Construction machine, as well as clutch for switching the power flow

A method of operating a construction machine, the construction machine including:

• a machine frame;
• a working drum supported from the machine frame;
• a combustion engine supported from the machine frame;
• and
• a drive train connecting the combustion engine and the working drum so that the combustion engine drives the working drum, the drive train including a drive shaft, an output shaft and a clutch arranged between the drive shaft and the output shaft, the clutch including:
• a drive side including at least one drive side clutch element;
• an output side including at least one output side clutch element operably engageable with the at least one drive side clutch element to rotationally couple the drive shaft and the output shaft;
• wherein the at least one drive side clutch element or the at least one output side clutch element includes an axially fixed part and an axially slidable part engaged with one another via a mechanical coupling having rotational play between the axial fixed and axially slidable parts about a rotational axis of the drive shaft;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• transmitting via a clutch brake a frictional rotating force between the drive side and the output side without passing the frictional rotating force through the operably engaged clutch elements, and thereby reducing relative rotational motion between the axially fixed part and the axially slidable part caused by the rotational play between the axially fixed part and the axially slidable part.

A construction machine, comprising:

• a machine frame;
• a working drum supported from the machine frame;
• a combustion engine supported from the machine frame;
• and
• a drive train connecting the combustion engine and the working drum so that the combustion engine drives the working drum, the drive train including a drive shaft, an output shaft and a clutch arranged between the drive shaft and the output shaft, the clutch including:
• a drive side including at least one drive side clutch element;
• an output side including at least one output side clutch element operably engageable with the at least one drive side clutch element to rotationally couple the drive shaft and the output shaft;
• wherein the at least one drive side clutch element or the at least one output side clutch element includes an axially fixed part and an axially slidable part engaged with one another via a mechanical coupling having rotational play between the axial fixed and axially slidable parts about a rotational axis of the drive shaft;
• and
• wherein the drive train further includes an electromagnetic clutch brake operable during engagement of the clutch to provide a rotational coupling force between the drive side and the output side to eliminate or reduce relative rotational motion between the axially fixed part and the axially slidable part caused by the rotational play between the axially fixed part and the axially slidable part, the clutch brake being separate from the clutch elements so that the rotational coupling force of the clutch brake is transmitted between the drive side and the output side without passing through the operably engaged clutch elements.

A construction machine, comprising:

• a machine frame;
• a working drum supported from the machine frame;
• a combustion engine supported from the machine frame;
• and
• a drive train connecting the combustion engine and the working drum so that the combustion engine drives the working drum, the drive train including a drive shaft, an output shaft and a clutch arranged between the drive shaft and the output shaft, the clutch including:
• a drive side including at least one drive side clutch element;
• an output side including at least one output side clutch element operably engageable with the at least one drive side clutch element to rotationally couple the drive shaft and the output shaft;
• wherein the at least one drive side clutch element or the at least one output side clutch element includes an axially fixed part and an axially slidable part engaged with one another via a mechanical coupling having rotational play between the axial fixed and axially slidable parts about a rotational axis of the drive shaft;
• and
• wherein the drive train further includes an eddy current clutch brake operable during engagement of the clutch to provide a rotational coupling force between the drive side and the output side to eliminate or reduce relative rotational motion between the axially fixed part and the axially slidable part caused by the rotational play between the axially fixed part and the axially slidable part, the clutch brake being separate from the clutch elements so that the rotational coupling force of the clutch brake is transmitted between the drive side and the output side without passing through the operably engaged clutch elements.