Apparatus and method for disengaging a motor from an actuator gear train

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9470277-B2
Application number	US-201414190247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2014
Priority date	Apr 17, 2012
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A clutch mechanism for coupling and decoupling a motor to a rack is disclosed herein. The clutch mechanism having: a clutch lever pivotally mounted to an axis for movement from a first position to a second position; a cam gear having a cam surface, wherein rotational movement of the cam gear causes the cam surface to move the clutch lever from the first position to the second position; and a gear train configured to cause linear movement of the rack in response to rotational movement of the motor, wherein movement of the clutch lever from the first position to the second position disconnects a pair of gears of the gear train.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clutch mechanism for coupling and
decoupling a motor to a rack, comprising:
a clutch lever pivotally mounted to an axis for movement from a first position to a second position;
a cam gear having a cam surface, wherein rotational movement of the cam gear causes the cam surface to move the clutch lever from the first position to the second position; and
a gear train configured to cause linear movement of the rack in response to rotational movement of the motor, wherein movement of the clutch lever from the first position to the second position disconnects a pair of gears of the gear train from each other and the gear train from the rack.

2. The clutch mechanism as in claim 1 , wherein the cam gear is configured for rotational movement in a first direction from a first position wherein the clutch lever is in the first position to an intermediate position wherein the clutch lever is moved into the second position by the cam surface.

3. The clutch mechanism as in claim 2 , wherein the cam gear is spring biased into the first position.

4. The clutch mechanism as in claim 2 , wherein the cam gear is configured for further movement in the first direction from the intermediate position to a second position, wherein movement of the cam gear from the intermediate position to the second position causes a lever extending from the cam gear to move the rack.

5. The clutch mechanism as in claim 4 , wherein the cam gear is spring biased into the first position.

6. A clutch
mechanism for coupling and decoupling a motor to a rack, comprising:
a clutch lever pivotally mounted to an axis for movement from a first position to a second position;
a cam gear having a cam surface, wherein rotational movement of the cam gear causes the cam surface to move the clutch lever from the first position to the second position; and
a gear train configured to cause linear movement of the rack in response to rotational movement of the motor, wherein movement of the clutch lever from the first position to the second position disconnects a pair of gears of the gear train, wherein the pair of gears are coupled to each other via a plurality of pins of a clutch spool engaging each one of the pair of gears, wherein the clutch spool is configured for movement from a first position wherein the pair of gears are coupled to each other via the plurality of pins and a second position wherein the pair of gears are decoupled from each other.

7. The clutch mechanism as in claim 6 , wherein the clutch spool is spring biased into the first position.

8. The clutch mechanism as in claim 6 , wherein the cam gear is configured for rotational movement in a first direction from a first position wherein the clutch lever is in the first position to an intermediate position wherein the clutch lever is moved into the second position by the cam surface.

9. The clutch mechanism as in claim 8 , wherein the clutch spool is spring biased into the first position.

10. The clutch mechanism as in claim 9 , wherein the cam gear is spring biased into the first position.

11. The clutch mechanism as in claim 8 , wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the movement of the clutch spool from the first position to the second position.

12. The clutch mechanism as in claim 11 , wherein the clutch spool is spring biased into the first position.

13. The clutch mechanism as in claim 12 , wherein the cam gear is spring biased into the first position.

14. The clutch mechanism as in claim 8 , wherein the cam gear is configured for further movement in the first direction from the intermediate position to a second position, wherein movement of the cam gear from the intermediate position to the second position causes a lever extending from the cam gear to move the rack.

15. The clutch mechanism as in claim 14 , wherein the clutch spool is spring biased into the first position.

16. The clutch mechanism as in claim 15 , wherein the cam gear is spring biased into the first position.

17. The clutch mechanism as in claim 14 , wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the movement of the clutch spool from the first position to the second position.

18. The clutch mechanism as in claim 17 , wherein the clutch spool is spring biased into the first position.

19. The clutch mechanism as in claim 18 , wherein the cam gear is spring biased into the first position.

20. A method of decoupling and coupling a motor to a rack, comprising:
decoupling the rack from the motor by rotating a cam gear from a first position in a first direction to an intermediate position wherein a clutch spool is moved from a first position, wherein the clutch spool couples the motor to the rack to a second position, wherein the clutch spool decouples the rack from the motor; and
further rotating the cam gear in the first direction from the intermediate position to a second position wherein a lever moves the rack after it has been decoupled from the motor, wherein the cam gear is spring biased into the first position and the clutch spool is spring biased into the first position and wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

Assignees

• Dow Ian J
• Inteva Products Llc

Inventors

• Dow Ian J

Classifications

• F16H59/105 Primary

  consisting of electrical switches or sensors · CPC title

• Y10T74/20396

  Hand operated · CPC title

• 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

• F16D11/10

  with clutching members movable only axially · CPC title

• F16H59/10

  comprising levers · CPC title