Patent ID: 8602187

Claim:
A controllable coupling assembly comprising: first and second outer coupling members ( 12 , 58 ) and an inner coupling member ( 34 ) supported between the outer coupling members for rotation relative to the outer coupling members about a common rotational axis ( 36 ), the first outer and inner coupling members having a first pair of annular coupling faces ( 18 , 32 ) that oppose each other and are oriented to face axially along the rotational axis, the second outer and the inner coupling members having a second pair of annular coupling faces ( 50 , 62 ) that oppose each other and are oriented to face axially along the rotational axis; a first coupling face ( 18 ) of the first pair having a first set of pockets ( 20 ) spaced about the rotational axis, each pocket of the first set having a pivotal reverse strut ( 22 ) received thereby in a disengaged position of the reverse strut; a first coupling face ( 50 ) of the second pair having a second set of pockets ( 52 ) spaced about the rotational axis, each pocket of the second set having a pivotal forward strut ( 54 ) received thereby in a disengaged position of the forward strut; a second coupling face ( 62 ) of the second pair having a first set of locking formations ( 30 ) that are engaged by the forward struts upon projecting outwardly from the second set of pockets in engaged positions of the forward struts to prevent relative rotation of the second outer and inner coupling members with respect to each other in a first direction about the axis while permitting relative rotation of the second outer and inner coupling members with respect to each other in an opposite second direction about the axis by pivoting of the forward struts in the second set of pockets; a second coupling face ( 32 ) of the first pair having a second set of locking formations ( 30 ) that are engaged by the reverse struts upon projecting outwardly from the first set of pockets in engaged positions of the reverse struts to prevent relative rotation of the first outer and inner coupling members with respect to each other in the second direction about the axis while permitting relative rotation of the first outer and inner coupling members with respect to each other in the first direction about the axis by pivoting of the reverse struts in the first set of pockets wherein the inner coupling member ( 34 ) has one ( 52 ) of the first and second sets of pockets at one of its annular coupling faces ( 50 ); and a control member ( 26 ) mounted for controlled, shifting movement between the first pair of coupling faces ( 18 , 32 ) relative to the first set of pockets ( 20 ) and operable for controlling position of the reverse struts ( 22 ), the control member allowing at least one of the reverse struts to engage at least one of the second set of locking formations ( 30 ) in a first position of the control member and wherein the control member maintains the reverse struts in their pockets in a second position of the control member.