Drive mechanism and method

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a clutch arrangement comprising:

• a clutch member that is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• a clutch shaft supporting said clutch member for rotation about said axis of rotation and having a pair of opposing ends and said clutch shaft further supported for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch member cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and the clutch member disengages said drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft;
• a clutch-drive permanent magnet that is mounted on one of said opposing ends of said clutch shaft for rotation in unison with the clutch shaft and arranged for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position;
• and
• a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch shaft and, thereby, said clutch member away from the second lateral position to bias the clutch member into said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch member away from the first lateral position to bias the clutch member into said second lateral position and said field generating arrangement includes a second permanent magnet for producing the first and second magnetic field configurations and said second permanent magnet includes a second magnet north pole and a second magnet south pole and said field generating arrangement is configured for selectively rotating the second permanent magnet such that a selected one of the second magnet north pole and the second magnet south pole is positionable in a confronting relationship with the first permanent magnet for producing a selected one of the first and second magnetic field configurations and thereby selectively generating a selected one of a force of attraction and a force of repulsion to move said clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a clutch arrangement comprising:

• a clutch member that is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• a clutch shaft supporting said clutch member for rotation about said axis of rotation and having a pair of opposing ends and said clutch shaft further supported for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch member cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and the clutch member disengages said drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft;
• a clutch-drive permanent magnet that is mounted on one of said opposing ends of said clutch shaft for rotation in unison with the clutch shaft and arranged for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position;
• and
• a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch shaft and, thereby, said clutch member away from the second lateral position to bias the clutch member into said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch member away from the first lateral position to bias the clutch member into said second lateral position and said field generating arrangement includes a first mode permanent magnet for producing the first magnetic field configuration and a second mode permanent magnet for producing the second magnetic field configuration.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft and wherein said drive train includes a first gear and a second gear, a clutch arrangement comprising:

• a clutch gear that is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• a clutch shaft supporting said clutch gear for rotation about said axis of rotation and having a pair of opposing ends and said clutch shaft further supported for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch gear cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and the clutch member disengages said drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft such that the clutch gear is inserted into the drive train at said first lateral position and removed from the drive train at the second lateral position and the clutch gear, in said first lateral position, serves as an intermediate gear to mesh with both the first gear and the second gear to transfer rotation of the input shaft to the output shaft and said clutch gear meshes with no more than one of the first gear and the second gear in the second lateral position to disengage rotation of the input shaft from the output shaft;
• a clutch-drive permanent magnet that is mounted on one of said opposing ends of said clutch shaft for rotation in unison with the clutch shaft and arranged for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the clutch gear between the first lateral position and the second lateral position;
• and
• a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch shaft and, thereby, said clutch gear away from the second lateral position to bias the clutch gear into said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch gear away from the first lateral position to bias the clutch gear into said second lateral position.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a method comprising:

• providing a clutch member to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• supporting said clutch member for rotation on a clutch shaft about said axis of rotation, said clutch shaft having a pair of opposing ends;
• arranging said clutch shaft for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch member cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and the clutch member disengages said drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft;
• mounting a clutch-drive permanent magnet on one of said opposing ends of said clutch shaft for rotation in unison with the clutch shaft and arranged for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position wherein said clutch-drive permanent magnet includes a north pole and a south pole and arranging said north pole and said south pole such that a projection of the north and south poles onto said axis of rotation results in an offset along said axis between projected north and south pole positions;
• and
• configuring a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch shaft and, thereby, said clutch member away from the second lateral position to magnetically bias the clutch member into said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch member away from the first lateral position to bias the clutch member into said second lateral position.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a method comprising:

• providing a clutch member to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• supporting said clutch member for rotation on a clutch shaft about said axis of rotation, said clutch shaft having a pair of opposing ends;
• arranging said clutch shaft for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch member cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and the clutch member disengages said drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft;
• mounting a clutch-drive permanent magnet on one of said opposing ends of said clutch shaft for rotation in unison with the clutch shaft and arranged for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position;
• and
• configuring a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch shaft and, thereby, said clutch member away from the second lateral position to magnetically bias the clutch member into said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch member away from the first lateral position to bias the clutch member into said second lateral position and including using a second permanent magnet, as part of said field generating arrangement, for producing the first and second magnetic field configurations and said second permanent magnet includes a second magnet north pole and a second magnet south pole;
• and
• selectively rotating the second permanent magnet such that a selected one of the second magnet north pole and the second magnet south pole is positionable in a confronting relationship with the first permanent magnet for producing a selected one of the first and second magnetic field configurations and thereby selectively generating a selected one of a force of attraction and a force of repulsion to move said clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a method comprising:

