초록 ▼

A coupling and control assembly includes a coupling subassembly and a control subassembly integrated with the coupling subassembly. The control subassembly has a reciprocating member and actuators operatively connected to the reciprocating movement for controlled reciprocating movement therewith to

A coupling and control assembly includes a coupling subassembly and a control subassembly integrated with the coupling subassembly. The control subassembly has a reciprocating member and actuators operatively connected to the reciprocating movement for controlled reciprocating movement therewith to move or pivot respective struts received within pockets of a coupling member of the coupling subassembly. The reciprocating member converts a pressure of a working fluid at its working face to move linearly together with the actuators from its first position which corresponds to a first operating mode of the coupling subassembly to its second position which corresponds to a second operating mode of the coupling subassembly.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A coupling and control assembly comprising: a coupling subassembly having first and second operating modes, the subassembly including first and second coupling members supported for rotation relative to one another about a common rotational axis, the first coupling member having a coupling first

1. A coupling and control assembly comprising: a coupling subassembly having first and second operating modes, the subassembly including first and second coupling members supported for rotation relative to one another about a common rotational axis, the first coupling member having a coupling first face oriented to face axially in a first direction along the rotational axis and the second coupling member having a coupling second face opposed to the first face and oriented to face axially in a second direction along the rotational axis, the second coupling member having a third face spaced from the second face and oriented to face axially in the first direction;the second face having a set of pockets spaced about the rotational axis, each pocket of the set having a strut received thereby;the first face having a set of locking formations that are engaged by the struts upon projecting outwardly from the set of pockets to prevent relative rotation of the first and second coupling members with respect to each other in at least one direction about the axis;the third face having a set of passages spaced about the rotational axis and in communication with their respective pockets to communicate actuating forces to their respective struts to actuate their respective struts within their respective pockets so that the struts move between engaged and disengaged positions with respect to the first coupling member; anda control subassembly coupled to the second coupling member to rotate therewith to control the operating mode of the coupling subassembly, the control subassembly including: an integral, unitary reciprocating member having a first face oriented to face axially along the rotational axis in the first direction and a second face spaced from the first face of the reciprocating member and oriented to face axially along the rotational axis in the second direction, one of the faces of the reciprocating member being a working face; anda plurality of bi-directionally movable actuators supported by the reciprocating member to move linearly with the reciprocating member so that the actuators move linearly within their respective passages of the third face to provide the actuating forces to their respective struts for selective, small-displacement strut movement, the working face of the reciprocating member being impinged by a working fluid in direct contact therewith to provide linear motion of the reciprocating member and the actuators along the rotational axis relative to the second coupling member between a first position of the reciprocating member which corresponds to the first operating mode of the coupling subassembly and a second position of the reciprocating member which corresponds to the second operating mode of the coupling subassembly wherein the actuators and the reciprocating member are operatively connected together to move in unison during the entire linear motion between the first and second positions. 2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one biasing member which exerts a biasing force on the reciprocating member along the rotational axis wherein the pressure of the working fluid causes the reciprocating member to move from its first position to its second position along the rotational axis against the biasing force of the at least one biasing member and wherein in the absence of the pressure of the working fluid the at least one biasing member moves the reciprocating member from the second position back to the first position along the rotational axis. 3. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a set of biasing members that bias their respective struts against pivotal movement out of their respective pockets toward the locking formations wherein the actuators pivot ends of their respective struts against the bias of the set of biasing members and into contact with the locking formations to couple the first and second coupling members for rotation with each other in the at least one direction about the rotational axis and wherein the set of biasing members are configured to move their respective struts back into their respective pockets to permit relative rotation of the coupling members in the at least one direction about the rotational axis. 4. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one biasing member is disposed between the second coupling member and the reciprocating member to urge the reciprocating member towards its first position. 5. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first position is an overrun position, the first mode is an overrun mode, the second position is a locked position and the second mode is a locked mode. 6. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the struts include at least one reverse strut and at least one forward strut. 