Clutch

Abstract

To provide an engagement clutch having high rigidity and capable of realizing miniaturization and long life, while reducing friction loss and preventing generation of noise with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A roller supporting portion 111 formed on one of an outer peripheral surface of an inner ring 110 and an inner peripheral surface of an outer ring 120, and a pocket portion 121 formed on the other are provided with inclined surface portions 115, 125 having planar inclined surfaces extending obliquely in a circumferential direction, and rollers 130 disposed between the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 are held in the circumferential direction by the inclined surface portion 115 of the roller supporting portion 111 and the inclined surface portion 125 of the pocket portion 121, so that relative rotation of the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 is forbidden.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an engagement clutch that connects an input shaft side and an output shaft side by mechanical engagement.

Background Art

[0002] As a mechanical clutch that transmits or blocks power (torque) from the input shaft side to the output shaft side, a friction clutch that connects the input shaft side and the output shaft side by frictional force, an engagement clutch that connects the input shaft side and the output shaft side by mechanical engagement, etc. are known.

[0003] As the friction clutch, a configuration is known in which a plurality of torque transmission members, such as cylindrical rollers, interposed between an inner ring and an outer ring arranged to be relatively rotatable coaxially are engaged with the inner ring and the outer ring by frictional force to lock the relative rotation between the inner ring and the outer ring and transmit torque (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] On the other hand, as the engagement clutch, for example, a ratchet type having a ratchet mechanism including a plurality of claw members (poles) that are torque transmission members provided on the inner peripheral portion of the outer ring and notches provided on the outer peripheral portion of the inner ring with which the claw members engage is known (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 to 4). In such a ratchet type clutch, a spring is used to bias the claw members against the notches in order to stabilize the engagement behavior of the claw members with respect to the notches.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

[0006] In friction clutches like the one described above, there are problems such as wind-up (elastic deformation) occurring during torque transmission, resulting in low rigidity.

[0007] On the other hand, ratchet-type clutches tend to have a complex structure and are often long in overall length. In particular, when configured as a two-way clutch, as described in Patent Document 4, it is necessary to arrange the pair of poles in opposition to each other, which tends to result in a large size. For this reason, ratchet-type clutches have problems such as difficulty in handling high torque. Furthermore, in ratchet-type clutches, the pawl members have a narrow surface area that receives torque, making them prone to high surface pressure. This raises concerns about chipping and wear due to impact.

[0008] The present invention was made based on the above circumstances, and aims to provide a meshing clutch that has high rigidity, a simple structure, reduces friction loss and prevents noise generation, and is capable of miniaturization and long lifespan. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention relates to a meshing clutch comprising an inner ring and an outer ring coaxially rotatably mounted relative to each other, a plurality of rollers provided between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a biasing means for radially biasing each of the plurality of rollers, wherein a roller support portion is formed on one of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring and the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring, the roller support portion comprises an inclined surface portion having a planar inclined surface extending inclined with respect to the circumferential direction, and a pocket portion capable of accommodating the roller is formed on the other of the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring and the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring, the pocket portion comprises an inclined surface portion having a planar inclined surface extending inclined with respect to the circumferential direction, and the relative rotation of the outer ring and the inner ring is prohibited by the roller being sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the inclined surface portion of the roller support portion and the inclined surface portion of the pocket portion. The device further comprises a switching member configured to move at least one of the plurality of rollers so that the roller is housed in the pocket against the biasing force of the biasing means, the plurality of rollers are arranged in pairs at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction, and the pocket includes a first pocket corresponding to one of the paired rollers and a second pocket corresponding to the other roller, the first pocket is formed to extend radially outward and inclined in one direction in the circumferential direction, and the second pocket is formed to extend radially outward and in the other direction in the circumferential direction. This will solve the aforementioned problem. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the invention of claim 1, torque is transmitted between the inner and outer rings by sandwiching the roller circumferentially between the inclined surface of the roller support and the inclined surface of the pocket. Therefore, wind-up (elastic deformation) does not occur during torque transmission, and the meshing clutch can be configured to have high rigidity. Furthermore, stable meshing can be achieved with a simple structure, miniaturization is possible, and many rollers can be arranged in a small space, enabling high torque transmission. Moreover, since the surface pressure acting on the roller and the inclined surface that sandwiches the roller during torque transmission can be reduced, it is possible to design with inexpensive materials that are resistant to chipping and wear due to impact. In addition, since the roller itself rotates, it is less likely that meshing will occur at the same point, improving durability and enabling a longer lifespan.

