Clutch device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11732765-B2
Application number	US-202217571165-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2022
Priority date	Jul 26, 2019
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

A prime mover includes a stator fixed to the housing and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator. The prime mover outputs torque by being supplied with electric power. A speed reducer reduces the torque of the prime mover and outputs the reduced torque. A rotational translation unit includes a rotation portion that rotates relative to the housing upon receiving the torque from the speed reducer, and a translation portion that moves relative to the housing in an axial direction. A clutch allows torque transmission in an engaged state, and interrupts the torque transmission in a disengaged state. A state changing unit changes the state of the clutch by receiving a force along the axial direction from the translation portion. Cogging torque generated between the rotor and the stator is set to such a magnitude that the rotor is stoppable at any rotation position relative to the stator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clutch device comprising:
a housing;
a prime mover including a stator fixed to the housing, and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator, the prime mover being capable of outputting torque from the rotor by supply of electric power to the prime mover;
a speed reducer configured to reduce torque of the prime mover and output the reduced torque;
a rotational translation unit including a rotation portion that rotates relative to the housing upon receiving an input of the torque output from the speed reducer, and a translation portion that moves relative to the housing in an axial direction in accordance with rotation of the rotation portion relative to the housing;
a clutch provided between a first transmission portion and a second transmission portion that are rotatable relative to the housing, the clutch being configured to allow transmission of torque between the first transmission portion and the second transmission portion in an engaged state of the clutch, and interrupt the transmission of torque between the first transmission portion and the second transmission portion in a disengaged state of the clutch; and
a state changing unit configured to receive a force along the axial direction from the translation portion and change a state of the clutch to the engaged state or the disengaged state according to a position of the translation portion in the axial direction relative to the housing, wherein
cogging torque generated between the rotor and the stator is set to such a magnitude that the rotor is stoppable at any rotation position relative to the stator.

2. The clutch device according to claim 1 , wherein the speed reducer includes
a sun gear to which the torque of the prime mover is input,
a planetary gear configured to revolve in a circumferential direction of the sun gear while rotating in a state of meshing with the sun gear,
a carrier rotatably supporting the planetary gear and being rotatable relative to the sun gear,
a first ring gear fixed to the housing and capable of meshing with the planetary gear, and
a second ring gear capable of meshing with the planetary gear and outputting the torque to the rotation portion, the second ring gear being different from the first ring gear in number of teeth of a tooth portion.

3. The clutch device according to claim 2 , wherein the rotor is provided radially inward of the stator and integrally rotatable together with the sun gear.

4. The clutch device according to claim 1 , wherein
the rotation portion is a drive cam having drive cam grooves formed on one surface of the rotation portion,
the translation portion is a driven cam having driven cam grooves formed on one surface of the translation portion, and
the rotational translation unit is a rolling body cam including the drive cam, the driven cam and rolling bodies, the rolling bodies being rollable between the drive cam grooves and the driven cam grooves.

5. The clutch device according to claim 1 , wherein the state changing unit includes an elastic deformation portion that is elastically deformable in the axial direction.

6. The clutch device according to claim 1 , further comprising a rotation angle detection unit for detection of a rotation angle of the rotor relative to the stator.

7. The clutch device according to claim 1 , further comprising an axial position detection unit for detection of an axial position that is a position of the state changing unit in the axial direction relative to the housing.

8. The clutch device according to claim 1 , wherein
the stator includes a cylindrical stator core formed of a magnetic material, teeth provided at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction of the stator core so as to protrude radially inward from the stator core, and a pseudo slot provided between teeth within a specific range in the circumferential direction of the stator core so as to protrude radially inward from the stator core,
the rotor includes a rotor core provided inward of the stator core, and magnets provided at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction of the rotor core so as to face the teeth in a radial direction of the rotor core, and
the prime mover includes a coil provided on the teeth.

9. The clutch device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a control unit configured to control electric power to be supplied to the prime mover, rotation of the rotor relative to the stator, and operation of the prime mover, wherein
the control unit controls a size of an inter-clutch gap, which is a gap between the state changing unit and the clutch, by controlling the operation of the prime mover.

10. The clutch device according to claim 9 , wherein
the state changing unit moves in the axial direction relative to the housing together with the translation portion so as to be in contact with the clutch or separated from the clutch,
the control unit includes a learning unit configured to learn a touch point which is a position of the state changing unit relative to the housing where the state changing unit and the clutch are in contact with each other, and
the control unit is configured to control the operation of the prime mover based on the touch point learned by the learning unit such that the size of the inter-clutch gap becomes a size that does not cause a drag between the state changing unit and the clutch.

11. The clutch device according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the operation of the prime mover such that the size of the inter-clutch gap changes according to an environmental temperature.

12. The clutch device according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit is configured to
control the operation of the prime mover when the environmental temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature such that the size of the inter-clutch gap becomes a predetermined size, and
control the operation of the prime mover when the environmental temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature such that the size of the inter-clutch gap becomes smaller than the predetermined size.

13. The clutch device according to claim 9 , wherein
the control unit includes an engagement prediction unit configured to predict whether the clutch is changed from the disengaged state to the engaged state, and
the control unit is configured to control the operation of the prime mover in response to a prediction of change of the clutch to the engaged state by the engagement prediction unit such that the size of the inter-clutch gap becomes smaller than that when the clutch is in the disengaged state.

14. The clutch device according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to
control the operation of the prime mover when a relative rotation difference between the first transmission portion and the second transmission portion is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value such that the size of the inter-clutch gap becomes a predetermined size, and
control the operation of the prime mover when the relative rotation difference is larger than the predetermined value such that the size of the inter-clutch gap becomes larger than the predetermined size.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Uchida Akikazu
• Sugiura Takumi
• Takagi Akira
• Echizen Masayuki

Classifications

• F16D23/12 Primary

  Mechanical clutch-actuating mechanisms arranged outside the clutch as such (specific for combined clutches F16D21/00; mechanisms specific for synchronisation F16D23/02) · CPC title

• F16D28/00 Primary

  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

• F16D48/08

  Regulating clutch take-up on starting · CPC title

• F16H37/124

  for interconverting rotary motion and reciprocating motion · CPC title

• H02K7/108

  with friction clutches · CPC title