Anti-kickback clutch for starter gear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9803611-B2
Application number	US-201514589253-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2015
Priority date	Jan 10, 2014
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

In a permanently engaged starter system ( 20 ), a one-way clutch ( 40 ) is located between a starter motor ( 21 ) and a starter gear ( 54 ) for initiating the start of an internal combustion engine. The clutch ( 40 ) can include a starter gear ( 54 ), an outer race ( 56 ), an inner race ( 60 ), a roller cage ( 42 ) supporting a plurality of roller disks ( 46 ), and at least one spring ( 52 ). The roller cage ( 42 ) can include an enlarged inertia ring supported adjacent to a radially outwardly located peripheral edge ( 50 ) for retarding rotational movement of the roller cage ( 42 ) relative to the inner race ( 60 ) in response to acceleration of the starter motor ( 21 ). The spring ( 52 ) biases the roller cage ( 42 ) relative to the inner race ( 60 ) toward a disengaged clutch position, such that the plurality of roller disks ( 46 ) engage the inner race ( 60 ) and are spaced from the outer race surface ( 56 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) for isolating a starter motor ( 21 ) from kickback rotation the starter motor ( 21 ) having a driving shaft ( 25 ) with an axis of rotation for startup torque transmission to an internal combustion engine, the roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) comprising:
an outer race surface ( 56 );
a starter gear ( 54 ) rotatable around the axis of rotation supporting the outer race surface ( 56 ) located coaxial with the starter gear ( 54 ), wherein the roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) is located between the starter motor ( 21 ) and a starter ring gear ( 34 ) when the starter gear ( 54 ) is operably engaged to the starter ring gear ( 34 );
an inner race ( 60 ) having a nut-shaped surface with a plurality of generally flat planar surfaces;
a roller cage ( 42 ) having a cylindrical wall portion with a plurality of recesses ( 44 ) supporting a corresponding plurality of roller disks ( 46 ) for engagement between the outer race surface ( 56 ) and the inner race ( 60 ), the roller cage ( 42 ) having a radially outwardly extending flange portion ( 48 ) adjacent one end of the cylindrical wall portion supporting an enlarged inertia ring adjacent an outer peripheral edge ( 50 ) of the flange portion ( 48 ) for retarding rotational movement of the roller cage ( 42 ) during acceleration of the starter motor ( 21 ); and
at least one spring ( 52 ) secured between the roller cage ( 42 ) and the nut-shaped surface of the inner race ( 60 ) for biasing the plurality of roller disks ( 46 ) toward a disengaged position with respect to the outer race surface ( 56 ).

2. The roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) of claim 1 , wherein the nut-shaped surface of the inner race ( 60 ) rotates during acceleration of the starter motor ( 21 ), while the inertia ring retards initial rotation of the roller cage ( 42 ).

3. The roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) of claim 1 , wherein the inner race ( 60 ) traps the plurality of roller disks ( 46 ) in wedged non-rolling engagement between the nut-shaped surface of the inner race ( 60 ) and the outer race surface ( 56 ) for engaging the one-way clutch to start the engine in response to acceleration of the starter motor ( 21 ).

4. The roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) of claim 1 , wherein the disengaged position corresponds the roller disks ( 46 ) located adjacent to a central portion of the generally flat planar sides of the nut-shaped surface of the inner race ( 60 ) and spaced radially from contact with the outer race surface ( 56 ) to prevent transfer of rotation from the starter gear through the nut-shaped surface of the inner race ( 60 ) to the starter motor ( 21 ).

5. The roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) of claim 1 , wherein the outer race ( 56 ) further comprises:
an outer race flange ( 58 ) extending radially away from the primary axis, the outer race flange ( 58 ) having an inner surface ( 59 ) engageable with the plurality of roller disks ( 46 ).

6. The roller type one-way clutch of claim 5 , wherein the inner race ( 60 ) is radially spaced inwardly from the outer race flange ( 58 ) and arranged coaxially with respect to the outer race flange ( 58 ) for relative rotational movement therebetween, the inner race ( 60 ) having an exterior surface ( 64 ) and an interior surface ( 62 ), the exterior surface ( 64 ) engageable with the plurality of roller disks ( 46 ), the interior surface ( 62 ) splined for attachment with respect to the driving shaft of the starter motor ( 21 ).

