A disconnect clutch includes a wedge carrier, a wedge plate, an inner hub and a latching diaphragm spring. The wedge carrier has a pair of inwardly facing tapered rings. The wedge plate has a pair of outwardly facing tapered ring portions for mating engagement with the wedge carrier inwardly facing tapered rings, a plurality of inner ramp portions with respective tapered inner surfaces, and a radially flexible middle portion connecting the outwardly tapered ring portions and plurality of inner ramp portions. The inner hub has a plurality of outer ramp portions with tapered outer surfaces for engagement with the plurality of wedge plate ramp portion tapered inner surfaces. The latching diaphragm spring is for displacing the inner hub relative to the wedge carrier to radially expand the wedge plate.

A disconnect clutch includes a wedge carrier, a wedge plate, an inner hub and a latching diaphragm spring. The wedge carrier has a pair of inwardly facing tapered rings. The wedge plate has a pair of outwardly facing tapered ring portions for mating engagement with the wedge carrier inwardly facing tapered rings, a plurality of inner ramp portions with respective tapered inner surfaces, and a radially flexible middle portion connecting the outwardly tapered ring portions and plurality of inner ramp portions. The inner hub has a plurality of outer ramp portions with tapered outer surfaces for engagement with the plurality of wedge plate ramp portion tapered inner surfaces. The latching diaphragm spring is for displacing the inner hub relative to the wedge carrier to radially expand the wedge plate.

A transaxle according to the present application may include: a transaxle case; an input member supported within the transaxle case; a gear drivingly connected to the input member within the transaxle case; an output member which is supported within the transaxle case and arranged at the inner peripheral side of the gear concentrically with the gear; a cage with a roller as a bidirectional overrunning clutch interposed between the inner periphery of the gear and the outer periphery of the output member within the transaxle case; and a drag mechanism provided within the transaxle case to apply rotational resistance to the cage to make the bidirectional overrunning clutch be engaged. The cage has a first end and a second end, which oppose each other in an axial direction of the output member. The first end of the cage is close to a first bearing which pivotally supports the output member to the transaxle case. The drag mechanism has a rotation member which is locked to the cage at the first end of the cage so as to be relatively non-rotatable, and a spring member for applying the rotational resistance to the rotation member.

A joint assembly and clutch assembly for use in a vehicle. The joint assembly includes a first joint member that is drivingly connected to a second joint member by using one or more third joint members. A first shaft is drivingly connected to the first joint member. The clutch assembly includes a first clutch member, a second clutch member, and an actuation assembly that is operably configures to selectively drive the second clutch member into engagement with the first clutch member of the clutch assembly. The actuation assembly utilizes an amount of rotational force that is transmitted from the first shaft in order to transition the second clutch member into engagement with the first clutch member. At least a portion of a second shaft is drivingly connected to the second clutch member.

An axially actuatable positive engagement clutch which includes an input shaft with an input toothing and an output shaft with an output toothing. An axially displaceable connection element can occupy a meshing position which is located in an actuation path (s) between the open position and the closed position and in which the driving toothing engages with the input toothing or the output toothing for the first time during the transition from the open position into the closed position. An actuation device is configured to displace the connection element from the closed position to the open position, and an elastic return element which applies a restoring force to the connection element in direction of the closed position. The return element has a force/deflection characteristic with a local force maximum (F1) which coincides in the actuation path (s) at least approximately with the meshing position of the connection element.

A clutch mechanism for use in a rotary power tool having a motor comprises an input member to which torque from the motor is transferred and an output member movable between a first position in which the output member is engaged with the input member for co-rotation therewith, and a second position in which the output member is disengaged from the input member. The clutch mechanism further comprises a biasing member biasing the output member into the first position and an electromagnet which, when energized, moves the output member from the first position to the second position.

A negative pressure pump has: a casing; a pump portion; a drive-side clutch plate that rotates integrally with a drive shaft, is movable in an axial direction of the drive shaft, and is magnetic; a driven-side clutch plate that rotates integrally with a driven shaft and transmits the rotation of the drive shaft to the driven shaft as a result of the drive-side clutch plate becoming engaged with it; a coil spring that presses the drive-side clutch plate against the driven-side clutch plate; an electromagnet that produces a magnetic force counter to a pressing force and pulls the drive-side clutch plate away from the driven-side clutch plate; and a jutting wall portion that is disposed in the casing and receives the driven-side clutch plate on which the pressing force acts and a jutting wall portion that supports one end portion of the coil spring.

A driving force transmission apparatus includes: a meshing member that switches two rotating members between a coupled state and an uncoupled state; a piston member with a plurality of locked portions formed along a circumferential direction; an armature that moves the piston member forward and backward between a first position where the armature presses the piston member in an axial direction and a second position where the armature does not press the piston member; a biasing member that biases the piston member in the opposite direction from the pressing direction of the armature; and a locking member that locks the locked portions. The piston member has a mechanism that mitigates a possible shock when the locking member comes into abutting contact with an abutting contact surface of a first locked portion.

A driving force transmission apparatus includes: a meshing member that switches two rotating members between a coupled state and an uncoupled state; a piston member with a plurality of locked portions formed along a circumferential direction; an armature that moves the piston member forward and backward between a first position where the armature presses the piston member in an axial direction and a second position where the armature does not press the piston member; a biasing member that biases the piston member in the opposite direction from the pressing direction of the armature; and a locking member that locks the locked portions. The piston member has a mechanism that mitigates a possible shock when the locking member comes into abutting contact with an abutting contact surface of a first locked portion.

A disconnect clutch for a torque transfer device for a vehicle, including: an axis of rotation; an input shaft arranged to receive torque from a torque generating or transmitting device for the vehicle; an output shaft arranged to transmit the torque; a forward clutch having a first torque-carrying capacity; a reverse clutch having a second torque-carrying capacity less than the first torque-carrying capacity; and an actuator system. For a forward connect mode in which the input shaft is rotating in a first rotational direction, the actuator system is arranged to close the forward clutch to non-rotatably connect the input and output shafts. For a reverse connect mode in which the input shaft is rotating in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, the actuator system is arranged to close the reverse clutch to close the reverse clutch to non-rotatably connect the input and output shafts.