Switchable coupling

A switchable coupling for selectively connecting a drive element and a power take-off element, comprising:

• a coupling system, the coupling system operably arranged between the drive element and the power take-off element and operatively configured for at least one of non-positive and positive coupling of the drive element and the power take-off element;
• an actuator, which can switch between open-coupling and closed-coupling states;
• a switching element, the switching element being movable in a continuously variable manner between a starting position, a central position and an end position;
• at least one elastic actuating element disposed between an output element and the switching element;
• a locking unit arranged directly or indirectly on the output element, the locking unit being rotatable in a circumferential direction of the coupling system and constrained in an axial direction of the power take-off element between a first locking unit stop and a second locking unit stop, and a rotational system, the rotational system being connected to the switching element or the locking unit, having first operative surfaces configured to contact first slanting molded elements on the switching element on the other of the locking unit or the first slanting molded elements on the switching element during a movement of the switching element from a position in a vicinity of the central position toward the end position (9), such that a contact preloads first resilient rotational elements,
• wherein
• in the central position of the switching element, the switchable coupling has a different state than in the starting position,
• the elastic actuating element applies a force to the switching element toward the starting position,
• the actuator only applies forces to the switching element toward the end position having a maximum value in each position which exceed a force value of the elastic actuating element in that position, the rotational system is arranged to the locking unit relative to the switching element by a first angular pitch, and in that the rotational system,
• includes second operative surfaces configured such that, upon return movement of the switching element from the end position toward the central position, the second operative surfaces contact two second slanting molded elements on the locking unit or two second slanting molded elements on the switching element to preload two second resilient rotational elements and rotate the locking unit by a second angular pitch relative to the switching element.