FIELD OF INVENTION:
[001] The present subject matter described herein, relates to clutch operations in manual transmission system, and, in particularly, to lever actuated clutch system for a vehicle in manual transmission system. More particularly, the present subject matter relates to a hand
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART:
[002] Clutch system is an integral part of the manual transmission in the vehicles. Its function is to transfer power from Engine to the vehicle while engaging with engine and help in smooth shifting of gears by disengaging with engine.
[003] Generally in manual transmission vehicles, clutch system comprises of components as shown in the fig.1a, 1b, and 1c. In starting condition clutch remains engaged to engine. To disengage the clutch, driver presses the pedal 1 which actuates the clutch cable 2 which in turn actuates the clutch arm 3. The rotation of clutch arm 3 results in movement of fork 5 which actuates the clutch release bearing 6 to disengage with engine. The clamps 7 are used to mount the clutch cable 2 to vehicle body. As shown in the figure 1a, the bracket 3 and the bracket 10 are used to mount the cable on transmission 8 and pedal 1 on vehicle body, respectively. The grommet 9 is also mounted on vehicle body.
[004] For the handicapped driver with lower limb disability, it is not possible for them to pressure the clutch pedal to engagement and disengagement of gears.
[005] Further, the existing clutch system is mechanical clutch system therefore the driver has to apply mechanical efforts for engagement and disengagement of clutch and gears. In the traffic conditions, repeated pressing of the clutch pedal create joint pain in the driver’s leg and make driver fatigue. There are several mechanical losses in the mechanical clutch system. The mechanical clutch system has several components that increase the frictional loss and resultantly efficiency of the clutch is system suffered.
[006] Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a system/device which can be actuated by hand with minimum manual efforts. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide an system/device that can be more simple and inexpensive, and which can be placed in the existing structures of the vehicle without any substantial modification in any other part of the assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
[007] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to lever actuated clutch system in manual transmission of vehicle. The lever actuated clutch system for manual transmission gear shifting system of a motor vehicle for engaging and disengaging clutch by driver hand. The lever actuated clutch system comprises a lever provided proximal to a wheel steering. Further, the lever actuated clutch system has an actuator unit which is coupled to the lever via a harness. The actuator unit is controlled by a controller based on inputs received from the lever. The lever is pulled in upward direction to actuate the actuator unit. The actuator unit consist a motor unit having a gear arrangement and a motor arm having first end and second end. The first end of the motor arm is coupled with the gear arrangement of the motor unit. The actuator unit has an actuator arm having first end and second end where the first end is connected with the second end of the motor arm and the second end of the actuator arm is coupled with clutch arm. The controller actuates the actuator unit to provide linear motion to the actuator arm in linear direction to push the clutch arm for disengagement of the clutch based on the inputs from the lever.
[008] In the present clutch system, the linkages have been removed and the system is being actuated electronically by motor with help of a lever mounted on steering. The present system avoids efficiency losses of earlier mechanical system and the present system is cost effective.
[009] In order to further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present subject matter, a description relating thereto will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit scope of the present subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present subject matter and are therefore not to be considered for limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0011] Fig. 1a, 1b, and 1c illustrate structure of the mechanical clutch system as known in the art;
[0012] Fig. 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d illustrate structure of the present electronic clutch system with lever actuation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter; and
[0013] Fig. 3 illustrates circuit diagram of the actuator unit for the present lever actuated electronic clutch system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0014] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
[0015] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to lever actuated clutch system in transmission of vehicle. In the present clutch system, the linkages have been removed and the system is being actuated electronically by motor with help of a lever mounted on steering. The present system avoids efficiency losses of earlier mechanical system and the present system is cost effective.
[0016] It should be noted that the description and figures merely illustrate the principles of the present subject matter. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present subject matter. It should also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that by devising various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter and are included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the present subject matter and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present subject matter, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures.
[0017] These and other advantages of the present subject matter would be described in greater detail with reference to the following figures. It should be noted that the description merely illustrates the principles of the present subject matter. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter and are included within its scope.
[0018] Fig. 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d illustrate structure of the present electronic clutch system with lever actuation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. In the present system, the mechanical system is replaced by electronic system, i.e., controller. The lever actuated clutch system 200 has a lever 13 and an actuator unit 14. The lever 13 is provided in proximity of wheel steering 12. In another embodiment, the lever 13 is mounted on the steering 12. The lever 13 can move in upward and downward direction. The lever 13 is moved by pull force of the driver. The lever 13 needs small manual force to pull the lever. The lever 13 has an embedded spring (not shown in the figure) to take the lever 13 from the pulled position to original position upon release of the lever 13.