[0011] Also, This design facilitates switching between operating modes of the meshing clutch, and in free mode, which allows relative rotation of the inner and outer rings, the rollers disengage from either the inner or outer ring, thereby reducing friction loss and noise.

[0012] Furthermore, While achieving miniaturization, it is possible to switch between four operating modes and transmit high torque.

[0013] Claim 2 According to the invention related thereto, there is no need to provide a plurality of biasing means corresponding to each of the plurality of rollers, so that the number of parts can be reduced and miniaturization becomes easy.

[0014] Claim 3 According to the invention related thereto, it is possible to promote the rolling of the roller and reduce the ratchet notch sound.

[0015] Claim 4 According to the invention related thereto, it is possible to promote the rolling of the roller and reduce the ratchet notch sound.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a front view showing a configuration example of an engagement clutch according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is an enlarged view showing a main part of the engagement clutch shown in FIG. 1 with a part omitted. [Figure 3] It is a sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is an enlarged sectional view showing a region surrounded by a broken-line circle in FIG. 3. [Figure 5A] It is a schematic diagram schematically showing an engagement standby state when the operating mode of the engagement clutch shown in FIG. 1 is in the bidirectional lock mode. [Figure 5B] It is a schematic diagram showing a state when the inner ring is rotated in the forward rotation direction when the operating mode of the engagement clutch shown in FIG. 1 is in the bidirectional lock mode. [Figure 5C] It is a schematic diagram showing a state when the inner ring is rotated in the reverse rotation direction when the operating mode of the engagement clutch shown in FIG. 1 is in the bidirectional lock mode. [Figure 6A]It is a schematic diagram roughly showing the meshing standby state when the operation mode of the meshing cam clutch shown in FIG. 1 is in the reverse direction lock mode. [Figure 6B] It is a schematic diagram showing the state when the inner ring is rotated in the forward rotation direction when the operation mode of the meshing clutch shown in FIG. 1 is in the reverse direction lock mode. [Figure 6C] It is a schematic diagram showing the state when the inner ring is rotated in the reverse rotation direction when the operation mode of the meshing clutch shown in FIG. 1 is in the reverse direction lock mode. [Figure 7] It is a schematic diagram roughly showing the meshing standby state when the operation mode of the meshing clutch shown in FIG. 1 is in the both-direction free mode. [Figure 8] It is a front view showing a configuration example of the meshing clutch according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is an enlarged view showing a main part of the meshing clutch shown in FIG. 8 with a part omitted. <000S0107>It is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 8. [Figure 11] It is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the region surrounded by the dashed circle in FIG. 10. [Figure 12] It is a schematic diagram roughly showing the meshing standby state when the operation mode of the meshing clutch shown in FIG. 8 is in the reverse direction lock mode. [Figure 13] It is a schematic diagram roughly showing the meshing standby state when the operation mode of the meshing clutch shown in FIG. 8 is in the both-direction free mode. [Figure 14] It is a view showing another configuration example of the meshing clutch according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of a cross-section cut by a plane including the central axis of the coil spring and the rotation axis. [Figure 15] It is a perspective view seen from the back side in the axial direction showing a configuration example of the meshing clutch according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] It is a perspective view seen from the front side in the axial direction showing the configuration of the meshing clutch shown in FIG. 15 in a state where a part is broken. [Figure 17]Figure 15 is an axial cross-sectional view of the meshing clutch, cut along a plane containing the axis of rotation. [Figure 18] Figure 15 is a perspective view from the axial front side showing the configuration of the switching member in the meshing clutch. [Figure 19] This is a plan view showing the state of the meshing clutch when the operating mode of the meshing clutch is in the bidirectional lock mode, with some details omitted. [Figure 20] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the engagement standby state when the engagement clutch is in the bidirectional lock mode. [Figure 21] This is a plan view showing the state of the meshing clutch when the operating mode of the meshing clutch is in the forward rotation lock mode, with some details omitted. [Figure 22] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the engagement standby state when the engagement clutch is in the forward rotation lock mode. [Figure 23] This is a plan view showing the state of the meshing clutch when the operating mode of the meshing clutch is in the bidirectional free mode, with some details omitted. [Figure 24] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the engagement standby state when the engagement clutch is in the bidirectional free mode. [Figure 25] This is a front view showing another configuration example of a meshing clutch according to the third embodiment of the present invention, with some parts omitted. [Figure 26A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the main components of one example of the configuration of a meshing clutch according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26B] Figure 26A is a schematic diagram showing the state when the inner ring is rotated in the forward direction while the operating mode of the meshing clutch is in the bidirectional lock mode. [Figure 26C] Figure 26A is a schematic diagram showing the state when the inner ring is rotated in the reverse direction while the operating mode of the meshing clutch is in the bidirectional lock mode. [Figure 27]Figure 26A is a schematic diagram illustrating the engagement standby state when the operating mode of the engagement clutch is in the bidirectional free mode. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the meshing clutch of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] <First Embodiment> As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the meshing clutch 100 according to the first embodiment comprises an inner ring 110 and an outer ring 120 arranged to rotate relative to each other on the same axis, a plurality of cylindrical rollers 130 arranged between the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120, a biasing means 140 for radially biasing each of the plurality of rollers 130, and a switching member 150 for switching the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100. Although not shown, in this meshing clutch 100, a bottomed cylindrical cover member is fitted onto the outer ring 120 from the front side (left side in Figure 3). For convenience, in the following, the counterclockwise direction in Figure 1 will be referred to as the forward direction, and the clockwise direction as the reverse direction.

