Clutch assembly for electric 4-wheel drive system
A clutch assembly is provided for an electric 4-wheel drive system. The clutch assembly selectively blocks power delivered from a drive element of a motor to a driven element of a rear wheel and includes a one-way clutch movably installed between the drive element and the driven element, a fork member movably installed in a clutch housing and brought into sliding contact with the external circumference of the one-way clutch, and an actuator installed in the clutch housing and configured to provide forward working force and backward working force to the fork member.
1. A clutch assembly for an electric 4-wheel drive system for selectively blocking power delivered from a drive element of a motor to a driven element of a rear wheel, the clutch assembly comprising:
a one-way clutch movably installed between the drive element and the driven element;
a fork member movably installed in a clutch housing and brought into sliding contact with an external circumference of the one-way clutch; and
an actuator installed in the clutch housing and configured to provide forward working force and backward working force to the fork member,
wherein the one-way clutch comprises a ratchet hinged to an inner race between an outer race and the inner race,
wherein the one-way clutch is configured in a sprag method in which part of the ratchet is protruded into an interior circumference of the inner race,
wherein the ratchet constrains a drive shaft of the drive element and a driven shaft of the driven element disposed coaxially with the drive shaft and the one-way clutch is moved between the drive shaft and the driven shaft by way of a forward drive of the actuator,
wherein the ratchet is brought in a surface contact with exterior circumferences of the drive shaft and the driven shaft between the drive shaft and the driven shaft.
2. The clutch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fork member is brought into sliding contact with a groove portion provided in an exterior circumference of the outer race.
3. The clutch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer race and the inner race are rotated along with the drive element and the driven element by way of the ratchet engaged with the inner race in response to the rotation of the drive element and the driven element in one direction.
4. The clutch assembly of claim 1 , wherein if torque of the drive element of the motor is smaller than or equal to torque of the driven element, the fork member is moved from the drive element to the driven element by supplying an electrical signal to the actuator, and the drive element and the driven element are coupled through the one-way clutch brought into sliding contact with the fork member.
5. A clutch assembly for an electric 4-wheel drive system for selectively blocking power delivered from a drive element of a motor to a driven element of a rear wheel, the clutch assembly comprising:
a one-way clutch movably installed between the drive element and the driven element;
a fork member movably installed in a clutch housing and brought into sliding contact with an external circumference of the one-way clutch; and
an actuator installed in the clutch housing and configured to provide forward working force and backward working force to the fork member,
wherein the one-way clutch comprises a ratchet hinged to an inner race between an outer race and the inner race,
wherein the one-way clutch is configured in a sprag method in which part of the ratchet is protruded into an interior circumference of the inner race,
wherein the ratchet constrains a drive shaft of the drive element and a driven shaft of the driven element disposed coaxially with the drive shaft and the one-way clutch is moved between the drive shaft and the driven shaft by way of a forward drive of the actuator,
wherein the one-way clutch is moved toward a drive shaft between the drive shaft and a driven shaft by way of a backward drive of the actuator,
wherein the ratchet is brought in a surface contact with exterior circumferences of the drive shaft and the driven shaft between the drive shaft and the driven shaft.
6. The clutch assembly of claim 5 , wherein if torque of the drive element is greater than or equal to torque of the driven element, the fork member is moved from the driven element to the drive element by supplying an electrical signal to the actuator, and a connection between the drive element and the driven element is released through the one-way clutch brought into sliding contact with the fork member.
7. The clutch assembly of claim 5 , wherein the fork member is brought into sliding contact with a groove portion provided in an exterior circumference of the outer race.
8. The clutch assembly of claim 5 , wherein the outer race and the inner race are rotated along with the drive element and the driven element by way of the ratchet engaged with the inner race in response to the rotation of the drive element and the driven element in one direction.
9. The clutch assembly of claim 5 , wherein when torque of the drive element of the motor is less than or equal to torque of the driven element, the fork member is moved from the drive element to the driven element by supplying an electrical signal to the actuator, and the drive element and the driven element are coupled through the one-way clutch brought into sliding contact with the fork member.