Importance

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Abstract

A free-wheeling coupling sensitive to the direction of rotation for a motor vehicle comprises a first ring which constitutes a driving element in a towing mode of the motor vehicle, a second ring which constitutes a driven element in the towing mode, clamping elements which act between the first and second rings to transfer torque in both directions of torque flow, a cage in which the clamping elements are disposed, a fixed friction ring, and a friction element actively connecting the cage to the fixed friction ring. The friction element comprises a plurality of friction segments disposed between the cage and the fixed friction ring, the friction segments being slaved to rotate in the circumferential direction with the cage and being lifted away from the fixed friction ring by centrifugal force when they are caused to rotate at a rotational speed which is greater than a predetermined rotational speed. The free-wheeling coupling further comprises a catch interacting between the first ring and the cage under the control of frictional force or an additional frictional element to inhibit over-rotation of the cage with respect to the first ring, thereby preventing 'breakthrough' of the clamping elements when the direction of torque flow changes abruptly.

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First Claim