[0019] The inner ring 110 is disc-shaped and has a shaft portion 112 on its axial rear side that extends axially outward. The outer ring 120 is a bottomed cylindrical shape with its axial rear side closed. A through hole is provided in the center of the bottom plate portion 122 through which the shaft portion 112 of the inner ring 110 is inserted. A bearing portion 124 is provided on the rear side of the bottom plate portion 122 so as to extend axially outward, supporting the shaft portion 112 of the inner ring 110 so as to be rotatable.

[0020] On either the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 110 or the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring 120, roller support portions 111 for supporting the roller 130 are formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the roller support portions 111 are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 110, but the roller support portions may also be formed on the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring 120. In this configuration, the roller 130 is supported by the roller support portions 111 due to centrifugal force, which allows the roller 130 to be securely gripped in the circumferential direction between the inclined surface portion of the pocket portion on the inner ring side and the roller support portion 111 during torque transmission, thereby achieving stable meshing.

[0021] In this meshing clutch 100, two rollers 130 supported by each of two adjacent roller support portions 111 form a pair, and multiple pairs of roller pairs 131 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, three roller pairs 131 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, but the number of roller pairs 131 is not particularly limited, and the arrangement interval of the roller pairs 131 does not have to be equal. In the following, the roller 130 on the reverse direction side of the roller pair 131 will be referred to as the first roller 130a, and the roller 130 on the forward direction side will be referred to as the second roller 130b, and unless otherwise specified, the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b will simply be referred to as roller 130.

[0022] The roller support portion 111 is composed of a groove extending in the direction of rotation axis and is configured to support the lower surface of the roller 130. The roller support portion 111 has a groove width that increases radially outward from the bottom surface and includes an inclined surface portion 115 which has a planar inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the circumferential direction. The inclined surface portion 115 includes a first inclined surface portion 115a which constitutes the side wall of the roller support portion 111 in one circumferential direction (reverse direction) and a second inclined surface portion 115b which constitutes the side wall of the roller support portion 111 in the other circumferential direction (forward rotation direction). The cross-sectional shape of the opening edge of the roller support portion 111 is, for example, a rounded chamfer shape without corners, which makes it possible to promote the rolling of the roller 130 and reduce ratchet notch noise.

