Selectable one-way torque transmitting device using control rail

1. A torque transmitting device for use in an automotive transmission, the torque transmitting device comprising:

a first annular race;

a second annular race disposed concentrically around the first annular race;

a first locking element pivotally connected to one of the first and second annular races, the first locking element being moveable to rotationally fix the first annular race to the second annular race in a first rotational direction to transfer torque therebetween;

a second locking element pivotally connected to one of the first and second annular races, the second locking element being moveable to rotationally fix the first annular race to the second annular race in a second rotational direction to transfer torque therebetween, the second rotational direction being opposite the first rotational direction; and

a control rail disposed adjacent to the first and second annular races, the control rail forming a plurality of indentations therein, the control rail moveable between first, second, third, and fourth positions, wherein

in the first position, the first locking element is partially disposed in an indentation of the plurality of indentations of the control rail and the second locking element is partially disposed in an indentation of the plurality of indentations of the control rail;

in the second position, the first locking element is partially disposed in an indentation of the plurality of indentations of the control rail and the second locking element is disposed outside of the plurality of indentations of the control rail;

in the third position, the first and second locking elements are disposed outside of the plurality of indentations of the control rail; and

in the fourth position, the first locking element is disposed outside the plurality of indentations of the control rail and the second locking element is partially disposed in an indentation of the plurality of indentations of the control rail.

2. The torque transmitting device of claim 1 , wherein the control rail has at least one protrusion separating the indentations of the plurality of indentations.

3. The torque transmitting device of claim 2 , wherein the protrusion has first and second sides, the protrusion having a first ramped surface on the first side and a second ramped surface on the second side, the protrusion having a flat middle surface disposed between the first and second ramped surfaces.

4. The torque transmitting device of claim 3 , wherein the first ramped surface extends at an acute angle from the middle surface and the second ramped surface extends at an acute angle from the middle surface.

5. The torque transmitting device of claim 4 , wherein one of the first and second annular races defines an annular groove therein, the control rail being partially disposed in the annular groove.

6. The torque transmitting device of claim 5 , further comprising:

a first biasing element configured to bias the first locking element toward one of the first and second annular races; and

a second biasing element configured to bias the second locking element toward one of the first and second annular races.

7. The torque transmitting device of claim 6 , wherein the first and second locking elements are pivotally attached to the second annular race, the first annular race having an inner surface forming a plurality of pockets, the first and second locking elements each being moveable to engage a pocket of the plurality of pockets to transmit torque between the first annular race and the second annular race.

8. The torque transmitting device of claim 7 , wherein the first locking element has a first extending arm biased to pivot towards the first annular race, the first extending arm engaging a first pocket of the plurality of pockets to rotationally fix the first annular race to the second annular race to transmit torque therebetween, the first extending arm being configured to be rotated out of the first pocket to refrain from transmitting torque between the first annular race and second annular race, the control rail being configured to push the first locking element out of the first pocket when the control rail is moved into one of the third and fourth positions.

9. The torque transmitting device of claim 8 , wherein the second locking element has a second extending arm biased to pivot towards the first annular race, the second extending arm engaging a second pocket of the plurality of pockets to rotationally fix the first annular race to the second annular race to transmit torque therebetween, the second extending arm being configured to be rotated out of the second pocket to refrain from transmitting torque between the first annular race and second annular race, the control rail being configured to push the second locking element out of the second pocket when the control rail is moved into one of the second and third positions.

10. The torque transmitting device of claim 7 , wherein the first locking element is configured to prevent rotation between the first and second annular races in the first rotational direction when the first locking element is partially disposed in the first pocket, the first locking element not preventing rotation between the first and second annular races in the second rotational direction when the first locking element is partially disposed in the first pocket, the second locking element being configured to prevent rotation between the first and second annular races in the second rotational direction when the second locking element is partially disposed in the second pocket, the second locking element not preventing rotation between the first and second annular races in the first rotational direction when the second locking element is partially disposed in the second pocket.

11. The torque transmitting device of claim 1 , wherein:

in the first position, the first and second annular races are fixed together for common rotation in the first and second rotational directions;

in the second position, the first and second annular races are fixed together for common rotation in the first rotational direction, the first and second annular races being moveable with respect to each other in the second rotational direction;

in the third position, the first and second annular races are movable with respect to each other in the first and second rotational directions; and

in the fourth position, the first and second annular races are moveable with respect to each other in the first rotational direction, the first and second annular races being fixed together for common rotation in the second rotational direction.