7. The assembly as claimed in claim 6, further comprising an element supported between the first and second coupling members, the element having at least one opening extending completely therethrough to allow the forward and reverse struts to extend therethrough at the same time and fully lock the coupling members together to prevent relative rotation between the coupling members in either direction about the rotation axis. 8. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reciprocating member has a set of formations spaced about the rotational axis for supporting the actuators. 9. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuators include springs. 10. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working face is generally flat. 11. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working face is generally annular and extends generally radially with respect to the rotational axis. 12. A clutch and control assembly comprising: a clutch subassembly having first and second operating modes, the subassembly including first and second clutch members supported for rotation relative to one another about a common rotational axis, the first clutch member having a coupling first face oriented to face axially in a first direction along the rotational axis and the second clutch member having a coupling second face opposed to the first face and oriented to face axially in a second direction along the rotational axis, the second clutch member having a third face spaced from the second face and oriented to face axially in the first direction;the second face having a set of pockets spaced about the rotational axis, each pocket of the set having a pivotal strut received thereby and a spring that pivotally biases its strut inwardly therein;the first face having a set of locking formations that are engaged by the struts upon pivoting outwardly from the set of pockets to prevent relative rotation of the first and second clutch members with respect to each other in at least one direction about the axis;the third face having a set of passages spaced about the rotational axis and in communication with their respective pockets to communicate actuating forces to their respective struts to actuate their respective struts within their respective pockets so that the struts move between engaged and disengaged positions with respect to the first clutch member; anda control subassembly coupled to the second clutch member to rotate therewith to control the operating mode of the clutch subassembly, the control subassembly including: an integral, unitary reciprocating member having a first face oriented to face axially along the rotational axis in the first direction and a second face spaced from the first face of the reciprocating member and oriented to face axially along the rotational axis in the second direction, one of the faces of the reciprocating member being a working face; anda plurality of bi-directionally movable actuators supported by the reciprocating member to move linearly with the reciprocating member so that the actuators move linearly within their respective passages of the third face to provide the actuating forces to their respective struts for selective, small-displacement strut movement, the working face of the reciprocating member being impinged by a working fluid in direct contact therewith to provide linear motion of the reciprocating member and the actuators along the rotational axis relative to the second clutch member between a first position of the reciprocating member which corresponds to the first operating mode of the clutch subassembly and a second position of the reciprocating member which corresponds to the second operating mode of the clutch subassembly wherein the actuators and the reciprocating member are operatively connected together to move in unison during the entire linear motion between the first and second positions. 13. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, further comprising at least one biasing member which exerts a biasing force on the reciprocating member along the rotational axis wherein pressure of the working fluid causes the reciprocating member to move from its first position to its second position along the rotational axis against the biasing force of the at least one biasing member and wherein in the absence of the pressure of the working fluid the at least one biasing member moves the reciprocating member from the second position back to the first position along the rotational axis. 14. The assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the actuators pivot ends of their respective struts against the bias of their respective springs and into contact with the locking formations to couple the first and second clutch members for rotation with each other in the at least one direction about the rotational axis and wherein the springs are configured to move the ends of their respective struts back into their respective pockets to permit relative rotation of the clutch members in the at least one direction about the rotational axis. 15. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one biasing member is disposed between the second clutch member and the reciprocating member to urge the reciprocating member toward its first position. 16. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first position is an overrun position, the first mode is an overrun mode, the second position is a locked position and the second mode is a locked mode. 17. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the struts include at least one reverse strut and at least one forward strut. 18. The assembly as claimed in claim 17, further comprising an element supported between the first and second clutch members, the element having at least one opening extending completely therethrough to allow the forward and reverse struts to extend therethrough at the same time and fully lock the clutch members together to prevent relative rotation between the clutch members in either direction about the rotation axis. 19. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the reciprocating member has a set of formations spaced about the rotational axis for supporting the actuators. 20. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the actuators include springs. 21. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the reciprocating member is an annular piston member.