[0023] In this engagement clutch 100, when the engagement clutch 100 is locked, for example, to prohibit relative rotation of the inner ring 110 with respect to the outer ring 120 in the forward direction, the first inclined surface portion 115a of the roller support portion 111 that supports the first roller 130a functions as an engagement surface that contacts the first roller 130a. 100 interlocking clutch When the inner ring 110 is locked to prevent relative rotation in the reverse direction with respect to the outer ring 120, for example, the second inclined surface portion 115b of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b functions as an engaging surface that contacts the second roller 130b.

[0024] Multiple pocket portions 121 corresponding to each of the multiple rollers 130 are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 123 of the outer ring 120. The pocket portions 121 are configured to accommodate the rollers 130 so that the rollers 130 can be separated from the inner ring 110, and have a bottom surface that is, for example, a curved surface that follows the outer circumferential surface of the roller 130. The first pocket portion 121a corresponding to the first roller 130a is formed to extend radially outward with an inclination in one direction circumferentially, and the second pocket portion 121b corresponding to the second roller 130b is formed to extend radially outward with an inclination in the other direction circumferentially. The first pocket portion 121a and the second pocket portion 121b each include an inclined surface portion 125 having a planar inclined surface that extends inclined with respect to the circumferential direction. The inclined surface portion 125 includes a third inclined surface portion 125a located on the radially outward side and a fourth inclined surface portion 125b located on the radially inward side.

[0025] When the meshing clutch 100 is locked, for example, to prevent relative rotation of the inner ring 110 with respect to the outer ring 120 in the forward direction, the third inclined surface portion 125a of the first pocket portion 121a functions as an engaging surface that contacts the first roller 130a. Also, when the meshing clutch 100 is locked, for example, to prevent relative rotation of the inner ring 110 with respect to the outer ring 120 in the reverse direction, the second pocket portion 121b Third inclined surface portion 125a This functions as an engaging surface that contacts the second roller 130b.

[0026] In this embodiment, the biasing means 140 is composed of, for example, a girder spring and is mounted in a mounting groove 135 formed on the outer circumferential surface of each of the multiple rollers 130 so as to extend in the circumferential direction. By using a girder spring as the biasing means 140, it becomes unnecessary to provide multiple biasing means corresponding to each of the multiple rollers 130, thus reducing the number of parts and facilitating miniaturization.

[0027] In this embodiment, the switching member 150 is composed of, for example, a plate-shaped member that is rotatably mounted independently of the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120, and has a columnar projection 153 that protrudes outward from the center of the rear side. Reference numeral 158 denotes a rod-shaped operating part that is provided integrally with the switching member 150 and extends in the direction of the rotation axis. The switching member 150 is slidably held in the mounting grooves 135 of each of the multiple rollers 130, and its columnar projection 153 is rotatably inserted into a recess formed on the front surface of the inner ring 110. The switching member 150 has a plurality of roller position changing sections 151 corresponding to each of the plurality of roller pairs 131. The roller position changing section 151 is configured to move either or both of the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b between the roller support section 111 and the corresponding first pocket section 121a and second pocket section 121b, and has a first cam surface 152a formed such that its outer diameter gradually increases with rotation of the switching member 150 in the forward direction, and a second cam surface 152b formed such that its outer diameter gradually decreases with rotation of the switching member 150 in the forward direction.

[0028] The operation of the above-mentioned engagement clutch 100 will be explained below. The meshing clutch 100 according to this embodiment has four switchable operating modes: a bidirectional lock mode that prohibits relative rotation of the inner ring 110 and outer ring 120 in both forward and reverse directions; a forward lock mode that prohibits relative rotation of the inner ring 110 and outer ring 120 in the forward direction; a reverse lock mode that prohibits relative rotation of the inner ring 110 and outer ring 120 in the reverse direction; and a bidirectional free mode that allows relative rotation of the inner ring 110 and outer ring 120 in both forward and reverse directions.