12. A torque transmitting device for use in an automotive transmission, the torque transmitting device comprising:

a first annular race;

a second annular race disposed concentrically around the first annular race, wherein one of the first and second annular races defines an annular groove therein;

a first locking element pivotally connected to one of the first and second annular races, the first locking element moveable to rotationally fix the first annular race to the second annular race in a first rotational direction to transfer torque therebetween;

a second locking element pivotally connected to one of the first and second annular races, the second locking element moveable to rotationally fix the first annular race to the second annular race in a second rotational direction to transfer torque therebetween, the second rotational direction being opposite the first rotational direction; and

an annular control rail disposed in the annular groove, the annular control rail forming a plurality of indentations therein, the annular control rail being moveable within the groove to prevent one or both of the first and second locking elements from rotationally fixing the first annular race to the second annular race.

13. The torque transmitting device of claim 12 , wherein the annular control rail has at least one protrusion separating the indentations of the plurality of indentations, the protrusion having first and second sides, the protrusion having a first ramped surface on the first side and a second ramped surface on the second side.

14. The torque transmitting device of claim 12 , wherein the protrusion has a middle surface disposed between the first and second ramped surfaces, the first ramped surface extending at an acute angle from the middle surface and the second ramped surface extending at an acute angle from the middle surface.

15. The torque transmitting device of claim 14 , wherein the first and second locking elements are pivotally attached to the second annular race, the first annular race having an inner surface forming a plurality of pockets, the first and second locking elements each being moveable to engage a pocket of the plurality of pockets to transmit torque between the first annular race and the second annular race.

16. The torque transmitting device of claim 15 , wherein the first locking element is configured to prevent rotation between the first and second annular races in the first rotational direction when the first locking element is partially disposed in the first pocket, the first locking element not preventing rotation between the first and second annular races in the second rotational direction when the first locking element is partially disposed in the first pocket, the second locking element being configured to prevent rotation between the first and second annular races in the second rotational direction when the second locking element is partially disposed in the second pocket, the second locking element not preventing rotation between the first and second annular races in the first rotational direction when the second locking element is partially disposed in the second pocket.

17. A torque transmitting device for use in an automotive transmission, the torque transmitting device comprising:

a first annular race;

a second annular race disposed concentrically around the first annular race;

a first locking element pivotally connected to one of the first and second annular races, the first locking element being moveable to rotationally fix the first annular race to the second annular race in a first rotational direction to transfer torque therebetween;

a second locking element pivotally connected to one of the first and second annular races, the second locking element being moveable to rotationally fix the first annular race to the second annular race in a second rotational direction to transfer torque therebetween, the second rotational direction being opposite the first rotational direction; and

an annular control rail disposed adjacent to the first annular race and the second annular race, the annular control rail having at least one protrusion extending therefrom, the protrusion having a first ramped surface on a first side and a second ramped surface on a second side, the annular control rail forming a first indentation adjacent to the first ramped surface and a second indentation adjacent to the second ramped surface, the annular control rail moveable to prevent the first and second locking elements from rotationally fixing the first annular race to the second annular race.

18. The torque transmitting device of claim 17 , wherein the annular control rail is moveable between first, second, third, and fourth positions, wherein

in the first position, the first locking element is partially disposed in the first indentation of the annular control rail to fix the first and second annular races for common rotation together in the first rotational direction, the second locking element being partially disposed in the second indentation of the annular control rail to fix the first and second annular races for common rotation together in the second rotational direction;

in the second position, the first locking element is partially disposed in the first indentation of the annular control rail to fix the first and second annular races for common rotation together in the first rotational direction, the second locking element being disposed outside of the second indentation of the annular control rail such that the first and second annular races are moveable with respect to each other in the second rotational direction;

in the third position, the first and second locking elements are disposed outside of the first and second indentations of the annular control rail such that the first and second annular races are movable with respect to each other in the first and second rotational directions; and

in the fourth position, the first locking element is disposed outside of the first indentation of the annular control rail such that the first and second annular races are moveable with respect to each other in the first rotational direction, the second locking element being partially disposed in the second indentation of the annular control rail to fix the first and second annular races for common rotation together in the second rotational direction.

19. The torque transmitting device of claim 18 , wherein the at least one protrusion has a middle surface disposed between the first and second ramped surfaces, the first ramped surface extending at an acute angle from the middle surface and the second ramped surface extending at an acute angle from the middle surface, one of the first and second annular races defining an annular groove therein, the annular control rail being partially disposed within the annular groove.

20. The torque transmitting device of claim 19 , wherein the first and second locking elements are pivotally attached to the second annular race.