JPH0313621Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a clutch release cylinder employed in a clutch device in a power transmission device for a vehicle.

[Prior art]

Generally, a clutch release cylinder has a cylinder body that has an inflow hole for fluid discharged from a master cylinder at one end, and a cylinder body that is fitted into an inner hole of the cylinder body in a liquid-tight manner and slidable in the axial direction. a piston forming a fluid chamber communicating with the master cylinder on one end side of the inner hole; and a piston disposed on the other side of the cylinder body having an inner end connected to the other end of the piston and an outer end thereof. It has a push rod connected to the release fork of the clutch device. As a result, when the clutch pedal is depressed, fluid discharged from the master cylinder flows into the fluid chamber of the cylinder body and slides the piston toward the other end, thereby actuating the release fork via the push rod to close the clutch. The device is now disconnected. Furthermore, when the clutch pedal is released (returned) from this state, the spring force within the clutch device operates the push rod via the release fork, which causes the piston to slide toward one end and enter the fluid chamber. A portion of the fluid is returned to the master cylinder to engage the clutch system.

However, it is difficult to operate the clutch device when starting the vehicle, and especially when driving a vehicle for beginners or inexperienced drivers, the clutch device may be suddenly engaged. In this case, engine stalling and wheel spin often occur. This phenomenon can be alleviated by making effective use of the half-clutch area in the clutch device, so a clutch is equipped with an orifice and a check valve in the cylinder body to regulate the flow rate of fluid flowing back from the fluid chamber to the master cylinder. A release cylinder has been filed in Utility Model Application No. 181027/1983. This causes the push rod and piston in the clutch release cylinder to return slowly, resulting in a loose connection of the clutch system.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, when such a clutch release cylinder is adopted, the flow rate of the fluid that is returned to the master cylinder is always regulated during the period from the disconnected state to the fully connected state of the clutch device.
There is a problem in that the timing at which the clutch device starts to engage is delayed, and if the start is delayed and the engine speed is higher than necessary during that time, it may worsen wheel spin. Therefore, the flow regulating action of the orifice could not be made very strong, and in the end, a sufficient effect against engine stalling could not be expected. On the other hand, even if the flow regulating action of the orifice is strengthened to some extent, if the engine speed does not rise to a certain degree while the clutch device is engaged, an engine with low low-speed torque may still stall. In addition, in the case of such a specification (when the flow regulating effect of the orifice is strengthened to a certain extent), an inexperienced driver may cause the engine to rev up even if the clutch pedal is released while depressing the accelerator pedal. This can lead to various problems, such as the driver mistakenly thinking that the system has not been activated to speed up, or the driver releasing the accelerator pedal due to this, which may cause the clutch device to engage and cause the engine to stall. Ru.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention has been devised to solve this problem, and in this type of clutch release cylinder, a rod of a predetermined length is coaxially protruded into the inlet hole on one end side of the piston, and a rod of a predetermined length is provided on one end of the piston, and the A valve body that is removably seated on a valve seat provided on the inner end side of the inflow hole and closes the inflow hole is assembled so as to be movable by a predetermined amount in the axial direction and biased by a spring toward the valve seat, and An orifice is provided for communicating the inflow hole and the fluid chamber, and an on-off valve that can open and close the orifice is attached to the orifice, and a means for detecting a state quantity such as vehicle speed, engine speed, or accelerator opening is provided. A control device which closes the on-off valve when the state quantity does not satisfy a predetermined condition and opens the on-off valve when the state quantity satisfies a predetermined condition. The reason for its construction is that it is unique in its structure.

[Effect of invention]

As a result, in the clutch release cylinder of the present invention, when the clutch pedal is depressed, the fluid discharged from the master cylinder moves the valve body to the other end, disengages from the valve seat of the cylinder body, and flows into the fluid chamber. , slide the piston toward the other end. As a result, the push rod moves toward the outer end, actuating the release fork of the clutch and disconnecting the clutch.