[0029] First, we will explain the operation of the engagement clutch 100 when the switching member 150 is in a non-operating state.

[0030] As shown in Figure 5A, when the switching member 150 is fixed in the first fixed position and in a non-operating state, torque is applied to the inner ring 110 or the outer ring 120, maintaining a meshing standby state so that the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b immediately begin meshing with the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120. Therefore, the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100 is the bidirectional lock mode. In Figure 5A, for convenience, the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 110 and the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring 120 are shown as parallel planes. The same applies to Figures 5B and 5C below.

[0031] As shown in Figure 5B, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the forward direction, the first roller 130a is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the first inclined surface portion 115a of the roller support portion 111 that supports the first roller 130a and the third inclined surface portion 125a of the first pocket portion 121a, causing the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to mesh. The first roller 130a is sandwiched circumferentially between the first inclined surface 115a and the third inclined surface 125a in a state where the contact angle α, which is the angle formed by the line connecting the contact points where each of the first inclined surface 115a and the third inclined surface 125a contacts the first roller 130a with respect to the radial direction (the direction in which the line connecting the rotation axis of the meshing clutch 100 and the center of the first roller 130a extends), is less than 90°. When the size of the contact angle α is close to 90°, it becomes difficult for component forces to be generated in response to the input load, making it possible to obtain a reliable backstop function (reverse rotation prevention function). Also, when the size of the contact angle α is close to 0°, the step difference of the inner ring 110 becomes smaller, making it possible to reduce the rolling resistance of the roller 130 in the one-way lock mode. Since the second pocket portion 121b does not have an inclined surface portion that can sandwich the second roller 130b between itself and the first inclined surface portion 115a of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b, the second roller 130b maintains a state of waiting to engage.

[0032] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5C, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the reverse direction, the second roller 130b is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the second inclined surface portion 115b of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b and the third inclined surface portion 125a of the second pocket portion 121b, causing the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to mesh. The second roller 130b is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the second inclined surface 115b and the third inclined surface 125a, such that the magnitude of the contact angle α is less than 90°. Since the first pocket portion 121a does not have an inclined surface portion that can sandwich the first roller 130a between itself and the second inclined surface portion 115b of the roller support portion 111 that supports the first roller 130a, the first roller 130a maintains a state of waiting to engage.

[0033] Next, the switching operation of the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100 will be explained based on Figures 6A to 6C and Figure 7. For convenience, in Figures 6A to 6C and Figure 7, the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 110 and the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring 120 are shown as parallel planes.

[0034] With the engagement clutch 100 in the bidirectional locking mode, as shown in Figure 6A, for example, when the switching member 150 is rotated in the forward direction and fixed in the second fixed position, the action of the first cam surface 152a in the roller position changing section 151 causes only the first roller 130a of the roller pair to move against the biasing force of the biasing means 140 and be housed in the first pocket section 121a. As a result, the first roller 130a is held in a state detached from the inner ring 110.

[0035] In this state, as shown in Figure 6B, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the forward direction, the second pocket portion 121b does not have an inclined surface portion that can sandwich the second roller 130b between itself and the first inclined surface portion 115a of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b. Therefore, the second roller 130b moves toward the second pocket portion 121b so as to ride up onto the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 110, causing the inner ring 110 to spin freely.

[0036] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6C, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the reverse direction, the second roller 130b is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the second inclined surface portion 115b of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b and the third inclined surface portion 125a of the second pocket portion 121b, causing the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to mesh. At this time, the contact angle α of the second roller 130b is less than 90°.

[0037] In this way, by rotating the switching member 150 in the forward direction and holding the first roller 130a in a state where it is detached from the inner ring 110, it is possible to switch the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100 from the bidirectional lock mode to the reverse direction lock mode. Although not shown in the diagram, it is also possible to switch the operating mode of the engagement clutch 100 from bidirectional lock mode to forward rotation lock mode by rotating the switching member 150 so that only the second roller 130b of the roller pair disengages from the inner ring 110.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, when the switching member 150 is rotated in the forward direction and fixed in the third fixed position, the action of the first cam surface 152a in the roller position changing section 151 causes both the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b in the roller pair to move against the biasing force of the biasing means 140 so that they are housed in the first pocket section 121a and the second pocket section 121b, respectively. As a result, both the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b are held in a state detached from the inner ring 110. In this state, the inner ring 110 will spin freely regardless of whether it is rotated in the forward or reverse direction.

