Electronically-controlled selectable clutch with backlash arrangement

• Main Authors: Greene, Darrell F, Dorigo, David V, Cioc, Adrian C, Samila, Myron R, Loui, Dennis T, Steele, Sean A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 02.07.2019
• Subjects: BLASTING; BRAKES; CLUTCHES; COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

A bi-directional clutch assembly includes an outer race presenting a plurality of inner ratchet teeth and an inner race presenting a plurality of outer ratchet teeth. A passive one-way clutch includes a plurality of passive struts supported by the inner race and pivotable into engaging relationships with the inner ratchet teeth during rotation of the inner race in a first direction. A selectable one-way reverse clutch includes at least one active strut supported by the outer race and selectively pivotable from an unlocked position to a locked position to engage one of the outer ratchet teeth during rotation of the inner race in the second direction. The passive struts are unevenly circumferentially spaced from one another along the inner race to establish an indexed relationship among the passive struts for staggering engagement of sequential passive struts with the inner ratchet teeth of the outer race.