阅读说明：本技术 活塞中带有传感器部件连接的从动缸；操作装置以及离合系统 (The piston is provided with a slave cylinder connected with a sensor component; operating device and clutch system ) 是由 D·M·罗伊特 P·瓦格纳 于 2019-02-01 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种适用于机动车离合操作装置的从动缸(1),所述从动缸带有一个壳体(2),一个以可移动方式容纳在所述壳体(2)中的以及与所述壳体(2)一起限定一个流体技术压力腔(3)的活塞(4),其中,所述活塞(4)具有一个对着环境密封所述压力腔(3)的密封件(5),并且带有一个用于检测所述活塞(4)位置的、沿其移动行程设计的传感器装置(6),其中,所述传感器装置(6)的传感器部件(7)以抗移动的方式容纳在所述活塞(4)上,其中,在一个设计于所述壳体(2)中的导轨(8)中沿所述活塞的移动行程(4)相对于所述壳体(2)引导所述传感器部件(7)。另外,本发明还涉及一种带有所述从动缸(1)以及一个离合系统的操作装置。(The invention relates to a slave cylinder (1) for a clutch actuating device of a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (2), a piston (4) which is accommodated in a displaceable manner in the housing (2) and which delimits a hydrodynamic pressure chamber (3) together with the housing (2), wherein the piston (4) has a seal (5) which seals the pressure chamber (3) against the environment, and with a sensor device (6) designed to detect the position of the piston (4) along its travel, wherein a sensor component (7) of the sensor device (6) is accommodated on the piston (4) in a movement-resistant manner, wherein the sensor part (7) is guided in a guide (8) designed in the housing (2) along the displacement path (4) of the piston relative to the housing (2). The invention further relates to an operating device having the slave cylinder (1) and a clutch system.)

1. A slave cylinder (1) for a clutch actuating device of a motor vehicle, having a housing (2), a piston (4) which is accommodated in a displaceable manner in the housing (2) and which defines a hydrodynamic pressure chamber (3) together with the housing (2), wherein the piston (4) has a seal (5) which seals the pressure chamber (3) against the environment, and with a sensor device (6) designed to detect the position of the piston (4) along its travel, wherein a sensor component (7) of the sensor device (6) is accommodated on the piston (4) in a movement-resistant manner, characterized in that the sensor part (7) is guided in a guide (8) which is formed in the housing (2) along the displacement path (4) of the piston relative to the housing (2).

2. The slave cylinder (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor component (7) is accommodated on the piston (4) in such a way that: the piston (4) can be rotated relative to the sensor element (7) about its longitudinal axis (9).

3. The slave cylinder (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sensor component (7) is accommodated on a base segment (10) of the piston (4) in a movement-resistant manner along a longitudinal axis (9).

4. The slave cylinder (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the guidance of the sensor element (7) takes place freely movably in a circumferentially encircling receiving groove (11) of the base segment (10).

5. The slave cylinder (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the guide rail (8) is formed by a recess (12) provided in the housing (2).

6. The slave cylinder (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the guide rail (8) is designed on a radially inner side (13) of a side wall region (14) of the housing (2) which surrounds the piston (4) from the outside in the radial direction.

7. The slave cylinder (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fixing of the sensor component (7) takes place by means of a positive-fit connection (15) in the axial direction relative to the piston (4).

8. The slave cylinder (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the sensor member (7) has a magnet (16) and a holder (17) accommodating the magnet (16).

9. An actuating device for a clutch of a motor vehicle, having a slave cylinder (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 8 and having an actuator which is fluidically connected to the slave cylinder (1).

10. A clutch system for a motor vehicle drive-train, comprising a clutch and an actuating device according to claim 9.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a slave cylinder for a clutch actuating device of a motor vehicle (for example, a car, truck, bus or other commercial vehicle), comprising a housing, a piston which is accommodated in a displaceable manner in the housing and which, together with the housing, delimits a fluid-technical pressure chamber, wherein the piston has a seal which seals the pressure chamber against the environment, and comprising a sensor device which is designed along its displacement path (relative to the housing) for detecting the position of the piston, wherein a sensor part of the sensor device is accommodated (indirectly/directly) on the piston in a displacement-proof manner. The invention further relates to an actuating device for a clutch of a motor vehicle having such a slave cylinder, and to a coupling system for a drive train having such an actuating device.

Background

Such background art is well known. EP 1898111 a2 discloses, for example, a central clutch lever for a hydraulic clutch actuating device, in which a sensor fixed to the housing and a movably guided magnet assigned to the sensor are present for detecting the axial position of the annular piston.