[0039] Therefore, by rotating the switching member 150 in the forward direction and holding the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b in a state where they are detached from the inner ring 110, it is possible to switch the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100 to a bidirectional free mode.

[0040] In the above-described meshing clutch 100, torque is transmitted between the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 by clamping the first roller 130a in the circumferential direction between the first inclined surface 115a of the roller support portion 111 that supports the first roller 130a and the third inclined surface 125a of the first pocket portion 121a, or by clamping the second roller 130b in the circumferential direction between the second inclined surface 115b of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b and the third inclined surface 125a of the second pocket portion 121b. As a result, wind-up (elastic deformation) does not occur during torque transmission, and the meshing clutch 100 can be configured to have high rigidity. Furthermore, stable meshing can be achieved with a simple structure, miniaturization is possible, and many rollers 130 can be arranged in a small space, enabling high torque transmission. Furthermore, because the surface pressure acting on the inclined surface and roller 130 during torque transmission can be reduced, it becomes possible to design the product using inexpensive materials that are resistant to chipping and wear due to impact. In addition, since the roller 130 itself rotates, it is less likely for the rollers to mesh at the same point, which improves durability and allows for a longer lifespan.

[0041] Furthermore, by simply rotating the switching member 150, the rollers 130 can be detached from the inner ring 110 by the action of the first cam surface 152a or the second cam surface 152b on the switching member 150. This makes it easy to switch the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100, and in the free mode, which allows relative rotation of the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120, all of the rollers 130 are detached from the inner ring 110, thus reducing friction loss and noise.

[0042] <Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment described above, a configuration using a girder spring as a biasing means was explained, but a configuration in which multiple biasing means corresponding to each of the multiple rollers is also possible. An example of a configuration of a meshing clutch according to the second embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 8 to 11.

[0043] The meshing clutch 100 according to the second embodiment has the same basic structure as the meshing clutch 100 according to the first embodiment, and in Figures 8 to 11, for convenience, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the meshing clutch 100 according to the first embodiment. In this meshing clutch 100, as shown in Figure 9, in each of the first pocket portion 121a and the second pocket portion 121b formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 123 of the outer ring 120, continuous with the bottom surface of the first pocket portion 121a and the second pocket portion 121b, in the same direction as the first pocket portion 121a and the second pocket portion 121b Sloping An extendable spring housing hole 128 is formed.

[0044] The biasing means 140 is composed of, for example, a coil spring, and each of the multiple biasing means 140 corresponding to each of the multiple rollers 130 is housed in a spring housing hole 128 in a retractable manner.

[0045] In the meshing clutch 100 according to this embodiment, when the switching member 150 is fixed in the first fixed position and in a non-operating state (for example, the state shown in Figure 9), torque is applied to the inner ring 110 or the outer ring 120, maintaining a meshing standby state so that the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b immediately begin to mesh with the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120. Therefore, the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100 is the bidirectional lock mode.

[0046] When the inner ring 110 is rotated in the forward direction, the first roller 130a is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the first inclined surface portion 115a of the roller support portion 111 that supports the first roller 130a and the third inclined surface portion 125a of the first pocket portion 121a, causing the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to mesh. Since the second pocket portion 121b does not have an inclined surface portion that can sandwich the second roller 130b between itself and the first inclined surface portion 115a of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b, the second roller 130b maintains a state of waiting to engage.

[0047] On the other hand, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the reverse direction, the second roller 130b is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the second inclined surface portion 115b of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b and the third inclined surface portion 125a of the second pocket portion 121b, causing the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to mesh. Since the first pocket portion 121a does not have an inclined surface portion that can sandwich the first roller 130a between itself and the second inclined surface portion 115b of the roller support portion 111 that supports the first roller 130a, the first roller 130a maintains a state of waiting to engage.

