Four-mode switchable ratcheting clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11047431-B2
Application number	US-201916671489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2019
Priority date	Nov 1, 2019
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A switchable clutch, including: a housing defining a pocket; a race arranged to receive torque; a pawl disposed in the pocket; a spring ring rotatable by an actuator to circumferential position with respect to the pawl; a ramp ring; and resilient element fixed to the spring ring and in contact with the pawl. In a free-wheel mode: the race is rotatable, with respect to the housing, in a first circumferential direction and in a second circumferential direction; and the resilient element urges the pawl radially outwardly out of contact with the race. In a one-way mode: the spring ring is in the circumferential position; the resilient element urges the pawl into contact with the race; and the pawl blocks rotation of the race, with respect to the housing, only in the first circumferential direction. In a locked mode, the ramp ring, the pawl, and the race are non-rotatably connected.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A switchable clutch, comprising:
a housing defining a pocket;
a race arranged to receive rotational torque;
a pawl including a portion disposed in the pocket;
a spring ring located radially outward of the race and rotatable by a first actuator to a first circumferential position with respect to the pawl;
a ramp ring located radially outward of the race; and,
a first resilient element fixedly connected to the spring ring and in contact with the pawl, wherein:
in a free-wheel mode of the switchable clutch:
the race is rotatable, with respect to the housing, in a first circumferential direction and in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction; and,
the first resilient element urges the pawl radially outwardly out of contact with the race;

in a first one-way mode of the switchable clutch:
the spring ring is in the first circumferential position with respect to the pawl;
the first resilient element urges the pawl into contact with the race; and,
the pawl blocks rotation of the race, with respect to the housing, only in the first circumferential direction; and,

in a locked mode of the switchable clutch, the ramp ring, the pawl, and the race are non-rotatably connected.

2. The switchable clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
the spring ring is rotatable by the first actuator to a second circumferential position with respect to the pawl; and,
in the free-wheel mode, the spring ring is in the second circumferential position.

3. The switchable clutch of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second resilient element urging the ramp ring in the first circumferential direction and,
a third resilient element urging the ramp ring in the second circumferential direction, wherein:
the second resilient element and the third resilient element hold the ramp ring in a circumferential position with respect to the housing; and,
in the free-wheel mode and in the first one-way mode, the ramp ring is in the circumferential position with respect to the housing.

4. The switchable clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
the spring ring is rotatable by the first actuator to a second circumferential position with respect to the pawl; and,
in a second one-way mode of the switchable clutch:
the spring ring is in the second circumferential position with respect to the pawl;
the first resilient element urges the pawl into contact with the race; and,
the pawl blocks rotation of the race, with respect to the housing, only in the second circumferential direction.

5. The switchable clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
the spring ring is rotatable by the first actuator to a second circumferential position with respect to the pawl; and,
in the locked mode and in the free-wheel mode, the spring ring is in the second circumferential position of the spring ring.

6. The switchable clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
the ramp ring is rotatable, by the first actuator, to a first circumferential position with respect to the pawl, and in the locked mode, the ramp ring is in the first circumferential position of the ramp ring; or,
the ramp ring is rotatable, by a second actuator, to a first circumferential position with respect to the pawl, and in the locked mode, the ramp ring is in the first circumferential position of the ramp ring.

7. The switchable clutch of claim 6 , wherein:
the ramp ring includes:
a first ramp sloping radially inwardly in the first circumferential direction; and,
a second ramp sloping radially inwardly in the second circumferential direction; and,

in the first circumferential position of the ramp ring, the pawl is in contact with the first ramp or with the second ramp.

8. The switchable clutch of claim 6 , wherein:
the spring ring is rotatable by the first actuator to a second circumferential position with respect to the pawl;
in a second one-way mode of the switchable clutch:
the spring ring is in the second circumferential position with respect to the pawl;
the first resilient element urges the pawl into contact with the race; and,
the pawl enables rotation of the race, with respect to the housing, only in the first circumferential direction.

9. The switchable clutch of claim 1 ,
wherein:
the race is supported for rotation about an axis of rotation;
the spring ring includes a bracket extending in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation; and,
the first resilient element is fixedly connected to the axially extending bracket; or,

wherein:
the race is supported for rotation about an axis of rotation;
the spring ring includes a bracket extending in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation;
the first resilient element is fixedly connected to the bracket; and,
in the free-wheel mode, a straight line, passing through the axis of rotation and the bracket, bisects the pawl in the first circumferential direction; or,

wherein:
the race is supported for rotation about an axis of rotation; and,
a portion of the ramp ring overlaps the spring ring in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation; or,
a portion of the ramp ring is off-set from the spring ring in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation.

10. The switchable clutch of claim 1 , wherein:
the spring ring is rotatable with respect to the housing and the ramp ring; and,
the ramp ring is rotatable with respect to the housing and the spring ring.

11. A switchable clutch, comprising:
a housing;
a race arranged to receive rotational torque and at least a portion of which is enclosed by the housing;
a pawl;
a spring ring located radially outward of the race;
a ramp ring located radially outward of the race; and,
a first resilient element fixedly connected to the spring ring and in contact with the pawl, wherein:
in a free-wheel mode of the switchable clutch:
the race is rotatable, with respect to the housing, in a first circumferential direction and in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction; and,
the pawl is free of contact with the race;

in a first one-way mode of the switchable clutch, the race is rotatable, with respect to the housing, only in the second circumferential direction;
to transition from the free-wheel mode to the first one-way mode, the spring ring is arranged to be rotated, by a first actuator, in the first circumferential direction, and the first resilient element is arranged to displace the pawl into contact with the race;
in a locked mode of the switchable clutch, the race is non-rotatably connected to the pawl; and,
to transition to the locked mode from the free-wheel mode or from the first one-way mode:
the ramp ring is arranged to be rotated, by the first actuator, in the first circumferential direction or in the second circumferential direction, and the ramp ring is arranged non-rotatably connect the pawl and the race; or
the ramp ring is arranged to be rotated, by a second actuator, in the first circumferential direction or in the second circumferential direction, and the ramp ring is arranged non-rotatably connect the pawl and the race.

12. The switchable clutch of claim 11 , wherein:
the pawl includes a distal end; and,
to transition from the free-wheel mode or the locked mode to the first one-way mode, the spring ring is arranged to slide the first resilient element along the pawl in the first circumferential direction to displace the distal end into contact with the race.

13. The switchable clutch of claim 11 , wherein:
to transition from the free-wheel mode or the first one-way mode to the locked mode, the ramp ring is arranged to displace at least a portion of the pawl ra

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Burke Peter

Classifications

• F16D41/12 Primary

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

• F16D41/04 Primary

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

• F16D45/00

  Freewheels or freewheel clutches combined with automatic clutches · CPC title

• F16D28/00

  Electrically-actuated clutches (arrangements for synchronisation F16D23/02; clutches actuated directly by means of an electromagnet F16D27/00; automatic clutches F16D43/00 - F16D45/00; external control F16D48/00) · CPC title

• F16D43/202

  of the ratchet type (slip couplings of the ratchet type F16D7/04) · CPC title