US 11,708,155 B2
Multimode clutch assemblies having engagement status sensors
Douglas Andrew Goodwin, Fort Worth, TX (US); David Andrew Prater, Hurst, TX (US); Eric Stephen Olson, Fort Worth, TX (US); David Bryan Roberts, Bedford, TX (US); Chia-Wei Su, Lewisville, TX (US); Michael David Trantham, Arlington, TX (US); and Charles Eric Covington, Colleyville, TX (US)
Assigned to Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed on Nov. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/516,093.
Application 17/516,093 is a continuation of application No. 17/063,712, filed on Oct. 5, 2020, granted, now 11,174,015.
Application 17/063,712 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/567,086, filed on Sep. 11, 2019, granted, now 10,793,284, issued on Oct. 6, 2020.
Application 16/567,086 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/274,520, filed on Feb. 13, 2019, granted, now 10,788,088, issued on Sep. 29, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/801,621, filed on Feb. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0212783 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F16D 41/04 (2006.01); B64C 27/12 (2006.01); B64D 35/08 (2006.01); F16D 41/06 (2006.01); B64D 27/02 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 27/12 (2013.01) [B64D 35/08 (2013.01); F16D 41/04 (2013.01); B64D 2027/026 (2013.01); F16D 2041/0603 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multimode clutch assembly for a rotorcraft, the clutch assembly comprising:
a freewheeling unit having an input race and an output race, the freewheeling unit having a driving mode in which torque applied to the input race is transferred to the output race and an overrunning mode in which torque applied to the output race is not transferred to the input race;
a bypass assembly having an engaged position in which the bypass assembly couples the input and output races of the freewheeling unit and a disengaged position in which the bypass assembly does not couple the input and output races of the freewheeling unit;
an actuator assembly having an engagement configuration supplying an engagement force to shift the bypass assembly from the disengaged position to the engaged position and a disengagement configuration supplying a disengagement force to shift the bypass assembly from the engaged position to the disengaged position, the actuator assembly including a liner, a piston and a bearing sled, the piston slidably disposed relative to the liner, the bearing sled coupled between the piston and the bypass assembly; and
an inductive proximity sensor operably associated with the actuator assembly, the inductive proximity sensor configured to monitor the position of the bearing sled relative thereto to determine an engagement status of the bypass assembly;
wherein, in the disengaged position of the bypass assembly, the overrunning mode of the freewheeling unit is enabled such that the clutch assembly is configured for unidirectional torque transfer from the input race to the output race; and
wherein, in the engaged position of the bypass assembly, the overrunning mode of the freewheeling unit is disabled such that the clutch assembly is configured for bidirectional torque transfer between the input and output races.