Abstract: A motor vehicle (201) has an engine (201), a clutch (203), and a transmission (204) with a shift lever (230). A sensor (232) arranged at the shift lever (230) detects movements of the shift lever or forces applied to the shift lever. When the sensor (232) detects a movement or force, the activity is interpreted as a signal that the driver intends to shift gear. A detector system of the motor vehicle detects conditions such as the presence and magnitude of a mechanical play which can affect the process of shifting gears in the transmission (204).

Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for use in a motor vehicle power train has an input disc part connected to the vehicle engine and an output disc part to the downstream side of the power train. The disc parts are rotatable relative to each other against the action of an energy accumulator such as a coiled compression spring. The energy accumulator is seated in a suspension device that is divided into two socket parts. The socket parts are rotatable in relation to each other as well as in relation to the input and output disc parts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for transmitting torque, more particularly from an internal combustion engine to a transmission on the output side in a motor vehicle, and to a method for assembling and dismantling as well as maintaining this device.

Abstract: A slave cylinder which serves to disengage the friction clutch between the output shaft of the engine and the transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle has a housing affixed to the case of the transmission and having an internal surface coaxial with and spacedly surrounding the cylindrical external surface of a hollow cylindrical guide coaxial with and surrounding the output shaft. An annular piston of the slave cylinder is reciprocable between the two cylindrical surfaces and carries a clutch release bearing at one end. The other end of the piston is adjacent an annular plenum chamber of the slave cylinder. An annular seal between an end portion of the guide at the transmission case and an adjacent annular centering portion of the housing is installed in such a way that it does not extend radially outwardly beyond the internal surface of the housing, i.e., radially of and beyond the plenum chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a clutch assembly which is designed to be self-adjusting. The invention relates to a multi-plate clutch assembly as well as to a method for operating a multi-plate clutch which can be produced cost-effectively in a structurally simple manner and which has an improved release characteristic. In particular the clutch has a more constant release characteristic with a high operating accuracy over the entire service life.

Abstract: The invention relates to a one-piece component 1 with an at least partial axial contact bearing face 3 for the centred mounting of a ring-shaped component. The one-piece component is made by means of a cross flow pressing process.

Abstract: The crankshaft of a piston engine is assembled with a vibration damper into a discrete module prior to mounting of such module in axial and/or radial bearings of the housing of the engine. The damper has an input element which rotates with the camshaft and a mass which is angularly movable relative to the input element against the resistance of coil springs. The input element can be provided with a sleeve which surrounds a snout at one axial end of the crankshaft. Alternatively, the damper can be installed in or on or can constitute a cheek of the crankshaft. The coil springs can operate in parallel with a friction generating device which also opposes rotation of the input element and the mass of the damper relative to each other.

Abstract: A vehicle transmission system has a main drive clutch (14) with a clutch-actuator (20, 22, 38), a transmission (12) with a gear-engaging mechanism (25), a driver-operable gear-selector lever (24), and an electronic control means (36) to control the clutch-actuator (20, 22, 38) and the gear-engaging mechanism (25). When the vehicle is started up from a standstill condition, the control means disengages the clutch and automatically shifts the transmission into a predetermined start-up gear. According to the invention, the electronic control means (36) is designed to allow the driver to operate the gear-selector lever (24) to select a higher start-up gear than the predetermined start-up gear that is selected automatically by the electronic control means.

Abstract: In a vehicle with a gear-shift transmission of a kind that requires a torque-free state to shift gears, the riding comfort is improved by a method of shifting gears where a gear shift is preceded by the steps of:

Abstract: A drive unit with a continuously variable cone-pulley transmission as used particularly in motor vehicles comprises a pressure valve and an OR-gate valve with slide pistons sharing a common valve bore. An interposed push member serves to reduce or eliminate transverse forces between the slide pistons.

Abstract: A friction clutch wherein a pressure plate is axially movably but non-rotatably coupled to a cover and is biased by a diaphragm spring to urge the friction linings of a clutch disc against a flywheel which is driven by the engine of a motor vehicle. The diaphragm spring is tiltable relative to a seat which is carried by the cover, and a second spring is provided to bias a portion of the seat against the diaphragm spring. The latter can be moved axially of the flywheel to compensate for wear upon the friction linings, particularly when the flywheel is idle or is driven at a relatively low speed.

Abstract: An adjustable pulley for use in a continuous variable transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle has an axially fixed first conical flange and an axially movable second conical flange. The hydraulic control system which moves the second flange relative to the first flange is provided with at least one first plenum chamber which receives pressurized fluid when the second flange is to move toward the first flange, and with an additional plenum chamber which receives pressurized fluid when the second flange is to move away from the first flange. The admission of pressurized fluid into the additional chamber is regulated in dependency upon the RPM of the flanges. Rapid evacuation of pressurized fluid from the additional chamber can take place by way of a relief valve which opens when the pressure of fluid in the additional chamber rises to a preselected value. This renders it possible to rapidly shift between overdrive and underdrive.

