Friction coupling assembly with auxiliary clutch control of fluid pump
AssigneeTorque-Traction Technologies, Inc.
InventorRalph Baxter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A friction coupling assembly for a gear drive unit. The friction clutch assembly comprises an input member and at least one output member, a friction clutch for selectively coupling the input member with the at least one output member and an actuator assembly for selectively engaging the friction clutch. The actuator assembly includes a fluid pump operatively connected to the input member or the at least one output member through an auxiliary clutch, a fluid pressure accumulator in fluid communication with the fluid pump for storing a pressurized fluid generated by the fluid pump, and a fluid clutch actuator in fluid communication with the pressure accumulator for loading the friction clutch.
Claims19
A friction coupling assembly for a gear drive unit, said friction clutch assembly comprising:
- an input member and at least one output member;
- a friction clutch for selectively coupling said input member with said at least one output member;
- and
- an actuator assembly for selectively engaging said friction clutch, said actuator assembly including:
- a fluid pump selectively connectable to one of said input member and said at least one output member through an auxiliary clutch;
- a fluid pressure accumulator in fluid communication with said fluid pump for storing a pressurized fluid generated by said fluid pump;
- and
- fluid clutch actuator in fluid communication with said pressure accumulator for loading said friction clutch.
A friction coupling assembly for a gear drive unit, said friction clutch assembly comprising:
- an input member and at least one output member;
- a friction clutch for selectively coupling said input member with said at least one output member, said friction clutch includes a plurality of first friction plates coupled to rotate with said input member and a plurality of second friction plate coupled to rotate with said at least one output member, said friction plates being frictionally engageable with one another;
- and
- an actuator assembly for selectively engaging said friction clutch, said actuator assembly including:
- a gerotor pump operatively connected to one of said input member and said at least one output member through an electromagnetic clutch;
- a fluid pressure accumulator in fluid communication with said fluid pump for storing a pressurized fluid generated by said fluid pump;
- and
- a fluid clutch actuator in fluid communication with said pressure accumulator for loading said friction clutch coupling;
- a control valve provided for selectively fluidly connect said fluid pressure accumulator with said fluid clutch actuator;
- and
- an electronic control unit for selectively controlling said electromagnetic clutch and said control valve in order to variably regulate the fluid pressure supplied to said fluid clutch actuator in response to a signal from said electronic control unit;
- wherein said electronic control unit selectively controls said electromagnetic clutch and said control valve in response to at least one operational parameter of said gear drive unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.