Friction coupling assembly with auxiliary clutch control of fluid pump
AssigneeTorque-Traction Technologies, Inc.
InventorRalph Woodward Baxter, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A friction coupling assembly for a gear drive unit. The friction clutch assembly comprises an input member and at least one output member, a friction clutch for selectively coupling the input member with the at least one output member and an actuator assembly for selectively engaging the friction clutch. The actuator assembly includes a fluid pump operatively connected to the input member or the at least one output member through an auxiliary clutch, a fluid pressure accumulator in fluid communication with the fluid pump for storing a pressurized fluid generated by the fluid pump, and a fluid clutch actuator in fluid communication with the pressure accumulator for loading the friction clutch.
Claims20
A friction coupling assembly for a gear drive unit, said friction clutch assembly comprising:
- an input member and at least one output member;
- a friction clutch for selectively coupling said input member with said at least one output member;
- and
- an actuator assembly for selectively engaging said friction clutch, said actuator assembly including:
- a fluid pump selectively connectable to one of said input member and said at least one output member through an auxiliary clutch;
- a fluid pressure accumulator in fluid communication with said fluid pump for storing a pressurized fluid generated by said fluid pump;
- and
- a fluid clutch actuator in fluid communication with said pressure accumulator for loading said friction clutch;
- said fluid pump, said friction clutch and said auxiliary clutch being mounted about one of said input member and said at least one output member.
A friction coupling assembly for a gear drive unit, said friction coupling assembly comprising:
- an input member and at least one output shaft;
- a friction clutch for selectively coupling said input member with said at least one output shaft, said friction clutch includes a plurality of first friction plates coupled to rotate with said input member and a plurality of second friction plates plate coupled to rotate with said at least one output shaft, said friction plates being frictionally engageable with one another;
- and
- an actuator assembly for selectively engaging said friction clutch, said actuator assembly including:
- a gerotor pump operatively connected to said input member through an electro-magnetic clutch to be driven by said input member;
- a fluid pressure accumulator in fluid communication with said fluid pump for storing a pressurized fluid generated by said fluid pump;
- and
- a fluid clutch actuator in fluid communication with said pressure accumulator for loading said friction clutch;
- a control valve provided for selectively fluidly connect said fluid pressure accumulator with said fluid clutch actuator;
- and
- an electronic control module for selectively controlling said electro-magnetic clutch and said control valve in order to variably regulate the fluid pressure supplied to said fluid clutch actuator in response to a signal from said electronic control module;
- said gerotor pump, said friction clutch and said electro-magnetic clutch being mounted about said at least one output shaft adjacent to each other;
- wherein said electronic control module selectively controls said electro-magnetic clutch and said control valve in response to at least one operational parameter of said gear drive unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.