Switchable ratcheting wedge clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10871194-B2
Application number	US-201916263094-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2019
Priority date	Jan 31, 2019
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

A clutch, including: an inner race including a pocket; an outer race; and a pawl including a portion disposed in the pocket and pivotable within the pocket. In a locked mode of the switchable ratcheting clutch: the pawl contacts the outer race; and the pawl, the inner race, and the outer race are non-rotatably connected. In a one-way mode of the switchable ratcheting clutch: the pawl contacts the outer race; and relative rotation of the inner race around the axis of rotation and with respect to the outer race is enabled only in a first circumferential direction. In a freewheel mode of the switchable ratcheting clutch: the pawl is free of contact with the outer race; and the inner race is rotatable around the axis of rotation and with respect to the outer race in the first circumferential direction and in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A switchable ratcheting clutch, comprising:
an axis of rotation;
an inner race including a pocket;
an outer race;
a cage radially disposed between the inner race and the outer race and including a ramp sloping radially inwardly in a first circumferential direction; and,
a pawl including a portion:
disposed in the pocket; and,
pivotable within the pocket, wherein:
in a locked mode of the switchable ratcheting clutch:
the pawl contacts the outer race; and,
the pawl, the inner race, and the outer race are non-rotatably connected;

in a one-way mode of the switchable ratcheting clutch:
the pawl contacts the outer race; and,
relative rotation of the inner race around the axis of rotation and with respect to the outer race is enabled only in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction; and,

in a freewheel mode of the switchable ratcheting clutch:
the ramp contacts the pawl;
the pawl is free of contact with the outer race; and,
the inner race is rotatable around the axis of rotation and with respect to the outer race in the first circumferential direction and in the second circumferential direction.

2. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
the ramp is:
in contact with the pawl in the locked mode; and,
free of contact with the pawl in the one-way mode; and,

the cage is arranged to be rotated, around the axis of rotation and with respect to the inner race, by an actuator to switch the switchable ratcheting clutch among the locked mode, the one-way mode, and the freewheel modes.

3. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
the outer race includes a circumferentially disposed groove bounded circumferentially and radially outwardly by a wall in a material forming the outer race;
a surface of the pawl is located in the circumferentially disposed groove; and,
in the locked mode, the surface of the pawl contacts the wall.

4. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 3 , wherein:
the outer race includes a plurality of protrusions extending radially inwardly;
in the one-way mode, the pawl contacts a protrusion included in the plurality of protrusions; and,
the wall:
extends radially outward past the plurality of protrusions; and,
is axially off-set from the plurality of protrusions.

5. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 1 , further comprising:
a resilient element engaged with the inner race and the pawl, wherein:
the pawl includes a pivot axis parallel to the axis of rotation, passing through the portion of the pawl, and passing through the pocket;
the outer race includes a plurality of protrusions extending radially inwardly;
in the one-way mode, the resilient element urges the pawl about the pivot axis and into contact with a protrusion included in the plurality of protrusions;
in the freewheel mode, the resilient element urges the pawl about the pivot axis and into contact with the ramp; and,
the cage is arranged to be rotated, around the axis of rotation and with respect to the inner race, by an actuator to switch the switchable ratcheting clutch among the locked mode, the one-way mode, and the freewheel modes.

6. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 5 , wherein:
the resilient element urges the pawl about the pivot axis with a force; and,
the force and the contact between the pawl and the ramp fix a position of the pawl about the pivot axis.

7. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
in the locked mode, a first portion of the ramp contacts the pawl;
in the freewheel mode, a second portion of the ramp contacts the pawl; and,
the first portion is larger than the second portion.

8. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 1 , wherein in the one-way mode, the inner race is non-rotatably connected to the outer race for:
a torque applied to the inner race in the first circumferential direction; or,
a torque applied to the outer race in the second circumferential direction.

9. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
the pawl includes a first circumferential end and a second circumferential end;
the outer race includes a plurality of protrusions extending radially inwardly;
in the locked mode, the first circumferential end contacts the outer race; and,
in the one-way mode, the second circumferential end contacts the plurality of protrusions.

10. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
the outer race includes a plurality of protrusions extending radially inwardly;
a protrusion in the plurality of protrusions includes a first surface facing at least partly in the second circumferential direction; and,
in the one-way mode and for rotation of the inner race in the first circumferential direction, the pawl contacts the first surface of the protrusion included in the plurality of protrusions.

11. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 1 , wherein the switchable ratcheting clutch is arranged to transition to the one-way mode from the locked mode or from the freewheel mode for relative rotation of the inner race, with respect to the outer race, in the first circumferential direction.

12. A switchable ratcheting clutch, comprising:
an axis of rotation;
an inner race including a pocket;
an outer race;
a cage:
radially disposed between the inner race and the outer race; and,
including a ramp sloping radially inwardly in a first circumferential direction around the axis of rotation; and,

a pawl including:
a portion disposed in the pocket and pivotable around a pivot axis parallel to the axis of rotation and passing through the portion;
a first circumferential end; and,
a second circumferential end, wherein:
in a locked mode of the switchable ratcheting clutch:
the ramp contacts the pawl;
the first circumferential end contacts the outer race; and,
the inner race and the outer race are non-rotatably connected;

in a one-way mode of the switchable ratcheting clutch:
the second circumferential end contacts the outer race; and,
relative rotation of the inner race around the axis of rotation and with respect to the outer race is enabled only in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction;

in a freewheel mode of the switchable ratcheting clutch:
the pawl is free of contact with the outer race; and,
the inner race is rotatable, with respect to the outer race, in the first circumferential direction and in the second circumferential direction; and,

the cage is arranged to be rotated, around the axis of rotation and with respect to the inner race, by an actuator to switch the switchable ratcheting clutch among the locked mode, the one-way mode, and the freewheel modes.

13. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 12 , further comprising:
a resilient element:
in contact with the pawl and with the inner race; and,
urging the pawl around the pivot axis, wherein in the one-way mode, the resilient element urges:
the second circumferential end into contact with the outer race; and,
the first circumferential end out of contact with the outer race.

14. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 13 , wherein the portion of the pawl is circumferentially disposed between the ramp and the resilient element.

15. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 12 , wherein:
in the locked mode, a first portion of the ramp contacts the pawl;
in the freewheel mode, a second portion of the ramp contacts the pawl; and,
the first portion is larger than the second portion.

16. The switchable ratcheting clutch of claim 12 , whe

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Burke Peter

Classifications

• F16D13/18

  shaped as linked or separately-pivoted segments · CPC title

• F16D41/14 Primary

  the effective stroke of the pawl being adjustable · CPC title

• F16D41/16 Primary

  the action being reversible · CPC title

• F16D41/04

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