One-way wedge clutch
AssigneeSchaeffller Technologies AG & Co. KG
InventorBrian Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A one-way clutch, comprising an inner race including a first outer circumference with a first plurality of ramps, at least one clutch ring including a first inner circumference with a second plurality of ramps and a second outer circumference with a plurality of projections, and an outer race including a second inner circumference with a plurality of grooves. The outer race is operatively arranged to rotate with respect to the inner race in a first circumferential direction and non-rotatably connect to the inner race when rotated in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction.
Claims17
A one-way clutch for selectively coupling first and second shafts, comprising:
- an inner race connectable to an input shaft and comprising a first outer surface including a first plurality of ramps;
- a tubular clutch ring comprising a first inner surface including a second plurality of ramps, and a second outer surface defining a plurality of circumferential projections axially spaced and integrally formed with the tubular clutch ring;
- and
- an outer race connectable to an output shaft and comprising a second inner surface defining a plurality of circumferential grooves axially spaced such that each of the grooves receives one of the projection therein, wherein the outer race is operatively arranged to rotate with respect to the inner race in a first circumferential direction and to non-rotatably connect to the inner race when rotated in a second circumferential direction opposite the first circumferential direction.
A one-way clutch, comprising:
- an inner race comprising a first outer surface including a first plurality of ramps;
- a clutch ring comprising an elongated cylinder body including a first inner surface having a second plurality of ramps and a second outer surface defining a plurality of axially spaced circumferential projections integrally formed with the body;
- and
- an outer race comprising a second inner surface defining a plurality of circumferential grooves axially spaced such that each of the grooves receives one of the projection therein, wherein the first and second ramps are configured such that the body radially expands causing the projections to fictionally lock to the grooves in response to the inner race rotating in a first direction, and such that the body does not expand permitting the projections to rotate relative to the grooves in response to the inner race rotating a second direction opposite the first.
A one-way clutch comprising:
- an inner race comprising a first outer circumference including a first plurality of ramps;
- an elongated cylindrical clutch element, comprising:
- a first inner surface including a second plurality of ramps;
- a second outer surface including a plurality of circumferential raised rings axially spaced from each other and integrally formed with the clutch element;
- and
- an elongated cylindrical outer race comprising a second inner surface defining a plurality of circular grooves axially spaced to receive the raised rings;
- wherein:
- in a freewheel mode, the outer race is operatively arranged to rotate with respect to the inner race in a first circumferential direction;
- and
- in a locked mode, the outer race rotates with respect to the inner race in a second circumferential direction, the second plurality of ramps ride up the first plurality of ramps, the clutch element radially expands, and the inner race, the clutch element, and the outer race lock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.