Modular hydraulic control apparatus

A hydraulic apparatus for controlling engagement and disengagement of a clutch of a motor vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

• a master cylinder having an input rod adapted to be connected to a clutch pedal of the motor vehicle and including an outlet;
• an annular slave cylinder assembly adapted to be positioned within the vehicle clutch housing in concentric surrounding relation to a clutch drive shaft interconnecting the vehicle clutch and a vehicle transmission and including an inlet;
• a conduit adapted to extend between said master cylinder outlet and said slave cylinder inlet;
• and
• a quick connect leakproof connector mounted at a predetermined location between said master cylinder outlet and said slave cylinder inlet to define a first modular unit including said master cylinder and a second modular unit including said annular slave cylinder, said units being adapted to be filled with hydraulic fluid, said quick connector including two engageable members each associated with a respective modular unit, said members acting to seal the respective modular units when not engaged and allowing the establishment of fluid communication between said modular units when engaged, whereby said annular slave cylinder may be installed in the clutch assembly of the vehicle in surrounding relation to the clutch drive shaft and in operative relation to the throw-out bearing of the clutch, said master cylinder may be mounted on the vehicle body proximate the vehicle clutch pedal, said master cylinder input rod may be connected to the vehicle clutch pedal, and said quick connector members may be engaged so that, with the units filled with hydraulic fluid, depression of the vehicle clutch pedal disengages the vehicle clutch.

An hydraulic clutch actuator module comprising:

• an annular slave cylinder defining a bore;
• piston means in said bore;
• means defining a conduit opening at one end in said bore;
• and
• a quick connect coupling member on the other end of said conduit operative to normally close said other end of said conduit to prevent the passage of hydraulic fluid out of the other end of said conduit and operative in response to engagement with a complementary quick connect coupling member to open the other end of said conduit to allow the passage of hydraulic fluid through the other end of said conduit.

An hydraulic clutch actuator module comprising:

• a concentric slave cylinder including an annular housing defining an annular bore;
• means defining a conduit opening at one end in said bore;
• and
• a quick connect coupler member mounted on the other end of said conduit and operative to normally close said other end of said conduit and operative in response to engagement with a complementary quick connect coupler member to open the other end of said conduit.

A method of providing a hydraulic control apparatus to a user, the apparatus comprising a hydraulic master cylinder, a hydraulic slave cylinder, and conduit means for connecting the master cylinder to the slave cylinder, said method comprising:

• providing a hydraulic master cylinder;
• providing a hydraulic slave cylinder;
• providing conduit means for hydraulically connecting said master cylinder to said slave cylinder;
• providing a leakproof connector in said conduit means comprising two interengageable complementary connector members each having a port providing fluid communication between said members when said members are coupled together, whereby to define separate modular units together comprising said hydraulic control apparatus;
• and
• providing said control apparatus to a user in the form of modular units for connection of said interengageable complementary connector members by the user to provide said hydraulic control apparatus.

A method of providing a hydraulic clutch actuator for incorporation into a motor vehicle during the assembly of the vehicle to provide a clutch actuator for the vehicle, said method comprising:

• providing a hydraulic master cylinder adapted to be secured to the vehicle body structure;
• providing a hydraulic slave cylinder adapted to be mounted proximate the vehicle clutch;
• providing conduit means for hydraulically connecting said master cylinder to said slave cylinder;
• providing a leak-roof connector having two interengageable complementary connector members in said conduit means so as to define separate modular units together constituting said hydraulic control apparatus;
• installing said modular units respectively on the vehicle body structure and proximate the vehicle clutch;
• and
• thereafter connecting said interengageable complementary connector members.