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US 9,644,690 B2Granted
Electromagnetic wedge disconnect clutch
AssigneeSchaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
InventorBrian Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wedge clutch, including: an inner race having a radially outermost surface sloping radially outward from a first axial side to a second side; an outer race located radially outward of the inner race; a wedge plate radially disposed between the inner and outer races, the wedge plate including a radially innermost surface sloping radially outward complementary with the radially outermost surface of the inner race; and an actuation assembly arranged to displace the inner race in the first axial direction to place the wedge clutch in a locked mode in which the inner race, the wedge plate and the outer race are non-rotatably connected and in the second axial direction to place the wedge clutch in a free-wheel mode in which the inner and outer races are rotatable with respect to each other.
Claims18
A wedge clutch, comprising:
- an axis of rotation;
- an inner race including:
- a first side facing a first axial direction;
- a second side facing a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction;
- and,
- a first radially outermost surface sloping radially outward from the first side to the second side;
- an outer race including a portion located radially outward of the inner race;
- a wedge plate radially disposed between the inner race and the portion of the outer race, the wedge plate including:
- third and fourth sides facing in the first and second axial directions, respectively;
- a first radially innermost surface sloping radially outward from the third side to the fourth side;
- and,
- a second radially outermost surface including first and second chamfers between the third and fourth sides, the outer race includes a second radially innermost surface including third and fourth chamfers arranged to contact the first and second chamfers of the wedge plate, respectively, in a locked mode;
- and,
- an actuation assembly arranged to displace the inner race:
- in the first axial direction to place the wedge clutch in the locked mode in which the inner race, the wedge plate and the outer race are non-rotatably connected;
- and,
- in the second axial direction to place the wedge clutch in a free-wheel mode in which the inner and outer races are rotatable with respect to each other.
14 more elements
A wedge clutch, comprising:
- an axis of rotation;
- an inner race including:
- a first side facing a first axial direction;
- a second side facing a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction;
- and,
- a first radially outermost surface sloping radially outward from the first side to the second side;
- an outer race including a portion located radially outward of the inner race;
- a wedge plate radially disposed between the inner race and the portion of the outer race, the wedge plate including:
- third and fourth sides facing in the first and second axial directions, respectively;
- and,
- a first radially innermost surface sloping radially outward from the third side to the fourth side;
- and,
- an actuation assembly including:
- a resilient element urging the inner race in the first axial direction;
- and,
- an electromagnet, wherein:
- to initiate a locked mode in which the inner race, the wedge plate and the outer race are non-rotatably connected to each other the electromagnet is arranged to be un-energized and the resilient element is arranged to displace the inner race in the first axial direction and displace the wedge plate radially outward;
- and,
- to initiate a free-wheel mode in which the inner and outer races are rotatable with respect to each other the electromagnet is arranged to be energized to displace the inner race in the second axial direction.
16 more elements
A wedge clutch, comprising:
- an inner race including:
- a first side facing a first axial direction;
- a second side facing a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction;
- and,
- a first radially outermost surface sloping radially outward from the first side to the second side;
- a first plate of magnetic material non-rotatably connected to the inner race;
- an outer race with a portion located radially outward of the inner race and having a first radially innermost surface including first and second chamfers;
- a wedge plate radially disposed between the inner race and the portion of the outer race, the wedge plate including:
- third and fourth sides facing in the first and second axial directions, respectively;
- a second radially innermost surface sloping radially outward from the third side to the fourth side;
- and,
- a second radially outermost surface including third and fourth chamfers;
- and,
- an actuation assembly including:
- a housing;
- a resilient element:
- engaged with the housing and the inner race;
- and,
- urging the inner race in the first axial direction;
- and,
- an electromagnet disposed within the housing, wherein:
- to non-rotatably connect the inner race, the wedge plate and the outer race the electromagnet is arranged to be un-energized and the resilient element is arranged to displace the inner race in the first axial direction to frictionally engage the first and second chamfers with the third and fourth chamfers, respectively;
- and,
- to initiate a free-wheel mode in which the inner and outer races are rotatable with respect to each other the electromagnet is arranged to be energized to displace the first plate of magnetic material in the second axial direction.
21 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.