Overrunning clutch and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses an overrunning clutch and a vehicle, and the overrunning clutch comprises an inner ring; the outer ring is rotatably arranged outside the inner ring in a sleeving manner; the ratchet assembly is radially embedded between the inner ring and the outer ring and is used for transmitting torque between the inner ring and the outer ring; the plug pin reciprocates between a first position and a second position in the axial direction, when the plug pin is located at the first position, the plug pin is inserted into the ratchet assembly, and torque can be bidirectionally transmitted between the inner ring and the outer ring; at the second position, the bolt is separated from the ratchet assembly, and torque can only be transmitted between the inner ring and the outer ring in one direction. Through the arrangement of the bolt capable of moving axially, after the bolt is inserted into the ratchet assembly, no matter whether the inner ring rotates clockwise or anticlockwise relative to the outer ring, torque can be transmitted to the outer ring, so that a vehicle can achieve four-wheel-drive reversing, and larger reversing power is provided for the vehicle.

Description

Overrunning clutch and vehicle Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of clutches, and in particular to an overrunning clutch and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] An overrunning clutch is a clutch that automatically engages or disengages by utilizing changes in the speed or direction of rotation of the active and passive members. When the active member drives the passive member, it is in the engaged state; when the active and passive members disengage and rotate at their own speeds, it is in the overrunning state.

[0003] In the related art, an overrunning clutch used in a vehicle with a four-wheel drive system (abbreviated as 4WD) can usually only achieve four-wheel drive when the vehicle is moving forward, but cannot achieve four-wheel drive when the vehicle is reversing.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to overcome the problems existing in the related art, the present disclosure provides an overrunning clutch and a vehicle.

[0006] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides an overrunning clutch, comprising: an inner ring; an outer ring, rotatably mounted on the outside of the inner ring; a ratchet assembly, radially embedded between the inner ring and the outer ring, for transmitting torque between the inner ring and the outer ring; and a pin, axially reciprocating between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the first position, the pin is inserted into the ratchet assembly, and torque can be transmitted bidirectionally between the inner ring and the outer ring; in the second position, the pin is disengaged from the ratchet assembly, and torque can only be transmitted in one direction between the inner ring and the outer ring.

[0007] In some embodiments, the ratchet assembly includes: a first groove; a second groove, radially arranged opposite to the first groove; a ratchet, including a first end and a second end, the first end is located in the first groove, and the first end can rotate around a first pivot to drive the second end to swing between the first groove or the second groove; an elastic member, located in the first groove, for elastically supporting the second end of the ratchet in the radial direction to be stuck in the second groove.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first groove includes: a first notch arranged in sequence along the circumferential direction, for accommodating the first end of the ratchet; a second notch for accommodating the latch; and a third notch for accommodating the elastic member and the second end of the ratchet.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first groove is located at the radial outer edge of the inner ring, and the second groove is located on the radial inner surface of the outer ring; or the first groove is located on the radial inner surface of the outer ring, and the second groove is located at the radial outer edge of the inner ring.

[0010] In some embodiments, the elastic member is a helical compression spring; and / or the elastic member is an accordion compression spring.

[0011] In some embodiments, the overrunning clutch further comprises: a latch plate, on which a plurality of latches are circumferentially arranged; a drive assembly, connected to the latch plate, for driving the latch plate to reciprocate axially; wherein the latch plate is circumferentially connected to the inner ring or the outer ring for transmitting torque, and moves axially relative to the inner ring or the outer ring.

[0012] In some embodiments, the drive assembly is driven by one or a combination of motor drive, electromagnetic drive or hydraulic drive.

[0013] In some embodiments, one of the inner ring or the outer ring is an active ring, and the other one of the inner ring or the outer ring is a driven ring.

[0014] In some embodiments, the ratchet assembly comprises a plurality of ratchet assemblies, and the plurality of ratchet assemblies are arranged at equal or unequal intervals along the circumferential direction.

