roller clutch

Abstract

A lock-up clutch with an inner race that is rotatable with respect to an outer race. One of the races is cylindrical and rotates alongside a race with grooves. Each groove is connected to an inclined surface. Rollers are located next to the grooves. A cage with fingers can be held with respect to the grooves to fix the starting position of the rollers. The cage can be selectively held to determine the direction in which the rollers are clamped, to determine a direction in which the rollers are brought into contact with both races to lock the races with respect to each other. Rotation of the inner race with respect to the outer race in the opposite direction is free rotation. The lock-up clutch is designed to be engaged with all of its rollers simultaneously to distribute the forces evenly among them.

Claims

[1] Locking clutch comprising: an inner race rotatable within and relative to an outer race; wherein one of the barrels has a cylindrically shaped surface adjacent to the other of the barrels; the other of the barrels having a plurality of recesses thereon located relatively far from the one barrel, each recess being connected to a corresponding inclined surface adjacent the respective recess, the inclined surfaces having a portion relatively closer to the one barrel than the recesses; a plurality of rollers disposed between the tracks and movable from a first position in which the rollers are disposed relatively close to a corresponding recess adjacent to the respective roller to a second position in which they are farther from the corresponding recesses than in the first position; rotation of the inner race with respect to the outer race in a direction that causes the rollers to roll in a direction away from the corresponding recesses and along the inclined surfaces to bring the rollers into contact with one race and the other race, being a pinching direction, and rotation of the inner race with respect to the outer race in a direction opposite to the pinching direction, tending to push the rollers towards their corresponding recesses, being a free rotation direction; a plurality of springs mounted with respect to the other race to exert a biasing force on the rollers urging the rollers to their second position, the spring comprising a cantilevered biasing member deflectable between a pre-installed position and an installed position, wherein at the pre-installed position corresponding to the cantilevered biasing member, a distal end is arranged relatively far away from the other barrel, and wherein, in the installed position corresponding to the cantilevered biasing element, the distal end is urged closer to the other barrel to a position defined by the distal end urging a corresponding roller to the second position so that it contacts both barrels, and wherein movement from the pre-installed position to the installed position plastically deforms the spring. [2] The locking clutch of claim 1, wherein the outer race is a cylindrically shaped surface and the inner race has the plurality of recesses. [3] A locking clutch according to claim 1, wherein the other race has a back surface opposite the inclined surface, the springs being attached to the back surface and urging the rollers into position. [4] A locking clutch according to claim 3, wherein the springs have a mounting portion, wherein the mounting portions of the springs are pressed into a recess in the back surfaces. [5] Locking clutch comprising: an inner race rotatable within and relative to an outer race; wherein one of the barrels has a cylindrically shaped surface adjacent to the other of the barrels; the other of the barrels having a plurality of recesses thereon disposed relatively far from the one barrel, each recess being connected to corresponding inclined surfaces adjacent the respective recess such that the inclined surfaces span the recesses; a plurality of rollers disposed between the races and adjacent the recesses; a switching mechanism having a cage with fingers selectively held in a first and second position relative to the other race such that the fingers are selectively held relative to the recesses, the fingers displacing the rollers to a first position spaced from the recesses, wherein rotation of the inner race relative to the outer race in a direction that causes the rollers to roll away from the corresponding recesses and along the inclined surfaces to bring the rollers into contact with both races, thereby positioning the rollers in a second position corresponds to a pinching direction, and wherein rotation of the inner race relative to the outer race in a direction opposite to the pinching direction, tending to urge the rollers toward the first position, corresponds to a free rotation direction,wherein the clamping direction and the free rotation direction can be changed by moving the cage into its first or second position;, wherein a portion of the cage is movable from its first or second position to its second position in response to differential movement of the rollers. [6] A locking clutch according to claim 5, wherein the fingers each comprise a displaceable member capable of moving relative to the fingers in response to differential movement of the rollers spanning the fingers. [7] A locking clutch according to claim 6, wherein the displaceable member is a spring capable of being deflected in response to the differential movement of the rollers spanning the fingers. [8] A locking clutch according to claim 6, wherein the displaceable elements are springs having a bridge held in the fingers and cantilevered portions extending from the bridge to contact the rollers spanning the fingers. [9] The locking clutch of claim 5, wherein the cage is selectively retained by a switch that is selectively lockable in first and second positions corresponding to the first and second positions of the cage; wherein the switch includes a switch pin in a switch slot in the cage, the switch slot being larger than the switch pin. [10] A locking clutch according to claim 9, wherein the switching slot has lateral sides, and wherein the switch being in the first or second position positions the switching pin against a lateral starting wall of the switching slot, and wherein differential movement of the rollers allows the cage to rotate so that the switching pin does not contact the lateral starting wall and the cage is rotatable until the switching pin contacts the lateral wall opposite the lateral starting wall. [11] The locking clutch of claim 10, wherein the fingers have a proximal end connected to a base and a distal end cantilevered from the base, the switching slot being disposed in the base and the fingers being bendable with respect to the base. [12] A locking clutch according to claim 10, wherein the fingers of the cage are connected by flexible elements which allow differential movement between the fingers with respect to the cage. [13] Locking clutch comprising: an inner race rotatable within and relative to an outer race; wherein one of the barrels has a cylindrically shaped surface adjacent to the other of the barrels; the other of the barrels having a plurality of recesses thereon located relatively far from the one barrel, each recess being connected to a corresponding inclined surface adjacent the respective recess; a plurality of rollers disposed between the races and adjacent the recesses; a cage with fingers held with respect to the other race so that the fingers are held with respect to the recesses, the fingers holding the rollers in a first position with respect to the recesses, wherein a rotation of the inner race with respect to the outer race in a direction causing the rollers to roll away from the corresponding recesses along the inclined surfaces to bring the rollers into contact with the two races, the rollers being arranged in a second position, corresponds to a clamping direction, and wherein a rotation of the inner race with respect to the outer race in a direction opposite to the clamping direction, which tends to urge the rollers towards the first position, is a free direction of rotation; wherein a portion of the cage is movable to its second position in response to differential movement of the rollers. [14] A locking clutch according to claim 13, wherein the fingers each comprise a displaceable member capable of moving relative to the fingers in response to differential movement of the rollers spanning the fingers. [15] A locking clutch according to claim 14, wherein the displaceable member is a spring capable of being deflected in response to differential movement of the rollers spanning the fingers. [16] A locking clutch according to claim 15, wherein the displaceable elements are springs having a bridge held in the fingers and cantilevered portions extending from the bridge to contact the rollers spanning the fingers. [17] A locking clutch according to claim 13, wherein the cage is held by a switching pin in a switching slot in the cage, the switching pin being fixed with respect to the second race, and the switching slot being larger than the switching pin. [18] The locking clutch of claim 17, wherein the fingers have a proximal end connected to a base and a distal end cantilevered from the base, the switching slot being disposed in the base, and the fingers being bendable with respect to the base. [19] A locking clutch according to claim 17, wherein the fingers of the cage are connected by flexible elements which allow differential movement between the fingers with respect to the cage.

Images