Clutch drive device and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10844910-B2
Application number	US-201916445998-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2019
Priority date	Dec 29, 2016
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

A clutch driving device includes: a spring that is deformable in a circumferential direction when seen in an axial direction to thereby generate a force in the circumferential direction; a first projection disposed at one end of the spring; an output gear that rotates in an disengaging direction or an engaging direction of the clutch; and a pin that is provided to the output gear to be rotatable together with the output gear and contacts the first projection to thereby transfer the elastic restoring force to the output gear. A contact point between the first projection and the pin moves toward an axis of the spring at least once when seen in the axial direction of the spring in a case where the output gear rotates in a direction in which the elastic restoring force of the spring decreases.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clutch driving device that supplies an assist force for assisting operations of engagement and disengagement of a clutch, the clutch driving device comprising:
a helical spring that is deformable in its circumferential direction when seen in an axial direction of the spring to thereby generate an elastic restoring force in the circumferential direction, the spring having two ends;
an output portion that is disposed at one of the two ends of the spring and outputs the elastic restoring force generated by the spring;
a movement restricting portion that restricts a movement of the spring in its radial direction when the spring is deformed in the circumferential direction;
a rotary body that rotates in a disengaging direction in disconnecting the clutch and rotates in an engaging direction in engaging the clutch, about a rotating shaft as a rotation center, the rotating shaft being disposed at a position different from a position of the axis of the spring, and extending in parallel with the axis of the spring; and
a transfer portion that is provided to the rotary body to be rotatable together with the rotary body and contacts the output portion to transfer the elastic restoring force to the rotary body, wherein
the rotary body receives, as a torque, a reaction force generated by operations of disengagement and engagement of the clutch, and receives, as the assist force, the elastic restoring force generated by deformation of the spring in the circumferential direction through the output portion and the transfer portion, and
in a case where the rotary body rotates at a position different from a position of the rotating shaft of the rotary body and the position of the axis of the spring, and in a direction in which the elastic restoring force of the spring decreases, a contact point between the output portion and the transfer portion moves toward the axis of the spring at least once when seen in the axial direction of the spring.

2. The clutch driving device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating shaft of the rotary body is located outside the spring when seen in the axial direction of the spring.

3. The clutch driving device according to claim 1 , wherein the contact point is located outside the spring when seen in the axial direction of the spring.

4. The clutch driving device according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the rotating shaft of the rotary body and the contact point is smaller than a distance between the rotating shaft of the rotary body and the axis of the spring.

5. The clutch driving device according to claim 4 , wherein in a case where the contact point is located on an imaginary line between the axis of the spring and the rotating shaft of the rotary body, a distance between the axis of the spring and the contact point is smaller than the distance between the rotating shaft of the rotary body and the axis of the spring.

6. The clutch driving device according to claim 1 , wherein the output portion is integrally provided to the spring.

7. The clutch driving device according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer portion moves relative to the output portion while contacting the output portion by rotation of the rotary body and the deformation of the spring in the circumferential direction caused by the rotation.

8. The clutch driving device according to claim 1 , wherein the output portion includes a link that rotates relatively in accordance with a rotation of the rotary body and the deformation of the spring in the circumferential direction.

9. The clutch driving device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuator that applies a rotation torque to the rotary body.

10. The clutch driving device according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a transfer mechanism that transfers the rotation torque from the actuator to the rotary body, wherein
the transfer mechanism includes an input shaft that receives the rotation torque from the actuator, and
the input shaft is disposed inside the spring and extends in a direction parallel to the axis of the spring.

11. The clutch driving device according to claim 9 , wherein the actuator is a motor.

12. The clutch driving device according to claim 1 , wherein the contact point between the output portion and the transfer portion moves to pass through an imaginary line between the axis of the spring and the rotating shaft of the rotary body when the rotary body rotates.

13. The clutch driving device according to claim 1 , wherein the spring is a torsion spring.

14. A vehicle comprising the clutch driving device according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Minami Kengo
• Terashima Yoshiki

Classifications

• F16D23/12 Primary

  Mechanical clutch-actuating mechanisms arranged outside the clutch as such (specific for combined clutches F16D21/00; mechanisms specific for synchronisation F16D23/02) · CPC title

• F16D28/00

  Electrically-actuated clutches (arrangements for synchronisation F16D23/02; clutches actuated directly by means of an electromagnet F16D27/00; automatic clutches F16D43/00 - F16D45/00; external control F16D48/00) · CPC title

• B62K23/00

  Rider-operated controls specially adapted for cycles, i.e. means for initiating control operations, e.g. levers, grips (specially adapted to cycle brake mechanisms B62L3/00) · CPC title