[0015] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides a vehicle comprising an overrunning clutch as described in the first aspect; a drive shaft, transmission-connected to one of the inner ring or the outer ring; and a wheel axle, transmission-connected to the other of the inner ring or the outer ring.

[0016] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: by providing an axially movable pin, after the pin is inserted into the ratchet assembly, regardless of whether the inner ring rotates clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the outer ring, the inner ring can transmit torque to the outer ring, thereby realizing two-way transmission of torque between the inner ring and the outer ring, so that the vehicle can achieve four-wheel drive reversing, thereby providing greater power for the vehicle when reversing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0018] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overrunning clutch in a 2WD state where the outer ring speed is greater than the inner ring speed according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0019] FIG2 is a schematic diagram showing a ratchet of an overrunning clutch being pressed in a 2WD state according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0020] 3 is a schematic diagram showing that the inner ring speed of the overrunning clutch is greater than the outer ring speed in a 4WD state according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0021] FIG4 is a schematic diagram showing a latch insertion of an overrunning clutch in a 4WD state according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0022] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an overrunning clutch according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, with examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, when referring to the drawings, identical numerals in different figures represent identical or similar elements, unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments are not intended to represent all possible embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present disclosure, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0024] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the axial direction A, radial direction R and circumferential direction W refer to the axial direction A, radial direction R and circumferential direction W of the overrunning clutch respectively; the radial outer side refers to the side radially away from the center axis O in Figures 1 to 4 (the upper side in Figures 1 to 4), and the radial inner side refers to the side radially close to the center axis O (the lower side in Figures 1 to 4). In addition, "transmission connection" means that the driving force / torque can be transmitted between two components, and the two components can be directly connected or through various transmission mechanisms or connection structures to achieve the above function. "Anti-torsion connection" means that torque can be transmitted between two components, and the methods for achieving anti-torque connection may include interference fit and bolt connection, etc.

[0025] To address the aforementioned technical issues, the present disclosure provides an overrunning clutch 100. In a vehicle with a four-wheel drive system, the overrunning clutch 100 is typically used in the transmission path between the drive unit and the auxiliary drive wheels. For example, it can be installed on the drive unit's output shaft, center shaft, or wheel axle, thereby acting as a clutch. The vehicle can include gasoline vehicles, electric vehicles, or hybrid vehicles. To further illustrate the present invention, the following description uses an electric vehicle as an example.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the overrunning clutch 100 includes an inner ring 10, an outer ring 20, a ratchet assembly 30, and a latch 40. The outer ring 20 is rotatably mounted on the outer ring 10, with the inner ring 10 and outer ring 20 partially overlapping in the axial direction A. The ratchet assembly 30 is radially embedded between the inner ring 10 and outer ring 20 to transmit torque between the inner ring 10 and outer ring 20.

[0027] The ratchet assembly 30 may include a first groove 31, a second groove 32, a ratchet 33, and an elastic member 34. The opening of the second groove 32 is arranged opposite to the opening of the first groove 31 along the radial direction R.

[0028] The ratchet 33 includes a first end 331 and a second end 332 . The first end 331 of the ratchet 33 is located in the first groove 31 and can rotate around a first pivot in the first groove 31 to drive the second end 332 of the ratchet 33 to swing between the first groove 31 and the second groove 32 .

[0029] Among them, when the second end 332 of the ratchet 33 is located in the first groove 31, torque cannot be transmitted between the inner ring 10 and the outer ring 20. When the second end 332 of the ratchet 33 is located in the second groove 32, torque can be transmitted between the inner ring 10 and the outer ring 20 in at least one direction (clockwise or counterclockwise).

[0030] In some embodiments, the first groove 31 may be located on the radially inner surface of the outer ring 20, while the second groove 32 may be located at the radially outer edge of the inner ring 10. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 5 , the first groove 31 may be located at the radially outer edge of the inner ring 10, while the second groove 32 is located on the radially inner surface of the outer ring 20. The present invention is described assuming that the first groove 31 is located at the radially outer edge of the inner ring 10, while the second groove 32 is located on the radially inner surface of the outer ring 20.