[0019] The actuator unit 14 is coupled to the lever 13 via a harness 11. The actuator unit 14 is controlled by a controller 15 based on inputs received from the lever 13. The amount of pull stroke of the lever 13 transfers to the controller 15 via the harness. Based on the amount of pull stroke, the controller 15 actuates the actuator unit 14 to control the clutch in transmission 8. The actuator unit 14 has a motor unit 14-a, a motor arm 14-b, a guide 14-c, and an actuator arm 14-d. the motor unit 14-a has gear arrangement for engagement with the motor arm 14-b. the motor arm 14-b has first end and second end where the first end is coupled with the gear arrangement of the motor unit 14-a and second end is connected with first end of the actuator arm 14-d. The actuator arm 14-d has first end and second end where the second end of the actuator arm 14-d is coupled with clutch arm 4 of the transmission.
[0020] When the controller 15 receives lever pull stroke inputs from the lever 13, the controller 15 actuates the actuator unit 14 to provide linear motion to the actuator arm 14-d in linear direction to push the clutch arm 4 for disengagement of the clutch corresponding to lever pull stroke. Upon pull stroke of the lever 13, the controller 15 transfers the actuation inputs to the actuator unit 14, the motor unit 14-a rotates and transfers the rotation to the motor arm 14-b through gear engagement. The rotation of the motor arm 14-b provides linear motion to the actuator arm 14-d in linear direction through the guide 14-c to push the clutch arm 4 in direction X. The motor unit 14-a rotates to generate required force for pushing the clutch arm 4 for disengagement. The clutch arm 4 is pivoted on the transmission 8. Upon application of push force on the clutch arm 4 via the actuated arm 14-d, the clutch arm 4 rotates results in movement of fork 5 which actuates the clutch release bearing 6 to disengage the engine.
[0021] Referring to figure 3, the actuator unit 14 receives and transfers inputs to the controller 15. The controller 15 receives inputs from the lever 13 via the harness. Upon receiving the inputs from the lever 13, the controller 15 transfers the inputs to actuate the actuator unit 14 for movement in linear direction. The Controller 15 can be any electronic control unit, such as processor, microcontroller.
[0022] When the driver pulls the lever 13 and keeps the lever 13 in pulled direction by continuation of pulled force, the controller 15 keeps the actuator unit 14 in full extended condition to keep the clutch dis-engage. Once the applied full force is removed from the lever 13, the controller 15 senses the inputs of the lever 13 and gives instructions to the actuator unit 14 for backward movement and to allow engagement of the clutch.
[0023] In the present system, requirement of manual force is minimum due to motorized mechanism for push of clutch arm. The present subject matter requires less force, i.e., simple pull force on the lever to engage and disengage the clutch for gear shifting.
[0024] Advantage of present subject matter over current situation:
[0025] The present system has less mechanical losses due to elimination of mechanial linkages.
[0026] Load requirement for clutch operation are significantly lower.
[0027] Layouting of harness is easier then mechanical cable.
[0028] Cost/Weight reduction.
[0029] The present system is user friendly even for handicapped person.
[0030] The present system is noise free.
[0031] Although embodiments for the present subject matter have been described in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the present subject matter is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as embodiments for the present subject matter. Numerous modifications and adaptations of the system/component of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and thus it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and adaptations which fall within the scope of the present subject matter.

We claim:
1. A lever actuated clutch system (200) for manual transmission gear shifting system of a motor vehicle for engaging and disengaging clutch by driver hand, the lever actuated clutch system (200) comprising:
a lever (13) provided proximal to a steering (12);
an actuator unit (14) coupled to the lever (13) via a harness (11), the actuator unit (14) is controlled by a controller (15) based on inputs received from the lever (13), the actuator unit (14) comprises:
a motor unit (14-a) having a gear arrangement;
a motor arm (14-b) having first end and second end, the first end coupled with the gear arrangement of the motor unit (14-a);
an actuator arm (14-d) having first end and second end, the first end is connected with the second end of the motor arm (14-b),
wherein the second end of the actuator arm (14-d) is coupled with clutch arm (4),
wherein the controller (15), based on the inputs from the lever (13), actuates the actuator unit (14) to provide linear motion to the actuator arm (14-d) in linear direction to push the clutch arm (4) for disengagement of the clutch.
2. The lever actuated clutch system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lever (13) is configured to move upward direction based on pull force.
3. The lever actuated clutch system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller (15) receives lever pull stroke inputs via the harness (11) to activate the motor unit (14-a) of the actuator unit (14) to move the motor arm (14-b) and to control clutch stroke.
4. The lever actuated clutch system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lever (13) has an embedded spring to take the lever (13) from the pulled position to original position upon release of the lever (13).
5. The lever actuated clutch system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller (15) controls actuation of the actuator unit (14).
6. The lever actuated clutch system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clutch engages when the lever (13) reaches to original position.
7. The lever actuated clutch system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator arm (14-d) is guided through a guide (14-c) for linear motion of the actuator arm (14-d).