However, the background art has proved to have the following disadvantages in some cases, namely: for example, an accidental twisting of the sensor member relative to the housing may result in an insufficient detection of the piston position. The consequence is a measurement error. However, if the sensor element is of a larger size to prevent it from moving accidentally during operation, more installation space is required, which leads to an increase in the size of the slave cylinder. In addition, sensor components arranged in a rotationally fixed manner generally have the following disadvantages: this leads to increased wear of the piston seals, since the piston is guided in a torsionally rigid manner.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the disadvantages known from the background art and in particular to provide a slave cylinder with a sensor arrangement which is as compact and robust as possible.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by the following solution: the sensor element is guided relative to the housing along the displacement path of the piston in a guide track formed in the housing.

The guidance of the sensor component relative to the housing can significantly simplify the detection of the sensor component. The sensor element and the slave cylinder can thereby be designed particularly compactly.

Further advantageous embodiments are claimed in the dependent claims and are explained in detail below.

It is accordingly also advantageous if the guide rail extends linearly (and further preferably in the axial direction of the longitudinal axis of the piston). This makes it possible to produce the guide of the sensor element particularly easily.

In respect of the accommodation of the sensor element, it is further advantageous if the sensor element is accommodated on the piston (preferably a base section of the piston) in such a way that: the piston can (freely) twist about its longitudinal axis relative to the sensor component. The sensor element can thereby be moved relative to the piston, preferably relative to a base section of the piston. The piston seal is therefore exposed to a significantly smaller load.

In this case, it is also advantageous if the seal is mounted in a rotationally fixed manner on the base section of the piston which accommodates the sensor element.

The sensor component is preferably accommodated on the base section of the piston in a secure/movement-resistant manner in the axial direction (i.e. along the longitudinal axis). The mounting of the sensor component is thereby kept particularly simple.

The twisting capability of the sensor element relative to the base segment can be implemented in a particularly simple manner in terms of design if the sensor element is guided in a freely movable manner (in the circumferential direction) in a circumferential accommodating groove of the base segment.

It is also advantageous if the guide rail is formed by a recess/groove/channel, for example a groove, provided in the housing. This also allows particularly simple production of the guide rail.

In addition, the structure of the housing can also be simplified by designing/shaping the guide rail on the radial inside of the side wall region of the housing which surrounds the piston from the outside in the radial direction.

In addition, the mounting is also simplified if the sensor component is fixed/preloaded in the axial direction relative to the piston by means of a positive-fit connection.

Furthermore, the accommodation of the sensor element is simplified if the sensor element has a magnet and a holder for accommodating the magnet. The holder is preferably accommodated directly on the piston. The fastening frame is further preferably designed for a positive-fit connection in the case of a positive-fit connection. The holder is preferably injection-molded around the magnet while accommodating the magnet.

The invention further relates to an actuating device for a clutch of a motor vehicle, having a slave cylinder according to one of the embodiments of the invention described above and having an actuator (preferably a hydraulic actuator or an alternative master cylinder) which is fluidically coupled to the slave cylinder.

The invention also relates to a clutch system for a drive train of a motor vehicle, comprising a clutch and an actuating device for actuating the clutch.

In other words, the invention provides for a magnetic connection (connection of the sensor element) in the piston while implementing a freely rotatable seal. The magnet (preferably together with the magnet holder) is connected to the piston by means of a form-fit connection. The magnet is axially guided in the housing by means of a recess in the housing and is thus fixed. The seal is free to rotate and thereby reduce wear on the seal.

Drawings

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a slave cylinder according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which a piston arranged in an extended position and a sensor device for detecting the displacement position of the piston are visible,

fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the slave cylinder shown in fig. 1, wherein the piston is disposed in a retracted position,

fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a slave cylinder shown in fig. 1, taken in the longitudinal direction, wherein the piston is arranged in its extended position,

fig. 4 is a perspective illustration of the slave cylinder assembly, cut in the longitudinal direction, in which the piston has not yet been pushed completely into the housing of the slave cylinder and the sensor component of the sensor device has not yet been received on the piston,

fig. 5 is a perspective, partly schematic view of the radially inner side of the side wall region of the housing, wherein a guide rail for guiding the sensor component in the axial direction can be seen,

FIG. 6 is a detailed side view of the assembly of the piston and the sensor part, wherein an annular and circumferentially movable receiving groove of the piston for receiving the sensor part is shown, an

Fig. 7 is a detailed exploded view in perspective of the assembly shown in fig. 6.

The drawings are merely schematic in nature and are provided to aid in understanding the present invention. Like elements are provided with like reference numerals.