[0031] Furthermore, the elastic member 34 may also be located in the first groove 31, and is used to elastically support the second end 332 of the ratchet 33 in the radial direction R to be clamped into the second groove 32. Specifically, the elastic member 34 may be arranged along the radial direction R, with one end of the elastic member 34 abutting against the bottom wall of the first groove 31, and the other end abutting against the second end 332 of the ratchet 33 and a surface away from the second groove 32.

[0032] When the inner ring 10 and the outer ring 20 rotate relative to each other and press the second end 332 of the ratchet tooth 33 into the first groove 31, the elastic member 34 is in a compressed state and generates an elastic force on the second end 332 of the ratchet tooth 33 toward the second groove 32. When the inner ring 10 and the outer ring 20 rotate relative to each other so that the ratchet tooth 33 is aligned with the second groove 32, the elastic force of the elastic member 34 pushes the second end 332 of the ratchet tooth 33 and rotates the first end 331 of the ratchet tooth 33 to clamp the second end 332 of the ratchet tooth 33 into the second groove 32.

[0033] Furthermore, the first pivot axis around which the first end 331 of the ratchet 33 rotates may be parallel to the central axis O, or may be non-parallel according to design requirements, which is not specifically limited herein.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, the ratchet tooth 33 can be hook-shaped, and the outer surface of the ratchet tooth 33 near the second groove 32 is inclined or arch-shaped. Correspondingly, the second groove 32 can be serrated. The second groove 32 includes a blocking wall 321 and an inclined wall 322. The blocking wall 321 extends generally along the radial direction R. Therefore, after the second end 332 of the ratchet tooth 33 is inserted into the second groove 32, the blocking wall 321 abuts against the radial end surface of the second end 332 of the ratchet tooth 33, so that torque transmission can be achieved when the inner ring 10 and the outer ring 20 rotate relative to each other. The inclination direction of the inclined wall 322 of the second groove 32 is the same as the inclination direction of the outer surface of the ratchet tooth 33. When the inner ring 10 or the outer ring 20 rotates relative to each other, it is beneficial to press the ratchet tooth 33 into the second groove 32 and reduce scratches or damage to the outer surface of the ratchet tooth 33.

[0035] In other embodiments, the ratchet teeth 33 may also be designed in other shapes according to design requirements. In addition, the number of second grooves 32 may be equal to the number of first grooves 31 (such as shown in Figures 1 to 4 of this embodiment) or different, for example, the number of second grooves 32 may be greater than the number of first grooves 31.

[0036] Furthermore, the elastic member 34 is a helical compression spring; and / or the elastic member 34 is an accordion compression spring. The types of elastic member 34 listed in the present invention are merely exemplary; the elastic member 34 may also be a truncated cone scroll spring, a torsion spring, and so on, which are not listed here. The ratchet assembly 30 may utilize a variety of elastic member 34 types to reduce the cost of selecting, manufacturing, or designing the ratchet assembly 30, thereby facilitating its application and promotion.

[0037] In some embodiments, multiple ratchet assemblies 30 may be provided, and the ratchet assemblies 30 may be arranged at equal or unequal intervals along the circumferential direction W. In this embodiment, the ratchet assemblies 30 are arranged at equal or uniform intervals along the circumferential direction W. This allows for more uniform force on the inner and outer rings 10, 20 in the circumferential direction W during relative rotation and torque transmission between the inner and outer rings 10, 20, and more stable torque transmission, thereby increasing the service life of the inner and outer rings 10, 20.

[0038] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5 , the overrunning clutch 100 may include a latch plate 50 . The latch plate 50 may be an annular plate, and a plurality of latch pins 40 are disposed on the latch plate 50 along a circumferential direction W. The latch pins 40 may reciprocate between a first position and a second position along the axial direction A through the reciprocating motion of the latch plate 50 along the axial direction A. Furthermore, the number of latch pins 40 may correspond to the number of first grooves 31 , i.e., each first groove 31 may accommodate one ratchet tooth 33 , at least one elastic member 34 , and one latch pin 40 .

