CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a U.S. national stage of application No. PCT/EP2017/070449, filed on Aug. 11, 2017. Priority is claimed on German Application No. DE102016218264.1, filed Sep. 22, 2016, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention is directed to a triple clutch arrangement for a motor vehicle with dual clutch transmission for use between at least two drive devices and the dual clutch transmission, wherein the first clutch and the second clutch of the triple clutch arrangement are connectable to the first drive device and in each instance to a transmission input shaft.

2. Description of Prior Art

Electrification of a powertrain is a megatrend in the automobile industry. In this connection, both manual transmissions and automatic transmissions are hybridized by providing an electric motor as drive device in addition to the internal combustion engine.

Apart from this, however, it is also conceivable to configure the second drive device as a motor powered by hydrogen or the like.

In known motor vehicles with dual clutch transmissions, a disconnect clutch is also provided for the second drive device in addition to the clutches of the dual clutch. In this regard, it is known to arrange the clutch of the second drive device between the motor and the dual clutch, the electric motor being arranged as a coaxial motor, i.e., coaxial to the transmission input shafts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of one aspect of the present invention to provide a clutch arrangement which makes it possible to make better use of the installation space.

In order to solve this problem, it is suggested for a triple clutch arrangement of the type mentioned above that the first drive device and the second drive device both be connected to, or connectable to, the primary side of the first clutch and/or the second clutch via the third clutch.

It is seen as the core of the invention to configure the triple clutch arrangement in such a way that both drive units are connectable to the primary side of the first clutch and/or second clutch via the third clutch so as to make optimal use of installation space. Due to the fact that all of the clutches of the powertrain are arranged spatially close to one another, further installation spaces can be optimized through dual utilization of component parts and by economizing on axial and/or radial installation space. Additionally, dead spaces, which are present in every clutch, can be minimized.

On the other hand, in known configurations of triple clutch arrangements the electric motor is usually arranged coaxially as was described; hence the attempt to optimize the arrangement of the electric motor and the disconnect clutch associated with it.

The clutches of the triple clutch arrangement are advantageously formed as multiplate clutches. Further preferably, the clutches can be formed as wet clutches. Alternatively, at least the third clutch can be formed as a dog clutch shift element. As a further alternative, the clutches can be at least partially dry type clutches.

Depending upon the intended use, the clutches can be formed as pull type clutches or push type clutches. While pull clutches are used chiefly in the domain of utility vehicles, push clutches are mostly used in the domain of passenger cars.

Further, the clutches can be formed as normally-open (n-o) clutches or as normally-closed (n-c) clutches. Preferably, at least one of the two clutches of the dual clutch arrangements is formed as an n-o clutch. For safety reasons, at least one of the two clutches of the dual clutch arrangements must be open in case of error. Preferably, both clutches are opened in case of error. Opening one clutch of the dual clutch arrangement prevents an entanglement of the transmission, which would lead to destruction of the transmission. An unwanted continued driving of the motor vehicle is ruled out by opening both clutches. Therefore, it is usual to construct both clutches of the dual clutch arrangement as n-o clutches. On the other hand, it is also advantageous in terms of energy when one of the two clutches is formed as an n-c clutch and the other is formed as an n-o clutch. In this case, a safety precaution must be taken to keep the n-c clutch open in case of error.

The third clutch, which connects the first drive device and second drive device to the dual clutch transmission, can be configured electively as an n-o clutch or an n-c clutch. The configuration depends on energy considerations and the intended mode of operation of the electric motor or second drive device as well as safety considerations.

The third clutch can preferably be connectable to the second drive device on the secondary side. Clutches always have an input side and an output side, also known as primary side and secondary side or drive side and driven side. In multiplate clutches, the outer plate carrier with the outer plates is associated with the primary side, and the inner plate carrier with the inner plates is associated with the secondary side. However, the exact opposite may also be the case. Likewise, the outer plate carrier and the outer plates belong to one side and the inner plate carrier and inner plates belong to the other side.

Preferably, the third clutch can also be fixedly connected to at least one of the other clutches of the triple clutch arrangement on the secondary side. The third clutch is then an intermediate member that transmits torque from the first drive device to one or both of the other clutches. In this case, it is preferably provided that the third clutch is fixedly connected to the two other clutches of the triple clutch arrangement, i.e., can transfer torque to both clutches. This makes it possible for the drive units to deliver torque to both partial transmissions of the dual clutch arrangement.

The primary side of the third clutch can preferably be connected, or is connectable, to the first drive unit. The third clutch can then disconnect the first drive unit, preferably an internal combustion engine, from the rest of the powertrain.

The secondary side of the third clutch can preferably be fixedly connected to at least one primary side, particularly both primary sides, of the two other clutches of the triple clutch arrangement. In this case, both the first drive device and the second drive device can give torque directly to the primary side of the clutches of the dual clutch. As has been described, the advantage of this arrangement is that the torque of the internal combustion engine and of the electric motor is always transferred to both partial transmissions. Even in the overlapping phase when the clutches of the dual clutch transmission are both operated in slip, the torque of the motors arrives at the output shaft or output shafts on both sub-paths.

