Clutch and gear synchronizer module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9506551-B1
Application number	US-201514829330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 18, 2015
Priority date	Aug 18, 2015
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A clutch and gear synchronizer module includes an actuator disposed radially with respect to the transmission shaft and carried by an actuator carrier connected to the transmission shaft for rotation with the transmission shaft. The actuator includes an offset pin coupled to a shift sleeve that is able to move axially with respect to the transmission shaft thereby causing axial and rotational movement of the offset pin and rotation of the actuator about an actuator axis. The actuator includes a lobe and a pawl. Sequentially, the lobe engages a friction ring thereby causing the friction ring to engage the gear and causing the gear to rotate in synchronization with the transmission shaft. As the shift sleeve moves further towards the gear, the pawl then engages clutch teeth disposed on an annular surface of the gear.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A clutch and gear synchronizer module for a transmission that includes a transmission shaft that passes coaxially through a first gear assembly, the first gear assembly including a frictional surface and a recess, the transmission shaft being rotatable about a transmission axis, the clutch and gear synchronizer module comprising:
an actuator carrier mounted on the transmission shaft for rotation with the transmission shaft about the transmission axis, the actuator carrier disposed radially within and coupled to a shift sleeve for imparting rotation to the shift sleeve while enabling the shift sleeve to move axially with respect to the actuator carrier, the actuator carrier including an inner hub connected to an outer ring with a window disposed between the inner hub and the outer ring,
a first friction element disposed between the first gear assembly and the actuator carrier and coupled to the actuator carrier for rotation with the actuator carrier while enabling the first friction element to move axially with respect to the actuator carrier, and
an actuator that extends radially between the inner hub and the outer ring and across the window of the actuator carrier, the actuator being rotatable about an actuator axis that extends radially between the inner hub and the outer ring, the actuator including a lobe and a pawl disposed in radial alignment with the window, the lobe also in radial alignment with the first friction element, the pawl also in radial alignment the frictional surface of the first gear assembly, the actuator further including an outwardly directed offset pin that is parallel to but not coaxial with the actuator axis, the offset pin coupled to the shift sleeve.

2. The clutch and gear synchronizer of claim 1 wherein an initial axial movement of the shift sleeve and offset pin towards the first gear assembly causes the lobe to rotate into engagement with the first friction element and push the first friction element into the recess of the first gear assembly thereby causing the first gear assembly to rotate with the clutch and synchronizer module and wherein a further axial movement of the shift sleeve towards the first gear assembly causes the pawl to engage the frictional surface of the first gear assembly.

3. The clutch and gear synchronizer of claim 1 wherein the transmission further includes a second gear through which the transmission shaft passes and disposed opposite the clutch and synchronizer module from the first gear assembly, the second gear including a recess and a frictional surface that face the clutch and synchronizer module,
the clutch and synchronizer module further including a second friction element disposed between the second gear and the actuator carrier and coupled to the actuator carrier for rotation with the actuator carrier while enabling the second friction element to move axially with respect to the actuator carrier,
the lobe also in radial alignment with the second friction element, the pawl also in radial alignment the frictional surface of the second gear,
wherein an initial axial movement of the shift sleeve and offset pin towards the second gear causes the lobe to rotate into engagement with the second friction element and push the second friction element into the recess of the second gear thereby causing the second gear to rotate with the clutch and synchronizer module and wherein a further axial movement of the shift sleeve towards the second gear causes the pawl to engage the frictional surface of the second gear.

4. The clutch and gear synchronizer of claim 3 wherein the first and second friction elements are split rings with two free ends, and wherein the recesses of the first and second gears are circular and coaxial with the transmission shaft, the recesses of the first and second gears also including an abutment for engaging the free ends of the first and second frictional elements respectively.

5. The clutch and gear synchronizer of claim 4 wherein the first and second friction elements each include a conical outer peripheral surface and the recesses of the first and second gears each include a conical surface for frictionally engaging the conical outer peripheral surfaces of the first and second friction elements respectively for synchronization of the first and second gears with the clutch and synchronizer module respectively.

6. The clutch and gear synchronizer of claim 1 wherein the actuator includes an actuator shaft that is coaxial with the actuator axis, the shaft having an inner end rotatably received in an inner recess disposed on the inner hub of the actuator carrier, the actuator shaft having an outer end rotatably received in an outer through hole disposed in the outer ring of the actuator carrier, the lobe and pawl connected to the actuator shaft and extending radially outward from the actuator shaft.

7. The clutch and gear synchronizer of claim 6 wherein the offset pin is disposed between the outer ring of the actuator carrier and the shift sleeve and is coupled to the shift sleeve for rotational movement of the shift sleeve with the transmission shaft and for axial movement of the shift sleeve towards and away from the first gear assembly.

8. The clutch and gear synchronizer of claim 1 wherein the actuator axis is perpendicular to the transmission axis and extends radially outwardly from the transmission axis.

9. The clutch and gear synchronizer of claim 1 wherein the actuator carrier includes a plurality of windows and a plurality of actuators, each actuator extending radially between the inner hub and the outer ring and across one of the windows of the actuator carrier.

10. The clutch and gear synchronizer of claim 1 wherein the clutch and synchronizer module includes a pair of actuators, each actuator extending across the window with the pawls directed towards each other.

11. The clutch and gear synchronizer of claim 1 wherein the actuator includes an actuator shaft disposed along the actuator axis, the actuator shaft being connected to the pawl and the lobe, the pawl being wedge-shaped and extending radially away from the actuator shaft before terminating at an acute edge, and the lobe extending radially away from the actuator shaft before terminating at a blunt engagement surface, the acute edge of the pawl disposed farther from the actuator axis than the blunt engagement surface of the lobe.

12. The clutch and gear synchronizer of claim 1 wherein the outer ring of the actuator carrier and the shift sleeve are coupled together by a tongue and groove connection.

13. A clutch and gear synchronizer module for a transmission that includes a transmission shaft that passes coaxially through a first gear assembly and a second gear with the clutch and gear synchronizer module disposed between the first gear assembly and the second gear, the first gear assembly including a circular pattern of clutch teeth and a circular recess that face the clutch and synchronizer module, the second gear including a circular pattern of clutch teeth and a circular recess that face the clutch and synchronizer module, the transmission shaft being rotatable about a transmission axis, the clutch and gear synchronizer module comprising:
an actuator carrier mounted on the transmission shaft for rotation with the transmission shaft, the actuator carrier disposed radially within a shift sleeve, the clutch and synchronizer module also including a first friction ring coupled to the actuator carrier and at least partially disposed within the circular recess of the first gear assembly and a second friction ring coupled to the actuator carrier and at least partially disposed in the circular

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Shaw Wesley L

Classifications

• F16D23/06

  and a blocking mechanism preventing the engagement of the main clutch prior to synchronisation · CPC title

• F16D23/04

  with an additional friction clutch (synchro rings per se F16D23/025) · CPC title

• F16D23/14

  Clutch-actuating sleeves {or bearings}; Actuating members directly connected to clutch-actuating sleeves {or bearings} · CPC title

• F16H61/0403

  Synchronisation before shifting · CPC title

• F16H2055/178

  combined with clutch means, e.g. gear with integrated synchroniser clutch · CPC title