• providing a clutch member to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• supporting said clutch member for rotation on a clutch shaft about said axis of rotation, said clutch shaft having a pair of opposing ends;
• arranging said clutch shaft for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch member cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and the clutch member disengages said drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft;
• mounting a clutch-drive permanent magnet on one of said opposing ends of said clutch shaft for rotation in unison with the clutch shaft and arranged for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position;
• and
• configuring a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch shaft and, thereby, said clutch member away from the second lateral position to magnetically bias the clutch member into said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch member away from the first lateral position to bias the clutch member into said second lateral position and including using a second permanent magnet, as part of said field generating arrangement, for producing the first and second magnetic field configurations and configuring said field generating arrangement to include a first mode permanent magnet for producing the first magnetic field configuration and a second mode permanent magnet for producing the second magnetic field configuration.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a method comprising:

• providing a clutch gear to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• supporting said clutch gear for rotation on a clutch shaft about said axis of rotation, said clutch shaft having a pair of opposing ends;
• arranging said clutch shaft for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch gear cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position inserted into the drive train in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and the clutch gear disengages said drive train at a second lateral position removed from the drive train in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft;
• configuring a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch shaft and, thereby, said clutch gear away from the second lateral position to magnetically bias the clutch gear into said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch gear away from the first lateral position to bias the clutch gear into said second lateral position;
• and
• configuring said drive train to include a first gear and a second gear such that the clutch gear, in said first lateral position, serves as an intermediate gear to mesh with both the first gear and the second gear to transfer rotation of the input shaft to the output shaft and said clutch gear meshes with no more than one of the first gear and the second gear in the second lateral position to disengage rotation of the input shaft from the output shaft.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a clutch arrangement comprising:

• a clutch member that is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• a clutch shaft supporting said clutch member for rotation about said axis of rotation and having a pair of opposing ends and said clutch shaft further supported for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch member cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and the clutch member disengages said drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft wherein one end of the opposing ends of the clutch shaft is a free end;
• a clutch-drive permanent magnet that is mounted on one of said opposing ends of said clutch shaft for rotation in unison with the clutch shaft and arranged for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position and said clutch-drive permanent magnet is fixedly attached to said free end;
• and
• a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch shaft and, thereby, said clutch member away from the second lateral position to bias the clutch member into said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch member away from the first lateral position to bias the clutch member into said second lateral position.

For use in a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a clutch arrangement comprising:

• a clutch member that is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• a clutch shaft supporting said clutch member for rotation about said axis of rotation and having a pair of opposing ends and said clutch member is further supported for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch member cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and is disengaged from said drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft wherein one end of the opposing ends of the clutch shaft is a free end;
• and
• a permanent magnet that is mounted on one of the opposing ends of the clutch shaft and arranged for receiving an external magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to selectively move the clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position and said clutch-drive permanent magnet is fixedly attached to said free end.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a method comprising:

• providing a clutch member to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• supporting said clutch member for rotation on a clutch shaft about said axis of rotation, said clutch shaft having a pair of opposing ends wherein one end of the opposing ends of the clutch shaft is a free end;
• arranging said clutch shaft for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch member cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and the clutch member disengages said drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft;
• mounting a clutch-drive permanent magnet on one of said opposing ends of said clutch shaft for rotation in unison with the clutch shaft and arranged for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position and said mounting fixedly attaches clutch-drive permanent magnet to said free end;
• and
• configuring a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch shaft and, thereby, said clutch member away from the second lateral position to magnetically bias the clutch member into said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch member away from the first lateral position to bias the clutch member into said second lateral position.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, an apparatus comprising:

• a gear arrangement including at least one gear that is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• a traveling shaft supporting said gear arrangement for rotation about said axis of rotation and having a pair of opposing ends and said traveling shaft further supported for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the gear arrangement serves as a traveling gear arrangement that cooperates with the drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to respond in a first way responsive to rotation of the input shaft and to cooperate with the drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to cause the output shaft to respond in a second way responsive to rotation of the input shaft wherein one end of the opposing ends of the traveling shaft is a free end;
• a permanent magnet that is mounted on one of said opposing ends of said traveling shaft for moving with the traveling shaft and arranged for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the traveling gear arrangement between the first lateral position and the second lateral position and said clutch-drive permanent magnet is fixedly attached to said free end;
• and
• a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said permanent magnet to move said traveling shaft and, thereby, said traveling gear arrangement away from the second lateral position to bias the traveling gear arrangement into said first operational mode with the traveling gear arrangement moved to said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said permanent magnet to move said traveling gear arrangement away from the first lateral position to bias said traveling gear arrangement into said second operational mode with the traveling gear arrangement moved to said second lateral position.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a method comprising:

• providing a gear arrangement that is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• supporting the gear arrangement for rotation about said axis of rotation using a traveling shaft having a pair of opposing ends and further supporting said traveling shaft for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the gear arrangement serves as a traveling gear arrangement that cooperates with the drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to respond in a first way responsive to rotation of the input shaft and cooperates with the drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to cause the output shaft to respond in a second way responsive to rotation of the input shaft wherein one end of the opposing ends of the traveling shaft is a free end;
• mounting a permanent magnet on one of said opposing ends of said traveling shaft to move and rotate in unison with the traveling shaft and for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the traveling gear arrangement between the first lateral position and the second lateral position and said mounting includes fixedly attaching said clutch-drive permanent magnet to said free end;
• and
• producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said permanent magnet to move said traveling shaft and, thereby, said traveling gear arrangement away from the second lateral position to bias the traveling gear arrangement into said first operational mode with the traveling gear arrangement moved to said first lateral position, and producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said permanent magnet to move said traveling gear arrangement away from the first lateral position to bias said traveling gear arrangement into said second operational mode with the traveling gear arrangement moved to said second lateral position.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a clutch arrangement comprising:

• a clutch member that is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• a clutch shaft supporting said clutch member for rotation about said axis of rotation and having a pair of opposing ends and said clutch shaft further supported for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch member cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and the clutch member disengages said drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft;
• a clutch-drive permanent magnet that is mounted on one of said opposing ends of said clutch shaft for rotation in unison with the clutch shaft and arranged for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position;
• and
• a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch shaft and, thereby, said clutch member away from the second lateral position to bias the clutch member into said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch member away from the first lateral position to bias the clutch member into said second lateral position wherein said field generating arrangement includes a first mode permanent magnet for producing the first magnetic field configuration and a second mode permanent magnet for producing the second magnetic field configuration and an actuator for cooperatively moving the first mode permanent magnet and the second mode permanent magnet such that one of the first and second mode permanent magnets is selectively positionable relative to the clutch-drive permanent magnet to produce said first magnetic field configuration and the other one of the first and second mode permanent magnets is selectively positionable relative to the clutch-drive permanent magnet to produce said second magnetic field configuration and wherein said actuator includes a magnet arm that supports the first mode permanent magnet and the second mode permanent magnet and the actuator is configured for using electrical power for selectively moving the magnet arm between (i) a first position in which one of the first mode permanent magnet and the second mode permanent magnet produces the first magnetic field configuration and (ii) a second position in which the other one of first mode permanent magnet and the second mode permanent magnet produces the second magnetic field configuration such that the actuator maintains a current one of either of the first position and the second position to, in turn, maintain a current one of the first magnetic field configuration and the second magnetic field configuration irrespective of a failure of said electrical power to the actuator at said first position and said second position of the magnet arm.

In a drive train at least including an input shaft and an output shaft, a method comprising:

• providing a clutch member to rotate about an axis of rotation;
• supporting said clutch member for rotation on a clutch shaft about said axis of rotation, said clutch shaft having a pair of opposing ends;
• arranging said clutch shaft for lateral movement along said axis of rotation such that the clutch member cooperates with said drive train at a first lateral position in a first operational mode to cause the output shaft to turn responsive to rotation of the input shaft and the clutch member disengages said drive train at a second lateral position in a second operational mode to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft;
• mounting a clutch-drive permanent magnet on one of said opposing ends of said clutch shaft for rotation in unison with the clutch shaft and arranged for applying a magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member between the first lateral position and the second lateral position;
• and
• configuring a field generating arrangement for producing a first magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch shaft and, thereby, said clutch member away from the second lateral position to magnetically bias the clutch member into said first lateral position, and for producing a second magnetic field configuration that causes said clutch-drive permanent magnet to move said clutch member away from the first lateral position to bias the clutch member into said second lateral position and configuring said field generating arrangement to include a first mode permanent magnet for producing the first magnetic field configuration and a second mode permanent magnet for producing the second magnetic field configuration and further configuring said field generating arrangement to include an actuator for cooperatively moving the first mode permanent magnet and the second mode permanent magnet such that one of the first and second mode permanent magnets is selectively positionable relative to the clutch-drive permanent magnet to produce said first magnetic field configuration and the other one of the first and second mode permanent magnets is selectively positionable relative to the clutch-drive permanent magnet to produce said second magnetic field configuration and configuring said actuator to include a magnet arm that supports the first mode permanent magnet and the second mode permanent magnet and the actuator is configured for using electrical power for selectively moving the magnet arm between (i) a first position in which one of the first mode permanent magnet and the second mode permanent magnet produces the first magnetic field configuration and (ii) a second position in which the other one of first mode permanent magnet and the second mode permanent magnet produces the second magnetic field configuration such that the actuator maintains a current one of either of the first position and the second position to, in turn, maintain a current one of the first magnetic field configuration and the second magnetic field configuration irrespective of a failure of said electrical power to the actuator at said first position and said second position of the magnet arm.