[0039] In the first position, as shown in FIG4 , the latch 40 is inserted into the ratchet assembly 30, enabling bidirectional torque transmission between the inner ring 10 and the outer ring 20. That is, in this embodiment, the inner ring 10 can transmit torque to the outer ring 20 when rotating counterclockwise, and can also transmit torque to the outer ring 20 when rotating clockwise. In the second position, as shown in FIG3 , the latch 40 is disengaged from the ratchet assembly 30, enabling only unidirectional torque transmission between the inner ring 10 and the outer ring 20. That is, in this embodiment, the inner ring 10 can transmit torque to the outer ring 20 when rotating clockwise, but cannot transmit torque to the outer ring 20 when rotating counterclockwise.

[0040] Specifically, in this embodiment, the inner ring 10 is torsionally connected to the drive shaft (or the output shaft of the drive device), and the outer ring 20 is in transmission connection with the wheel axle. In other words, the inner ring 10 is the active ring, and the outer ring 20 is the driven ring. This is used as an example for the present invention. In other embodiments, the outer ring 20 can also be the active ring, and the inner ring 10 can be the driven ring. In other words, the outer ring 20 is torsionally connected to the drive shaft, and the inner ring 10 is in transmission connection with the wheel.

[0041] When the four-wheel drive system is not activated, the vehicle is moving forward, for example, the outer ring 20 in Figures 1 and 2 rotates clockwise. Since the inner ring 10 does not apply driving force, the rotation speed of the outer ring 20 is greater than the rotation speed of the inner ring 10. The outer ring 20 can rotate clockwise beyond the inner ring 10. At this time, the radial inner surface of the outer ring 20 slides over the radial outer surface of the ratchet tooth 33 to press the second end 332 of the ratchet tooth 33 and press the second end 332 of the ratchet tooth 33 into the first groove 31 of the inner ring 10.

[0042] Since the thickness of the first end 331 of the ratchet tooth 33 is usually greater than the thickness of the second end 332, when the second end 332 of the ratchet tooth 33 is pressed into the first groove 31, the radial outer surface of the ratchet tooth 33 is flush with or lower than the radial outer edge of the inner ring 10, and the ratchet tooth 33 is in sliding contact with or not in contact with the radial inner surface of the outer ring 20. There is no torque transmission between the ratchet tooth 33 and the outer ring 20, and the outer ring 20 will not drive the inner ring 10 to rotate.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3, when the vehicle starts the four-wheel drive system, during the forward driving process of the vehicle, since the inner ring 10 is connected to the drive shaft of the drive device (such as a drive motor), the inner ring 10 is driven by the drive motor so that the rotation speed of the inner ring 10 is greater than the rotation speed of the outer ring 20, and the inner ring 10 exceeds the outer ring 20 to rotate clockwise. When the ratchet 33 corresponds to the second groove 32 of the outer ring 20, the second end 332 of the ratchet 33 is clamped into the second groove 32 by the elastic force of the elastic member 34, and the radial end face of the second end 332 is abutted against the blocking wall 321 of the second groove 32. Finally, the torque of the inner ring 10 is transmitted to the outer ring 20 through the first end 331 of the ratchet 33, the second end 332 of the ratchet 33, and the blocking wall 321 of the second groove 32 in sequence, so as to drive the wheel forward, such as the clockwise rotation in Figure 3.

