Patent ID: 11041531

Abstract:
A self-contained switchable torque limited wedge clutch, consisting of a housing, a space enclosed by the housing, and a clutch assembly including: an input part with a first frusto-conical surface; an outer race in the space and including a second frusto-conical surface in contact with the first frusto-conical surface; an output hub in the space; circumferentially aligned wedge plate segments in the space; and an activation assembly arranged to displace the wedge plate segments to switch the clutch between: a locked mode and an unlocked mode. In the locked mode: for a first magnitude of the rotational torque, the first frusto-conical surface and the second frusto-conical surface are non-rotatably connected; and for a second magnitude of the rotational torque, greater than the first magnitude, the first frusto-conical surface rotates with respect to the second frusto-conical surface to switch the self-contained torque-limiting switchable wedge plate clutch to the unlocked mode.