The present invention relates to a clutch test stand for testing wet and dry friction-disk clutches, friction linings and complete.
Friction-disk clutches and brakes are used in automatic transmissions. Clutch test stands for such clutches, for example wet-running clutches, are known, in which within the test chamber the friction disks are held on so-termed inner and outer disk carriers. One of the disk carriers usually carries lining disks, whereas the other disk carrier carries steel disks. In the known test stands the disk pack in the test chamber undergoes a test under oil-tight and heat-insulated conditions, during which both the inner and the outer disk carriers are rotated.
As standard, such clutch test stands when viewed in the axial direction are designed such that the test chamber is arranged between the drives of the disk carriers. This type of arrangement is known as a dual-side arrangement. In automatic transmissions, during a gearshift process the disk carriers of the clutch, rotating at different speeds, are pressed together by a piston so that the clutch is dosed, i.e. the drive input and the drive output are synchronized to the same rotation speed.
Furthermore, clutch test stands are known in which the clutch to be tested is arranged in the test chamber at the same axial end as the shafts driving the respective disk carriers. This type of arrangement is called a single-side arrangement.
A disadvantage of the known dual-side clutch test stands is that due to limited configuration options and longer fitting times, they are often not very much used so that the high cost of purchasing them often seems unjustified.
The purpose of the present invention is to propose an improved test stand for testing disk clutches.
According to the invention, this objective is achieved by the test stand for testing disk clutches according to the independent claim. Advantageous designs and further developments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.
The invention relates to a clutch test stand for testing disk clutches, which comprises a first drive unit and a second drive unit, such that the first drive unit is drive-connected to a first shaft and the first shaft is arranged to rotate inside a first hollow shaft which is itself able to rotate. The distinguishing feature of the clutch test stand according to the invention is that the second drive unit is drive-connected to a second shaft, and the second shaft is arranged to rotate inside a second hollow shaft which is itself able to rotate, and the first and second hollow shafts can be brought into driving connection with one another by coupling means.
Thus, the first drive unit can drive the first shaft and the second drive unit can drive the second shaft. At the same time the first and second hollow shafts can be in driving connection with one another. Compared with known clutch test stands, this design allows substantially greater flexibility in relation to the possible configurations and application options, which for example enables the clutch test stand according to the invention to be used much more. In turn, that increases the value-for-money of the clutch test stand according to the invention.
Depending on the specific profile of requirements to be fulfilled by the clutch test stand, the first and second drive units can be of identical design, or they may differ from one another. For example, they may have the same or different rotational speed ranges, torque ranges or moments of inertia. The moment of inertia influences in particular the dynamic behavior of the drive units.
The disk clutches to be tested can be both wet-running and dry-running disk clutches. The clutch test stand according to the invention is suitable for testing clutches of both types equally well. The same applies to individual friction linings, for example for brakes, and even complete clutches such as ones for change-speed transmissions.
The first and second shafts are preferably arranged parallel to one another. Likewise, it is preferable for the first and second hollow shafts to be arranged parallel to one another.
Preferably, the first drive unit is arranged coaxially with the first shaft and the second drive unit is correspondingly preferably arranged coaxially with the second shaft.
Advantageously, the first shaft is a solid shaft. Also advantageously, the second shaft is likewise a solid shaft.
Although the first and second hollow shafts can be drive-connected to one another, it is not absolutely necessary—depending on the type of testing process to be carried out in each case—for the first and second hollow shafts actually to be in driving connection with one another. The possibility of connecting them increases the flexibility and application options of the clutch test stand,
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the coupling means are designed as a belt drive, a chain drive or a gearwheel drive. These coupling means are all equally suitable for the reliable production of a load-bearing and dynamically drivable coupling of the first hollow shaft to the second hollow shaft.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the clutch test stand also comprises short-circuiting means such that the short-circuiting means are designed to form a driving short-circuit between the first shaft and the first hollow shaft and/or between the second shaft and the second hollow shaft. Thus, a drive coupling can be formed between the first shaft and the first hollow shaft or between the second shaft and the second hollow shaft. This enables the force flow to be transmitted from the first drive unit to the first shaft, from the first shaft via the short-circuiting means to the first hollow shaft and from the first hollow shaft via the coupling means to the second hollow shaft. Thus, the second shaft can be driven by the second drive unit and the second hollow shaft by the first drive unit. This makes it possible to control or regulate the rotational speed of the second shaft by means of the second drive unit and to control or regulate the rotational speed of the second hollow shaft by means of the first drive unit. Likewise, however, the force flow can be transmitted from the second drive unit to the second shaft, from the second shaft via the short-circuiting means to the second hollow shaft and from the second hollow shaft via the coupling means to the first hollow shaft.
