Positive clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12398765-B2
Application number	US-202418596974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2024
Priority date	Apr 17, 2023
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

A plurality of rollers are disposed between an inner race and an outer race that are coaxial and relatively rotatable. The inner race and outer race are configured to engage with each other via part or all of the plurality of rollers that are held in a circumferential direction between roller support parts and pocket parts, the roller support parts being formed on one of an outer circumferential surface of the inner race and an inner circumferential surface of the outer race, and the pocket parts being formed on the other. A torque limiting member that applies a radial load on the rollers to press the rollers against the roller support parts is provided coaxially with the inner race and the outer race. The torque limiting member is flat and annular in an axial direction and resiliently deformable in a radial direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positive clutch comprising:
an inner race and an outer race that are coaxial and rotatable relative to each other; and
a plurality of rollers disposed between the inner race and the outer race and transmitting or interrupting torque, the inner race and the outer race being configured to engage with each other via part or all of the plurality of rollers held in a circumferential direction between roller support parts and pocket parts, the roller support parts being formed on one of an outer circumferential surface of the inner race and an inner circumferential surface of the outer race, and the pocket parts being formed on the other of the outer circumferential surface of the inner race and the inner circumferential surface of the outer race and being configured to accommodate the rollers,
the positive clutch further comprising a torque limiting member that applies a radial load on the rollers to press the rollers against the roller support parts, the torque limiting member being coaxial with the inner race and the outer race, and being flat and annular in an axial direction, and moreover being resiliently deformable in a radial direction,
wherein the torque limiting member is a spiral retaining ring.

2. The positive clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the rollers each have an outer circumferential surface serving as a retaining ring receiving surface, and
an outer circumferential surface or an inner circumferential surface of the torque limiting member is in contact with the retainer ring receiving surfaces of the plurality of rollers so as to apply a load to one or both axial ends of each of the plurality of rollers.

3. The positive clutch according to claim 1 , wherein there is an angle difference between a wall surface of the roller support part and a wall surface of the pocket part that hold each of the rollers.

4. The positive clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rollers include first rollers held between the roller support parts and the pocket parts in the circumferential direction when one of the inner race and the outer race is rotated relative to the other in a forward direction, and second rollers held between the roller support parts and the pocket parts in the circumferential direction when one of the inner race and the outer race is rotated relative to the other in a reverse direction,
the positive clutch further comprising:
a biasing means that biases both the first rollers and the second rollers in the radial direction;
a switching member that switches operating modes of the positive clutch by causing one or both of the first rollers and the second rollers to move into corresponding pocket parts against a biasing force of the biasing means; and
piston members each having a flat portion for holding the first rollers between the first rollers and the roller support parts or the pocket parts, and/or piston members each having a flat portion for holding the second rollers between the second rollers and the roller support parts or the pocket parts,
the torque limiting member having an outer circumferential surface or an inner circumferential surface in contact with the piston members.

5. A positive clutch comprising:
an inner race and an outer race that are coaxial and rotatable relative to each other; and
a plurality of rollers disposed between the inner race and the outer race and transmitting or interrupting torque, the inner race and the outer race being configured to engage with each other via part or all of the plurality of rollers held in a circumferential direction between roller support parts and pocket parts, the roller support parts being formed on one of an outer circumferential surface of the inner race and an inner circumferential surface of the outer race, and the pocket parts being formed on the other of the outer circumferential surface of the inner race and the inner circumferential surface of the outer race and being configured to accommodate the rollers,
the positive clutch further comprising a torque limiting member that applies a radial load on the rollers to press the rollers against the roller support parts, the torque limiting member being coaxial with the inner race and the outer race, and being flat and annular in an axial direction, and moreover being resiliently deformable in a radial direction,
wherein the rollers each have an outer circumferential surface serving as a retaining ring receiving surface, and
an outer circumferential surface or an inner circumferential surface of the torque limiting member is in contact with the retainer ring receiving surfaces of the plurality of rollers so as to apply a load to one or both axial ends of each of the plurality of rollers.

6. A positive clutch comprising:
an inner race and an outer race that are coaxial and rotatable relative to each other; and
a plurality of rollers disposed between the inner race and the outer race and transmitting or interrupting torque, the inner race and the outer race being configured to engage with each other via part or all of the plurality of rollers held in a circumferential direction between roller support parts and pocket parts, the roller support parts being formed on one of an outer circumferential surface of the inner race and an inner circumferential surface of the outer race, and the pocket parts being formed on the other of the outer circumferential surface of the inner race and the inner circumferential surface of the outer race and being configured to accommodate the rollers,
the positive clutch further comprising a torque limiting member that applies a radial load on the rollers to press the rollers against the roller support parts, the torque limiting member being coaxial with the inner race and the outer race, and being flat and annular in an axial direction, and moreover being resiliently deformable in a radial direction,
wherein there is an angle difference between a wall surface of the roller support part and a wall surface of the pocket part that hold each of the rollers.

Assignees

• Tsubakimoto Chain Co

Inventors

• Yamauchi Masahiko
• Kurematsu Yuji

Classifications

• F16D2041/0605

  Spring details · CPC title

• F16D43/204

  with intermediate balls or rollers · CPC title

• F16D41/066 Primary

  all members having the same size and only one of the two surfaces being cylindrical · CPC title

• F16D41/064 Primary

  the intermediate members wedging by rolling and having a circular cross-section, e.g. balls (F16D41/061 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16D7/10 Primary

  moving radially between engagement and disengagement · CPC title