[0044] As shown in FIG4 , when the four-wheel drive system of the vehicle is activated, during the reverse driving process, since the inner ring 10 is connected to the drive shaft of the drive device (e.g., a drive motor), the inner ring 10 is driven by the drive motor so that the speed of the inner ring 10 is greater than the speed of the outer ring 20, and the inner ring 10 exceeds the outer ring 20 and rotates counterclockwise. When the ratchet 33 corresponds to the second groove 32 of the outer ring 20, the second end 332 of the ratchet 33 is clamped into the second groove 32 by the elastic force of the elastic member 34. At this time, the radial R outer surface of the ratchet 33 is aligned with the second groove 32. The inclined wall 322 abuts, and the pin 40 moves from the first position to the second position, that is, the pin 40 is inserted into the ratchet assembly 30. When the inner ring 10 rotates counterclockwise, the pin 40 can prevent the outer ring 20 from pressing the ratchet 33 into the first groove 31. Finally, the torque of the inner ring 10 is transmitted to the outer ring 20 through the first end 331 of the ratchet 33, the radial outer surface of the ratchet 33, and the inclined wall 322 of the second groove 32 in sequence, so as to drive the wheel to move backward, such as the clockwise rotation in Figure 4, to realize four-wheel drive when the vehicle is reversing, and improve the power when reversing.

[0045] As can be seen, the vehicle of the present invention can switch between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive to cope with different road conditions or driving requirements, and can also avoid the energy loss caused by unnecessary four-wheel drive. In addition, by using the overrunning clutch 100 of the present invention, when the vehicle is in four-wheel drive, through the axially movable pin 40, after the pin 40 is inserted into the ratchet assembly 30, when the inner ring is the active ring, the inner ring 10 can transmit torque to the outer ring 20 regardless of whether the inner ring 10 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the outer ring 20, achieving bidirectional torque transmission between the inner ring 10 and the outer ring 20. This allows the vehicle to achieve four-wheel drive reverse when moving forward in four-wheel drive, thereby providing greater power for the vehicle when reversing and avoiding insufficient power during reverse acceleration or reverse climbing.

[0046] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, the first groove 31 includes a first notch 311, a second notch 312 and a third notch 313 arranged in sequence along the circumferential direction W, wherein the first notch 311 can be used to accommodate the first end 331 of the ratchet 33; the second notch 312 can be used to accommodate the pin 40; and the third notch 313 can be used to accommodate the elastic member 34 and the second end 332 of the ratchet 33.

[0047] Specifically, the first notch 311 can accommodate the first end 331 of the ratchet 33 while allowing the first end 331 of the ratchet 33 to rotate around the first pivot. Therefore, the inner wall of the first notch 311 can be arc-shaped to facilitate the rotation of the ratchet 33.

[0048] The third notch 313 can accommodate the elastic member 34 and the second end 332 of the ratchet 33. A stepped hole can be set at the third notch 313. The small-diameter hole of the stepped hole is used to accommodate and fix the elastic member 34, thereby preventing the elastic member 34 from falling off or displacing. The large-diameter hole of the stepped hole can be used to accommodate the second end 332 of the ratchet 33. When the first end 331 of the ratchet 33 rotates so that the second end 332 is located in the first groove 31, the radial depth of the large-diameter hole of the third notch 313 can prevent the second end 332 of the ratchet 33 from protruding from the inner ring 10 along the radial direction R, thereby preventing the second end 332 of the ratchet 33 from colliding with the outer ring 20 when the inner ring 10 and the outer ring 20 exceed the rotation, thereby avoiding torque transmission or wear.