Abstract: In a continuously variable chain-belt transmission, a ratio-controlling pressure is selectively applied to either one or the other of two pairs of conical disks, while a belt-tightening contact pressure is applied equally in a torque-dependent amount to both disk pairs. A pump pressure generated by a pump is regulated by an offset pressure valve to a pressure level that exceeds the ratio-controlling pressure by a preset amount and at least equals the contact pressure. A current-controlled ratio-controlling valve device directs the ratio-controlling pressure to one or the other of the disk pairs depending on whether the ratio-controlling current is above or below a neutral value. The neutral current value as well as the algorithm describing the functional relationship between the ratio-controlling pressure and the current are continuously updated while the transmission is in use.

Abstract: The invention relates to hydrodynamic torque converter comprising a pump wheel which is arranged inside of a housing, a turbine wheel, a stator, a torque converter lock-up clutch and a torsional vibration damper. The turbine wheel has a turbine hub which is axially and rigidly mounted on a drive hub of the torque converter in an axial direction to the drive hub by means of at least one axial bearing. The turbine hub is mounted in a radial direction by means of a radial bearing. A connection with circumferential backlash is provided between the turbine hub and the drive hub by means of a disengaging gear. The invention also provides a rotationally fixed connection by means of an engaging gear located between the input component of the torsional vibration damper and the turbine hub, whereby the engaging gear and the disengaging gear are arranged on an essentially same axial position and radially within one another.

Abstract: A selected portion of a surface of a metallic workpiece such as the end surface of a tubular workpiece, is provided with one or more recesses by resorting to a tool having a preferably pointed tip and being driven into the surface to displace the material of the workpiece substantially transversely of the thus obtained recess. The latter can be used to facilitate the establishment of a separable connection between the workpiece and a substantially disc-shaped section of a cover or housing in a friction clutch for use in motor vehicles. The tool can be left in the recess to serve as a locating or centering device for the workpiece.

Abstract: The output shaft of a combustion engine and/or the input shaft of a transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle is directly or indirectly connected to or connectable with the rotor of an electric machine. The stator of the electric machine surrounds the rotor and the latter surrounds, at least in part, a gearing and/or a clutch for and/or another constituent of the transmission. Such design contributes to compactness of the power train.

Abstract: A hydrokinetic torque converter with a built-in bypass clutch is provided with an arrangement which regulates the cooling of the clutch at a rate dependent upon the slip between the coaxial driving and driven parts of the clutch, and hence upon the quantity of generated friction heat. The cooling unit for the driving and/or driven part of the clutch can employ, for example, one or more pumps; a supply of a substance which changes its aggregate state from liquid to gaseous or from solid to flowable in response to heating, and vice versa in response to cooling; one or more porous washers in the path for the flow of hydraulic fluid between the customary plenum chambers provided in the housing of the torque converter to move a piston of the driven part of the clutch into and from frictional engagement with the housing; and/or a system of recesses, grooves, channels and/or other passages serving to convey fluid between the chambers at a rate which is higher or highest when the clutch operates with maximum slip.

Abstract: The cylinder of a cylinder and piston unit in the friction clutch engaging/disengaging apparatus of a power train for use in a motor vehicle is assembled of two separately produced coaxial tubular walls. The outer wall is made of a plastic material and is of one piece with an extension serving to supply pressurized hydraulic fluid from a pump or another source to the plenum chamber for the reciprocable annular piston between the two walls. The inner wall is made of sheet metal and one of its end portions is separably coupled to one end portion of the outer wall by snap action. Such one end portion of the outer wall is separably secured to a support, usually the transmission case in the power train of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A continuously variable belt-drive transmission for a motor vehicle with two pairs of conical discs (11, 21) has a compact layout arrangement where the torque flows from a prime mover through an input shaft (2), start-up element (4), torque sensor (10), first conical-disc pair (11), chain-belt (25), second conical-disc pair (21), direction-reversing element (28), and output shaft (3) to the wheels of the vehicle.

Abstract: The crankshaft of a piston engine is assembled with a vibration damper into a discrete module prior to mounting of such module in axial and/or radial bearings of the housing of the engine. The damper has an input element which rotates with the camshaft and a mass which is angularly movable relative to the input element against the resistance of coil springs. The input element can be provided with a sleeve which surrounds a snout at one axial end of the crankshaft. Alternatively, the damper can be installed in or on or can constitute a cheek of the crankshaft. The coil springs can operate in parallel with a friction generating device which also opposes rotation of the input element and the mass of the damper relative to each other.