the clutch outer 1.

Above, we have explained the buffering effect when a positive load is applied to the main shaft 14, such as during engine acceleration.
When a reverse load is applied to the first and second gears 3 ₁ ,
The same buffering effect as described above can be achieved only by reversing the relative rotational direction between the clutch outer ₁ and the clutch outer 1.

Note that the rotation angle |β| may be set as |β|≦|α|.

Push the push rod 26 to release the release tube 2.
5 and the pressure plate 1 via the release bearing 24
9 to the right in FIG. 1, the frictional connection between the drive and driven clutch plates 22, 23 is released and the clutch is therefore in the disengaged state.

As described above, according to the present invention, the driven gear that is attached to one side of the clutch outer and meshes with the drive gear is composed of the first and second gears that overlap each other so as to be relatively rotatable, and the first and second gears Since the first spring that acts to shift the phase of the teeth of the first and second gears is inserted, the phase shift of the teeth of the first and second gears substantially eliminates backlash between the driving and driven gears, and the engine Even if there are severe torque fluctuations during idling, no crashing noise is generated, so a quiet idling state can be achieved.

Further, a play space is provided between the first and second gears and the clutch outer to allow relative rotation therebetween, and a second spring is interposed between the first gear and the clutch outer to transmit torque therebetween, and The clutch outer is normally spaced apart from the first spring, and the first gear is configured to elastically deform the first spring between the first gear and the first gear when the first and second gears rotate relative to the clutch outer by a predetermined angle or more. Since a spring engaging portion that engages with the spring is provided, the torque is transmitted through the second spring at low loads when the torque transmitted between the engine and transmission is relatively small, and at high loads when the transmitted torque is relatively large. The torque can be transmitted in a buffering manner through the second spring and the first spring, respectively, and the damping characteristics of the springs against impact torque can be switched to at least two stages depending on the magnitude of the load, resulting in a buffering effect. Moreover, the structure is simplified because the first spring for eliminating bumps in the meshing part of the driving and driven gears can also be used as a damper spring for absorbing shock torque at high loads. This can contribute to cost reduction.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the clutch device of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of the entire device, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. -, - and - line sectional view of Figure 2,
FIG. 6 is a side view of the meshing portion of the driving and driven gears during idling or low load, and FIG. 7 is a buffer characteristic diagram. 1...Clutch outer, 2...Drive gear, 3...
... Driven gear, 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ ... 1st, 2nd gear, 12
₁ , 12 ₂ ...First and second springs, c', d'...Short side portions as spring engaging portions, β...Angle, 16...Clutch inner, 22, 23...Clutch plate.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A clutch in which a driven gear 3 that meshes with a driving gear 2 connected to an engine is attached to one side of a clutch outer 1, and this clutch outer 1 and a clutch inner 16 connected to a transmission are connectably and disconnectably connected via clutch plates 22 and 23. In the device, the driven gear 3 is composed of first and second gears 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ that overlap each other so as to be able to rotate relative to each other, and there is a gap between the first and second gears 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ and the clutch outer 1. a first spring 1 which acts between the first and second gears 3 ₁ and 3 ₂ to shift the phase of the teeth thereof;
2 ₁ , and a second spring 12 that transmits torque between the first gear 3 ₁ and the clutch outer 1.
₂ are respectively interposed, and the clutch outer 1 is normally spaced apart from the first spring 12 ₁ ,
Further, when the first and second gears 3 ₁ , 3 ₂ rotate relative to the clutch outer 1 by a predetermined angle β or more, the first spring 12 ₁ is configured to elastically deform the first spring 12 ₁ between the first gear 3 1 and the clutch outer ₁ . A clutch device characterized in that it is provided with spring engaging portions c' and d' that engage with each other.