[0048] In this meshing clutch 100, for example, by rotating the switching member 150 in the forward direction and holding the first roller 130a in a state where it is disengaged from the inner ring 110, it is possible to switch the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100 from a bidirectional lock mode to a reverse direction lock mode.

[0049] In other words, when the meshing clutch 100 is in the bidirectional locking mode, as shown in Figure 12, for example, when the switching member 150 is rotated in the forward direction and fixed in the second fixed position, the action of the first cam surface 152a in the roller position changing section 151 causes only the first roller 130a of the roller pair to move against the biasing force of the biasing means 140 and be housed in the first pocket section 121a. As a result, the first roller 130a is held in a state detached from the inner ring 110.

[0050] In this state, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the forward direction, the second pocket portion 121b does not have an inclined surface portion that can sandwich the second roller 130b between itself and the first inclined surface portion 115a of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b. Therefore, the second roller 130b moves toward the second pocket portion 121b so as to ride up onto the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 110, causing the inner ring 110 to spin freely.

[0051] On the other hand, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the reverse direction, the second roller 130b is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the second inclined surface portion 115b of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b and the third inclined surface portion 125a of the second pocket portion 121b, causing the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to mesh.

[0052] In the above state, when the first roller 130a is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the first inclined surface portion 115a and the third inclined surface 125a, and when the second roller 130b is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the second inclined surface portion 115b and the third inclined surface 125a, the magnitude of the contact angle of the first roller 130a and the magnitude of the contact angle of the second roller 130b are less than 90°.

[0053] Furthermore, by rotating the switching member 150 in the forward direction and holding the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b in a state where they are detached from the inner ring 110, it is possible to switch the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100 to a bidirectional free mode.

[0054] In other words, as shown in Figure 13, when the switching member 150 is rotated in the forward direction and fixed in the third fixed position, the action of the first cam surface 152a in the roller position changing section 151 causes both the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b in the roller pair to move against the biasing force of the biasing means 140 so that they are housed in the first pocket section 121a and the second pocket section 121b, respectively. As a result, both the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b are held in a state detached from the inner ring 110. In this state, the inner ring 110 will spin freely regardless of whether it is rotated in the forward or reverse direction.

[0055] The meshing clutch 100 with the above configuration also provides the same effects and advantages as the meshing clutch 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0056] In the meshing clutch 100 according to this embodiment, the roller 130 is configured to have a mounting groove 135 on its outer circumference, but as shown in Figure 14, the roller 130 may be configured not to have a mounting groove.

[0057] In the first and second embodiments, a configuration was described in which, when switching the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100, the switching member 150 is rotated independently of the rotational movement of the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to disengage the roller 130 from the inner ring 110. However, the switching member only needs to be configured to disengage the roller 130 from either the inner ring 110 or the outer ring 120.

[0058] <Third Embodiment> Figure 15 is a perspective view from the axial rear side showing an example configuration of a meshing clutch according to the third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 16 is a perspective view from the axial front side showing the configuration of the meshing clutch shown in Figure 15 in a partially cutaway state; and Figure 17 is an axial cross-sectional view of the meshing clutch shown in Figure 15, cut by a plane including the rotation axis. The meshing clutch 100 according to the third embodiment has the same configuration as the meshing clutch 100 according to the first embodiment, except that the configuration of the switching member 150 is different.

[0059] The switching member 150 according to this embodiment is provided so as to be movable in the axial direction independently of the rotational movement of the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120. As shown in Figure 18, the switching member 150 comprises a cylindrical base 155 and a plurality of roller position changing parts 151 that are integrally provided on one end face of the base 155 so as to extend axially and correspond to each of the plurality of roller pairs 131.

