US 12,297,873 B2Granted

Torque-distribution device for a motor vehicle comprising two pressure-medium-actuated clutches having double pistons, and method for operating the torque-distribution device

AssigneeSchaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG

InventorElmar Lorenz

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Abstract

A torque-distribution device includes a rotor carrier couplable to an input shaft, a clutch device having a disc pack, and an actuation device for actuating the clutch device. The actuation device includes a primary piston, and a secondary piston. The primary piston delimits a primary pressure chamber and is movable against the disc pack when pressure is applied to the primary pressure chamber. The secondary piston delimits a secondary pressure chamber and is movable to move the primary piston against the disc pack when pressure is applied to the secondary pressure chamber. Pressure medium arranged in the primary pressure chamber is supplied by a first feed line and pressure medium arranged in the secondary pressure chamber is supplied by a second feed line, independent of the first feed line, such that pressure can be applied to the primary piston and to the secondary piston independently.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A torque-distribution device comprising a rotor carrier that is coupled or can be coupled to a shaft introducing the torque, and two separate clutch devices, each designed as a multiple disc clutch, which can be actuated separately via a respective actuation device, wherein each clutch device comprises an outer disc pack arranged in an axially displaceable manner on the rotor carrier and an inner disc pack arranged in an axially displaceable manner on a separate inner multiple disc carrier and which engages in the outer disc pack, which forms a disc pack with the outer disc pack, wherein each inner multiple disc carrier is coupled or can be coupled to a separate output shaft, wherein each actuation device comprises a primary piston, a secondary piston and a retaining element which is stationary with respect to the rotor carrier, on which the primary piston and the secondary piston are each arranged in an axially displaceable manner, wherein the primary piston delimits a primary pressure chamber and can be moved against the outer disc pack when pressure is applied to a pressure medium arranged in the primary pressure chamber, so that it is moved against the inner disc pack in such a way that a torque can be transmitted from the shaft to the output shaft and vice versa as a result of friction between the outer disc pack and the inner disc pack caused by the pressure force, wherein the secondary piston delimits a secondary pressure chamber and, when pressure is applied to the pressure medium or a pressure medium located in the secondary pressure chamber, can be moved such that it moves the primary piston against the outer disc pack, wherein the primary pressure chamber and the secondary pressure chamber can each be supplied with a pressure medium in each case via separate feed lines and independently of one another, and thus pressure can be applied to the primary piston and the secondary piston independently of one another, and wherein:

the primary pressure chamber has a larger filling volume for the pressure medium than the secondary pressure chamber;
or
a primary piston pressure area of the primary piston delimiting the primary pressure chamber is larger than a secondary piston pressure area of the secondary piston delimiting the secondary pressure chamber.

A torque-distribution device comprising:

a rotor carrier couplable to an input shaft;
a clutch device comprising a disc pack, the disc pack comprising an outer disc pack rotatable with the rotor carrier and an inner disc pack rotatable with an inner multiple disc carrier;
and
an actuation device for actuating the clutch device, the actuation device comprising:
a retaining element arranged stationary to the rotor carrier;
a primary piston arranged on and axially displaceable relative to the retaining element, the primary piston delimiting a primary pressure chamber and movable against the disc pack to frictionally connect the input shaft to an output shaft when pressure is applied to a pressure medium arranged in the primary pressure chamber;
and
a secondary piston arranged on and axially displaceable relative to the retaining element, the secondary piston delimiting a secondary pressure chamber and movable to move the primary piston against the disc pack when pressure is applied to a pressure medium arranged in the secondary pressure chamber;
and
a first spring element, wherein:
the pressure medium arranged in the primary pressure chamber is supplied by a first feed line and the pressure medium arranged in the secondary pressure chamber is supplied by a second feed line, independent of the first feed line, such that pressure can be applied to the primary piston and to the secondary piston independently;
the primary piston and the secondary piston are connected to one another via the first spring element;
and
the first spring element is or comprises at least one coil spring or disc spring, or is a bellows.

11 more elements

A torque-distribution device comprising:

a rotor carrier couplable to an input shaft;
a clutch device comprising a disc pack, the disc pack comprising an outer disc pack rotatable with the rotor carrier and an inner disc pack rotatable with an inner multiple disc carrier;
and
an actuation device for actuating the clutch device, the actuation device comprising:
a retaining element arranged stationary to the rotor carrier;
a primary piston arranged on and axially displaceable relative to the retaining element, the primary piston delimiting a primary pressure chamber and movable against the disc pack to frictionally connect the input shaft to an output shaft when pressure is applied to a pressure medium arranged in the primary pressure chamber;
and
a secondary piston arranged on and axially displaceable relative to the retaining element, the secondary piston delimiting a secondary pressure chamber and movable to move the primary piston against the disc pack when pressure is applied to a pressure medium arranged in the secondary pressure chamber;
and
the pressure medium arranged in the primary pressure chamber is supplied by a first feed line and the pressure medium arranged in the secondary pressure chamber is supplied by a second feed line, independent of the first feed line, such that pressure can be applied to the primary piston and to the secondary piston independently, wherein;
the secondary piston comprises a radial secondary piston section and an axial secondary piston section adjoining it,
the actuation device further comprises a first spring element, and
the first spring element is arranged at an end of the axial secondary piston section opposite the radial secondary piston section;
or
the first spring element forms the axial secondary piston section.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/695,018Filed 14 Sep 2022
Priority: DE 10 2021 126 110.48 Oct 2021
Published: US 2024/0392842 A128 Nov 2024
Granted: 13 May 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F16D 25/0638
With flat friction surfaces, e.g. discs: with more than two discs, e.g. multiple lamellae
F16D 25/10
Fluid-actuated clutches: clutch systems with a plurality of fluid-actuated clutches
F16D 25/12
Fluid-actuated clutches: details not specific to one of the before-mentioned types
B60Y 2400/4244
Friction clutches: of wet type, e.g. using multiple lamellae