Furthermore, when the clutch pedal is released, the release fork is biased in the return direction by the spring force within the clutch device, and the piston is slid toward one end via the push rod. When the piston returns, the fluid in the fluid chamber flows back to the master cylinder without any restrictions while the piston slides a predetermined amount, and when the piston slides a predetermined amount, the valve element seats elastically on the valve seat. Close the inflow hole. Therefore, when this inlet hole is closed, state variables such as vehicle speed, engine speed, or accelerator opening (accelerator pedal depression amount) satisfy predetermined conditions (conditions that do not cause wheel spin or engine stalling). If so, the control device opens the on-off valve attached to the orifice. As a result, the piston is allowed to slide further, and the fluid in the fluid chamber returns to the master cylinder at a flow rate regulated by the orifice of the valve body. By the way, when the inlet hole is closed by the above-mentioned valve body, if the state variables such as the vehicle speed, engine speed, or access opening do not satisfy predetermined conditions (for example, the engine speed is insufficient and the engine stalls). is expected),
The control device closes the on-off valve attached to the orifice. As a result, the piston is prevented from sliding further and is held in that position, maintaining the partially engaged state.

[Effect of idea]

Therefore, according to the present invention, the sliding movement of the piston at the time of return can be made fast at first, and after sliding by a predetermined amount, slowed down as necessary, and stopped as necessary, so that the sliding movement of the piston during return can be made slow as necessary, and can be prevented as necessary. The timing can be made faster, and the half-clutch state from the connection start state to the connection completion state can be lengthened as necessary, so that the clutch device can always be properly connected.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a clutch release cylinder according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a hydraulic clutch mechanism incorporating the clutch release cylinder.

In this clutch mechanism, a clutch release cylinder 10 is connected to a release fork 21 attached to a clutch cover of a clutch device (not shown), and is also connected to a master cylinder 23 via a hydraulic line 22. As a result, when the clutch pedal 24 is depressed, the master cylinder 2
Hydraulic oil is discharged from the clutch release cylinder 10 and flows into the clutch release cylinder 10.
0 and pushes the release fork 21 to disconnect the clutch device. Also, if the clutch pedal 24 is released in this state,
The clutch release cylinder 10 is released via the release fork 21 by the spring force built into the clutch device.
The hydraulic oil that has flowed into the cylinder returns to the master cylinder 23 and returns the clutch release cylinder 10,
Connect the clutch device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the clutch release cylinder 10 has a cylinder body 11, a piston 12, a push rod 13, and each component that constitutes a valve mechanism, which is the main part of the present invention, as its main components.

The cylinder body 11 has a cylindrical shape integral with the mounting bracket, and has an inlet hole 11b at one end of an inner hole 11a and an opening 11c at the other end. A hydraulic conduit 22 connected to a master cylinder 23 is connected to this inflow hole 11b via a union joint. The piston 12 is fitted into the inner hole 11a of the cylinder body 11 so as to be slidable in the axial direction, with a pair of front and rear seal rings 14a and 14b fitted therein. This piston 12
is provided with an engaging recess 12a on the other end side, and the inner end of the push rod 13 is engaged with this engaging recess 12a. The push rod 13 is opened at the opening 11 with the inner end of the dust cover 15 fitted on the outer periphery of the outer end of the push rod 13 fitted on the outer periphery of the other end of the cylinder body 11.
c, and is connected to the piston 12 by engaging its inner end with the engagement recess 12a. As a result, the piston 12 forms a hydraulic oil chamber R at one end in the inner hole 11a of the cylinder body 11, and is urged toward the other end by a conical spring 16 interposed in the hydraulic oil chamber R. There is. The push rod 13 is urged toward the outer end by this urging force, and its outer end is engaged with and connected to the release fork 21 of the clutch device.

However, in this embodiment, the piston 12
A guide rod 12b is integrally provided on one end side of the guide rod 12b. The guide rod 12b has a first valve body 17,
It constitutes a valve mechanism together with the second valve body 18 and the coil spring 19, and the cylinder body 11
It protrudes coaxially with the inflow hole 11b by a predetermined length and faces the inflow hole 11b. The first valve body 17 has a substantially truncated conical shape as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and is mounted on the guide rod 12b so as to be movable in the axial direction. This first valve body 17 forms an annular orifice 17a between its inner hole and the outer periphery of the guide rod 12b, and is movable until it comes into contact with the distal end stopper portion 12b1 of the guide rod 12b. The second valve body 18 is connected to the guide rod 12b between the coil spring 19 and the first valve body 17.
It is attached to the top so that it can move in the axial direction. The second valve body 18 is biased toward the first valve body 17 by a coil spring 19 interposed between it and the piston 12, and constitutes an on-off valve V that can open and close the orifice 17a. open rod 3
Its movement position is regulated by a control device 30 comprising 1 and 32.

The control device 30 includes valve open rods 31 and 32 that are fitted into the cylinder body 11 in a liquid-tight manner and slidable in the axial direction;
It is composed of electromagnetic solenoids 33 and 34 that are attached to the outer periphery of one end and drive the valve open rods 31 and 32, respectively.When the electromagnetic solenoids 33 and 34 are not activated, the valve open rods 31 and 32 are activated. The second valve body 18 is protruded into the hydraulic oil chamber R and supported at a predetermined position, and when the first valve body 17 is seated on the valve seat 11d of the inflow hole 11b, the on-off valve V is opened and the orifice 17a is opened. is opened and a flow path between the first valve body 17 and the second valve body 18 is secured. On the other hand, electromagnetic solenoid 33,3
When valve 4 is activated, valve open rods 31, 32
The second valve body 18 comes into contact with the first valve body 17 due to the spring force of the coil spring 19, closing the on-off valve V and closing the orifice 17a. . Each electromagnetic solenoid 33, 34 has a valve open rod 3.
It is composed of permanent magnetic forces 33a, 34a fixed to magnets 1, 32, electromagnetic coils 33b, 34b, and return springs 33c, 34c, and when the electromagnetic coils 33b, 34b are energized,
The permanent magnets 33a, 34a are attracted against the return springs 33c, 34c, thereby driving the valve open rods 31, 32. The above-mentioned electromagnetic coils 33b and 34b are energized based on a signal from an engine rotation speed sensor 35 that receives an ignition signal from a distributor, and outputs an excitation signal when the engine rotation speed does not satisfy a predetermined condition. It is controlled by a control circuit 36.

In the clutch release cylinder 10 configured in this way, the electromagnetic solenoid 3 is
3 and 34 are in the non-operating state, the second valve body 18 is in the state shown in FIG. in contact with the first valve body 17
is held between the second valve body 18 and the valve seat 11d.
Note that when the electromagnetic solenoids 33 and 34 are in the operating state, the second valve body 18 comes into contact with the first valve body 17, and the first valve body 18 comes into contact with the first valve body 17.
The valve body 17 is seated on the valve seat 11d.

When the clutch pedal 24 is depressed in this state, the hydraulic oil discharged from the master cylinder 23 is supplied to the inflow hole 11b of the cylinder body 11.
As shown in FIG. 4a, the first valve body 17 and the second valve body 18 are pushed against the coil spring 19 to separate from the valve seat 11d and flow into the hydraulic oil chamber R. Therefore, the piston 12 slides a predetermined amount toward the other end as shown in FIG. 4b, and the push rod 13
The release fork 21 of the clutch device is pushed through. As a result, the clutch device is disconnected.

Next, when the depression of the clutch pedal 24 is released, the release fork 21 is pushed in the return direction by the spring force within the clutch device. Therefore, in the clutch release cylinder 10, the piston 12 is slid toward one end via the push rod 13, and the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic oil chamber R is returned to the master cylinder 23 through the inlet hole 11d. During this time,
At the initial stage of sliding of the piston 12, the first valve body 17 is separated from the valve seat 11d as shown in FIG. The valve body 17 is the valve seat 11
Resiliently sit on d. At this time, if the engine speed satisfies a predetermined condition, the electromagnetic solenoids 33 and 34 are in a non-operating state, and as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the second valve body 18 is in contact with the valve open rods 31 and 32, so that the on-off valve V is opened and the orifice 17a is held open.
Therefore, the inflow hole 11b communicates with the hydraulic oil chamber R only through the orifice 17a. As a result, in the latter stage of sliding after the piston 12 has slid a predetermined amount, the hydraulic oil slowly flows back through the orifice 17a and returns to the state shown in FIG. 5d. By the way, if the engine speed no longer satisfies a predetermined condition when or after the first valve body 17 is seated on the valve seat 11d, the electromagnetic solenoid 3
3 and 34 are activated and the valve open rod 31,
32 is retracted, the second valve body 18 comes into contact with the first valve body 17 as shown in FIG. 5c, closing the on-off valve V and closing the orifice 17a. Therefore, communication between the inflow hole 11b and the hydraulic oil chamber R is cut off. As a result, the hydraulic oil no longer flows back, and the piston 12
is prevented from moving and no longer slides.

