Automatic clutch control system having latch member
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorEugene R. Braun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control system (70, 70A) is provided that is particularly advantageous for controlling an automatic vehicular clutch. Linkage (23, 23A) for operating the clutch preferably includes a control arm (18, 18A) that is engageable by a latch member (20, 20A) that is driven by either a force actuator (37, 37A) and/or a speed signal (48, 48A) and is operable to hold the clutch in either the engaged or disengaged condition in the event of fluid pressure loss below or rise above a predetermined amount according to the type of clutch and other parameters.
Claims16
An improved control system for an automatic clutch of the type including linkage operable to effect a condition of engagement or disengagement of the clutch by a first resilient biasing means and to correspondingly effect a condition of disengagement or engagement of the clutch by actuation of a first actuator force means operative to overcome said first biasing means, said improvement characterized by said control system including:
- A moveable latch member;
- second resilient biasing means operable to urge the latch member into a condition of engagement with or disengagement from the linkage;
- second actuator force means operable upon actuation to overcome the second biasing means and correspondingly urge the latch member into a condition of disengagement from or engagement with the linkage;
- and
- control means controlled by a speed signal and operative to activate the second actuator force means such that, whenever the speed signal is at a predetermined value, the second actuator force means overcomes the second biasing means and causes engagement or disengagement of the latch member from the linkage thereby either maintaining the clutch in the condition of engagement or disengagement provided by actuation of the first force actuator means or enabling the linkage to move to effect engagement or disengagement of the clutch.
The control system of claim 70 wherein the control means is operative to deactivate the second actuator force means whenever the speed signal is below a predetermined value to the extent required to enable the second resilient biasing means to urge the latch member into engagement with the linkage in the manner required to maintain the clutch in the engaged or disengaged condition.
An improved control system for an automatic clutch of the type including linkage operable to effect engagement of the clutch by a first resilient biasing means and to effect disengagement of the clutch by a first actuator force means operative to overcome said first biasing means, said improvement characterized by said control system including;
- a moveable latch member,
- second resilient biasing means operative to urge the latch member into engagement with the linkage,
- second actuator force means when activated operative to overcome the second biasing means and disengage the latch member from the linkage, and
- control means controlled by a speed signal and operative to activate the second actuator force means such that, whenever the speed signal is above a predetermined value, the second actuator force means overcomes the second biasing means and causes disengagement of the latch member from the linkage enabling the linkage to move to effect engagement of the clutch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.