[0049] In this embodiment, the second notch 312 is located between the first notch 311 and the third notch 313. Therefore, when the latch 40 is inserted into the ratchet assembly 30, it is located between the first end 331 of the ratchet tooth 33 and the elastic member 34 along the circumferential direction W. Furthermore, the latch 40 is located between the ratchet tooth 33 and the first groove 31 along the radial direction R. This provides rigid support for the ratchet tooth 33 in the radial direction R, preventing it from being pressed into the first groove 31. Thus, when the vehicle is in reverse operation (i.e., the inner ring rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 4 ), torque is transmitted between the inner ring 10 and the outer ring 20 through the contact and / or friction between the radial outer surface of the ratchet tooth 33 and the inclined wall 322 of the second groove 32, thereby achieving bidirectional torque transmission between the inner ring 10 and the outer ring 20.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the first groove 31 is located at the radial outer edge of the inner ring 10, the inner ring 10 can be provided with a cylindrical outer wall on the axial side where the first groove 31 is provided, and the latch plate 50 is sleeved on the outside of the cylindrical outer wall of the inner ring 10 and is torsionally connected to the cylindrical outer wall of the inner ring 10. When the inner ring 10 rotates counterclockwise to drive the outer ring 20, the latch plate 50 drives the latch 40 to rotate synchronously with the inner ring 10, so that the latch 40 always remains in the second notch 312. At the same time, the latch plate 50 can move axially with the inner ring 10 in the axial direction, so that the latch 40 can switch between the first position and the second position.

[0051] If the first groove 31 is located on the radially inner surface of the outer ring 20, and the outer ring 20 can be provided with a cylindrical inner wall on the axial side where the first groove 31 is provided, the latch plate 50 can be connected to the cylindrical inner wall of the outer ring 20 in a torsion-resistant manner while being able to move axially with the outer ring 20 along the axial direction A. In short, the latch plate 50 is connected to the inner ring 10 or outer ring 20 where the first groove 31 is located in a torsion-resistant manner, thereby ensuring that the latch 40 can rotate synchronously with the ratchet teeth 33 of the ratchet assembly 30, the latch 40 can be aligned with the second notch 312, and the ratchet teeth 33 can always be rigidly supported.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the overrunning clutch 100 also includes a drive assembly 60. The drive assembly 60 can be connected to the latch plate 50 and is configured to drive the latch plate 50 to reciprocate along the axial direction A, thereby driving the latch pin 40 to reciprocate between the first position and the second position. Controlling the movement of the latch plate 50 via the drive assembly makes the movement of the latch plate 50 more stable and precise. In some embodiments, the drive assembly 60 can be driven by one or a combination of a motor, an electromagnetic drive, or a hydraulic drive, without specific limitation herein.

[0053] Based on the same inventive concept, the present invention provides a vehicle comprising a drive shaft 200, a wheel axle 300, and an overrunning clutch 100. The drive shaft 200 may be the output shaft of the vehicle's drive device, and the wheel may be the vehicle's auxiliary drive wheel. That is, when the vehicle switches to two-wheel drive, the auxiliary drive wheel becomes the driven wheel, and the wheel and the wheel axle 300 may be in driving connection. As shown in FIG5 , in this embodiment, the overrunning clutch 100 is mounted between the drive shaft 200 and the wheel axle 300, wherein the inner ring 10 is torsionally connected to the drive shaft 200, and the outer ring 20 is part of the wheel axle 300.

[0054] In some other embodiments, a central shaft (not shown in the figure) is often installed in the transmission path of the drive shaft 200 and the axle 300 of the auxiliary drive wheel, and the overrunning clutch 100 can be installed on any shaft of the drive shaft 200, the central shaft or the wheel axle (or the half shaft), thereby playing the role of clutch.

[0055] Furthermore, the drive shaft 200 is in driving connection with one of the inner ring 10 or the outer ring 20; the wheel axle 300 is in driving connection with the other of the inner ring 10 or the outer ring 20. This is not specifically limited here. In this embodiment, the drive shaft 200 is in a torsionally fixed connection with the inner ring 10, and the wheel axle 300 is connected with the outer ring 20. The specific manner in which the functions implemented in the vehicle of the above-mentioned embodiment have been described in detail in the embodiment related to the overrunning clutch 100, and will not be elaborated here.

[0056] It is understood that in this disclosure, "plurality" refers to two or more than two, and other quantifiers are similar. "And / or" describes the association relationship of related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. The singular forms "a", "the" and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0057] It will be further understood that the terms "first," "second," and the like are used to describe various structures, but these structures should not be limited to these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish structures of the same type from one another and do not indicate a particular order or degree of importance. In fact, the expressions "first," "second," and the like are fully interchangeable. For example, a first structure could also be referred to as a second structure, and similarly, a second structure could also be referred to as a first structure without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0058] It can be further understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "front", "back", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this embodiment and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation.