The clutches can advantageously be arranged in a substantially L-shaped manner. The L-shape is in cross section and refers to the arrangement of the plate packs. One plate pack is arranged coaxially and axially overlapping a second plate pack, and the third plate pack is arranged following the first plate pack or second plate pack in axial direction. In this arrangement, an output shaft of the second drive device can engage in the triple clutch arrangement so as to achieve a particularly compact constructional form.

Alternatively, the clutches can be arranged substantially coaxially. The electric motor can then engage in a particularly simple manner radially outwardly at the triple clutch arrangement, and the intervening space between the transmission input shafts and the electric motor can be occupied, for example, by actuation devices of the clutches.

The third clutch can advantageously lie closer to the transmission than at least one of the two other clutches. Alternatively, it may sometimes be sufficient when the connection point between the second drive device and the third clutch is arranged closer to the transmission than at least one of the two other clutches of the triple clutch arrangement. Surprisingly, it has been shown that installation space is minimized on the whole in an arrangement of this type, although the dual clutches are arranged farther away from the transmission than is absolutely necessary. That is, as a result of this arrangement, the expenditure for connecting K0and the second drive device is reduced to a greater extent than the expenditure for the connection between the clutches of the dual clutch arrangement and the transmission is increased.

This arrangement of the disconnect clutch between second drive device and dual clutch transmission is made possible for the first time through a change in viewpoint. In this viewpoint, namely, the triple clutch arrangement is preferably an assembly unit in which at least the plate packs of the clutches are preassembled such that they can be arranged together at the transmission. It is not important whether a housing cover is connected prior to this assembly step or after this assembly step or whether the hydraulic oil is added before this assembly step or after this assembly step. In a particularly preferred manner, the triple clutch arrangement is a completely preassembled assembly unit with coolant oil and/or pressure oil already added for actuating the clutch arrangement.

This construction also increases modularity. The second drive device can then simply be omitted and the assembly unit can comprise a dual clutch arrangement. Then, instead of a hybrid vehicle, a vehicle with a conventional powertrain is obtained, and vice versa, by exchanging a few modules. However, the wheel set and substantial parts of the hydraulic system in particular can remain unchanged.

As actuation devices, either diaphragm springs and/or release bearings with ball ramp and/or devices actuated by piston and/or pressure oil can be provided. The actuation devices of the clutches of the triple clutch arrangement can be electrical, electrohydraulic or hydraulic.

The triple clutch arrangement can advantageously be supported at both sides by at least one bearing. This makes possible an independent actuation of the disconnect clutch between electric motor and transmission and the clutches of the dual clutch and an excellent support in the housing.

The third clutch can preferably be formed as a multiplate clutch, and the outer plate carrier of the third clutch can be arranged on the secondary side. The outer plates are then also located on the secondary side as has already been described.

The inner plate carrier of the third clutch can advantageously be formed as part of the housing of at least one of the other clutches. Accordingly, depending on the arrangement of the three clutches of the triple clutch arrangement, the inner plate carrier of the third clutch surrounds one or both clutches of the dual clutch arrangements. In this way, the inner plate carrier of the third clutch can perform a double function so as to economize on further installation space and material.

The triple clutch arrangement can preferably have at the outer side a connection point, particularly a toothing, via which the third clutch is connected to or connectable to the second drive device. That is, the second drive device can advantageously be connected to the triple clutch arrangement so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it.

In particular, the connection point can be arranged at the secondary side, particularly at the outer plate carrier, of the third clutch device. The second drive device is then connected directly and without coupling possibility to the dual clutch or the first and/or second clutch. However, if the second drive device is constructed as an electric motor, it can run at idle if there is no torque to be delivered. In particular, an electric motor or other motor can be connected to the triple clutch arrangement in a paraxial construction.

The first clutch and the second clutch can advantageously be formed as dual clutch. That is, a known dual clutch module can essentially continue to be used. The housing may have to be adapted.

The invention is further directed to a powertrain for a motor vehicle having a first drive device, a second drive device, a triple clutch arrangement and a transmission. The powertrain is formed in that the triple clutch device is constructed in the manner described above.

The second drive device can advantageously be formed as paraxial electric motor. An overall optimal use of installation space can be carried out with this configuration as has been described.

The first drive device is advantageously configured as internal combustion engine. This results in a hybrid powertrain comprising internal combustion engine and electric motor.

The first transmission input shaft and second transmission input shaft of the dual clutch transmission are advantageously arranged coaxially. The configuration of the transmission is optional in principle; a multitude of possible configurations with one or two countershafts are known.

In addition, the invention is directed to a motor vehicle with a powertrain and/or with a triple clutch arrangement. The motor vehicle is characterized in that the powertrain and/or the triple clutch arrangement are/is constructed in the manner described above.

