Patent ID: 6595337
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: F16D,F16H

Abstract:
An over-running clutch assembly comprising:an outer race having a cylindrical inner surface and being rotatable about an axis and a case end enclosing a first end of said outer race; an inner race having a cammed outer surface coaxial with said cylindrical inner surface and defining a gap therebetween, said inner race being rotatable about said axis with allowable rotational movement relative to said outer race; a hub mounted onto said inner race adjacent said cammed outer surface, said hub including a step extending radially outward, said step extending axially toward an inner surface of said case end with a gap therebetween; a plurality of ramp surfaces formed at spaced apart locations on said cammed outer surface, said ramp surfaces defining a plurality of cammed surfaces on said outer surface; a plurality of rollers positioned between said outer race and said inner race with each of said rollers being located in a midpoint of the cammed surfaces, said rollers having a diameter less than said gap between said cylindrical inner surface and the midpoint of said cammed outer surface; a retainer interconnecting all of said rollers and causing said rollers to circumferentially move in unison with one another, said retainer being rotatable about said axis with limited relative rotation with respect to said inner race, said retainer including a retainer tab extending axially toward an axial inner surface of said case end, a distal end of said retainer tab being adjacent said inner surface of said case end; a first biasing element supported on said retainer to radially bias said retainer so as to hold each of said rollers onto the midpoints of the cammed surfaces; an actuation disk having an outer diameter, an inner diameter and a thickness, disposed between said retainer and said inner surface of said case end including a notch located radially about said outer diameter of said actuation disk, said notch adapted to engage said retainer tab thereby preventing rotational motion of said actuation disk relative to said retainer and allowing axial motion of said actuation disk relative to said retainer; said inner diameter of said actuation disk including at least one inner notch formed therein, said thickness of said actuation disk being sized to fit within said gap between said inner surface of said case end and said step such that said step of said hub engages said inner notch when said actuation disk is biased toward said inner race to prevent rotation of said actuation disk relative to said hub and inner race, and said inner notch clears said step when said actuation disk is forced into contact with said inner surface of said case end, thereby allowing said actuation disk to rotate relative to said hub and inner race; a second biasing element disposed between said actuation disk and said inner surface of said case end to bias said actuation disk away from said case end and toward said retainer; and an actuator to selectively overcome said second biasing element to force said actuation disk into contact with said case end, wherein rotation of said outer race and said case end with respect to said inner race is frictionally transferred to said actuation disk and said retainer, thereby moving said rollers along said ramp surfaces to a position where said rollers engage and wedge between said inner and outer races to prevent relative rotation between said inner and outer races.