Electromagnetic wedge disconnect clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9644690-B2
Application number	US-201514622147-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2015
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A wedge clutch, including: an inner race having a radially outermost surface sloping radially outward from a first axial side to a second side; an outer race located radially outward of the inner race; a wedge plate radially disposed between the inner and outer races, the wedge plate including a radially innermost surface sloping radially outward complementary with the radially outermost surface of the inner race; and an actuation assembly arranged to displace the inner race in the first axial direction to place the wedge clutch in a locked mode in which the inner race, the wedge plate and the outer race are non-rotatably connected and in the second axial direction to place the wedge clutch in a free-wheel mode in which the inner and outer races are rotatable with respect to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wedge clutch, comprising:
an axis of rotation;
an inner race including:
a first side facing a first axial direction;
a second side facing a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction; and,
a first radially outermost surface sloping radially outward from the first side to the second side;

an outer race including a portion located radially outward of the inner race;
a wedge plate radially disposed between the inner race and the portion of the outer race, the wedge plate including:
third and fourth sides facing in the first and second axial directions, respectively;
a first radially innermost surface sloping radially outward from the third side to the fourth side; and,
a second radially outermost surface including first and second chamfers between the third and fourth sides, the outer race includes a second radially innermost surface including third and fourth chamfers arranged to contact the first and second chamfers of the wedge plate, respectively, in a locked mode; and,

an actuation assembly arranged to displace the inner race:
in the first axial direction to place the wedge clutch in the locked mode in which the inner race, the wedge plate and the outer race are non-rotatably connected; and,
in the second axial direction to place the wedge clutch in a free-wheel mode in which the inner and outer races are rotatable with respect to each other.

2. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , wherein the outer race has an axially extending lip to contact the wedge plate to limit movement of the wedge plate in the first axial direction.

3. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing, wherein the actuation assembly includes a resilient element:
engaged with the housing and the inner race; and,
urging the inner race in the first axial direction.

4. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing, wherein:
the actuation assembly includes an electromagnet and a resilient element disposed within the housing;
to initiate the locked mode, the electromagnet is arranged to be un-energized and the resilient element is arranged to displace the inner race in the first axial direction; and,
to initiate the free-wheel mode, the electromagnet is arranged to be energized to displace the inner race in the second axial direction.

5. The wedge clutch of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first plate of magnetic material non-rotatably connected to the inner race, wherein, the electromagnet is arranged to attract the first plate.

6. The wedge clutch of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing, wherein:
the actuation assembly includes:
a resilient element:
engaged with the housing and the inner race; and,
urging the inner race in the first axial direction; and,

an electromagnet disposed within the housing;

to initiate the locked mode, the electromagnet is arranged to be un-energized and the resilient element is arranged to displace the inner race in the first axial direction; and,
to initiate the free-wheel mode, the electromagnet is arranged to be energized to displace the inner race in the second axial direction.

7. A wedge clutch, comprising:
an axis of rotation;
an inner race including:
a first side facing a first axial direction;
a second side facing a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction; and,
a first radially outermost surface sloping radially outward from the first side to the second side;

an outer race including a portion located radially outward of the inner race;
a wedge plate radially disposed between the inner race and the portion of the outer race, the wedge plate including:
third and fourth sides facing in the first and second axial directions, respectively; and,
a first radially innermost surface sloping radially outward from the third side to the fourth side; and,

an actuation assembly including:
a resilient element urging the inner race in the first axial direction; and,
an electromagnet, wherein:

to initiate a locked mode in which the inner race, the wedge plate and the outer race are non-rotatably connected to each other the electromagnet is arranged to be un-energized and the resilient element is arranged to displace the inner race in the first axial direction and displace the wedge plate radially outward; and,
to initiate a free-wheel mode in which the inner and outer races are rotatable with respect to each other the electromagnet is arranged to be energized to displace the inner race in the second axial direction.

8. The wedge clutch of claim 7 , wherein the outer race has an axially extending lip to contact the wedge plate to limit movement of the wedge plate in the first axial direction.

9. The wedge clutch of claim 7 , further comprising:
a first plate of magnetic material non-rotatably connected to the inner race, wherein, the electromagnet is arranged to attract the first plate.

10. The wedge clutch of claim 9 , wherein a line parallel to the axis of rotation passes through the electromagnet, the first plate, and the wedge plate.

11. The wedge clutch of claim 7 , wherein the wedge plate has a second radially outermost surface including first and second chamfers between the third and fourth sides.

12. The wedge clutch of claim 11 , wherein the outer race has a second radially innermost surface including third and fourth chamfers arranged to contact the first and second chamfers of the wedge plate in the locked mode.

13. The wedge clutch of claim 7 , wherein the resilient element is located radially inward of the electromagnet.

14. The wedge clutch of claim 7 , wherein a line orthogonal to the axis of rotation passes through the electromagnet and the resilient element.

15. A wedge clutch, comprising:
an inner race including:
a first side facing a first axial direction;
a second side facing a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction; and,
a first radially outermost surface sloping radially outward from the first side to the second side;

a first plate of magnetic material non-rotatably connected to the inner race;
an outer race with a portion located radially outward of the inner race and having a first radially innermost surface including first and second chamfers;
a wedge plate radially disposed between the inner race and the portion of the outer race, the wedge plate including:
third and fourth sides facing in the first and second axial directions, respectively;
a second radially innermost surface sloping radially outward from the third side to the fourth side; and,
a second radially outermost surface including third and fourth chamfers; and,

an actuation assembly including:
a housing;
a resilient element:
engaged with the housing and the inner race; and,
urging the inner race in the first axial direction; and,

an electromagnet disposed within the housing, wherein:

to non-rotatably connect the inner race, the wedge plate and the outer race the electromagnet is arranged to be un-energized and the resilient element is arranged to displace the inner race in the first axial direction to frictionally engage the first and second chamfers with the third and fourth chamfers, respectively; and,
to initiate a free-wheel mode in which the inner and outer races are rotatable with respect to each other the electromagnet is arranged to be energized to displace the first plate of magnetic material in the second axial direction.

16. The wedge clutch of claim 15 , wherein the outer race has an axially extending lip to contact the wedge plate to limit movement of the wedge plate in the first axial direction.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Lee Brian

Classifications

• F16D41/063

  the intermediate members wedging by moving along the inner and the outer surface without pivoting or rolling, e.g. sliding wedges (F16D41/061 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16D27/108

  with axially movable clutching members · CPC title

• F16D27/11

  with conical friction surfaces, e.g. cone clutches · CPC title

• F16D13/06

  with clutching members movable otherwise than only axially (F16D13/08, F16D13/12 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16D13/18

  shaped as linked or separately-pivoted segments · CPC title