Patent ID: 6460677
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: F16D,F16H

Abstract:
A ball ramp mechanism for coupling two rotating elements comprising:an input element driven by a prime mover and rotating about an axis of rotation; an output element for rotating an output device; a clutch mechanism for delivering torque from said input element to said output element; a ball ramp actuator for actuating said clutch mechanism, said actuator comprising a control ring, a first pressure plate, a second pressure plate, a plurality of rolling elements interposed between said control ring and said first and second pressure plates, and a control device for rotating said control ring relative to said first and second pressure plates, said first and second pressure plates are disposed on an outer diameter of a differential case housing a differential assembly, said second pressure plate having at least two circumferential plate grooves formed therein; said control ring being disposed between said first and second pressure plates, first and second opposite faces of said control ring having at least two circumferential control ramps formed therein, said second opposite face facing said at least two circumferential plate grooves formed in said second pressure plate, said control ring adapted to rotate and translate with respect to said second pressure plate; said first pressure plate having at least two additional circumferential plate grooves formed therein, said addition circumferential plate grooves facing said first opposite face of said control ring; said first pressure plate adapted to non-rotatably translate with respect to said second pressure plate, wherein each of said circumferential plate grooves, said circumferential control ramps and said additional circumferential plate grooves being disposed in an overlapping manner to effectively lengthen a travel distance of said rolling elements, and wherein each of said circumferential plate grooves, said circumferential control ramps and said additional circumferential plate grooves define a maximum depth at an approximate midpoint thereof to provide a bi-directional forward and reverse clutch actuation assembly.