Description of the reference numerals

1 piston 5 sealing element 6 sensor means 7 from the housing 3 of the slave cylinder 2 the guide rail 9 of the longitudinal axis 10 of the sensor means 7 the base section 11 of the longitudinal axis 10 receiving the recess 13 the inner side 14 the first side wall area 15 type fit connection 16 magnet 17 the holder 18 the through hole 19 receiving space 20 the bottom area 21 the opening 23 operating the bearing 24 the sensor 25 the active area 26 snap flange 27 the through hole 28 the lid 29 pre-pressing spring 30 end stop.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows the principle structure of a slave cylinder 1 according to the invention. In operation, the slave cylinder 1 is part of an actuating device of a clutch, i.e. a friction clutch, of a drive train of a motor vehicle. The slave cylinder 1 is designed in fluid technology, here as a hydraulic slave cylinder 1. The slave cylinder 1 normally functions with a master cylinder of the operating device and operates the clutch between an engaged and a disengaged position in response to a regulating signal of the master cylinder when the drive train is in operation. The slave cylinder 1 is designed as a concentric slave cylinder 1, the structure of which is substantially annular as a whole. A through-opening 18, which extends centrally, i.e. along its longitudinal axis 9, through the slave cylinder 1, serves in operation to pass through a shaft, preferably a transmission input shaft of a drive-train transmission.

In the case of a concentric slave cylinder 1, the slave cylinder 1 has an annular housing 2. The housing 2 likewise forms an annular receiving space 19 which is open toward the axial side. In the receiving space 19, the piston 4 is received in a displaceable manner in the axial direction/along the longitudinal axis 9. The piston 4 together with the housing 2/receiving space 19 encloses a pressure chamber 3, which is fluidically coupled to the actuator cylinder during operation.

The receiving space 19 is formed/delimited radially outwardly by the first side wall region 14 and radially inwardly by the second side wall region 20. Towards the axial side, the receiving space 19 is delimited by a bottom region 21 which connects the two side wall regions 20 and 14 in the radial direction. Towards the axial side opposite the bottom area 21, the receiving space 19 is provided with/open at an opening 22. The piston 4 projects axially from the receiving space 19 through this opening 22.

In order to seal the pressure chamber 3 in the axial direction, a seal 5 is provided on the piston 4. The seal 5 is designed as a sealing ring. As can be seen in conjunction with fig. 1 and 2, the sealing element 5 is accommodated/guided in the accommodating space 19/housing 2, i.e. in the radial direction between the two side wall regions 14 and 20, over the entire displacement travel which is carried out during operation of the piston 4 (between its retracted position (fig. 2) and its extended position (fig. 1)). The piston 4 is axially prestressed relative to the housing 2 in its extended position by means of a prestressing spring 29 (helical compression spring). The end stop 30 prevents the piston 4 from falling out of the housing 2.

In this embodiment, the seal 5 is received in a rotationally fixed manner on a substantially sleeve-like, extended base section 10 of the piston 4. The seal 5 is mounted on a first axial end face of the base segment 10. Towards the second end face, which faces away from the first end face, the base segment 10 is usually coupled in a movement-resistant manner with the operating bearing 23. The operating bearing 23 is realized in the form of a radial thrust ball bearing.

In order to detect the displacement position of the piston 4 relative to the housing 2, a sensor device 6 (also referred to as position detection device) is also present in the slave cylinder 1. The sensor device 6 has a sensor 24 accommodated in the housing 2. The sensor 24 is arranged radially outside the first side wall region 14. The sensor 24, for example in the form of a hall sensor, is designed to detect the sensor component 7 (also referred to as target or sensible/detectable component) connected to the piston 4 in a movement-resistant manner over the entire movement stroke of the piston 4, whereby in operation a conclusion is drawn about the current position of the piston 4. The sensor 24 is covered radially from the outside by a cover 28 mounted on the housing 2.

The sensor element 7 has at least one magnet 16. As can also be seen in conjunction with fig. 3, 4, 6 and 7, in this embodiment the sensor part 7 is also provided with a holder 17 (magnet holder) which accommodates the magnet 16. The holder 17 is preferably made of plastic. The holder 17 accommodates the magnet 16 in a form-fitting manner. A material forming the holder 17 is preferably injected around the magnet 16 during the molding process (injection molding process). After the material of the holder 17 has hardened, the holder 17 forms an injection-molded structure of the magnet 16. The magnets 16 are preferably realized in the form of permanent magnets.

Returning to fig. 1 and 2, it can also be seen that in the present invention the sensor component 7 is guided in the housing 2 in a movable manner in the direction of movement of the piston 4, i.e. in the axial direction/along the axis of rotation 9. For this purpose, the housing 2 has a guide rail 8 on the radial inner side 13 of the first side wall region 14, which guide rail extends along the longitudinal axis 9. The guide rail 8 is embodied in the form of a recess 12 (also referred to as a groove/groove) extending in the axial direction. The recesses 12 open inwardly in the radial direction, as shown in fig. 5. The recess 12 is designed, for example, as a longitudinal groove. The recess 12 also opens out towards the side of the housing 2 facing axially away from the bottom region 21. The sensor element 7 is supported in the guide rail 8 in the circumferential direction in a substantially play-free manner. The sensor part 7 is thereby arranged in a rotationally fixed manner relative to the housing 2, but can be moved relative to one another in the axial direction.

