An improved ball ramp coupling mechanism

摘要

A ball ramp mechanism (8) is used to load a clutch pack (10) in a transmission inertia brake (4) to slow a rotating shaft (6) where an armature (16) having an angled peripheral surface (18) engages a mating surface formed in an inertia brake housing (38) to form a cone clutch where the armature (16) is magnetically pulled toward the brake housing (38) by an electromagnetic field generated by an electrical coil (12) thereby introducing a frictional braking force on the armature (16). The armature (16) is nonrotatably connected to the control ring (26) of the ball ramp mechanism (8) through a plurality of tapered pins (20A) which engage a corresponding plurality of conical sections (22A) so that relative rotation between the armature (16) and the control ring (26) causes the armature (16) to be forced toward the housing (38) thereby increasing the braking force on the armature (16) and control ring (26). Relative rotation between the control ring (26) and an actuation ring (28) causes a plurality of rolling elements (36A) to transverse tapered grooves (35A) formed on the control ring (26) and the actuation ring (28) thereby axially expanding the ball ramp mechanism (8) to load the clutch pack (10).