Composite friction and dog clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10060485-B2
Application number	US-201515114161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2015
Priority date	Jan 30, 2014
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A composite clutch ( 110 ) is adapted to transmit an operational range of torques ( 60 ) from a driving member ( 118 ) to a driven member ( 122 ). The composite clutch ( 110 ) incorporates both of a friction clutch assembly ( 124 ) and a dog clutch assembly ( 126 ), each assembly adapted to address one of two segments ( 62, 68 ) of the operational range of torques ( 60 ). The clutch ( 110 ) further includes a spring-loaded detent system ( 180 ) configured to control transition ( 66 ) between the two segments ( 62, 68 ) of operational ranges of torques ( 60 ). The friction clutch assembly ( 124 ) includes first friction clutch elements ( 128 ) coupled to the driving member ( 118 ) and second friction clutch elements ( 132 ) coupled to the driven member ( 122 ) for providing torque control within the lower operational range of torques ( 64 ). The dog clutch assembly ( 126 ) includes a first dog clutch element ( 136 ) coupled to the driving member ( 118 ) and a second dog clutch element ( 138 ) coupled to the driven member ( 122 ), in which the first and second dog clutch elements ( 136, 138 ) are configured to mechanically lock together during the higher operational range of torques ( 70 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composite clutch for transmitting an operational range of torques from a driving member to a driven member, comprising:
a friction clutch assembly including first friction clutch elements coupled to the driving member and second friction clutch elements coupled to the driven member;
a dog clutch assembly including a first dog clutch element coupled to the driving member, a second dog clutch element coupled to the driven member, a dog arm coupled to the driven member in axial juxtaposition with the second dog clutch element and axially movable relative to the first dog clutch element and the second dog clutch element, at least one spring-loaded detent contained within an aperture that extends radially within the interior of the driven member, axially stationary with respect to the driven member and disposed between the dog arm and the second dog clutch element, the detent configured to engage the dog arm and prevent the dog arm from forcing the first dog clutch element into engagement with the second dog clutch element during a lower operating range of torques; and
an actuator assembly operatively coupled to the dog clutch assembly via the friction clutch assembly, the actuator assembly configured to force the dog arm beyond the detent and into engagement with the first dog clutch element to force the first dog clutch element into engagement with the second dog clutch element to thereby cause the composite clutch to transition to a higher operating range of torques.

2. The composite clutch of claim 1 , in which the first and second friction clutch members are movable from an unengaged position to a torque transmitting position while a force supplied by the actuator assembly is less than a force required to bias the dog arm to cause axial movement thereof beyond the detent.

3. The composite clutch of claim 2 , in which the force supplied by the actuator assembly corresponds to a first portion of the operational range of torques.

4. The composite clutch of claim 1 , in which the first and second dog clutch elements are movable from a disengaged position to an engaged position when a force supplied by the actuator assembly becomes greater than a force required to compress the detent, corresponding to a second portion of the operational range of torques.

5. The composite clutch of claim 1 , in which the first and second dog clutch elements include complimentary locking surfaces, each locking surface defining V-grooves to facilitate release of the dog clutch elements while under torque load.

6. The composite clutch of claim 5 , in which the actuator assembly is configured to force the dog arm against the first dog clutch element to move the complimentary locking surfaces into engagement during operation within the higher operating range of torques.

7. A transmission clutch system configured for transmitting an operational range of torques from a driving member to a driven member, comprising:
a composite clutch having a friction clutch assembly and a mechanically locking clutch assembly, the composite clutch being operable in a friction clutch mode across a first portion of the operational range of torques, and operable in a mechanically locking mode across a second portion of the operational range of torques;
an actuator assembly including an actuator piston operatively coupled in series, first to the friction clutch assembly, and secondly to the mechanically locking clutch assembly; and
a spring-loaded detent contained within an aperture that extends radially within the interior of the driven member and axially stationary with respect to the driven member, the detent being operatively configured to separate the first portion of the operational range of torques from the second portion of the operational range of torques.

8. The transmission clutch system of claim 7 , in which the friction clutch assembly includes first and second friction clutch members movable from an unengaged position to a torque transmitting position, and in which the mechanically locking clutch assembly includes a dog arm juxtaposed against the detent, such that when the clutch system is operating within the first portion of the operational range of torques, a force supplied by the actuator assembly is less than required to bias the dog arm to cause axial movement thereof beyond the detent.

9. The transmission clutch system of claim 7 , in which the mechanically locking clutch assembly include first and second dog clutch elements movable from a disengaged position to an engaged position when a force supplied by the actuator assembly becomes greater than required to compress the detent, corresponding to a second portion of the operational range of torques.

10. The transmission clutch system of claim 9 , in which the first and second dog clutch elements include complimentary locking surfaces, each locking surface defining V-grooves to facilitate release of the dog clutch elements while under torque load.

11. The transmission clutch system of claim 10 , in which the actuator assembly is configured to force the dog arm against the first dog clutch element to move the complimentary locking surfaces into engagement during operation within the higher operating range of torques.

12. A method of making a composite clutch for transmitting an operational range of torques from a driving member to a driven member, the method comprising the steps of:
configuring a friction clutch assembly to include a first friction clutch element adapted to be coupled to the driving member and a second friction clutch element adapted to be coupled to the driven member;
configuring a dog clutch assembly to include a first dog clutch element adapted to be coupled to the driving member, a second dog clutch element adapted to be coupled to the driven member;
placing a dog arm in axial juxtaposition with the second dog clutch element and axially movable relative to the first dog clutch element and the second dog clutch element, and providing at least one spring-loaded detent between the dog arm and the second dog clutch element, the detent being contained within an aperture that extends radially within the interior of the driven member and axially stationary with respect to the driven member, and configured to bias the dog arm away from the first dog clutch element during a lower operating range of torques;
coupling an actuator assembly to the dog clutch assembly to operate through the friction clutch assembly; and
configuring the actuator assembly to force the dog arm beyond the detents and into engagement with the first dog clutch element to cause the composite clutch to transition to a higher operating range of torques.

13. The method of claim 12 , further including the step of configuring the dog arm to be juxtaposed against the detent, and configuring the first and second friction clutch members to be movable from an unengaged position to a torque transmitting position corresponding to a first portion of the operational range of torques under which a force supplied by the actuator assembly is less than required to bias the dog arm and thereby move the dog arm axially beyond the detent.

14. The method of claim 12 , further including the step of configuring the dog clutch assembly to include first and second dog clutch elements adapted to be movable from a disengaged position to an engaged position corresponding to a second portion of the operational range of torques under which a force supplied by the actuator assembly becomes greater than required to compress the detent.

15. The method of claim 12 , further including the step of configuring the first and second d

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Vierk David T
• Kowal Steven J

Classifications

• F16D25/0635

  with flat friction surfaces, e.g. discs · CPC title

• F16D11/14

  with clutching members movable only axially (F16D11/02, F16D11/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16D25/061

  the clutch having interengaging clutch members · CPC title

• F16D13/46

  in which two axially-movable members, of which one is attached to the driving side and the other to the driven side, are pressed from one side towards an axially-located member · CPC title

• F16D13/38

  with flat clutching surfaces, e.g. discs · CPC title