Clutch assembly

A clutch assembly comprising:

• a central shaft, at least a portion of a first portion of a transmission mounted on the central shaft;
• a carrier coupled to the central shaft, the carrier operationally coupled to an output portion of the continuously variable transmission;
• a ring gear in operational communication with the central shaft;
• an output member configured to engage a transmission input shaft of a second portion of a transmission;
• a clutch pack having a first set of plates and a second set of plates that are in an alternating position configuration, the first set of plates in operational communication with the ring gear and the second set of plates in operational communication with the output member;
• a ball ramp having a first ball ramp member, a second ball ramp member and at least one ball, at least one of the first ball ramp member and the second ball ramp member including at least one ball ramp helical surface groove, the at least one ball received in an associated ball ramp helical surface groove;
• a sprag clutch assembly operationally coupled to the second ball ramp member of the ball ramp to only allow the second ball ramp member of the ball ramp to rotate in a first direction;
• a thrust bearing in operational communication with the second ball ramp member of the ball ramp to selectively disengage the clutch pack when the output member rotates in a second direction;
• and
• at least one bias member positioned to provide a bias force on the thrust bearing to engage the clutch pack when the output member is not rotating in the backwards direction.

A vehicle including a clutch assembly, the vehicle comprising:

• a motor,
• a driveline including,
• at least first portion of a transmission and a second portion of a transmission;
• a clutch assembly positioned to interface torque between the first portion of the transmission and the second portion of the transmission, the clutch assembly including,
• a ball ramp having a first ball ramp member, a second ball ramp member and at least one ball, at least one of the first ball ramp member and the second ball ramp member including at least one ball ramp helical surface groove, the at least one ball received in an associated ball ramp helical surface groove of the at least one ball ramp helical surface groove, the first ball ramp member of the ball ramp in operational communication to an input member of the first portion of the transmission,
• a clutch pack having a first set of plates and a second set of plates that are in an alternating position configuration, the first set of plates in operational communication with the input member of the first portion of the transmission and the second set of plates in operational communication with transmission input shaft of the second portion of the transmission,
• a sprag clutch assembly operationally coupled to the second ball ramp member of the ball ramp to only allow the second ball ramp member of the ball ramp to rotate in first direction, and
• a thrust bearing in operational communication with the second ball ramp member of the ball ramp to selectively disengage the clutch pack when the transmission input shaft of the second portion rotates in a second direction.