Powertrain axle rotational disconnect assembly

An axle disconnect assembly for use in selectively

• translating rotational torque between an output shaft and an axle shaft of a vehicle driveline, with the output shaft and the axle shaft aligned about a shaft axis, said axle disconnect assembly comprising:
• a disconnect housing;
• a clutch assembly supported in said disconnect housing, disposed in selective torque translating relationship between the output shaft and the axle shaft, and movable between:
• an engaged configuration wherein rotational torque is translated between the output shaft and the axle shaft, and a disengaged configuration wherein rotational torque is interrupted between the output shaft and the axle shaft;
• and
• an electromagnetic actuator having an actuator housing operatively attached to said disconnect housing with a cylinder formed in said actuator housing, a slider supported in said cylinder of said actuator housing, said slider and said cylinder cooperating to define an axis that is eccentric from the shaft axis, said slider being selectively movable within said cylinder between a first stable position and a second stable position, said actuator being disposed in force translating relationship with said clutch assembly such that movement of said slider within said cylinder from one of said stable positions to the other of said stable positions causes corresponding movement of said clutch assembly between said configurations so as to selectively translate rotational torque between the output shaft of the driveline and the axle shaft of the driveline,
• and wherein said actuator includes a first coil that acts to selectively generate a first magnetic field, a second coil spaced from said first coil and acting to selectively generate a second magnetic field, and a permanent magnet operatively attached to said slider such that generation of either one of said first or second magnetic fields acts to move said permanent magnet and said slider between said first and second stable positions and such that said clutch is maintained in either of said engaged configuration or said disengaged configuration in the absence of said first and second magnetic fields, further including:
• a fork shaft operatively attached to said actuator housing spaced between said cylinder and the shaft axis;
• and a fork slidably supported along said fork shaft and interposed in force translating relationship between said slider and said clutch assembly for moving said clutch assembly between said configurations in response to movement of said slider between said stable positions.

An axle disconnect assembly for use in a vehicle driveline

• comprising:
• an output shaft for providing a source of rotational torque;
• an axle shaft spaced from said output shaft and coupled to a wheel, with said axle shaft and said output shaft aligned about a shaft axis;
• a disconnect housing;
• a clutch assembly supported in said disconnect housing, disposed in selective torque translating relationship between said output shaft and said axle shaft, and movable between:
• an engaged configuration wherein rotational torque is translated between said output shaft and said axle shaft, and a disengaged configuration wherein rotational torque is interrupted between said output shaft and said axle shaft;
• and
• an electromagnetic actuator having an actuator housing operatively attached to said disconnect housing with a cylinder formed in said actuator housing, a slider supported in said cylinder of said actuator housing, said slider and said cylinder cooperating to define an axis that is eccentric from said shaft axis, said slider being selectively movable within said cylinder between a first stable position and a second stable position, said actuator being disposed in force translating relationship with said clutch assembly such that movement of said slider within said cylinder from one of said stable positions to the other of said stable positions causes corresponding movement of said clutch assembly between said configurations so as to selectively translate rotational torque between said output shaft and said axle shaft, and wherein said actuator includes a first coil that acts to selectively generate a first magnetic field, a second coil spaced from said first coil and acting to selectively generate a second magnetic field, and a permanent magnet operatively attached to said slider such that generation of either one of said first or second magnetic fields acts to move said permanent magnet and said slider between said first and second stable positions and such that said clutch is maintained in either of said engaged configuration or said disengaged configuration in the absence of said first and second magnetic fields, further including:
• a fork shaft operatively attached to said actuator housing spaced between said cylinder and said shaft axis;
• and a fork slidably supported along said fork shaft and interposed in force translating relationship between said slider and said clutch assembly for moving said clutch assembly between said configurations in response to movement of said slider along said cylinder axis between said stable positions.

An axle disconnect assembly for use in selectively translating rotational torque between an output shaft and an axle shaft of a vehicle driveline, with the output shaft and the axle shaft aligned about a shaft axis, said axle disconnect assembly comprising:

• a disconnect housing;
• a clutch assembly supported in said disconnect housing, disposed in selective torque translating relationship between the output shaft and the axle shaft, and movable between:
• an engaged configuration wherein rotational torque is translated between the output shaft and the axle shaft, and a disengaged configuration wherein rotational torque is interrupted between the output shaft and the axle shaft;
• and
• an electromagnetic actuator having an actuator housing operatively attached to said disconnect housing with a cylinder formed in said actuator housing, a slider supported in said cylinder of said actuator housing, said slider being selectively movable within said cylinder between a first stable position and a second stable position, said actuator being disposed in force translating relationship with said clutch assembly such that movement of said slider within said cylinder from one of said stable positions to the other of said stable positions causes corresponding movement of said clutch assembly between said configurations so as to selectively translate rotational torque between the output shaft of the driveline and the axle shaft of the driveline,
• and wherein said actuator includes a first coil that acts to selectively generate a first magnetic field, a second coil spaced from said first coil and acting to selectively generate a second magnetic field, and a permanent magnet operatively attached to said slider such that generation of either one of said first or second magnetic fields acts to move said permanent magnet and said slider between said first and second stable positions and such that said clutch is maintained in either of said engaged configuration or said disengaged configuration in the absence of said first and second magnetic fields, and further comprising a fork attached to the slider, the fork being constructed and arranged in a force translating relationship between said slider and said clutch assembly for moving said clutch assembly between said configurations in response to movement of said slider between said stable positions.