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US 8,297,421 B2Granted
Active materials actuated one-way clutch
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsNilesh D. Mankame, Alan L. Browne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A one-way clutch for assisting the rotation of a rotary fluid motor includes a ratchet and a hub rotatable about a longitudinal axis relative to the ratchet. The ratchet includes a plurality of teeth, and the hub includes a pawl for engaging the teeth to rotate the ratchet in a single direction of rotation. A control device including an active material interconnects the pawl and the hub. The active material of the control device contracts in response to a control signal to move the pawl. An actuator including an active material is spirally wound around an outer periphery of the hub. The active material of the actuator contracts to spin the hub and thereby drive the ratchet.
Claims15
A clutch comprising:
- a drive shaft extending along and rotatable about a longitudinal axis and configured for supplying torque;
- a ratchet attached to said drive shaft for rotation with said drive shaft about said longitudinal axis and including a plurality of teeth extending radially outward away from said longitudinal axis;
- a hub rotatably coupled to said drive shaft for rotation about said longitudinal axis relative to said drive shaft, said hub including at least one pawl extending radially inward toward said ratchet;
- said at least one pawl moveable between a disengaged position and an engaged position with said at least one pawl disengaged from said plurality of teeth when in said disengaged position, and said at least one pawl engaged with said plurality of teeth when in said engaged position for rotating said ratchet and said drive shaft about said longitudinal axis;
- a control device attached to said at least one pawl, said control device moveable between an un-actuated position and an actuated position, wherein said control device positions said at least one pawl in one of said engaged position and said disengaged position when said control device is in said actuated position, and said control device permits said at least one pawl to move into another of said engaged position and said disengaged position when said control device is in said un-actuated position;
- and
- an actuator having a first end attached to said hub and a second end configured for attachment to a support, wherein said actuator is moveable between an un-rotated position and a rotated position for rotating said hub in a single direction about said longitudinal axis to drive the ratchet.
4 more elements
A rotary fluid motor comprising:
- a housing;
- an output shaft configured for supplying torque;
- and
- a clutch attached to said housing, said clutch including:
- a drive shaft coupled to said output shaft for supplying torque to said output shaft, said drive shaft extending along and rotatable about a longitudinal axis;
- a ratchet attached to said drive shaft for rotation with said drive shaft about said longitudinal axis and including a plurality of teeth extending radially outward away from said longitudinal axis;
- a hub rotatably coupled to said drive shaft for rotation about said longitudinal axis relative to said drive shaft, said hub including at least one pawl extending radially inward toward said ratchet;
- said at least one pawl moveable between a disengaged position and an engaged position with said at least one pawl disengaged from said plurality of teeth when in said disengaged position, and said at least one pawl engaged with said plurality of teeth when in said engaged position for rotating said ratchet and said drive shaft about said longitudinal axis;
- a control device including an active material and attached to said at least one pawl and said hub, said control device configured to exert a force to move between an un-actuated position and an actuated position, wherein said control device positions said at least one pawl in one of said engaged position and said disengaged position when said control device is in said actuated position, and said control device permits said at least one pawl to move into another of said engaged position and said disengaged position when said control device is in said un-actuated position;
- and
- an actuator including an active material and configured to exert a force to rotate said hub in a single direction about said longitudinal axis from an un-rotated position into a rotated position to drive the ratchet;
- wherein said actuator is spirally wound around an outer periphery of said hub and includes a first end attached to said hub and a second end attached to said housing.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.