Electro-mechanical clutch
AssigneeArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Systems - France
InventorsDominique Benoit, Franck Rivoiret, Thierry Pebre
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clutch comprises an input pinion and an output pinion associated with a rotatable locking member that has a surface inclined with respect to an axis of rotation of the locking member. The surface cooperates with an engagement member, and the locking member is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the surface forms a recess to receive the engagement member, and in the second position, the surface forms a projection to force the engagement member into abutment with the input pinion to establish a driveable connection between the input pinion and the output pinion.
Claims16
A clutch, comprising:
- an input pinion;
- an output pinion rotatable about an axis of rotation and associated with a rotatable locking member having a surface inclined with respect to the axis of rotation, the surface cooperating with at least one engagement member wherein the at least one engagement member and the locking member are ferromagnetic, and wherein the rotatable locking member is movable between a first position, in which the surface forms a recess to receive the at least one engagement member, and a second position, in which the surface forms a projection to force the at least one engagement member into abutment with the input pinion to establish a driveable connection between the input pinion and the output pinion;
- and
- a permanent magnet for applying a magnetic field to separate the at least one engagement member from the input pinion when the locking member is in the first position and to hold the locking member in the second position when the locking member is in the second position.
A clutch, comprising:
- an input;
- an output selectively driven by the input to rotate about an axis of rotation;
- a rotatable locking member associated with the output and having a surface inclined with respect to the axis of rotation;
- at least one engagement member cooperating with the surface such that the rotatable locking member is movable between a first position where the surface holds the at least one engagement member away from contact with the input, and a second position where the surface forces the at least one engagement member into abutment with the input to establish a driveable connection between the input and the output;
- and
- a permanent magnet actively operable to provide a stable clutch position in each of the first and second positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.