Electric clutch actuator
US5159522A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 27, 1990 |
| Grant date | Oct 27, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 27, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16D2500/7109
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An electric clutch actuator includes a coil having first and second windings, a first end of the first winding being connected to a source of electrical power and a second end of the second winding being connected through a switch such as an FET (field effect transistor) to ground potential. The opposite ends of the windings are connected together through another FET switch to the ground potential. An actuation circuit is responsive to a control signal to turn on the FET switches and cause electrical current to flow primarily through the first winding. The actuation circuit includes a timing circuit which turns off the FET connected to the opposite ends of the windings after a predetermined period of time to cause electrical current from the power source to pass through both of the windings. In a second embodiment, a coil is connected in series with an FET switch to the power supply and the actuation circuit turns on the FET for a predetermined period of time to apply the full voltage of the power supply to the coil thereby rapidly actuating the electromagnetic clutch and then generates a pulsed wave form to alternately turn on and off the FET to hold the electromagnetic clutch in …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.