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US 6,766,889 B1Granted
Wedge fork clutch actuator for driveline clutches
AssigneeNew Venture Gear, Inc.
InventorDale L. Pennycuff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A torque transfer mechanism is provided for controlling the magnitude of a clutch engagement force exerted on a multi-plate clutch assembly that is operably disposed between a first rotary and a second rotary member. The torque transfer mechanism includes a clutch actuator for generating and applying a clutch engagement force on the clutch assembly. The clutch actuator includes a wedge fork having a gear rack segment and a tapered tang segment and a reaction block defining a tapered edge in sliding engagement with the tapered tang segment. An electric motor drives a pinion that is meshed with the gear rack to cause bi-directional linear movement of the wedge fork which causes corresponding sliding movement of the reaction block relative to the clutch assembly.
Claims39
A power transmission device comprising:
- a rotary input member adapted to receive drive torque from a power source;
- a rotary output member adapted to provide drive torque to an output device;
- a torque transfer mechanism operable for transferring drive torque from said input member to said output member, said torque transfer mechanism including a friction clutch assembly operably disposed between said input member and said output member and a clutch actuator for applying a clutch engagement force to said friction clutch assembly, said clutch actuator including a wedge fork having a stem segment with a gear rack and a tang segment with a tapered drive surface, a reaction block having a tapered reaction surface engageable with said tapered drive surface on said tang segment and an apply surface engageable with said friction clutch assembly, and an electric motor driving a pinion gear that is meshed with said gear rack on said stem segment of said wedge fork;
- and
- a controller for actuating said electric motor so as to control the direction and amount of rotation of said pinion gear which, in turn, controls the direction and amount of translational movement of said wedge fork, such movement of said wedge fork causes said tapered drive surface on said tang segment to slide relative to said tapered reaction surface for forcibly moving said reaction block relative to said friction clutch assembly so as to vary the clutch engagement force exerted by said reaction block on said friction clutch assembly.
2 more elements
A power transmission device comprising:
- a rotary input member adapted to receive drive torque from a power source;
- a rotary output member adapted to provide drive torque to an output device;
- a torque transfer mechanism operable for transferring drive torque from said input member to said output member, said torque transfer mechanism including a friction clutch assembly operably disposed between said input member and said output member and a clutch actuator for applying a clutch engagement force to said friction clutch assembly, said clutch actuator including a wedge fork having a stem segment with a gear rack and a pair of tang segments each having a tapered first surface and a second surface, a first reaction block having a tapered first surface engaging said tapered first surface on said tang segments and a second surface engageable with said friction clutch assembly, a second reaction block having a first surface engaging said second surface of said tang segments, and an electric motor having a rotary output driving a pinion gear that is meshed with said gear rack on said stem segment of said wedge fork;
- and
- a controller for actuating said electric motor to control the direction and amount of rotation of said pinion gear for controlling the direction and amount of translational movement of said wedge fork, wherein translational movement of said wedge fork causes said tapered first surface on said tang segments to slide relative to said first surface on said first reaction block for forcibly moving said first reaction block so as to vary the clutch engagement force exerted by said second surface of said first reaction block on said friction clutch assembly.
2 more elements
A transfer case for use in a four-wheel drive vehicle having a powertrain and first and second drivelines, comprising:
- a first shaft driven by the powertrain and adapted for connection to the first driveline;
- a second shaft adapted for connection to the second driveline;
- a friction clutch assembly operably disposed between said first shaft and said second shaft;
- a clutch actuator for generating a clutch engagement force to be applied to said friction clutch assembly, said clutch actuator including a wedge fork having a stem segment with a gear rack and a tang segment with a tapered drive surface, a reaction block having a tapered reaction surface engaging said tapered drive surface on said tang segment and an apply surface engaging said friction clutch assembly, and an electric motor having a rotary output driving a pinion gear that is meshed with said gear rack on said stem segment of said wedge fork;
- and
- a controller for controlling bi-directional rotation of said pinion gear for causing corresponding bi-directional translational movement of said wedge fork which, in turn, causes sliding movement of said reaction block relative to said friction clutch assembly.
3 more elements
A transfer case for use in a four-wheel drive vehicle having a powertrain and first and second drivelines, comprising:
- a differential having an input driven by the powertrain and first and second outputs driving the first and second drivelines;
- a friction clutch assembly operably disposed between any two of said input and said first and second outputs of said differential;
- a clutch actuator for generating a clutch engagement force to be applied to said friction clutch assembly, said clutch actuator including a wedge fork having a stem segment with a gear rack and a tang segment with a tapered drive surface, a reaction block having a tapered reaction surface engaging said tapered drive surface on said tang segment and an apply surface engaging said friction clutch assembly, and an electric motor having a rotary output driving a pinion gear that is meshed with said gear rack on said stem segment of said wedge fork;
- and
- a controller for actuating said electric motor to control bi-directional rotation of said pinion gear and corresponding bi-directional translational movement of said wedge fork which, in turn, causes sliding movement of said reaction block for applying said clutch engagement force to said friction clutch assembly.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.