In the context of the invention the term “driving short-circuit” is understood to mean a rotationally fixed coupling,
The short-circuiting means can for example be in the form of a flange which can be attached at the same time to the first shaft and the first hollow shaft so that the first shaft and the first hollow shaft form a drive short-circuit or connection, The short-circuiting means or flange can in like manner be attached to the second shaft and the second hollow shaft, so that the second shaft and the second hollow shaft also form a drive short-circuit or connection. This produces a reliable, load-bearing and space-saving drive coupling.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the first shaft and the second shaft are in each case designed to be drive-coupled to outer disks of a disk clutch, and the first hollow shaft and the second hollow shaft are in each case designed to be drive-coupled to inner disks of the disk clutch. In that way a disk clutch to be tested can be coupled both to the first shaft and to the first hollow shaft, or both to the second shaft and to the second hollow shaft. Since a disk clutch usually comprises two oppositely rotatable layers of disks, namely inner disks and outer disks, these can be driven independently of one another. Inasmuch as for a testing process it is not necessary for both the inner disks and the outer disks of a disk clutch to be driven at the same time, the first shaft can be drive-coupled to the inner disks and the first hollow shaft drive-coupled to the outer disks of a first disk clutch to be tested, whereas the second shaft can be drive-coupled to the inner disks and the second hollow shaft drive-coupled to the outer disks of a second disk clutch to be tested. Thus, up to two disk clutches at the same time can be tested in the clutch test stand.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the first drive unit is drive-connected to the first shaft via a first compensating coupling and/or a first torque sensor, and the second drive unit is drive-connected to the second shaft via a second compensating coupling and/or a second torque sensor. This gives the advantage that by means of the compensating coupling axial, radial and angular shaft offsets can be compensated. Thus, the clutch test stand can be operated reliably even if one or more of the offsets exists. A further advantage is that by virtue of the torque sensors the respective torques with which the disk clutches to be tested are acted upon can be determined exactly. Thus, the test conditions can be registered more precisely.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the ability of the first hollow shaft to rotate can be blocked by first blocking means, and the ability of the second hollow shaft to rotate can be blocked by second blocking means. Advantageously, this enables the testing of a braking action of the disk clutches to be tested. Namely, since the rotating ability of the first or second hollow shaft is blocked, so also is the rotational ability of the outer disks of the first or second disk clutch to be tested. In contrast the inner disks can still be driven by the first or second shaft. If the disk clutches are then actuated in the closing direction, the disk clutches to be tested act as brakes. Thus, the blocking means enable the clutch test stand to be simply and quickly converted from the clutch testing operation of a single clutch to a brake testing operation of two disk clutches. This minimizes the operating complexity and the refitting times.
The blocking means can for example be in the form of screws by means of which the first or second hollow shafts can be connected to a housing of the clutch test stand in a rotationally fixed manner.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the clutch test stand has a first axial actuator for actuating a first disk clutch to be tested and a second axial actuator for actuating a second disk clutch to be tested. This enables the disk clutches being tested to be actuated in the closing and in the opening direction, By actuating them in the closing direction, in particular the braking efficacy of the disk clutched being tested can be checked.
Preferably, it is provided that a first or second axial force applied by the first or second axial actuator is continuously adjustable. This enables sensitive and precise testing of the disk clutches under the effect of different axial forces,
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the clutch test stand comprises a first axial force sensor and/or a first axial path sensor, and/or that the clutch test stand comprises a second axial force sensor and/or a second axial path sensor. In that way the axial force applied by the first axial actuator or the axial displacement produced by the first axial actuator can be determined reliably. Likewise, the axial force applied by the second axial actuator or the axial displacement produced by the second axial actuator can be determined reliably. This improves the precision of the testing of the disk clutches still more, since the respective test conditions can be determined accurately.
