Clutch, steering device, and method for disassembling clutch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017282964-A1
Application number	US-201715464993-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 21, 2017
Priority date	Mar 29, 2016
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A clutch is configured to mechanically establish and disestablish a torque transmission path between an input shaft through which a torque is input and an output shaft through which the torque is output. The clutch includes a sun gear, an internal gear, planetary gears, and a carrier. The sun gear is configured to switch between a fixed state and a non-fixed state. The internal gear is coupled to the input shaft in a torque transmittable manner. The planetary gears are configured to mesh with the sun gear and the internal gear. The carrier is coupled to the output shaft in a torque transmittable manner and configured to support the planetary gears rotatably. The carrier includes a coupling portion to be coupled to a detachment member configured to detach the carrier from the clutch.

First claim

1 . A clutch configured to mechanically establish and disestablish a torque transmission path between an input shaft through which a torque is input and an output shaft through which the torque is output, the clutch comprising:
a sun gear configured to switch between a fixed state and a non-fixed state; an internal gear coupled to the input shaft in a torque transmittable manner; planetary gears configured to mesh with the sun gear and the internal gear; and a carrier coupled to the output shaft in a torque transmittable manner and configured to support the planetary gears rotatably, the carrier comprising a coupling portion to be coupled to a detachment member configured to detach the carrier from the clutch.

2 . The clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion comprises a tapped hole in which the detachment member is screwed.

3 . The clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion comprises a through hole in which the detachment member is inserted, the through hole being formed in such a manner that when the inserted detachment member is rotated, the detachment member is caught in the through hole.

4 . The clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion comprises a loop in which the detachment member is hooked.

5 . The clutch according to claim 1 ,
wherein the carrier comprises
two plates configured to hold and rotatably support the planetary gears between the two plates, and
supports held between the two plates to support the two plates while keeping the two plates at a distance from each other, and
wherein the coupling portion is disposed at a position on one of the two plates where the two plates hold none of the planetary gears and the supports.

6 . The clutch according to claim 1 , wherein the output shaft is spline-fitted to the carrier.

7 . A steering device comprising
a clutch configured to mechanically establish and disestablish a torque transmission path between an input shaft through which a torque is input and an output shaft through which the torque is output, the clutch comprising:
a sun gear configured to switch between a fixed state and a non-fixed state;
an internal gear coupled to the input shaft in a torque transmittable manner;
planetary gears configured to mesh with the sun gear and the internal gear; and
a carrier coupled to the output shaft in a torque transmittable manner and configured to support the planetary gears rotatably, the carrier comprising a coupling portion to be coupled to a detachment member configured to detach the carrier from the clutch.

8 . A method for disassembling a clutch configured to mechanically establish and disestablish a torque transmission path between an input shaft through which a torque is input and an output shaft through which the torque is output, the clutch comprising:
a sun gear configured to switch between a fixed state and a non-fixed state; an internal gear coupled to the input shaft in a torque transmittable manner; planetary gears configured to mesh with the sun gear and the internal gear; and a carrier coupled to the output shaft in a torque transmittable manner and configured to support the planetary gears rotatably, the carrier comprising a coupling portion to be coupled to a detachment member configured to detach the carrier from the clutch, the method comprising coupling the detachment member to the coupling portion to detach the carrier from the clutch.

9 . The clutch according to claim 2 ,
wherein the carrier comprises
two plates configured to hold and rotatably support the planetary gears between the two plates, and
supports held between the two plates to support the two plates while keeping the two plates at a distance from each other, and
wherein the coupling portion is disposed at a position on one of the two plates where the two plates hold none of the planetary gears and the supports.

10 . The clutch according to claim 3 ,
wherein the carrier comprises
two plates configured to hold and rotatably support the planetary gears between the two plates, and
supports held between the two plates to support the two plates while keeping the two plates at a distance from each other, and
wherein the coupling portion is disposed at a position on one of the two plates where the two plates hold none of the planetary gears and the supports.

11 . The clutch according to claim 4 ,
wherein the carrier comprises
two plates configured to hold and rotatably support the planetary gears between the two plates, and
supports held between the two plates to support the two plates while keeping the two plates at a distance from each other, and
wherein the coupling portion is disposed at a position on one of the two plates where the two plates hold none of the planetary gears and the supports.

12 . The clutch according to claim 2 , wherein the output shaft is spline-fitted to the carrier.

13 . The clutch according to claim 3 , wherein the output shaft is spline-fitted to the carrier.

14 . The clutch according to claim 4 , wherein the output shaft is spline-fitted to the carrier.

15 . The clutch according to claim 5 , wherein the output shaft is spline-fitted to the carrier.

16 . The clutch according to claim 9 , wherein the output shaft is spline-fitted to the carrier.

17 . The clutch according to claim 10 , wherein the output shaft is spline-fitted to the carrier.

18 . The clutch according to claim 11 , wherein the output shaft is spline-fitted to the carrier.

Assignees

• Showa Corp

Inventors

• Sekikawa Shinsuke

Classifications

• F16H57/082

  Planet carriers · CPC title

• F16H57/023

  Mounting or installation of gears or shafts in the gearboxes, e.g. methods or means for assembly · CPC title

• F16H2057/0062

  Tools specially adapted for assembly of transmissions · CPC title

• B62D5/043 Primary

  characterised by clutch means between driving element, e.g. motor, and driven element, e.g. steering column or steering gear · CPC title

• B62D5/001 Primary

  Mechanical components or aspects of steer-by-wire systems, not otherwise provided for in this maingroup · CPC title