FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to a dual clutch arrangement for a dual clutch transmission that includes a first clutch and a second clutch.

BACKGROUND

Dual clutch transmissions are known, in which two clutches for connecting the internal combustion engine to a transmission input shaft in each case are arranged between the engine and the transmission as a dual clutch module or a dual clutch arrangement.

In order to hybridize dual clutch transmissions, it is additionally known to allow an electric motor to act on the transmission or on one or both transmission input shafts. A separating clutch is additionally required in order to entirely decouple the internal combustion engine from the drive train. Superstructures are known, in which the clutches and the separating clutches are nested with one another as a triple clutch arrangement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

On the basis thereof, example aspects of the present invention provide a dual clutch arrangement, with the aid of which a hybridization of the drive train is possible and in the case of which the design and manufacturing costs are nevertheless low.

In order to solve this problem, a dual clutch arrangement for a dual clutch transmission that includes a first clutch and a second clutch with the output of the first clutch connected to the input of the second clutch. In other words, this means the first clutch is the separating clutch, which is preferably utilized in the case of the hybridization, and the second clutch is utilized for establishing a connection between the internal combustion engine or, more generally, the first drive unit, and the transmission. These two clutches form a module, while the third clutch, which is still required, for connecting the engine to the second sub-transmission is located somewhere else in the transmission housing.

In this case, the dual clutch arrangement is advantageously designed as a preassembled module. This means, the first clutch and the second clutch are preinstalled in a housing and are mounted, for example, by being slipped over the transmission input shafts. Therefore, this dual clutch arrangement is not a triple clutch arrangement even for the case in which the second sub-transmission clutch would be installed directly next to the dual clutch arrangement. In particular, the cost advantages in the design and assembly result from the fact that a known dual clutch module is to be modified as little as possible, namely in that the output of the first clutch is placed onto the input of the second clutch instead of at one of the transmission input shafts; for the rest, the superstructures can be completely incorporated. Therefore, no recalculations are necessary with respect to the space required, the manufacturing process, or the like. These advantages do not result only when the dual clutch arrangement is designed as a preassembled module, of course. In practical applications, however, dual clutch arrangements are utilized exclusively as preassembled modules.

In the present invention, a clutch is understood to be a clutch, which can transmit the torque output by a prime mover as a drive unit, in particular, an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. This is intended merely for further delimitation from synchronizing mechanisms, which are also referred to, in part, as separating clutches. Such synchronizing mechanisms can only take up much less torque than that output by the prime mover.

Preferably, the clutches are designed as a friction clutch.

As described above, the first clutch is advantageously a separating clutch for disconnecting an internal combustion engine from the rest of the drive train. These types of separating clutches are utilized in the case of hybridized transmissions, as described above, in order to disconnect the internal combustion engine from the drive train.

As described above, the second clutch can be designed for connection to a transmission input shaft. The second clutch is therefore a main clutch or, more precisely, a powershift clutch. Preferably, the second clutch can also be designed as a launch clutch.

In this embodiment, the dual clutch arrangement has only a separating clutch and a launch clutch, wherein the output of the separating clutch is connected to the input of the launch clutch.

Preferably, the second clutch can be designed for connection to two shafts. Depending on the definition, these are two transmission input shafts or one transmission input shaft and a connecting shaft to the second powershift clutch.

In addition, the second clutch can be designed for connection to a transmission input shaft and to the second powershift clutch or to a third clutch. In particular, the output of the second clutch can be designed for connection to a transmission input shaft and to the third clutch. It is irrelevant whether the third clutch is located in the spatial proximity of the dual clutch arrangement, or not. As described above, the output of the second clutch can also be connected to the third clutch, for example, via a connecting shaft or a transmission input shaft.

Advantageously, the first clutch and the second clutch can be arranged in a radially nested manner. In this case, advantageously, the first clutch can be arranged radially outward and the second clutch can be arranged radially inward. The first clutch and the second clutch overlap at least partially in the axial direction.

