Selectable one-way rocker clutch

• US 7,743,678 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2007
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Hart, James M., Carey, Clinton E., Wittkopp, Scott H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; Tisha D
• Application Number:
  US11/742,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20070278061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 475/5, 475/8, 743/39, 743/30, 743/31, 743/40, 192/43.1, 192/46, 192/47, 192/69.1, 903/913
• US Class Current: 74/339
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 41/14 the effective stroke of the pawl being adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 41/16 the action being reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/10 with one or more one-way clutches as an essential feature
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/08 of gearings with members having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19228 Multiple concentric clutch shafts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19284 Meshing assisters

Abstract

A selectable one-way rocker clutch assembly includes an inner race disposed radially within an outer race, first and second plurality of rockers, a selector ring and an apply plate. The inner race defines a plurality of pockets configured to operatively retain the first and second plurality of rockers. The first plurality of rockers is configured to resist rotation of the outer race relative to the inner race in a first direction. The second plurality of rockers is configured to resist rotation of the outer race relative to the inner race in a second direction. The selector ring is disposed radially between the inner race and outer race. The apply plate is configured to engage with the selector ring and, in so doing, rotate the selector ring to thereby selectively retract the first and/or second plurality of rockers and thus control the state of the rocker clutch assembly.

Claims

1. A selectable one-way rocker clutch assembly comprising:

a first rotatable race defining a plurality of pockets;

a second rotatable race radially spaced from and axially aligned with said first race and defining a plurality of teeth;

a first plurality of rockers operatively retained by said pockets of said first race, said first plurality of rockers configured to selectively engage said teeth of said second race to resist rotation of said second race relative to said first race in a first direction;

a second plurality of rockers operatively retained by said pockets of said first race, said second plurality of rockers configured to selectively engage said teeth of said second race to resist rotation of said second race relative to said first race in a second direction;

a selector member operatively engageable with said first and second pluralities of rockers and configured to selectively rotate between at least a first and a second position, said selector member preventing engagement of at least one of said first and second plurality of rockers with said teeth when in said second position, said selector member defining a slot; and

an apply plate having a pin that is axially aligned with the slot;

wherein the slot is configured such that axial movement of the apply plate causes the pin to urge the selector member to rotate between the first and second positions.

2. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 1, wherein said selector member permits engagement of said first plurality of rockers with said teeth when in said first and second positions;

and wherein said selector member permits engagement of said second plurality of rockers with said teeth when in said first position and prevents engagement of said second plurality of rockers with said teeth when in said second position.

3. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 1, wherein said selector member is generally annular, and is at least partially radially disposed between said first and second races.

4. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 3, wherein said selector member defines a plurality of apertures configured to allow said first and second plurality of rockers to extend through said apertures when said selector member is in said first position.

5. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 4, wherein said selector member further defines a body portion configured to prevent engagement of at least said second plurality of rockers with said teeth when said selector member is in said second position.

6. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 5, wherein the apply plate is generally annular, and has a radially inner surface that defines the pin.

7. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 6, further comprising:

a plurality of biasing members, wherein said first and second pluralities of rockers are biased by a respective one of said biasing members into engagement with said teeth of said second race.

8. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 7, wherein said first race is at least partially disposed radially inside said second race.

9. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 7, wherein said second race is at least partially disposed radially inside said first race.

10. A selectable rocker clutch assembly comprising:

an outer race defining a plurality of teeth;

an inner race disposed radially within said outer race, said inner race defining a plurality of pockets;

a plurality of springs;

a plurality of rockers at least partially positioned within respective ones of said plurality of pockets, said plurality of rockers being biased by a respective one of said springs into engagement with said plurality of teeth to thereby resist rotation of the outer race relative to the inner race; and

a selector member at least partially disposed radially between said inner and outer races, said selector member being selectively rotatable between at least a first and a second position, wherein said selector member is configured to prevent engagement of at least one of said plurality of rockers with said teeth when in said second position, said selector member defining a slot; and

an apply plate having a pin that is axially aligned with the slot;

wherein the slot is configured such that axial movement of the apply plate causes the pin to urge the selector member to rotate between the first and second positions.

11. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 10, wherein said plurality of rockers define at least a first and second plurality of rockers, said first plurality of rockers configured such that engagement with said teeth prevents rotation of said outer race with respect to said inner race in a first direction, and said second plurality of rockers configured such that engagement with said teeth prevents rotation of said outer race with respect to said inner race in a second direction.

12. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 11, wherein said selector member is generally annular, and is at least partially radially disposed between said first and second races.

13. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 12 wherein the apply plate is generally annular, and has a radially inner surface that defines the pin.

14. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 13, wherein said selector member defines a plurality of apertures and a body portion, said apertures being configured to allow said first and second plurality of rockers to extend there through when said selector member is in said first position, and said body portion being configured to prevent engagement of at least said second plurality of rockers with said teeth when said selector member is in said second position.

15. The rocker clutch assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

an actuator operatively connected to said apply plate and configured to provide said selective translation of said apply plate toward or away from said selector member.

16. The selectable rocker clutch assembly of claim 15, implemented in combination with one of a hybrid transmission, a manual transmission, a dual clutch transmission, a transfer case, or an engine accessory drive.

17. A transmission for a motorized vehicle, comprising:

at least one drive gear;

at least one driven gear in meshing relationship with a respective one of said at least one drive gears;

a first input shaft having one of said at least one drive gears rotatably mounted thereon;

an output shaft having one of said at least one driven gears fixedly mounted thereon; and

at least one selectable one-way rocker clutch, including;

an outer race defining a plurality of teeth;

an inner race disposed radially within said outer race, said inner race defining a plurality of pockets;

a first plurality of rockers operatively retained by said pockets of said inner race, said first plurality of rockers configured to selectively engage said teeth of said outer race to resist rotation of said outer race relative to said inner race in a first direction;

a second plurality of rockers operatively retained by said pockets of said inner race, said second plurality of rockers configured to selectively engage said teeth of said outer race to resist rotation of said outer race relative to said inner race in a second direction; and

a selector ring at least partially disposed between said inner and outer races;

an apply member configured to selectively operatively engage with said selector ring to thereby selectively rotate said selector ring between at least a first and a second position, wherein said selector ring is configured to prevent engagement of at least one of said plurality of rockers with said teeth when in said second position;

at least one positionable selector sleeve operable to selectively engage and disengage a respective one of said at least one selectable rocker clutches;

a detent mechanism operable to maintain a desired position of said selector sleeve; and

at least one shift fork operable to move said selector sleeve;

wherein one of said at least one selectable rocker clutches is disposed between said first input shaft and said at least one drive gear mounted thereon and operable to selectively engage and disengage said first input shaft with respect to said at least one drive gear mounted thereon so that said at least one drive gear may rotate with substantially the same rotational speed as said first input shaft when engaged and to rotate independently with respect to said first input shaft when disengaged.

18. The transmission of claim 17, further comprising:

a second input shaft having a second input clutch and at least one of said drive gears rotatably mounted thereon;

wherein said first input shaft has a first input clutch; and

wherein one of said at least one selectable rocker clutches is disposed between said second input shaft and said at least one drive gear mounted thereon and operable to selectively engage and disengage said second input shaft with said at least one drive gear mounted thereon so that said at least one drive gear may rotate with substantially the same rotational speed as said second input shaft when engaged and to rotate independently with respect to said second input shaft when disengaged.