Overrunning coupling assembly including clustered pawls and method for controlling the engagement of planar members

An overrunning coupling assembly comprising:

• a planar first member having an inside first surface;
• a planar second member having an inside second surface closely adjacent to the first surface, at least one of the members being mounted for rotation about a first axis;
• pawl-receiving portions and pawl-holding portions formed on the members;
• a forward set of free-floating pawls and a reverse set of free-floating, clustered pawls, the pawls being received and retained in the pawl-holding portions but not physically secured to the pawl-holding portions, the pawls being movable between engaged and disengaged positions between the pawl-receiving and pawl-holding portions, the reverse pawls preventing rotation between the members in a reverse direction about the first axis in their engaged position and allowing rotation between the members in a forward direction about the first axis in their disengaged position;
• and
• a control element mounted for controlled rotation about the first axis relative to the pawl-holding portions between first and second angular positions between the surfaces and operable to control position of the reverse set of clustered pawls, the control element having at least one opening which extends completely therethrough to allow the reverse set of clustered pawls to extend therethrough to their engaged position in a first angular position of the control element and wherein the control element maintains the reverse set of clustered pawls in their disengaged position in a second angular position of the control element wherein each of the forward and reverse sets of pawls is clustered or grouped closely together in a curved line or row and wherein the control element is less than fully circular.

A method of controlling the engagement of first and second members, the first member having an inside first surface, the second member having an inside second surface closely adjacent the inside first surface, at least one of the members being mounted for rotation about a first axis and pawl-receiving portions and pawl-holding portions formed on the members, the method comprising:

• providing a forward set of free-floating, pawls and a reverse set of free-floating, clustered pawls, the pawls being received and retained in the pawl-holding portions but not physically secured to the pawl-holding portions;
• urging the forward and reverse sets of pawls outwardly from their respective pawl-holding portions;
• providing a single control element between the first and second surfaces and being rotatable about the first axis relative to the pawl-holding portions, the control element having at least one opening which extends completely therethrough;
• and
• rotating the control element relative to the pawl-holding portions about the first axis, the at least one opening allowing the reverse set of clustered pawls to extend therethrough in an engaged position and be received within the pawl-receiving portions in a first angular position of the control element to prevent rotation between the members in a reverse direction about the first axis wherein the control element maintains the reverse set of clustered pawls in a disengaged position in a second angular position of the control element in which rotation between the members is allowed in a forward direction about the first axis wherein each of the forward and reverse sets of pawls is clustered or grouped closely together in a curved line or row and wherein the control element is less than fully circular.