Automatically releaseable bidirectional overrunning clutch

A bi-directional overrunning clutch, comprising:

• a housing, said housing including a friction member defining first and second friction faces;
• a driven shaft extending into said housing and disposed about a rotational axis;
• a first cam disc disposed about said driven shaft and defining a first inner race;
• a first outer race disposed about said driven shaft radially outwardly from said first cam disc;
• a first plurality of rollers disposed between said first cam disc and said first outer race;
• a first cage disposed between said first cam disc and said first outer race, said first cage configured to house said first plurality of rollers and in engagement with said first friction face;
• a second cam disc disposed about said driven shaft and defining a second inner race, said second cam disc axially spaced from said first cam disc;
• a second outer race disposed about said driven shaft radially outwardly from said second cam disc;
• and,
• a second plurality of rollers disposed between said second cam disc and said second outer race;
• a second cage disposed between said second cam disc and said second outer race, said second cage configured to house said second plurality of rollers and in engagement with said second friction face
• wherein rotation of said driven shaft in a first rotational direction causes rotation of said first outer race in said first rotational direction and freewheeling of said second outer race and rotation of said driven shaft in a second rotational direction, opposite said first rotational direction, causes rotation of said second outer race in said second rotational direction and freewheeling of said first outer race.

An assembly for moving an object between first and second rotational bodies to which said object is connected, comprising:

• a belt;
• a motor;
• and,
• a bi-directional overrunning clutch having:
• a housing;
• a driven shaft extending into said housing and disposed about a rotational axis, said driven shaft rotating responsive to said motor;
• a first cam disc disposed about said driven shaft and defining a first inner race;
• a first outer race disposed about said driven shaft radially outwardly from said first cam disc, said belt coupled to said first outer race and said first rotational body;
• a first plurality of rollers disposed between said first cam disc and said first outer race;
• a second cam disc disposed about said driven shaft and defining a second inner race, said second cam disc axially spaced from said first cam disc;
• a second outer race disposed about said driven shaft radially outwardly from said second cam disc and coupled to said second rotational body;
• and,
• a second plurality of rollers disposed between said second cam disc and said second outer race;
• wherein rotation of said driven shaft in a first rotational direction causes rotation of said first outer race in said first rotational direction and freewheeling of said second outer race and rotation of said driven shaft in a second rotational direction, opposite said first rotational direction, causes rotation of said second outer race in said second rotational direction and freewheeling of said first outer race.