The present invention aims at providing a cam clutch that prevents cams from unwanted wedging and enables smooth operation including the switching between operation modes without involving an increase in size or number of components and with a simple structure. The cam clutch according to the present invention uses first cams and second cams having different engaging directions as sprags for transmitting and interrupting torque between an inner race and an outer race. A cam interlock mechanism tilts the second cams to a disengaging direction with a tilting motion of the first cams toward an engaging direction, to separate engaging surfaces of the second cams from raceways of the inner race and/or the outer race.

Systems and methods for an electric drive axle are provided. In one example, the electric drive axle may include an electric motor-generator rotationally coupled to a gearbox having a one-way clutch mounted on an output shaft and operable in an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, where in the engaged configuration, the one-way clutch transfers rotational energy from the output shaft to an output gear rotationally coupled to a plurality of drive wheels. The gearbox further includes a mode adjustment mechanism including a lock ring rotationally coupled to the output shaft and configured to selectively engage an input gear and the one-way clutch in a plurality of operating modes.

A ratchet type one-way clutch includes an outer race having a pocket, an inner race having a notch, a pawl member housed in the pocket to transmit torque between the inner race and the outer race, and having a tip portion engaging with the notch and a circular portion; and a spring urging the pawl member to the inner race is provided. A central angle of the circular portion is 180 degrees or greater. An angle between a segment between both ends of an opening of the circular arc portion and a segment between the circular portion of the pawl member and a contact point at which the tip portion engages with the notch is greater than 90 degrees, and an angle between the spring and a segment between the center of the circular portion and a center of the ratchet type one-way clutch is greater than 45 degrees.

A ratchet type one-way clutch includes an outer race having a pocket, an inner race having a notch, a pawl member housed in the pocket to transmit torque between the inner race and the outer race, and having a tip portion engaging with the notch and a circular portion; and a spring urging the pawl member to the inner race is provided. A central angle of the circular portion is 180 degrees or greater. An angle between a segment between both ends of an opening of the circular arc portion and a segment between the circular portion of the pawl member and a contact point at which the tip portion engages with the notch is greater than 90 degrees, and an angle between the spring and a segment between the center of the circular portion and a center of the ratchet type one-way clutch is greater than 45 degrees.

A gas turbine engine includes a fan and a first drive shaft connected to the fan. A fan drive gear box connects the first drive shaft to a second drive shaft and is configured to allow the first drive shaft to rotate at a different speed than the second drive shaft. The gas turbine engine also includes a sprag clutch disposed circumferentially around the first shaft and connected to the first drive shaft. The sprag clutch is configured to allow rotation of the first drive shaft and the fan in a first direction while prohibiting rotation of the fan and the first drive shaft in a second direction.

A magnetically hinged, overrunning clutch is disclosed. Sprags containing rare-earth permanent magnets, and arranged in pairs of opposite magnetic orientation, are located within the gap between the inner surface of a hollow, circularly cylindrical shaft and the external surface of a smaller diameter, second circularly cylindrical shaft. Pairs of rare-earth permanent magnets encircling the second cylindrical shaft are located at, or just beneath, the surface of the shaft and are arranged in pairs having alternating magnetic orientation. The sprags are cylinders having a pseudo-spiral cross-section and are sized, and the ferromagnetic region located, such that when the sprags are attracted to the shaft-magnets, the first shaft may be rotated with respect to the second shaft in a first, overrunning direction of rotation, but the first shaft does not rotate with respect to the second shaft in an opposite, or lock-up direction.

A magnetically hinged, overrunning clutch is disclosed. Sprags containing rare-earth permanent magnets, and arranged in pairs of opposite magnetic orientation, are located within the gap between the inner surface of a hollow, circularly cylindrical shaft and the external surface of a smaller diameter, second circularly cylindrical shaft. Pairs of rare-earth permanent magnets encircling the second cylindrical shaft are located at, or just beneath, the surface of the shaft and are arranged in pairs having alternating magnetic orientation. The sprags are cylinders having a pseudo-spiral cross-section and are sized, and the ferromagnetic region located, such that when the sprags are attracted to the shaft-magnets, the first shaft may be rotated with respect to the second shaft in a first, overrunning direction of rotation, but the first shaft does not rotate with respect to the second shaft in an opposite, or lock-up direction.

A one-way clutch, including: a load rotor, a driving member, and at least one self-locking gripper. The load rotor is spool-shaped and includes two circular contact races, one race at each end of the rotor. The driving member includes a plurality of inward facing cams on an inner circumference arranged to rotate co-axially with the load rotor. The cams rotate within the space separating the two load rotor races. When in a locking position each gripper presses against both load rotor races and a cam over area-to-area contacting surfaces. Rotation of the load rotor and driving member are locked in the first direction when one or more grippers are in the locking position. The driving member is rotatable independent of the load rotor in the second, free-wheeling direction. During free-wheeling rotation centrifugal force acts to disengage the grippers from the load rotor, thus reducing or eliminating friction.

A one-way clutch, including: a load rotor, a driving member, and at least one self-locking gripper. The load rotor is spool-shaped and includes two circular contact races, one race at each end of the rotor. The driving member includes a plurality of inward facing cams on an inner circumference arranged to rotate co-axially with the load rotor. The cams rotate within the space separating the two load rotor races. When in a locking position each gripper presses against both load rotor races and a cam over area-to-area contacting surfaces. Rotation of the load rotor and driving member are locked in the first direction when one or more grippers are in the locking position. The driving member is rotatable independent of the load rotor in the second, free-wheeling direction. During free-wheeling rotation centrifugal force acts to disengage the grippers from the load rotor, thus reducing or eliminating friction.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cam clutch capable of switching from one operating mode to another with a simple structure and with high responsiveness, and of securing an expected torque capacity. The cam clutch of the present invention includes an operating mode switch mechanism (140) for switching between a free state that allows relative rotation between an inner race (110) and an outer race (120) and a locked state that prohibits relative rotation between the inner race (110) and the outer race (120). The operating mode switch mechanism (140) includes a cam attitude change part (142) that is movable circumferentially, radially, or axially independently of the rotation of the inner race (110) and the outer race (120) to forcibly tilts a plurality of cams (131) circumferentially arranged between the inner race (110) and the outer race (120).