Switchable clutch with one-way and fully lock modes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10697503-B1
Application number	US-201816211951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 6, 2018
Priority date	Dec 6, 2018
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

A clutch includes an outer race including pawls each having first and second arms and an inner race including teeth engageable with the pawls. A cage is radially disposed between the inner and outer races and is rotatable relative to the pawls to switch the clutch between a one-way mode and a fully locked mode. The cage includes ramps each configured to urge an associated one of the first arms into engagement with the teeth when the cage is in a first rotational position to put the clutch in the fully locked mode and resilient members each configured to urge an associated one of the second arms into engagement with the teeth when the cage is in a second rotational position to put the clutch in the one-way mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clutch comprising:
an outer race including pawls each having first and second arms;
an inner race including teeth engageable with the pawls; and
a cage radially disposed between the inner and outer races and rotatable relative to the pawls to switch the clutch between a one-way mode and a fully locked mode, the cage including ramps each configured to urge an associated one of the first arms into engagement with the teeth when the cage is in a first rotational position to put the clutch in the fully locked mode and resilient members each configured to urge an associated one of the second arms into engagement with the teeth when the cage is in a second rotational position to put the clutch in the one-way mode.

2. The clutch of claim 1 , wherein the ramps are rigid with respect to the cage and the resilient members are radially deflectable allowing the second arms to slide over the teeth so that the inner race is permitted to freewheel during the one-way mode.

3. The clutch of claim 1 , wherein the first arms are longer than the second arms.

4. The clutch of claim 1 , wherein the cage is annular.

5. The clutch of claim 1 , wherein the outer race defines a plurality of circumferentially arranged pockets, and the pawls each have a lobe that is pivotally received with a corresponding one of the pockets.

6. The clutch of claim 1 , wherein the first arms define teeth configured to mesh with the teeth of the inner race.

7. The clutch of claim 1 , wherein the resilient members are attached to a backside of the ramps.

8. The clutch of claim 1 , wherein the resilient members are an integrally formed portion of the cage.

9. The clutch of claim 1 , wherein the cage defines openings and each of the pawls are disposed in one of the openings.

10. A clutch comprising:
first and second races supported for concentric rotation, the first race including a pawl having first and second arms independently engageable with the second race, the pawl being pivotal to a first position in which the first arm engages with the second race to lock the first and second races in both directions of rotation and to a second position in which the second arm engages with the second race to lock the first and second races in only one of the directions of rotation; and
an annular cage radially disposed between the first and second races and rotatable relative to the first race to move the pawl between the first and second positions.

11. The clutch of claim 10 , wherein the annular cage includes a ramp and a resilient member circumferential spaced apart to define an opening the receives the pawl therein, wherein rotation of the cage in a first direction engages the ramp with the first arm to rotate the pawl to the first position and rotation of the cage in a second direction engages the resilient member with the second arm to rotate the pawl to the second position.

12. The clutch of claim 11 , wherein the ramp and the resilient member are spaced apart by a distance that is larger than a circumferential length of the pawl so that only one of the ramp and the resilient member is engageable with the pawl at a time.

13. The clutch of claim 11 , wherein the ramps are rigid with respect to the cage and the resilient members are radially deflectable allowing the second arms to slide over the second race so that the second race is permitted to freewheel in one of the directions of rotation during the one-way mode.

14. The clutch of claim 10 , wherein the first race is an outer race and the second race is an inner race.

15. The clutch of claim 10 , wherein the first race is an inner race and the second race is an outer race.

16. The clutch of claim 10 , wherein the first arm is longer than the second arm.

17. The clutch of claim 10 , wherein the second race defines teeth configured to engage with the pawl.

18. A clutch selectable between a one-way mode and a fully locked mode, the clutch comprising:
first and second races supported for concentric rotation, the first race including circumferentially arranged pawls each having first and second arms of unequal length and being pivotal to engage either the first arm or the second arm with the second race; and
an annular cage radially disposed between the first and second races and rotatable relative to the first race to actuate the clutch between the one-way mode in which the second arms are engaged with the second race and the fully locked mode in which the first arms are engaged with the second race.

19. The clutch of claim 18 , wherein the cage includes resilient members configured to urge the second arms into engagement with the second race when the clutch is in the one-way mode.

20. The clutch of claim 18 , wherein the first race is an outer race and the second race is an inner race.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Burke Peter
• Lee Brian

Classifications

• F16D41/14 Primary

  the effective stroke of the pawl being adjustable · CPC title

• F16D41/04

  combined with a clutch for locking the driving and driven members (F16D41/02, F16D41/24 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16D11/16

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

• F16D41/084

  the intermediate coupling members wedging by pivoting or rocking · CPC title

• F16D41/12 Primary

  with hinged pawl co-operating with teeth, cogs, or the like (F16D41/02, F16D41/24 take precedence) · CPC title