# US 2014/0190785 A1 · Compact overrunning coupling and control assembly having reduced part count and manufacturing complexity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190785 A1 - Document ID: US20140190785A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/150,090 - Filed: 2014-01-08 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10 - Assignees: Means Industries, Inc. - Applicants: Means Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Robert D. Fetting; Brice A. Pawley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190785A1 ## CPC - F16D 25/088: {the line of action of the fluid-actuated members being distinctly separate from the axis of rotation} - F16D 41/00: Freewheels or freewheel clutches (cycle brakes controlled by back-pedalling B62L5/00 {; one-way linear clutches F16B7/16}) - F16D 41/125: {the pawl movement having an axial component} - F16D 41/14: the effective stroke of the pawl being adjustable - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES ## Abstract A compact overrunning coupling and control assembly having reduced part count and manufacturing complexity is provided. An actuator arm moves a control element from a first position which corresponds to a first mode of the assembly to a second position which corresponds to a second mode of the assembly. An actuator piston is disposed within the bore of a housing and has an outer surface in sliding contact with the inner surface of the housing and a groove formed in the outer surface of the piston to receive and retain a free end portion of the actuator arm therein. A control pressure signal within the housing causes the piston to slide within the bore against a biasing force to move the actuator arm. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An overrunning coupling and control assembly comprising: first and second coupling members including first and second coupling faces, respectively, in close-spaced opposition with one another, at least one of the members being mounted for rotation about an axis; a control element mounted for controlled shifting movement between the coupling faces; a housing having an outer surface, an inner surface which defines a bore within the housing and a control port which extends between and fluidly communicates the inner and outer surfaces of the housing to transmit a control pressure signal into the housing wherein the first coupling member and the housing are formed as a unitary component having a common wall separating and shared by the first coupling member and the housing, the wall having an elongated slot which extends between and fluidly communicates the inner surface of the housing and an inner surface of the first coupling member; an actuator arm coupled to the control element to move the control element along a shift direction substantially parallel to a direction in which the slot is elongated, the actuator arm moving the control element from a first position which corresponds to a first mode of the assembly to a second position which corresponds to a second mode of the assembly and back to the first position; an actuator piston disposed within the bore of the housing and having an outer surface in sliding contact with the inner surface of the housing and a groove formed in the outer surface of the piston to receive and retain a free end portion of the actuator arm therein so that the actuator arm moves when the piston moves; and a biasing member disposed within the bore of the housing to exert a biasing force on the piston, the control pressure signal within the housing causing the piston to slide within the bore against the biasing force of the biasing member to move the actuator arm and, in the absence of the control pressure signal, the biasing member moves the piston and, consequently, the actuator arm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a latching mechanism to prevent the actuator arm from moving in a first direction substantially parallel to the shift direction within the slot in a locked condition of the mechanism in the first position of the control element, the control pressure signal within the housing changing the condition of the latching mechanism from locked to unlocked to unlock the actuator arm and causing the unlocked actuator arm to move along the first direction within the slot and the control element to move along the shift direction to the second position, the control pressure signal causing the piston to slide within the bore against the biasing force of the biasing member and wherein, in the absence of a control pressure signal, the biasing member moves the piston and thereby the unlocked actuator arm in a second direction opposite the first direction within the slot and the control element along the shift direction from the second position back to the first position to change the condition of the latching mechanism from unlocked to locked to lock the actuator arm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first position is an overrun position, the first mode is an overrun mode, the second position is a locked position, and the second mode is a locked mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the latching mechanism includes portions of the groove formed in the outer surface of the piston and wherein the free end portion of the actuating arm is movable within the groove in response to the control pressure signal within the housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the groove is angular and wherein the free end portion of the actuating arm moves within the groove in both a direction substantially parallel to the shift direction and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the shift direction during movement of the piston within the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the coupling members includes a notch plate and the other of the coupling members includes a pocket plate integrally formed with the common wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a locking member disposed between the coupling faces of the coupling members and being movable between first and second positions, the control element being operable to control position of the locking member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the locking member is a reverse strut. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control element is a control or selector plate rotatable about the axis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control element has at least one opening which extends completely therethrough to allow the locking member to extend therethrough to the first position of the locking member in a control position of the control element. ### Claim 11 An overrunning clutch and control assembly comprising: first and second clutch members including first and second clutch faces, respectively, in close-spaced opposition with one another, at least one of the members being mounted for rotation about an axis; a control element mounted for controlled shifting movement between the clutch faces; a housing having an outer surface, an inner surface which defines a bore within the housing and a control port which extends between and fluidly communicates the inner and outer surfaces of the housing to transmit a control pressure signal into the housing wherein the first coupling member and the housing are formed as a unitary component having a common wall separating and shared by the first clutch member and the housing, the wall having an elongated slot which extends between and fluidly communicates the inner surface of the housing and an inner surface of the first clutch member; an actuator arm coupled to the control element to move the control element along a shift direction substantially parallel to a direction in which the slot is elongated, the actuator arm moving the control element from a first position which corresponds to a first mode of the assembly to a second position which corresponds to a second mode of the assembly and back to the first position; an actuator piston disposed within the bore of the housing and having an outer surface in sliding contact with the inner surface of the housing and a groove formed in the outer surface of the piston to receive and retain a free end portion of the actuator arm therein so that the actuator arm moves when the piston moves; and a biasing member disposed within the bore of the housing to exert a biasing force on the piston, the control pressure signal within the housing causing the piston to slide within the bore against the biasing force of the biasing member to move the actuator arm and, in the absence of the control pressure signal, the biasing member moves the piston and, consequently, the actuator arm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a latching mechanism to prevent the actuator arm from moving in a first direction substantially parallel to the shift direction within the slot in a locked condition of the mechanism in the first position of the control element, the control pressure signal within the housing changing the condition of the latching mechanism from locked to unlocked to unlock the actuator arm and causing the unlocked actuator arm to move along the first direction within the slot and the control element to move along the shift direction to the second position, the control pressure signal causing the piston to slide within the bore against the biasing force of the biasing member and wherein, in the absence of a control pressure signal, the biasing member moves the piston and thereby the unlocked actuator arm in a second direction opposite the first direction within the slot and the control element along the shift direction from the second position back to the first position to change the condition of the latching mechanism from unlocked to locked to lock the actuator arm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first position is an overrun position, the first mode is an overrun mode, the second position is a locked position, and the second mode is a locked mode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the latching mechanism includes portions of the groove formed in the outer surface of the piston and wherein the free end portion of the actuating arm is movable within the groove in response to the control pressure signal within the housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the groove is angular and wherein the free end portion of the actuating arm moves within the groove in both a direction substantially parallel to the shift direction and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the shift direction during movement of the piston within the housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein one of the clutch members includes a notch plate and the other of the clutch members includes a pocket plate integrally formed with the common wall. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a locking member disposed between the clutch faces of the clutch members and being movable between first and second positions, the control element being operable to control position of the locking member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the locking member is a reverse strut. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the control element is a control or selector plate rotatable about the axis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the control element has at least one opening which extends completely therethrough to allow the locking member to extend therethrough to the first position of the locking member in a control position of the control element.