7. The roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) of claim 1 , wherein a clutch engaged position occurs when the driving shaft ( 25 ) of the starter motor ( 21 ) accelerates during startup driving the inner race ( 60 ) relative to the roller cage ( 42 ), where initial rotation is retarded by the inertia ring, driving the roller disks ( 46 ) radially outward into wedged non-rolling contact with respect to the outer race surface ( 56 ) transferring rotational torque therethrough between the inner race ( 60 ) and outer race surface ( 56 ).

8. The roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) of claim 1 , wherein a clutch disengaged position occurs when the starter gear decelerates after engine startup allowing the roller cage to rotate relative to the inner race ( 60 ), where continued rotation is urged by the inertia ring, driving the roller disks ( 46 ) radially inward out of contact with respect to the outer race surface ( 56 ) preventing transfer of kickback rotation from the outer race surface ( 56 ) to the inner race ( 60 ).

9. The roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spring ( 52 ) further comprises a leaf spring member extending between the roller cage ( 42 ) and the inner race ( 60 ).

10. In a permanently engaged starter system ( 20 ), a roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) located between a permanently engaged starter motor ( 21 ) and a starter ring gear ( 34 ), the starter motor ( 21 ) rotating a driving shaft ( 25 ) with respect to a rotational axis, and the starter ring gear ( 34 ) for imparting torque from the roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) to an internal combustion engine, the improvement of the roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) comprising:
a starter gear ( 54 ) mounted for rotation and operably engageable with the starter ring gear ( 34 ), the starter gear having an outer race surface ( 56 ) connected thereto;
a roller cage ( 42 ) mounted for rotation independent of the starter gear ( 54 ), the roller cage having a cylindrical wall portion with a plurality of recesses ( 44 ) for receiving a corresponding plurality of roller disks ( 46 ), the roller cage ( 42 ) having a radially outwardly extending flange portion ( 48 ) connected to the cylindrical wall portion supporting an inertia ring adjacent to an outer peripheral edge ( 50 ) of the flange portion ( 48 ) for retarding rotational movement of the roller cage ( 42 ) during acceleration of the starter motor ( 21 );
an inner race ( 60 ) defined by a nut-shaped portion having a plurality of generally flat planar surfaces with central portions spaced a greater distance from the outer race surface ( 56 ) than edges formed between two adjacent flat planar surfaces, the edges of the inner race ( 60 ) trapping the plurality of roller disks ( 46 ) in wedged non-rolling engagement between the nut-shaped surface of the inner race ( 60 ) and the outer race surface ( 56 ) in response to acceleration of the starter motor ( 21 ) for engaging the one-way clutch to start the engine; and
at least one spring ( 52 ) secured between the roller cage ( 42 ) and the nut-shaped surface of the inner race ( 60 ) for biasing the plurality of roller disks ( 46 ) toward a disengaged position with respect to the outer race surface ( 56 ).

11. The roller type one-way clutch ( 40 ) of claim 10 , wherein the disengaged position corresponds to the roller disks ( 46 ) located adjacent to a central portion of the generally flat planar sides of the nut-shaped surface of the inner race ( 60 ) and spaced radially from contact with the outer race surface ( 56 ) to prevent transfer of rotation from the starter gear through the nut-shaped surface of the inner race ( 60 ) to the starter motor ( 21 ).

12. The roller type one-way clutch of claim 10 , wherein the inner race ( 60 ) is radially spaced inwardly from the outer race flange ( 58 ) and arranged coaxially with respect to the outer race flange ( 58 ) for relative rotational movement therebetween, the inner race ( 60 ) having an exterior surface ( 64 ) and an interior surface ( 62 ), the exterior surface ( 64 ) engageable with the plurality of roller disks ( 46 ), the interior surface ( 62 ) splined for attachment with respect to the driving shaft of the starter

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Showalter Dan J

Classifications

• Y10T29/4968

  Assembling of race, cage, and rolling anti-friction members · CPC title

• Y10T74/134

  Clutch connection · CPC title

• F16C43/04

  Assembling rolling-contact bearings · CPC title

• F16D41/067

  and the members being distributed by a separate cage encircling the axis of rotation · CPC title

• F02N11/00

  Starting of engines by means of electric motors · CPC title