US 12,337,615 B2
Axle shaft disconnect clutch
Brian Lee, Charlotte, NC (US); and Michael Hodge, Creston, OH (US)
Assigned to Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed by Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach (DE)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/868,850.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/335,391, filed on Apr. 27, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0347691 A1, Nov. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. F16D 11/14 (2006.01); B60B 35/14 (2006.01); B60B 35/18 (2006.01); B60K 1/00 (2006.01); F16D 23/12 (2006.01)
CPC B60B 35/14 (2013.01) [B60B 35/18 (2013.01); F16D 11/14 (2013.01); B60B 2380/12 (2013.01); B60K 2001/001 (2013.01); F16D 2023/123 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An axle shaft disconnect clutch, comprising:
a housing for mounting the axle shaft disconnect clutch to a vehicle;
an axle shaft, the axle shaft comprising a first outer spline;
a stub shaft, coaxial with the axle shaft, the stub shaft comprising a second outer spline;
a dog clutch comprising an inner spline engaged with the second outer spline and a radially extending protrusion;
an inner race, rotationally fixed and axially displaceable relative to the housing to axially displace the dog clutch and engage or disengage the inner spline with the first outer spline; and
a bushing pad fixed to the inner race, wherein:
the inner race is arranged to push the dog clutch towards the first outer spline to engage the dog clutch;
the inner race is arranged to pull the bushing pad to pull the dog clutch away from the first outer spline to disengage the dog clutch;
the inner race comprises a first arcuate protrusion arranged radially outside of the radially extending protrusion; and
the bushing pad is disposed radially inside of the first arcuate protrusion and arranged to contact the radially extending protrusion to pull the dog clutch away from the first outer spline.