Preferably, the input of the first clutch can be connectable to a first drive unit. Damper units, such as a dual-mass flywheel or a damper or the like, can be located between the first drive unit, which is usually designed as an internal combustion engine, and the first clutch. The statement that the first clutch is connectable to the first drive unit means that the first clutch is designed at the input in such a way that the first clutch can be connected to the first drive unit. This can involve a flange or a spline or the like.

Moreover, the dual clutch arrangement can be connectable to a second drive unit. In particular, the input of the second clutch can be connectable to a second drive unit. This means, simultaneously, that the output of the first clutch is connectable to the second drive unit, since the output of the first clutch and the input of the second clutch are connected.

Preferably, the clutches can be designed as multi-disk clutches. Moreover, the clutches can be designed to be wet-running. In an embodiment as multi-disk clutches, the input and the output can be designed as disk carriers.

Advantageously, an output disk carrier of the first clutch and an input disk carrier of the second clutch can include a common section. This can be an inner disk carrier or an outer disk carrier, respectively, as described further below.

The invention also relates generally to a dual clutch transmission arrangement. This is distinguished by the fact that the dual clutch transmission arrangement includes a dual clutch arrangement as described above.

Advantageously, the dual clutch transmission arrangement can include a third clutch, which connects the internal combustion engine to a transmission input shaft and is arranged within the gear set housing. The third clutch is also a powershift clutch, as is the second clutch, although the third clutch does not need to be designed as a launch clutch. The second and the third clutches, just as the first clutch, are designed, in particular, for transmitting the total torque made available by the first drive unit.

Advantageously, the third clutch can be arranged between two gear set planes. A gear set plane is usually considered to be the axial area occupied by the gearwheels of one or two gears. There is an axial distance between the gear set planes, in which, for example, shift elements can be arranged.

The third clutch can be arranged between the gear sets of odd gears. Alternatively, the third clutch can be arranged between the gear sets of even gears. Further alternatively, the third clutch can be arranged between the gear sets of even gears and odd gears. Each of the embodiments has its own advantages and disadvantages. An arrangement between even and odd gear sets is preferred. Regardless of the precise arrangement of the gear sets, the third clutch can be arranged at the end of the hollow transmission input shaft. Usually, this is also the point at which the third clutch is located between the even gear set planes and the odd gear set planes.

The reverse gear is considered, in principle, to be an even gear in this case; this applies at least for as long as a gearwheel of the reverse gear is located on the transmission input shaft that has the even gears. This assignment is not always unambiguously implementable, however, since both transmission input shafts or two countershafts are utilized, in part, for forming the reverse gear. In a further alternative, the third clutch can be located between the gear set plane of the reverse gear and another gear set plane; this gear set plane can have even gears or odd gears.

Alternatively to the arrangement between two gear set planes, the third clutch can be arranged, on the transmission-end side, downstream from the gear set planes. In other words, the third clutch can be arranged on the end of the gear set housing facing away from the engine.

Advantageously, the third clutch can enclose a shaft. In the case of the arrangement between the gear set planes, the third clutch can be arranged between multiple shafts. The cavity usually present in the center of a third clutch can also be utilized, however, for sliding the third clutch onto a shaft. This encompasses the embodiment in which the third clutch has been slid onto the hollow transmission input shaft and then encloses two shafts.

In a further embodiment, the third clutch can enclose multiple shafts, specifically parallel, non-coaxial shafts. In the extreme case, the third clutch can be located on the inside of the transmission housing, although, due to the resultant diameter, a uniform actuation around the perimeter is made difficult as a result. It is therefore preferred when the third clutch encloses only one shaft.

Preferably, the dual clutch transmission arrangement has a countershaft design. This is intended merely for purposes of clarification.

The invention also relates generally to a motor vehicle that includes a dual clutch transmission arrangement and/or a dual clutch arrangement. The motor vehicle is distinguished by the fact that the dual clutch arrangement and/or the dual clutch transmission arrangement are/is designed as described above.

