Integrated switchable shaft bearing
View Patent ↗An integrated switchable shaft bearing having an inner ring, a circumferentially extending clutch groove, and axially extending cam pin openings. An outer ring is located about the inner ring, and rolling elements are located therebetween. A clutch ring with clutch fingers is located in the clutch groove. Cam pins are located in pin openings and extend beneath the clutch fingers. An actuator moves the cam pins from an engaged position, where cam portions each engage a respective one of the clutch fingers forcing it outwardly above a race surface of the inner ring into engagement with the rolling elements to transfer torque from the outer ring to the inner ring, to a released position, in which cam pins are disengaged from the clutch fingers, which move beneath the race surface of the inner ring so that the outer ring is rotatable relative to the inner ring via the rolling elements.
1. An integrated switchable shaft bearing, comprising:
an inner ring having a race, a circumferentially extending clutch groove that intersects the race at least at one position, and axially extending cam pin openings;
an outer ring having a race;
rolling elements located in the races between the inner and outer rings;
a clutch ring with clutch fingers located in the clutch groove, the clutch fingers have adjacent spaces aligned with the pin openings;
cam pins located in the pin openings, the cam pins each have a cam portion; and
an actuator that moves the cam pins from an engaged position, in which the cam portions each engage a respective one of the clutch fingers and force the clutch fingers outwardly to a position above a race surface of the inner ring into engagement with the rolling elements so that torque is transferred from the outer ring to the inner ring, to a released position, in which the cam portions of the cam pins are disengaged from the clutch fingers, which move beneath the race surface of the inner ring so that the rolling elements are movable on the race of the inner ring so that the outer ring is rotatable relative to the inner ring via the rolling elements.
2. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 1 , wherein the clutch fingers are elastically deflectable against a restoring force of a clutch finger material.
3. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 1 , wherein the cam pins are connected to a cam pin plate.
4. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 3 , wherein the cam pins have a step down from the cam portion.
5. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 3 , wherein the inner ring is connected to a shaft, and the actuator includes a spring that acts against the cam pin plate to bias the cam pin plate to the engaged position, and an electro-magnet that acts on the cam pin plate to move the cam pin plate to the released position.
6. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 5 , wherein the shaft includes a step, and the spring is supported on the step on one end and against the cam pin plate on the other end.
7. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 5 , wherein the electro-magnet holds the cam pin plate in a fixed position, and the cam pins prevent rotation of the inner ring.
8. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 5 , wherein the shaft is a part of an auxiliary drive that includes a housing, and the electro-magnet is mounted on the housing.
9. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 8 , wherein the auxiliary drive is a water pump.
10. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 1 , wherein a drive pulley is located on the outer ring.
11. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 1 , wherein the rolling elements are balls.
12. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 11 , wherein the balls are held spaced apart in a cage.
13. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 11 , wherein the inner ring, the outer ring, and the balls form a 3 point contact ball bearing.
14. The integrated switchable shaft bearing of claim 1 , wherein the clutch ring includes one radially extending slot.