System and method to disconnect and brake a rotating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12060918-B2
Application number	US-202318103308-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2023
Priority date	Aug 3, 2021
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

A disconnect mechanism comprises an input shaft defining a drive axis, a disconnect shaft selectively engaged with the input shaft to be driven about the drive axis by the input shaft, and a disconnect ramp operatively connected to the disconnect shaft to axially move the disconnect shaft between at least a first axial position and a second axial position. A disconnect pawl is selectively engaged with the disconnect ramp shaft, and a brake is selectively engaged with the disconnect shaft in the second axial position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for disconnecting a rotor shaft defining an axis from an input shaft, the system comprising:
a disconnect pawl configured to engage a disconnect ramp on the rotor shaft, wherein the disconnect pawl when engaged with the disconnect ramp is configured to move the rotor shaft between a first position, a second position, and a third position;
wherein, in the first position, the rotor shaft is coupled to the input shaft to rotate with the input shaft;
wherein, in the second position, the rotor shaft is uncoupled from the input shaft to rotate independent from the input shaft to spin down the rotor shaft; and
wherein, in the third position, the rotor shaft is engaged with a brake to stop rotation of the rotor shaft.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a first end of the rotor shaft is coupled to the input shaft in the first position; and
the brake is axially spaced apart from a second end of the rotor shaft in the first position.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein;
the first end of the rotor shaft is axially spaced apart from the input shaft in the third position; and
the brake is configured to engage the second end of the rotor shaft in the third position.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the rotor shaft;
wherein the disconnect ramp includes a first thread and a second thread; and
wherein engagement of the disconnect pawl with the first thread places the rotor shaft in the second position.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the disconnect ramp is configured to drive the rotor shaft axially against a biasing force of a biasing member.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a first end of the rotor shaft is coupled to the input shaft in the first position and wherein the brake is axially spaced apart from a second end of the rotor shaft in the first position;
the first end of the rotor shaft is axially spaced apart from the input shaft in the second position and the second end of the rotor shaft is axially spaced apart from the brake in the second position; and
the first end of the rotor shaft is axially spaced apart from the input shaft in the third position and the brake engages the second end of the rotor shaft in the third position.

7. The system of claim 1 , further including a brake housing;
wherein the brake includes a friction disk and a biasing member seated within the brake housing to allow axial movement of the rotor shaft and the brake together into the brake housing in the third position.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a rotor disposed on the rotor shaft.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a pawl actuator operatively connected to drive the disconnect pawl to move the rotor shaft between the first position and the second position.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the pawl actuator is a linear solenoid actuator.

11. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a short detector operatively connected to the pawl actuator and configured to actuate the pawl actuator in response to a detected short circuit.

12. A system for an electric machine, the system comprising:
a rotor operatively connected to a rotor shaft for rotation of the rotor, the rotor shaft defining an axis;
an input shaft selectively engageable with a first end of the rotor shaft to drive rotation of the rotor shaft with the rotor shaft in an engaged position, wherein the rotor shaft further comprises a disconnect ramp at a second end of the rotor shaft opposite the first end;
a disconnect pawl configured to selectively engage the disconnect ramp of the rotor shaft to disengage the rotor shaft from the input shaft in response to a fault signal indicative of a fault condition within the electrical machine, wherein the disconnect pawl when engaged with the disconnect ramp is configured to move the rotor shaft between a first position, a second position, and a third position; and
a biasing member operatively connected to the rotor shaft and configured to bias the rotor shaft to the engaged position;
wherein, in the first position, the rotor shaft is coupled to the input shaft to rotate with the input shaft, the first position representing the engaged position;
wherein, in the second position, the rotor shaft is uncoupled from the input shaft to rotate independent from the input shaft to spin down the rotor shaft; and
wherein, in the third position, the rotor shaft is engaged with a brake to stop rotation of the rotor shaft.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the rotor is splined to the rotor shaft.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the rotor shaft includes a ridge extending radially outward from the rotor shaft and operatively connected to the biasing member such that the biasing member biases the rotor shaft towards the engaged position via the ridge.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:
the rotor includes a notch; and
the biasing member is operatively connected to the notch and extends between the ridge and the notch.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein:
the rotor is splined to the rotor shaft; and
splines are disposed on the rotor shaft axially between the ridge and the disconnect ramp.

17. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a short detector operatively connected to the electrical machine and a pawl actuator, the short detector configured to issue the fault signal to the pawl actuator to actuate the pawl actuator in response to the fault condition within the electrical machine.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the disconnect ramp includes a first thread and a second thread; and
engagement of the disconnect pawl with the first thread places the rotor shaft in the second position.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the first end of the rotor shaft is coupled to the input shaft in the first position and the brake is axially spaced apart from the second end of the rotor shaft in the first position;
the first end of the rotor shaft is axially spaced apart from the input shaft in the second position and the second end of the rotor shaft is axially spaced apart from the brake in the second position; and
the first end of the rotor shaft is axially spaced apart from the input shaft in the third position and the brake engages the second end of the rotor shaft in the third position.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the first end of the rotor shaft is coupled to the input shaft in the first position;
the brake is axially spaced apart from the second end of the rotor shaft in the first position;
the first end of the rotor shaft is axially spaced apart from the input shaft in the third position; and
the brake is configured to engage the second end of the rotor shaft in the third position.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Finke Aaron M
• Koenig Andreas C
• Hayes Tyler W
• Kheraluwala Mustansir H

Classifications

• F16D2500/1045

  Friction clutch · CPC title

• F16D2500/10406

  Clutch position · CPC title

• F16D2125/36

  Helical cams, Ball-rotating ramps · CPC title

• F16D2023/123

  Clutch actuation by cams, ramps or ball-screw mechanisms · CPC title

• F16D23/12

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