Therefore, if the state of the piston 12 shown in FIG. 5b is set when the clutch device starts to be connected, and the state of the piston 12 shown in FIG. It is possible to speed up the process and extend the half-clutch state for a predetermined period of time from the start of connection to the completion of connection, and if the engine speed is insufficient and stalling is expected, the on-off valve V can be closed. By operating the clutch, the state shown in FIG. 5c is reached and the half-clutch state can be maintained at that piston position, so that the clutch device can always be properly connected.

Note that a microcomputer such as an engine control computer can be used as the control circuit 36, and the microcomputer sends an excitation signal to close the on-off valve V when the engine speed Ne is lower than a predetermined value Ne1. , and if it is higher than a predetermined value Ne2, output a degaussing signal to open the on-off valve V (however, Ne1<Ne2, and a hysteresis band for this is set), the above-mentioned clutch joint When the engine speed Ne becomes lower than a predetermined value Ne1 during the mating operation, the clutch device is held in a half-clutch state to prevent engine stalling, and when the engine speed Ne becomes higher than a predetermined value Ne2, the clutch device is held in a half-clutch state. The splicing operation can be restarted.

[Modified example]

In the above embodiment, an orifice 17a is provided between the outer periphery of the guide rod 12a and the inner hole of the first valve body 17.
However, in the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the guide rod 12a is made into a tubular shape and an inlet hole 11 is provided in the middle part.
An orifice 12b is provided that communicates Va with the hydraulic oil chamber R, and the orifice 12b is connected to the needle opening/closing valve Va.
It may be opened and closed by. The needle 39 of the needle on-off valve Va includes an electromagnetic coil 38a fixed to the outer periphery of the push rod 13 and connected to the control circuit 36, a permanent magnet 38b fixed to the outer end of the needle 39, and a permanent magnet 38b connected to the release fork 21. An electromagnetic solenoid 3 configured by a return spring 38c that urges the side
8.

Further, in the embodiment described above, based on the signal from the engine speed sensor 35, the on-off valve V or
Although Va is controlled by the control circuit 36, in the present invention, a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle, a position detection sensor that detects the accelerator or throttle opening, and a negative pressure sensor that detects the negative pressure in the intake pipe of the engine are used. It is also possible to control the on-off valve V or Va by the control circuit 36 based on signals from various sensors such as a pressure sensor.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the clutch release cylinder according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a hydraulic clutch mechanism incorporating the clutch release cylinder, and Fig. 3 is a line taken along the - line in Fig. 1. Figures 4a and 4b are schematic diagrams showing the operation of the clutch release cylinder when the clutch pedal is depressed, and Figures 5a, b, c, and d are diagrams showing the operation of the clutch release cylinder when the clutch pedal is released. 6 is a sectional view showing a modification of the clutch release cylinder according to the present invention, FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the electromagnetic solenoid portion of the clutch release cylinder, and FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the clutch release cylinder. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a needle opening/closing valve portion. Explanation of symbols, 10...Clutch release cylinder, 11...Cylinder body, 11a...Inner hole,
11b...Inflow port, 11d...Valve seat, 12...Piston, 12b...Guide rod, 13...Push rod, 16, 19...Spring, 17...
...first valve body, 17a...orifice, 18...second valve body, 21...release fork, 23...master cylinder, 30...control device, R...fluid chamber, V...opening/closing valve.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A cylinder body that has an inflow hole for fluid discharged from a master cylinder on one end side, and a cylinder body that is fitted liquid-tightly and slidably in the axial direction into an inner hole of the cylinder body and has an inflow hole for fluid discharged from the master cylinder on one end side of the inner hole. a piston forming a fluid chamber communicating with the master cylinder; and a piston disposed on the other side of the cylinder body, the inner end of which is connected to the other end of the piston, and the outer end of which is connected to a release fork of a clutch device. In the clutch release cylinder, a push rod having a predetermined length is provided on one end side of the piston and protrudes coaxially into the inflow hole, and a rod of a predetermined length is provided on the same rod at an inner end side of the inflow hole. A valve body that is removably seated on a valve seat and closes the inflow hole is assembled so as to be movable by a predetermined amount in the axial direction, is biased by a spring toward the valve seat, and communicates the inflow hole and the fluid chamber. An orifice is provided, and an on-off valve that can open and close the orifice is attached to the orifice, and a signal from a means for detecting a state quantity such as vehicle speed, engine speed, or accelerator opening is used to control the state quantity to a predetermined value. A clutch release cylinder comprising a control device that closes the on-off valve when a condition is not satisfied and opens the on-off valve when the state quantity satisfies a predetermined condition. .