In addition, it can also be seen in connection with fig. 1 and 2 and fig. 5 that the guide rail 8 is arranged adjacent to the active region 25 of the seal 5 in the axial direction. The active region 25 is an axial region in which the sealing element 5 can be moved back and forth during operation along the displacement path of the piston 4. In order to ensure the sealing action of the seal 5, the guide rail 8 is preferably connected in its entirety in the axial direction, spaced apart from the active region 25.

Fig. 6 also shows that the sensor element 7 is connected to the base section 10 in a movement-proof manner in the axial direction. In addition, the sensor component 7 is also arranged/accommodated in a freely movable manner relative to the base segment 10 in the circumferential direction/tangential direction of the piston 4 (relative to the longitudinal axis 9). For this purpose, an annular, i.e. completely circumferential, accommodating groove 11 is formed on the radial outer side of the base segment 10. The receiving groove 11 constitutes a guide for the sensor part 7. The sensor part 7 is arranged in this receiving groove 11 in a freely movable manner. The base section 10 of the piston 4 can thus be freely twisted against the sensor element 7 during operation, as is shown in fig. 6 with a first double arrow and in fig. 3 with a second double arrow bent around the longitudinal axis 9.

In this embodiment, the fastening bracket 17 is additionally preferably fastened in the axial direction in the receiving groove 11 by means of a form-fit connection 15 (snap connection), as shown in fig. 6 and 7. For this purpose, it should be noted that, according to other embodiments, the fastening frame 17 and/or the form-fitting connection 15 can also be dispensed with in principle. It should be noted in conjunction with fig. 4 that in a further embodiment the receiving groove 11 is formed by two axial flanks running in the circumferential direction, wherein the sensor part 7 is mounted radially into the receiving groove 11 from the outside before the piston 4 is pushed into the housing 2.

According to fig. 6 and 7, the form-fit connection 15 is realized by two circumferentially opposite snap flanges 26 of the holder 17 in combination with a through-going hole 27. The through-opening 27 opens the receiving groove 11 towards the axial side (preferably towards the axial side facing away from the sealing element 5), the width of which (extending in the circumferential direction) interacts with the width of the fastening frame 17 in such a way that: the sensor part 7 is axially supported in its axially pushed-in position in the receiving groove 11 by means of the fixing flange 17 in a form-fitting manner. The sensor part 7 can thus be moved in the circumferential direction relative to the base segment 10, so that the seal 5 can also be moved freely in the circumferential direction relative to the sensor part 7.

In a further embodiment, which is not shown here to ensure the overview, the slave cylinder 1 is designed as a dual slave cylinder 1. The slave cylinder 1 is additionally embodied in the form of a dual CSC/dual concentric slave cylinder 1. The first annular pressure chamber (containing the first annular piston) is disposed radially outward of the second annular pressure chamber (containing the second annular piston). The arrangement/design of the inner (second) pressure chamber is mirror inverted with respect to the first pressure chamber along a reference line extending in the axial direction.

In other words, a guide 8 for the magnets 7, 16 is arranged above the pressure chamber 3. The geometry only allows axial movement of the magnets 7, 16. A groove (receiving groove 11) is tangentially mounted in the piston 4 so that the piston 4 is still free to rotate (reducing seal wear). In the axial direction, the piston 4 carries magnets 7, 16. Fig. 1 and 2 show the arrangement (slave cylinder 1) in the disengaged and non-disengaged/engaged positions. There are generally two options for mounting the magnets 6, 17. Fig. 4 shows the radial mounting of the magnets 6, 17. As long as the piston 4 has not yet fully entered the housing 2, the magnets 6, 17 are used at the level of the guide means (guide rail 8) in the housing 2. Once the piston 4 is installed in the housing 2, the form-fit connection 15 prevents the magnets 6, 17 from moving away from the guide 8 in the housing 2. Fig. 6 and 7 show that the magnets 6, 17 can also be held axially, preferably by means of a snap connection 15. This operation is performed such that the piston 4 remains free in the direction of rotation. Fig. 3 and 5 show the possibility of rotation of the piston 4 and the axial freedom of the magnets 6, 17. In addition, a partial guide 8 in the housing 2 can be seen. In principle, it could also be used in a dual CSC/dual concentric slave cylinder. In this case, the arrangement of the (radially) inner pressure chambers is mirror inverted.