Electromagnetic clutch and method of actuating an electromagnetic clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12435763-B2
Application number	US-202418919724-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2024
Priority date	Oct 19, 2023
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

An electromagnetic clutch is specified, includes a shifting sleeve which is arranged on a shaft for joint rotation therewith and is linearly displaceable along the shaft between a first engaged position, a second engaged position and a disengaged position located between the engaged positions, a first clutch body and a second clutch body, which are axially spaced apart from each other and are each aligned coaxially with the shaft, each clutch body having an internal toothing, and a stator having a first and a second energizable coil. The shifting sleeve has a first toothing for engaging the internal toothing of the first clutch body in the first engaged position and a second toothing for engaging the internal toothing of the second clutch body in the second engaged position. The clutch furthermore includes a locking device which prevents the shifting sleeve from moving beyond the disengaged position in the direction of the further engaged position when the shifting sleeve is displaced out of an engaged position in the direction of the disengaged position. A method of actuating the clutch is also specified.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic clutch, comprising:
a shifting sleeve which is arranged on a shaft for joint rotation therewith and is linearly displaceable along the shaft between a first engaged position, a second engaged position and a disengaged position located between the engaged positions,
a first clutch body and a second clutch body, which are axially spaced apart from each other and are each aligned coaxially with the shaft, each clutch body having an internal toothing, and
a stator having a first and a second energizable coil for direct or indirect adjustment of the shifting sleeve along the shaft,
the shifting sleeve having a first toothing for engaging the internal toothing of the first clutch body in the first engaged position and a second toothing for engaging the internal toothing of the second clutch body in the second engaged position, and
a locking device which prevents the shifting sleeve from moving beyond the disengaged position in the direction of the further engaged position when the shifting sleeve is displaced out of an engaged position in the direction of the disengaged position.

2. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the locking device comprises a locking element which is a bolt which is radially displaceable between a release position and a locking position.

3. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 2 , wherein the locking element is acted upon into the release position by an elastic element.

4. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 3 , wherein the locking element is moved into the locking position against the spring force of the elastic element when the shifting sleeve moves from the disengaged position into an engaged position.

5. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 2 , wherein the locking element is mounted in the shifting sleeve so as to be radially displaceable.

6. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 5 , wherein the shifting sleeve is divided in the center and the two parts of the shifting sleeve are fastened axially to each other by a connecting ring, the locking element being guided in the connecting ring in a radially displaceable manner.

7. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the clutch comprises an armature which is coupled to the shifting sleeve, the armature being displaceable along the first shaft by energizing the first or the second coil of the stator.

8. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 7 , wherein the locking device comprises a locking element which is a bolt which is radially displaceable between a release position and a locking position and wherein the armature is detachably coupled to the shifting sleeve in the direction of movement by device of the locking element.

9. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 8 , wherein the locking device comprises a locking element which is a bolt which is radially displaceable between a release position and a locking position and wherein a driving geometry for the positive coupling of the armature to the locking element is present on the armature, the driving geometry having a step or a bevel which is configured such that the locking element moves out of the release position into the locking position or vice versa by a movement along the step or the bevel when the shifting sleeve is displaced relative to the armature.

10. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 7 , wherein the armature is coupled to the shifting sleeve via two elastic spring elements which rest against opposite axial surfaces of the armature and each rest against the shifting sleeve with an end facing away from the armature.

11. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the locking device comprises a locking element which is a bolt which is radially displaceable between a release position and a locking position and wherein a guiding surface is present on the outer side of the first shaft, a locking tooth being arranged centrally on the guiding surface, against which the locking element abuts when moving out of the engaged position into the disengaged position.

12. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the clutch comprises a holding device which is set up to hold the shifting sleeve in the disengaged position or in the engaged position in the de-energized state of the coils.

13. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 12 , wherein the holding device has at least one holding element which is mounted in the shaft and elastically acted upon against the shifting sleeve, and wherein the shifting sleeve has three axially spaced recesses in the area of the holding element, the holding element projecting at least in sections into a corresponding recess in an engaged position or the disengaged position of the shifting sleeve.

14. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of the recesses has a triangular contour when viewed in a longitudinal section through the shifting sleeve.

15. The electromagnetic clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the locking device comprises a control unit which is set up to regulate an energization of the first coil and the second coil such that when the shifting sleeve is displaced from an engaged position in the direction of the disengaged position, a movement of the shifting sleeve beyond the disengaged position in the direction of the further engaged position is prevented.

16. A method of actuating an electromagnetic clutch of claim 1 , the method comprising:
while the shifting sleeve is in a disengaged position, the first or the second coil is energized, causing the shifting sleeve to be moved in the direction of the corresponding engaged position,
during the movement of the shifting sleeve from the disengaged position into an engaged position, in particular at the latest when the engaged position is reached, the locking element is moved in the radial direction out of a release position into a locking position, and
during a subsequent movement of the shifting sleeve out of the engaged position in the direction of the disengaged position by energizing the further coil, the locking element blocks a movement of the shifting sleeve into the disengaged position.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the locking element is moved into a release position by a re-energization of the first or second coil energized to move the shifting sleeve into the engaged position, allowing the shifting sleeve to return into the disengaged position.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein after energization of the further coil the energization is stopped, causing the armature to move back into its initial position, the locking element being able to move back into the release position.

19. The method according to claim 16 , wherein in an electromagnetic clutch comprising
a shifting sleeve which is arranged on a shaft for joint rotation therewith and is linearly displaceable along the shaft between a first engaged position, a second engaged position and a disengaged position located between the engaged positions,
a first clutch body and a second clutch body, which are axially spaced apart from each other and are each aligned coaxially with the shaft, each clutch body having an internal toothing,
a stator having a first and a second energizable coil for direct or indirect adjustment of the shifting sleeve along the shaft,
the shifting sleeve having a first toothing for engaging the internal toothing of the first clutch body in the first engaged position and a second toothing for engaging the

Assignees

• Hoerbiger Antriebstechnik Hold

Inventors

• Binder Juergen
• Echtler Peter
• Dempfle Andreas
• Fuerguth Werner
• Voelk Wolfgang
• Butorin Oleg
• Kucharek Sebastian

Classifications

• F16D2011/006

  Locking or detent means, i.e. means to keep the clutch in engaged condition · CPC title

• F16D27/108

  with axially movable clutching members · CPC title

• F16D11/14

  with clutching members movable only axially (F16D11/02, F16D11/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16D2011/002

  using an external and axially slidable sleeve for coupling the teeth of both coupling components together · CPC title

• F16D27/09

  and with interengaging jaws or gear-teeth · CPC title