Electromagnetic selectable wedge clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10816044-B2
Application number	US-201815916960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2018
Priority date	Mar 9, 2018
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A wedge clutch selectively locks an outer race to an inner race to transfer torque therebetween. The inner race includes a first plurality of tapered surfaces, tapered in a first direction about an axis. The inner race includes a second plurality of tapered surfaces, tapered in an opposite second direction about the axis. At least two wedge plates are provided, each having a plurality of segments with a tapered inner surface disposed on a respective one of the first or second plurality of tapered surfaces of the inner race. The tapered inner surfaces of the wedge plates are tapered in opposite directions. An electromagnetic actuator is provided for each of the wedge plates. Electrically energizing one of the actuators constricts that respective wedge plate, unwedging the wedge plate from between the inner race and outer race and to no longer inhibit relative rotation therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wedge clutch comprising:
an inner race having a first plurality of tapered outer surfaces tapered in a first circumferential direction, and a second plurality of tapered outer surfaces tapered in a second circumferential direction;
an outer race;
a first wedge plate located radially between the first plurality of tapered outer surfaces and the outer race, the first wedge plate having a plurality of wedge segments each having an inner surface tapered to correspond with the first plurality of tapered outer surfaces, wherein the first wedge plate defines a gap extending radially therethrough;
a second wedge plate radially between the second plurality of tapered outer surfaces and the outer race, the second wedge plate having a plurality of wedge segments each having an inner surface tapered to correspond with the second plurality of tapered outer surfaces;
a first actuator configured to radially expand or contract the first wedge plate by enlarging or reducing a size of the gap to selectively lock rotation among the inner race and the outer race in one rotational direction, wherein the first actuator includes coils that, when electrically energized, attract end portions of the first wedge plate to reduce the size of the gap and constrict the first wedge plat; and
a second actuator configured to radially expand or contract the second wedge plate to selectively lock rotation among the inner race and the outer race in a second rotational direction.

2. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , wherein the outer race has an inner surface defining first and second annular grooves each configured to engage one of the first and second wedge plates.

3. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , wherein the inner race is a single integral component such that the first and second plurality of tapered outer surfaces are defined on the single integral component.

4. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , wherein the inner race defines a cylindrical surface axially between first and second plurality of tapered outer surfaces.

5. The wedge clutch of claim 4 , wherein the first and second actuators each include an electric plug axially aligned with each other and with the cylindrical surface.

6. A wedge clutch comprising:
a first race;
a second race;
a first wedge plate disposed radially between the first race and the second race, the first wedge plate configured to selectively expand and contract to selectively lock rotation between the first race and the second race in a first rotational direction while allowing rotation between the first race and the second race in a second rotational direction, wherein the first wedge plate defines a first gap extending radially therethrough such that the first wedge plate is not continuous in a circumferential direction, and wherein the first wedge plate defines a first flange adjacent to the first gap;
a second wedge plate disposed radially between the first race and the second race, the second wedge plate configured to selectively expand and contract to selectively lock rotation between the first race and the second race in the second rotational direction while allowing rotation between the first race and the second race in the first rotational direction; wherein the second wedge plate defines a second gap extending radially therethrough such that the second wedge plate is not continuous in the circumferential direction, and wherein the second wedge plate defines a second flange adjacent to the second gap;
a first set of coils provided on the first flange and configured to, when energized, shrink the first gap to constrict the first wedge plate;
a second set of coils provided on the second flange and configured to, when energized, shrink the second gap to constrict the second wedge plate.

7. The wedge clutch of claim 6 , wherein the first and second wedges plate are each biased in an expanded position to lock the first race to the second race in the first and second rotational directions, respectively.

8. The wedge clutch of claim 6 , wherein the first race is an inner race that includes a first plurality of tapered outer surfaces tapered in a first circumferential direction and engaged with the first wedge plate, and a second plurality of tapered outer surfaces tapered in a second circumferential direction and engaged with the second wedge plate.

9. The wedge clutch of claim 8 , further comprising
a first electromagnetic actuator that includes the first set of coils and is configured to, when energized, constrict the first wedge plate along the first plurality of tapered outer surfaces to enable rotation in the first rotational direction, and
a second electromagnetic actuator that includes the second set of coils and is configured to, when energized, constrict the second wedge plate along the second plurality of tapered outer surfaces to enable rotation in the second rotational direction.

10. A clutch comprising:
an inner race extending about an axis and having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface having a plurality of tapered regions such that a first portion of each tapered region is radially outward of a second portion of each tapered region;
an outer race having an inner surface defining an annular groove;
a wedge plate located radially between the outer surface of the inner race and the groove of the outer race, the wedge plate having a plurality of wedge segments each having a tapered inner surface engaging one of the tapered regions of the inner race, the wedge plate further defining an air gap between two end portions of the wedge plate such that the wedge plate is not continuous circumferentially about the axis; and
an electromagnetic actuator configured to, when energized, pull the two end portions of the wedge plate together to constrict the wedge plate;
wherein the energizing of the electromagnetic actuator slides the tapered inner surfaces of the wedge plate along the tapered regions of the inner race to move the wedge plate from
a first position in which the wedge plate inhibits the inner race from rotating relative to the outer race in a first direction, to
a second position in which the wedge plate enables the inner race to rotate relative to the outer race in the first direction.

11. The clutch of claim 10 , wherein the wedge plate defines a linear portion adjacent the air gap, and the electromagnet actuator includes coils wrapped around a linear portion.

12. The clutch of claim 10 , wherein the inner race defines a pocket axially aligned with the tapered regions and extending radially inward from the tapered regions, wherein at least a portion of the electromagnetic actuator is located in the pocket.

13. The clutch of claim 10 , wherein the inner race defines a second plurality of tapered regions tapered in a circumferentially-opposite direction than the plurality of tapered regions.

14. The clutch of claim 13 , further comprising a second wedge plate located radially between the second plurality of tapered regions and the inner surface of the outer race, wherein the second wedge plate having a second plurality of wedge segments each having a tapered inner surface engaging one of the second plurality of tapered regions.

15. The clutch of claim 14 , further comprising a second electromagnetic actuator configured to, when energized, slide the tapered inner surfaces of the second wedge plate along the second plurality of tapered regions of the inner race to move the second wedge plate from
a first position in which the wedge plate inhibits the inner race from rotating relative to the outer race in a second direction opposite the first direction, to
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Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Hrusch Nicholas

Classifications

• F16D41/063

  the intermediate members wedging by moving along the inner and the outer surface without pivoting or rolling, e.g. sliding wedges (F16D41/061 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16D13/18

  shaped as linked or separately-pivoted segments · CPC title

• F16D27/02

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

• F16D15/00 Primary

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

• F16D41/082

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