Electromagnetic selectable wedge clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10626930-B2
Application number	US-201816121787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2018
Priority date	Sep 5, 2018
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

A wedge clutch, including: outer and inner races; a wedge plate radially between the inner and outer races; and an electromagnetic actuator. The electromagnetic actuator includes: a coil; a first coil core piece including a first end disposed within the coil and a second end connected to the wedge plate; and a second coil core piece including a first end disposed within the first coil and a second end connected to the wedge plate. In a locked mode of the clutch, the inner race and outer races and the wedge plate are non-rotatably connected for rotation of the inner race in a circumferential direction. In a free-wheel mode of the clutch, the inner race is rotatable, with respect to the outer race, in the circumferential direction. To transition from the locked mode to the free-wheel mode, the electromagnetic actuator is arranged to be energized to radially contract the wedge plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wedge clutch, comprising:
an axis of rotation;
an outer race;
a first inner race;
a first wedge plate radially disposed between the first inner race and the outer race; and,
a first electromagnetic actuator including:
a first coil;
a first coil core piece including:
a first end disposed within the first coil; and,
a second end connected to the first wedge plate; and,

a second coil core piece including:
a first end disposed within the first coil; and,
a second end connected to the first wedge plate, wherein:

in a first locked mode of the wedge clutch, the first inner race, the first wedge plate, and the outer race are non-rotatably connected for rotation of the first inner race in a first circumferential direction;
in a first free-wheel mode of the wedge clutch, the first inner race is rotatable, with respect to the outer race, in the first circumferential direction; and,
to transition from the first locked mode to the first free-wheel mode, the first electromagnetic actuator is arranged to be energized to radially contract the first wedge plate.

2. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , wherein to transition from the first free-wheel mode to the first locked mode:
the first electromagnetic actuator is arranged to be de-energized; and,
the first wedge plate is arranged to expand radially outwardly to initiate or increase frictional contact between the first wedge plate and the outer race.

3. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
the first wedge plate includes:
a first circumferential end; and,
a second circumferential end;

the first wedge plate is discontinuous between the first circumferential end and the second circumferential end;
the second end of the first coil core piece is fixedly connected to the first circumferential end; and,
the second end of the second coil core piece is fixedly connected to the second circumferential end.

4. The wedge clutch of claim 3 , wherein to transition from the first locked mode to the first free-wheel mode, the first electromagnetic actuator is arranged to be energized to bring the first circumferential end and the second circumferential end toward each other in a circumferential direction.

5. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
the first wedge plate includes a plurality of first ramps;
the first inner race includes a plurality of second ramps; and,
each first ramp is in contact with a respective second ramp.

6. The wedge clutch of claim 5 , wherein:
said each first ramp slopes radially inwardly in the first circumferential direction;
the respective second ramp slopes radially inwardly in the first circumferential direction; and,
to transition from the first locked mode to the first free-wheel mode, the first electromagnetic actuator is arranged to slide at least one first ramp radially inwardly along at least one second ramp in the first circumferential direction.

7. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
in a second free-wheel mode of the wedge clutch, one of the first inner race or the outer race is rotatable with respect to the other of the first inner race or the outer race for relative rotation of the first inner race, with respect to the outer race, in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction; and,
to transition from the first locked mode to the second free-wheel mode, the first electromagnetic actuator is arranged to be energized to radially contract the first wedge plate.

8. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
in a second locked mode of the wedge clutch, the first inner race, the first wedge plate, and the outer race are non-rotatably connected for rotation of the first inner race in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction;
in a second free-wheel mode of the wedge clutch, the first inner race is rotatable, with respect to the outer race, in the second circumferential direction;
to transition from the second locked mode to the second free-wheel mode, the first electromagnetic actuator is arranged to be energized to radially contract the first wedge plate; and,
to transition from the second free-wheel mode to the second locked mode:
the first electromagnetic actuator is arranged to be de-energized; and,
the first wedge plate is arranged to expand radially outwardly to initiate or increase frictional contact between the first wedge plate and the outer race.

9. The wedge clutch of claim 8 , wherein:
the first wedge plate includes a plurality of first ramps and a plurality of second ramps;
the first inner race includes a plurality of first ramps and a plurality of second ramps;
each first ramp of the first wedge plate is in contact with a respective first ramp of the first inner race; and,
each second ramp of the first wedge plate is in contact with a respect second ramp of the first inner race.

10. The wedge clutch of claim 9 , wherein:
said each first ramp of the first wedge plate slopes radially inwardly in the first circumferential direction;
the respective first ramp of the first inner race slopes radially inwardly in the first circumferential direction;
said each second ramp of the first wedge plate slopes radially inwardly in the second circumferential direction; and,
the respective second ramp of the first inner race slopes radially inwardly in the second circumferential direction.

11. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second inner race non-rotatably connected to the first inner race;
a second wedge plate radially disposed between the second inner race and the outer race; and,
a second electromagnetic actuator including:
a second coil;
a third coil core piece including:
a first end disposed within the second coil; and,
a second end connected to the second wedge plate; and,

a fourth coil core piece including:
a first end disposed within the second coil; and,
a second end connected to the second wedge plate, wherein:

in a second locked mode of the wedge clutch, the second inner race, the second wedge plate, and the outer race are non-rotatably connected for rotation of the second inner race in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction;
in a second free-wheel mode of the wedge clutch, the second inner race is rotatable, with respect to the outer race, in the second circumferential direction; and,
to transition from the second locked mode to the second free-wheel mode, the second electromagnetic actuator is arranged to be energized to radially contract the second wedge plate.

12. The wedge clutch of claim 11 , wherein to transition from the second free-wheel mode to the second locked mode:
the second electromagnetic actuator is arranged to be de-energized; and,
the second wedge plate is arranged to expand radially outwardly to initiate or increase frictional contact between the second wedge plate and the outer race.

13. The wedge clutch of claim 11 , wherein:
the second wedge plate includes:
a first circumferential end; and,
a second circumferential end;

the second wedge plate is discontinuous between the first circumferential end and the second circumferential end;
the second end of the third coil core piece is fixedly connected to the first circumferential end; and,
the second end of the fourth coil core piece is fixedly connected to the second circumferential end.

14. The wedge clutch of claim 11 , wherein:
the first wedge plate includes a plurality of ramps sloping radially inwardly in the first circumferential direction;
the first inner race includes a plurality of ramps, each ramp of the first inner

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Hrusch Nicholas
• Uddin Md Wasi
• Rauh Kevin

Classifications

• F16D41/082 Primary

  the intermediate coupling members wedging by movement other than pivoting or rolling · CPC title

• F16D27/02

  with electromagnets incorporated in the clutch, i.e. with collecting rings {(F16D27/004 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16D15/00

  Clutches with wedging balls or rollers or with other wedgeable separate clutching members (freewheels, freewheel clutches F16D41/00) · CPC title

• F16D13/18

  shaped as linked or separately-pivoted segments · CPC title

• F16D13/06

  with clutching members movable otherwise than only axially (F16D13/08, F16D13/12 take precedence) · CPC title