[0059] It is further understood that, unless otherwise specified, “connection” includes a direct connection where there are no other components between the two elements, and also includes an indirect connection where there are other elements between the two elements.

[0060] It is further understood that although operations are described in a particular order in the drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure, this should not be construed as requiring that the operations be performed in the particular order shown or in a serial order, or that all of the operations shown be performed to obtain the desired results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0061] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present disclosure after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present disclosure that follow the general principles of the present disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The description and examples are to be considered merely as exemplary, and the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0062] It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the exact structures described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present disclosure is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An overrunning clutch (100), characterized in that: include: Inner ring (10); An outer ring (20) is rotatably mounted on the outside of the inner ring (10); A ratchet assembly (30) is radially (R) embedded between the inner ring (10) and the outer ring (20) for transmitting torque between the inner ring (10) and the outer ring (20); and The latch (40) reciprocates along the axial direction (A) between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the latch (40) is inserted into the ratchet assembly (30), and torque can be transmitted bidirectionally between the inner ring (10) and the outer ring (20); in the second position, the latch (40) is disengaged from the ratchet assembly (30), and torque can only be transmitted unidirectionally between the inner ring (10) and the outer ring (20).

2. The overrunning clutch (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ratchet assembly (30) comprises: A first groove (31); A second groove (32) is arranged opposite to the first groove (31) in a radial direction (R); A ratchet (33), comprising a first end (331) and a second end (332), wherein the first end (331) is located in the first groove (31), and the first end (331) can rotate around a first pivot to drive the second end (332) to swing between the first groove (31) or the second groove (32); The elastic member (34) is located in the first groove (31) and is used to elastically support the second end (332) of the ratchet tooth (33) in a radial direction (R) so as to be clamped into the second groove (32).

3. The overrunning clutch (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first groove (31) includes: A first notch (311) for accommodating a first end (331) of the ratchet tooth (33); A second notch (312) for receiving the latch (40); and The third notch (313) is used to accommodate the elastic member (34) and the second end (332) of the ratchet (33).

4. The overrunning clutch (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first groove (31) is located at the radial outer edge of the inner ring (10), and the second groove (32) is located on the radial inner surface of the outer ring (20); or The first groove (31) is located on the radial inner surface of the outer ring (20), and the second groove (32) is located on the radial outer edge of the inner ring (10).

5. The overrunning clutch (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The elastic member (34) is a helical compression spring; and / or The elastic member (34) is an accordion compression spring.

6. The overrunning clutch (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The overrunning clutch (100) further comprises: A latch plate (50), wherein a plurality of latches (40) are arranged on the latch plate (50) along a circumferential direction (W); A driving assembly (60) connected to the latch plate (50) and used to drive the latch plate (50) to reciprocate along the axial direction (A); The latch plate (50) is connected to the inner ring (10) or the outer ring (20) in a torsion-resistant manner along the circumferential direction (W) and moves axially relative to the inner ring (10) or the outer ring (20) along the axial direction (A).

7. The overrunning clutch (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that The driving assembly (60) is driven by one or a combination of motor drive, electromagnetic drive or hydraulic drive.

8. The overrunning clutch (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: One of the inner ring (10) or the outer ring (20) is an active ring, and the other of the inner ring (10) or the outer ring (20) is a driven ring.

9. The overrunning clutch (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ratchet assemblies (30) include a plurality of ratchet assemblies (30), and the plurality of ratchet assemblies (30) are arranged at equal intervals or unequal intervals along the circumferential direction (W).

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: include: An overrunning clutch (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9; A drive shaft (200) drivingly connected to one of the inner ring (10) or the outer ring (20); and The wheel axle (300) is drivingly connected to the other of the inner ring (10) or the outer ring (20).

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