According to a very particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the first and second axial actuators can be actuated by electro-hydraulic means. This enables precise control or regulation of the axial actuators at the same time as ensuring the application of higher axial forces.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the first drive unit is in the form of a first electric motor and the second drive unit is in the form of a second electric motor. Electric motors have the advantage that they can be controlled or regulated with precision as regards their rotational speed and the torque they produce. They are also compact in form and thanks to their emission-free operation they are suitable for use in workshops,
Preferably, it is provided that the first shaft is mounted on the inner diameter and the first hollow shaft on the outer diameter conjointly on a non-rotating first bearing pin, and the second shaft is mounted on the inner diameter and the second hollow shaft on the outer diameter conjointly on a non-rotating second bearing pin. By virtue of these bearings almost any desired rotational speed differences can exist between the first shaft and the first hollow shaft or between the second shaft and the second hollow shaft, since the shafts and hollow shafts are in each case mounted on a static bearing element. In this way the loads relating to bearing and sealing are minimized, without having to restrict the necessary rotational speed range because of that. Furthermore, as viewed axially there is a common side or common end of the shafts available to enable the actuation of the clutch and the measurements involved.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the clutch test stand comprises a first test head which can be filled with oil and is oil-tight, for receiving a first disk clutch to be tested, and a second test head which can be filled with oil and is oil-tight, for receiving a second disk clutch to be tested. The disk clutches to be tested are placed in the first or second test head and drive-coupled to the first or second shaft and the first or second hollow shaft, with only one disk clutch at a time placed in each test head. Since the test heads are designed to be filled with oil and are oil-tight, they are also advantageously suitable for the testing of wet-running disk clutches.
Particularly preferably, it is provided that the test heads are integrated in an oil circuit that enables the oil to circulate through the test heads. Moreover, in this way a substantially constant oil temperature can be ensured. That favors the exact reproducibility or comparability of testing processes.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that the first drive unit is arranged at a first axial end of the first shaft and the first test head is arranged at a second axial end of the first shaft, whereas the second drive unit is arranged at a first axial end of the second shaft and the second test head is arranged at a second axial end of the second shaft. This configuration of the clutch test stand corresponds to the so-termed single-side arrangement and enables a simple replacement of the disk clutches to be tested, since no test stand components have to be removed in order to insert or remove a disk clutch into or from a test head. This shortens the idle times of the clutch test stand.
Below, an example of the invention is explained with reference to embodiments illustrated in the figures, which show:
In all the figures the same objects, functional units and comparable components are denoted by the same indexes. As regards their technical features these objects, functional units and comparable components are made identically unless explicitly or implicitly indicated in the description.
The configuration of the clutch test stand 1 shown in
According to a further example embodiment of the invention also illustrated in
In an example embodiment (not shown), the clutch test stand 1 of
According to a further example embodiment (again not shown), the clutch test stand 1 of
A force flow in the clutch test stand 1 for testing the braking behavior of the disk clutches 5 and 5′ runs along the arrows shown. The first drive unit 20 produces a torque which is transmitted, via the first shaft 22, to the outer disks 31 of the first disk clutch 5. Depending on the axial force produced by the first axial actuator 36, the outer disks 31 transmit the torque to a greater or lesser extent to the inner disks 32 of the disk clutch 5. Since rotational movement of the inner disks 32 of the disk clutch 5 is blocked by the first blocking means 41, depending on the axial force applied by the axial actuator 36 there is a more or less effective braking action. During this, torque transmitted from the outer disks 31 to the inner disks 32 can be determined precisely at any time by the torque sensor 28. hi addition, by means of the axial force sensor 38 an axial-force-dependent torque transmission capability of the first disk clutch 5 can be determined. The braking behavior of the disk clutch 5′ can be tested in an identical manner. The second drive unit 22 produces torque which is transmitted, via the second shaft 24, to the outer disks 31′ of the second disk clutch 5′. Depending on the axial force produced by the second axial actuator 37, the outer disks 31′ transmit the torque to a greater or lesser extent to the inner disks 32′ of the second disk clutch 5′. Since rotational movement of the inner disks 32′ of the second disk clutch 5′ is blocked by the second blocking means 40, depending on the axial force applied by the axial actuator 37 there is a more or less effective braking action. During this, torque transmitted from the outer disks 31′ to the inner disks 32′ can be determined precisely at any time by the torque sensor 30. In addition, by means of the axial force sensor 39 an axial-force-dependent torque transmission capability of the second disk clutch 5′ can be determined. Thus, the clutch test stand 1 shown as an example enables the simultaneous testing of t braking behavior of two disk clutches 5 and 5′.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2015 225 817.3 | Dec 2015 | DE | national |
This application is a National Stage completion of PCT/EP2016/1077647 filed Nov. 15, 2016, which claims priority from German patent application serial no. 10 2015 225 817.3 filed Dec. 17, 2015.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2016/077647 | 11/15/2016 | WO | 00 |