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US 7,543,525 B2Granted
Automobile clutch booster
AssigneeSORL Auto Parts, Inc.
InventorsBaojian Tao, Liu Yang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clutch booster usable for an automobile having a clutch. In one embodiment, the clutch booster includes a booster member coupled with the clutch for engaging or disengaging the clutch from the engine of the vehicle in response to a force applied to the clutch of the vehicle and means for determining the status of the clutch of the automobile.
Claims19
A clutch booster usable for an automobile having a clutch, comprising:
- a. a booster cylinder having a first end portion and an opposite, second end portion defining a booster cylinder chamber therebetween;
- b. an assistance cylinder having a first end portion and an opposite, second end portion defining an assistance cylinder chamber therebetween, wherein the first end portion is mounted onto the second end portion of the booster cylinder and the second end portion is formed with an opening;
- c. a piston plate having a first side and an opposite, second side, configured to be positioned in the booster cylinder chamber to divide the booster cylinder chamber into a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion;
- d. a piston rod having a first end portion mounted onto the second side of the piston plate, and an opposite, second end portion extending through the second end portion of the booster cylinder and into the assistance cylinder chamber;
- e. a push rod having a first end portion mounted onto the piston plate and an opposite, second end portion extending through the first end portion of the booster cylinder and engageable with a clutch of an automobile;
- f. a control valve unit located proximately to the first end portion of the assistance cylinder and the second end portion of the booster cylinder and adapted for regulating the pressure of the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion of the booster cylinder in response to the hydraulic fluid pressure in the assistance cylinder chamber;
- g. an electromagnetic solenoid coil attached to the second end portion of the booster cylinder;
- h. a ferromagnetic plunger having a first end portion mounted on the second side of the piston plate and an opposite, second end portion extending through the second end portion of the booster cylinder and into the electromagnetic solenoid coil;
- and
- i. a sensor electrically coupled with the electromagnetic coil for measuring inductance of the electromagnetic solenoid coil induced by the ferromagnetic plunger, wherein the inductance is associated with the status of the clutch of the automobile.
7 more elements
A clutch booster usable for an automobile having a clutch, comprising:
- a booster member coupled with the clutch for engaging or disengaging the clutch from the engine of the automobile in response to a force applied to the clutch of the automobile;
- and
- an electronic member configured to determine the status of the clutch of the automobile, wherein the electromagnetic member comprises:
- a. an electromagnetic solenoid coil attached to the at least one cylinder;
- b. a ferromagnetic plunger having a first end portion mounted the piston plate and an opposite, second end portion extending through the electromagnetic solenoid coil, and being reciprocally moveable in the electromagnetic solenoid coil according to the movement of the piston plate;
- and
- c. a sensor coupled with the electromagnetic coil for measuring inductance of the electromagnetic solenoid coil induced by the ferromagnetic plunger, wherein the inductance is associated with the status of the clutch of the automobile.
4 more elements
A method of determining the status of a clutch of an automobile, comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a booster member coupled with a clutch of an automobile, comprising:
- (i) at least one cylinder defining a cylinder chamber therein;
- (ii) a piston plate configured to be positioned in the cylinder chamber to divide the interior thereof into a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion, and being reciprocally moveable in the cylinder chamber in response to the force applied to the clutch of the automobile;
- and
- (iii) a piston rod having a first end attached onto the piston plate and an opposite, second end attached onto the clutch, and being reciprocally moveable according to the movement of the piston plate for engaging or disengaging the clutch from the engine of the automobile;
- (iv) an electromagnetic solenoid coil attached to the at least one cylinder;
- and
- (v) a ferromagnetic plunger having a first end portion mounted the piston plate and an opposite, second end portion extending through the electromagnetic solenoid coil, and being reciprocally moveable in the electromagnetic solenoid coil according to the movement of the piston plate, thereby inducing the inductance in the electromagnetic solenoid coil;
- and
- b. detecting inductance of the electromagnetic solenoid coil induced by the ferromagnetic plunger, wherein the inductance is associated with the status of the clutch of the automobile.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.