← Back to Patent Explorer
US4852419A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Control device, in particular for a motor-vehicle friction clutch

Assignee: Sachs Systemtechnik GmbH
•
Filing: 1988-02-26
•
Granted: 1989-08-01
•
Expires: 2008-02-26
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract The control device for a motor-vehicle friction clutch incorporates an electric motor which drives an output member in a substantially translational motion through a motion conversion crank gear unit designed as a worm gearing. This axis of a worm of the crank gear unit and the resultant drive force exerted on the output member by the assigned worm gearwheel lie in a common plane normal to the axis of rotation of the worm gearwheel. A spring-type energy accumulator supports the drive motion of the electric motor in the release direction of the clutch and is tensioned in the engagement direction by the electric motor. In this way a comparatively small-sized electric motor can also be used for rapid release movements.

Inventors

  • 👤 Friedrich Kittel
  • 👤 Dieter Lutz
  • 👤 Franz Nagler
  • 👤 Horst Oppitz
  • 👤 Gerhard Gasper

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 11:36
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16D; F16D28/00; F16D29/00; F16D29/005; G; G05; G05G; G05G7/00; G05G7/02; G05G7/04; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/18; Y10T74/18568; Y10T74/18792; Y10T74/19; Y10T74/19642; Y10T74/19698; Y10T74/19828

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 144 words
A control device, in particular for a motor-vehicle, comprising: an electric motor having a drive shaft, a substantially translationally movable output member, a crank gear unit converting the rotational motion of the drive shaft into the substantially translational motion of the output member, wherein the crank gear unit comprises a gear case forming a combined mechanism with the electric motor, a worm gearwheel pivoted in the gear case, and a worm sitting on the drive shaft of the electric motor and meshing with the worm gearwheel, wherein the output member is mounted eccentrically to the axis of rotation of the worm gearwheel swivellably on the latter, and wherein the axis of rotation of the worm and the resultant force exerted by the worm gearwheel on the output member lie substantially in a common plane normal to the axis of rotation of the worm gearwheel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 144 words
A control device, in particular for a motor-vehicle, comprising: an electric motor having a drive shaft, a substantially translationally movable output member, a crank gear unit converting the rotational motion of the drive shaft into the substantially translational motion of the output member, wherein the crank gear unit comprises a gear case forming a combined mechanism with the electric motor, a worm gearwheel pivoted in the gear case, and a worm sitting on the drive shaft of the electric motor and meshing with the worm gearwheel, wherein the output member is mounted eccentrically to the axis of rotation of the worm gearwheel swivellably on the latter, and wherein the axis of rotation of the worm and the resultant force exerted by the worm gearwheel on the output member lie substantially in a common plane normal to the axis of rotation of the worm gearwheel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 59 words
A control device according to claim 1, wherein the worm gearwheel is designed as a segmental gearwheel toothed on its periphery and, displaced in the peripheral direction towards the area of the toothing, exhibits two cheeks projecting radially relative to the axis of rotation and wherein the output member intrudes between the cheeks and is supported on the cheeks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 43 words
A control device according to claim 2, wherein the cheeks are designed as sheet-metal, in particular identically-shaped discs and the segmental gearwheel is made of plastic and is located axially between the discs and connected firmly with the latter to form a unit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 79 words
A control device according to claim 1, wherein on the gear case on the one hand and the worm gearwheel eccentrically to the axis of rotation thereof on the other is mounted through articulations a spring-type energy accumulator in such a way that it increases the torque exerted by the electric motor on the worm gearwheel in a pre-set direction of rotation of the worm gearwheel and is tensioned by the electric motor in the opposite direction of rotation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 51 words
A control device according to claim 4, wherein the worm gearwheel is swivellable between two end positions and wherein swivelling axes of the worm gearwheel and of the articulations of the spring-type energy accumulator lie in an end position opposite to the pre-set direction of rotation substantially in a common plane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 44 words
A control device according to claim 5, wherein one articulation connecting the spring-type energy accumulator with the worm gearwheel is located in the end position opposite to the pre-set direction of rotation in an off-dead-center position displaced opposite to the pre-set direction of rotation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 40 words
A control device according to claim 1, wherein the output member is designed as a tappet and is supported on a piston of a master cylinder of a hydraulic clutch actuation system, said cylinder being held on the gear case.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 70 words
A control device according to claim 7, wherein the master cylinder and the gear case have in the longitudinal direction of the tappet mutually opposite working surfaces and are supported on each other through a spacer which holds the working surfaces apart from each other and wherein between the working surfaces rubber elastic disc parts are located for the vibration-absorbing fixing to a sheet-metal part gripping between the disc parts.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 70 words
A control device according to claim 8, wherein the rubber-elastic disc parts are ring-shaped, wherein the spacer is designed as a tube section and like the disc parts surrounds the tappet, wherein the master cylinder is bolted to the gear case by bolts running parallel to the tappet which extend through openings in the rubber-elastic disc parts, and wherein a rubber-elastic ring part surrounds the spacer between the disc parts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 47 words
A control device according to claim 8, wherein on the gear case is located a fixing flange for receiving a fixing bolt, said flange exhibiting an opening running roughly parallel with the axis of rotation of the worm gearwheel and being lined with a rubber-elastic ring part.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 37 words
A control device according to claim 1, wherein a stop pin projects axially from the worm gearwheel which engages between two stops located at a distance from each other in a peripheral direction on the gear case.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 15 words
A control device according to claim 11, wherein the stops are designed as rubber-elastic buffers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 16 words
A control device according to claim 11, wherein the stop pin bears a rubber-elastic buffer ring.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 33 words
A control device according to claim 11, wherein the gear case bears a removable cover which covers the worm gearwheel and the cover contains a segment-of-a-circle-shaped cut-out with which the stop pin engages.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 45 words
A control device according to claim 1, wherein the worm gearwheel is non-rotatably mounted on a shaft pivoted in the gear case and wherein on the gear case is fixed a rotary potentiometer whose wiper sits rotatably adjustable on an axial end of the shaft.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 17 words
A control device according to claim 15, wherein the wiper is a clamp fit on the shaft.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 38 words
A control device according to claim 15, wherein the shaft is designed as a hollow shaft and is accessible operationally on the side opposite the wiper and the wiper exhibits tool working surfaces accessible through the hollow shaft.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 46 words
A control device according to claim 15, wherein the shaft has end clearance and the wiper is axially supported on its side axially turned away from the shaft in a centric axial bearing on a lid part covering the potentiometer and connected with the gear case.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 71 words
A control device according to claim 18, wherein the shaft is pivoted through a ball bearing in the gear case, whose inner ring is non-rotatably mounted on the shaft and whose outer ring is mounted axially displaceable in a bearing opening of the gear case, and wherein a ringshaped, axially acting spring, which is gripped between the gear case and the outer ring, pre-loads the shaft axially onto the lid part.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1871063A Cited
US2197554A Cited
US3446085A Cited
US4224832A Cited
US4591034A Cited
GB2153479A Cited
US4671400A Cited
US4744450A Cited
US4650056A Cited
DE3438594A1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-07-31 1993-01-30 1993-08-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-07-31 1997-01-30 1997-08-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-07-31 2001-01-30 2001-08-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag