Electromagnetic pulse disconnect system and methods
AssigneeWarn Industries, Inc.
InventorsOliver Heravi, Adrian Simula, Bryan Averill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for operating an electromagnetic pulse disconnect assembly for selectively engaging two rotating components of a vehicle drivetrain. A disconnect assembly is needed that is not powered by vacuum diverted from an engine of the vehicle, as modern engines are being developed to reduce vacuum production and remove vacuum lines for powering peripheral devices such as disconnects. An electromagnetic pulse disconnect assembly is provided that operates via pulses of electrical current and includes an electromagnetic coil for translating a clutch ring assembly and a latching ring assembly to selectively couple two rotating components.
Claims20
A method of operating a disconnect assembly of a shaft, comprising:
- driving a shifter mechanism from a first self-locking position to a second self-locking position via an electromagnetic coil generating an axial force through an armature cam assembly including a series of bi-directional ramps interfacing with axially extending guides of the shifter mechanism, the coil energized only during transitions between the first and second self-locking positions, the first and second self-locking positions including a shaft engaging position and a shaft disengaging position.
An electromagnetic pulse disconnect assembly, comprising:
- an electromagnetic coil selectively energized by a pulsing electrical current;
- a shifting assembly including a metallic armature fixed to a cam including a series of bi-directional ramps, a shifter including a plurality of axially extending guides interfacing with the cam between each of the series of bi-directional ramps, and a clutch ring coupled to the shifter;
- and
- a latching ring assembly including a latching track profile including first and second self-locking positions.
A method for selectively engaging two rotating components with a disconnect assembly, comprising:
- during a first mode, holding a clutch ring in a first position via pins of a latching ring contacting first grooves in a latch cam ring, the latching ring translatable with the clutch ring along a central axis of the disconnect assembly;
- upon receiving a command to shift to a second mode, energizing an electromagnetic coil to magnetically attract an armature fixed to a cam and translate a shifter fixed to the clutch ring to an end-of-shift position, whereupon the coil is de-energized and a spring pushes the clutch ring to a second position where the pins contact second grooves in the latch cam ring to hold the clutch ring in the second position;
- and
- upon receiving a command to shift to the first mode, energizing the electromagnetic coil to translate the clutch ring to the end-of-shift position, whereupon the coil is de-energized and the spring pushes the clutch ring to the first position where the pins contact the first grooves to hold the clutch ring in the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.