Disconnecting stabilizer bar assembly having disconnect mechanism with reduced backlash

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11383576-B2
Application number	US-202117146595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2021
Priority date	Jul 20, 2018
Publication date	Jul 12, 2022
Grant date	Jul 12, 2022

Abstract

A stabilizer bar assembly having a pair of bar members and a clutch assembly with a first and second couplers, which are fixedly coupled to the bar members, a coupling sleeve and a rotary lock. The coupling sleeve matingly engages the first coupler. The coupling sleeve is movable along an axis between a first position, in which the coupling sleeve is disengaged from the second coupler to permit relative rotation between the stabilizer bar members about the axis, and a second position in which the coupling sleeve is engaged to the first and second couplers. The rotary lock has lock members that are fixedly coupled to the coupling sleeve and the second coupler. The lock members engage one another when the coupling sleeve is in the second position to inhibit relative movement about the rotational axis between the coupling sleeve and the second coupler.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stabilizer bar assembly comprising:
first and second stabilizer bar members, each of the first and second stabilizer bar members being generally L-shaped and having a central segment, which is rotatable about a rotational axis, and an arm segment that extends generally perpendicular to the central segment; and
a clutch assembly for selectively non-rotatably coupling the central segments of the first and second stabilizer bar members to one another, the clutch assembly comprising a first coupler, a second coupler, a coupling sleeve and a rotary lock, the first coupler being non-rotatably coupled to the central segment of the first stabilizer bar member, the second coupler being non-rotatably coupled to the central segment of the second stabilizer bar member, the coupling sleeve being axially slidably but non-rotatably engaged to the first coupler, the coupling sleeve being movable along the rotational axis between a first position, in which the coupling sleeve is disengaged from the second coupler to permit relative rotation between the central segments of the first and second stabilizer bar members about the rotational axis, and a second position in which the coupling sleeve is engaged to the first and second couplers, the rotary lock having a first lock member and a second lock member, the first lock member being fixedly coupled to the coupling sleeve, the second lock member being fixedly coupled to the second coupler, wherein placement of the coupling sleeve in the second position engages the first lock member to the second lock member to inhibit relative movement about the rotational axis between the coupling sleeve and the second coupler;
wherein the first lock member comprises a plurality of face teeth that engage mating features formed on the second lock member; and
wherein each of the face teeth comprises a pair of side surfaces, at least one of the side surfaces being tapered so that engagement of the side surfaces of the face teeth to corresponding side surfaces of the mating features reduces backlash that would otherwise occur from torque transmission through the coupling sleeve between the first and second couplers.

2. The stabilizer bar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding one of the mating features comprises a correspondingly tapered side surface.

3. The stabilizer bar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tapered side surface comprises a first portion, which is defined by a first angle between the first portion of the side surface and a central axis of a corresponding one of the face teeth, and a second portion that is defined by a second angle between the second portion of the side surface and the central axis, the second angle being larger than the first angle, and wherein when the coupling sleeve is in the first position, the second portions are disposed along the rotational axis between the face teeth and the first portions.

4. The stabilizer bar assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a linear motor that is configured to translate the coupling sleeve between the first and second positions.

5. The stabilizer bar assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a spring that biases the coupling sleeve toward the second position.

6. The stabilizer bar assembly of claim 4 , wherein the linear motor comprises a solenoid.

7. The stabilizer bar assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a fork that is mounted to the coupling sleeve in a manner that permits relative rotation there between but which limits or inhibits relative axial movement there between.

8. A stabilizer bar assembly comprising:
first and second stabilizer bar members, each of the first and second stabilizer bar members being generally L-shaped and having a central segment, which is rotatable about a rotational axis, and an arm segment that extends generally perpendicular to the central segment; and
a clutch assembly for selectively non-rotatably coupling the central segments of the first and second stabilizer bar members to one another, the clutch assembly comprising a first coupler, a second coupler, a coupling sleeve and a rotary lock, the first coupler being non-rotatably coupled to the central segment of the first stabilizer bar member, the second coupler being non-rotatably coupled to the central segment of the second stabilizer bar member, the coupling sleeve being axially slidably but non-rotatably engaged to the first coupler, the coupling sleeve being movable along the rotational axis between a first position, in which the coupling sleeve is disengaged from the second coupler to permit relative rotation between the central segments of the first and second stabilizer bar members about the rotational axis, and a second position in which the coupling sleeve is engaged to the first and second couplers, the rotary lock having a first lock member and a second lock member, the first lock member being fixedly coupled to the coupling sleeve, the second lock member being fixedly coupled to the second coupler, wherein placement of the coupling sleeve in the second position engages the first lock member to the second lock member to inhibit relative movement about the rotational axis between the coupling sleeve and the second coupler;
wherein the first coupler has a first gear portion, the second coupler has a second gear portion, and the coupling sleeve has an internally toothed aperture that is engaged to both of the first and second gear portions when the coupling sleeve is in the second position;
wherein the first lock member comprises a plurality of first teeth that are concentric with the internally toothed aperture;
wherein the first teeth are unitarily and integrally formed with the coupling sleeve; and
wherein the second lock member comprises a plurality of second teeth that mesh with the first teeth on the coupling sleeve to reduce backlash that would otherwise occur from torque transmission through the coupling sleeve between the first and second couplers.

9. The stabilizer bar assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first teeth are internal teeth and the second teeth are external teeth.

10. The stabilizer bar assembly of claim 9 , wherein each of the second teeth tapers outwardly from an associated one of the second teeth.

11. A stabilizer bar assembly comprising:
first and second stabilizer bar members, each of the first and second stabilizer bar members being generally L-shaped and having a central segment, which is rotatable about a rotational axis, and an arm segment that extends generally perpendicular to the central segment; and
a clutch assembly for selectively non-rotatably coupling the central segments of the first and second stabilizer bar members to one another, the clutch assembly comprising a first coupler, a second coupler, a coupling sleeve and a rotary lock, the first coupler being non-rotatably coupled to the central segment of the first stabilizer bar member, the second coupler being non-rotatably coupled to the central segment of the second stabilizer bar member, the coupling sleeve being axially slidably but non-rotatably engaged to the first coupler, the coupling sleeve being movable along the rotational axis between a first position, in which the coupling sleeve is disengaged from the second coupler to permit relative rotation between the central segments of the first and second stabilizer bar members about the rotational axis, and a second position in which the coupling sleeve is engaged to the first and second couplers, the rotary lock having a first lock member and a second lock member, the first lock member being fixedly coupled to the coupling sleeve, the second lock member being fixedly coupled to the second coupler, wherein placement of the coupling sleeve in th

Assignees

• American Axle & Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Kellogg Philip R
• Benedict Dale K
• Kincaid Jeffrey L
• Kaveney Ii Thomas George

Classifications

• B60G2204/8306

  Permanent; Continuous · CPC title

• B60G21/055 Primary

  Stabiliser bars · CPC title

• B60G21/0556

  including a releasable coupling (B60G21/0555 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2600/182

  Active control means · CPC title

• B60G21/0555 Primary

  including an actuator inducing vehicle roll · CPC title