US 5,713,446 AGranted

Low inertia ball ramp actuator

AssigneeEaton Corporation

InventorsGregory J. Organek, David M. Preston

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A ball ramp actuator having first and second actuation plates with a control plate disposed therebetween where a plurality of circumferential variable depth grooves are formed in a first face of the first actuation plate and in first and second faces of the control plate where the grooves formed in the first face of the control plate are directly opposed to the grooves formed in the second face of the control plate where the actuation grooves and the control grooves form opposed pairs of grooves having a rolling member disposed within each pair of grooves for axially separating the first and second actuation plates from the control plate as the rolling members traverse their respective grooves such that the rolling members contacting the first face of the control plate directly oppose the rolling elements contacting the second face of the control plate to provide a balanced axial force on the control plate.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A ball ramp clutch actuator comprising:

an input shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation;
an output shaft rotatable about said axis of rotation;
a flywheel nonrotatably coupled to said input shaft rotatable with said input shaft about said axis of rotation;
a clutch disc nonrotatably coupled to said output shaft, said clutch disc having first and second surfaces where said first surface frictionally engages said flywheel;
a housing substantially covering said flywheel and said clutch disc;
a ball ramp actuator rotatable about said axis of rotation comprising a first actuation plate axially displaceable to cause a first face of said actuation plate to frictionally engage said second surface of said clutch disc, said first actuation plate having a plurality of variable depth circumferential actuation grooves formed in a second face, said second face being opposite said first face;
a control plate axially displaceable and rotatable about said axis of rotation, said control plate having a plurality of variable depth circumferential control grooves formed in both a first and second face of said control plate, said plurality of control grooves formed in said first face being directly opposed to those formed in said second face;
a second actuation plate axially fixed relative to said housing and rotatable about said axis of rotation, said second actuation plate having a plurality of variable depth circumferential actuation grooves formed in a face opposite to said second face of said control plate and having a collar axially extending to nonrotatably connect said second actuation plate to said first actuation plate;
a plurality of rolling members, one each disposed in each pair of opposed actuation grooves and control grooves such that rotation of said first and second actuation plates relative to said control plate causes said rolling members to traverse said actuation grooves and said control grooves resulting in axial movement of said control plate and said first actuation plate toward said flywheel;
torque means to apply a braking torque on said control plate in response to a control signal.

7 more elements

A ball ramp actuator comprising:

a first actuation plate rotatable about an axis of rotation having a plurality of circumferential first actuation grooves formed in a face of said first actuation plate, said first actuation grooves having a variable axial depth;
a second actuation plate rotatable about said axis of rotation having a plurality of circumferential second actuation grooves formed in a face of said second actuation plate, said second actuation grooves having a variable axial depth and substantially identical to said first actuation grooves;
a connection means for nonrotatably connecting said first actuation plate to said second actuation plate;
a control plate rotatable about said axis of rotation having a plurality of circumferential first control grooves formed in a first face of said control plate and a plurality of circumferential second control grooves formed in a second face of said control plate, said first and second control grooves having a variable axial depth, said first control grooves being directly opposite to said second control grooves and said first control grooves at least partially opposed to respective said first actuation grooves and said second control grooves at least partially opposed to respective said second actuation grooves thereby forming a plurality of opposed pairs of said first and second control grooves and said first and second actuation grooves;
a plurality of rolling members interposed between said first actuation grooves and said first control grooves, and between said second actuation grooves and said second control grooves, one rolling member occupying each opposed pair of said first and second control grooves, and said first and second control grooves, said rolling members simultaneously traversing said first and second control grooves and said first and second actuation grooves as said control plate is rotated relative to said first and second actuation plates;
torque means for applying a braking torque on said control plate to cause said control plate to rotate relative to said first and second actuation plates.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/700,250Filed 20 Aug 1996
Granted: 3 Feb 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F16D 27/112
With axially movable clutching members: with flat friction surfaces, e.g. discs
F16D 13/04
Friction clutches: with means for actuating or keeping engaged by a force derived at least partially from one of the shafts to be connected
F16D 23/12
Details of mechanically-actuated clutches not specific for one distinct type: mechanical clutch-actuating mechanisms arranged outside the clutch…
F16D 27/08
With axially-movable friction surfaces: with friction surfaces arranged externally to the flux