Axial switchable one way clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11525489-B1
Application number	US-202217573583-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 11, 2022
Priority date	Jan 11, 2022
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A clutch assembly is provided including a ring rotatable about a center axis defining an axial direction. The ring includes a profile facing the axial direction. The clutch assembly also includes a rocker including an engagement section that is movable in the axial direction toward and away from the profile; a strut configured for being rotated to move the engagement section of the rocker in the axial direction toward the profile; and an actuator configured to move the strut in an engagement direction to move the engagement section of the rocker in the axial direction into engagement with the profile to prevent the ring from rotating about the center axis in a first rotational direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clutch assembly comprising:
a ring rotatable about a center axis defining an axial direction, the ring including a profile facing the axial direction;
a rocker, the rocker including an engagement section movable in the axial direction toward and away from the profile;
a strut configured for being rotated to move the engagement section of the rocker in the axial direction toward the profile; and
an actuator configured to move the strut in an engagement direction to move the engagement section of the rocker in the axial direction into engagement with the profile to prevent the ring from rotating about the center axis in a first rotational direction.

2. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the rocker is configured to prevent the ring from rotating in a second rotational direction opposite of the first rotational direction when the rocker is engaged with the profile.

3. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a return spring for forcing the engagement section of the rocker in the axial direction away from the profile, the return spring configured such that the movement of the strut by the actuator in the engagement direction overcomes the force of the return spring to move the rocker into engagement with the profile.

4. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 3 further comprising a housing plate, the rocker being positioned within the housing plate, the housing plate including an internal edge pivotably supporting the rocker, the rocker configured for pivoting about the internal edge to cause the engagement section of the rocker to move in the axial direction toward the profile.

5. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 4 , wherein the return spring configured for forcing an abutment surface of the rocker into an abutment surface of the housing plate, the abutment surface of the rocker being spaced from the abutment surface of the housing plate when the rocker is in engagement with the profile.

6. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a first actuator spring for aiding movement of the strut in the engagement direction and a second actuator spring for aiding movement of the strut in a disengagement direction opposite of the engagement direction.

7. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a housing enclosing the ring, the rocker and the strut in a radial direction defined with respect to the center axis.

8. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 7 further comprising a plurality of plates stacked in the housing, the rocker and strut being supported in the plates in the housing.

9. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein the plurality of plates includes an actuation plate rotatable by the actuator about the center axis to move the strut in the engagement direction to move the engagement section of the rocker in the axial direction into engagement with the profile.

10. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the actuation plate is rotatable about the center axis in the first rotational direction about the center axis to move the strut in the engagement direction, the actuation plate being rotatable about the center axis in a second rotational direction about the center axis to move the strut in a disengagement direction opposite of the engagement direction, the second rotational direction being opposite of the first rotational direction.

11. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the plurality of plates further include at least one housing plate fixed non-rotatably in the housing, the rocker and the strut being supported in the at least one housing plate in the housing.

12. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 8 further comprising a snap ring fixing the plates in the housing.

13. A method of constructing a clutch assembly comprising:
inserting a ring into a housing, the ring being rotatable a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction with respect to the housing about a center axis defining an axial direction, the ring including a profile facing the axial direction;
inserting a plurality of plates, a rocker and a strut into the housing such that the rocker and strut are supported in the plates in the housing, the plates including an actuation plate; and
coupling an actuator to the actuation plate, the actuator configured to rotate the actuation plate about the center axis to force the strut to move in an engagement direction, the strut being configured such that movement of the strut in the engagement direction causes an engagement section of the rocker to move in the axial direction into engagement with the profile to prevent the ring from rotating about the center axis in the first rotational direction.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the inserting of the ring into the housing includes axially contacting a first abutment surface of the housing with an axially facing surface of the ring, the axially facing surface of the ring facing away from the profile in the axial direction.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the inserting of the plates into the housing includes axially contacting a second abutment surface of the housing with an axially facing surface of one of the plates, the axially facing surface of the one of the plates facing toward the ring in the axial direction.

16. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising inserting a return spring into the housing such that the return spring is supported in the plates in the housing, the return spring arranged for forcing the engagement section of the rocker in the axial direction away from the profile, the return spring configured such that movement of the strut in the engagement direction overcomes the force of the return spring to move the rocker into engagement with the profile.

17. A clutch assembly comprising:
a housing;
a ring rotatable inside the housing with respect to the housing about a center axis defining an axial direction, the ring including a profile facing the axial direction;
an actuation assembly inside the housing including a rocker, the rocker including an engagement section actuatable in the axial direction; and
an actuator configured to actuate the actuation assembly to move the engagement section of the rocker in the axial direction into engagement with the profile to prevent the ring from rotating about the center axis in a first rotational direction.

18. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein the actuation assembly includes a strut configured for being rotated in an engagement direction to move the engagement section of the rocker in the axial direction toward the profile.

19. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein the actuation assembly includes an actuator plate coupled to the actuator, the actuator configured to rotate the actuation plate about the center axis to force the strut to move in the engagement direction.

20. The clutch assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein the actuation assembly includes a return spring for forcing the engagement section of the rocker in the axial direction away from the profile, the return spring configured such that the movement of the strut by the actuator in the engagement direction overcomes the force of the return spring to move the rocker into engagement with the profile.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Hunt Kenneth
• Hodge Michael

Classifications

• Y02T10/62

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title

• F16D41/16

  the action being reversible · CPC title

• F16D41/125 Primary

  the pawl movement having an axial component · CPC title