[0060] Each roller position changing section 151 includes a column section 160, a first pressing section 161 provided on one circumferential side (reverse direction side) of the column section 160 for pressing the first roller 130a, and a second pressing section 163 provided on the other circumferential side (forward rotation direction side) of the column section 160 for pressing the second roller 130b. The first pressing portion 161 has a first tapered portion 162 which is tapered so as to become wider toward the axial rear side. The second pressing portion 163 has a second tapered portion 164 which is tapered so as to become wider toward the axial rear side. The first tapered portion 162 is located on the axial rear side relative to the second tapered portion 164, and by adjusting the amount of axial movement of the switching member 150, it is possible to change the position of only the second roller 130b in the roller pair 131, or to change the positions of both the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b.

[0061] The column portion 160 of the roller position changing section 151 is provided with a first fixing hole 165a for fixing the switching member 150 to a first fixed position and holding the switching member 150 in a non-operating state, a second fixing hole 165b for fixing the switching member 150 to a second fixed position and holding the second roller 130b in a state detached from the inner ring 110, and a third fixing hole 165c for fixing the switching member 150 to a third fixed position and holding the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b in a state detached from the inner ring 110. The axial position of the switching member 150 can be fixed by inserting the position fixing pin 170 into any of the first fixing hole 165a, the second fixing hole 165b, and the third fixing hole 165c.

[0062] Each of the multiple roller position changing sections 151 in the switching member 150 is inserted into a through hole 122a formed in the bottom plate portion 122 of the outer ring 120, and is positioned radially on the inner ring 110 side between the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b of the roller pair 131. In addition, the cover member 175 fitted onto the outer ring 120 from the axial front side also has a through hole 176 formed opposite the through hole 122a of the outer ring 120, into which the roller position changing section 151 can be inserted.

[0063] The operation of the meshing clutch 100 according to the third embodiment described above will be explained below. The meshing clutch 100 according to this embodiment has four switchable operating modes: a bidirectional lock mode that prohibits relative rotation of the inner ring 110 and outer ring 120 in both forward and reverse directions; a forward lock mode that prohibits relative rotation of the inner ring 110 and outer ring 120 in the forward direction; a reverse lock mode that prohibits relative rotation of the inner ring 110 and outer ring 120 in the reverse direction; and a bidirectional free mode that allows relative rotation of the inner ring 110 and outer ring 120 in both forward and reverse directions.

[0064] First, as shown in Figure 19, when the switching member 150 is fixed in the first fixed position and the switching member 150 is in a non-operating state, as shown in Figure 20, torque is applied to the inner ring 110 or the outer ring 120, maintaining a meshing standby state so that the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b immediately begin meshing with the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120. Therefore, the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100 is set to the bidirectional lock mode. Note that in Figure 20, for convenience, the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 110 and the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring 120 are shown as parallel planes.

[0065] When the inner ring 110 is rotated in the forward direction, the first roller 130a is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the first inclined surface portion 115a of the roller support portion 111 that supports the first roller 130a and the third inclined surface portion 125a of the first pocket portion 121a, causing the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to mesh. Since the second pocket portion 121b does not have an inclined surface portion that can sandwich the second roller 130b between itself and the first inclined surface portion 115a of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b, the second roller 130b maintains a state of waiting to engage.

[0066] On the other hand, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the reverse direction, the second roller 130b is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the second inclined surface portion 115b of the roller support portion 111 that supports the second roller 130b and the third inclined surface portion 125a of the second pocket portion 121b, causing the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to mesh. Since the first pocket portion 121a does not have an inclined surface portion that can sandwich the first roller 130a between itself and the second inclined surface portion 115b of the roller support portion 111 that supports the first roller 130a, the first roller 130a maintains a state of waiting to engage.

[0067] In this meshing clutch 100, for example, by holding the second roller 130b in the roller pair 131 in a state where it is disengaged from the inner ring 110, it is possible to switch the operating mode of the meshing clutch 100 from a bidirectional lock mode to a forward rotation lock mode.

[0068] In other words, when the meshing clutch 100 is in the bidirectional locking mode, as shown in Figure 21, for example, when the switching member 150 is moved to the axial front side and fixed in the second fixed position, as shown in Figure 22, the action of the second tapered portion 164 in the roller position changing portion 151 causes only the second roller 130b of the roller pair 131 to move against the biasing force of the biasing means 140 and be housed in the second pocket portion 121b. As a result, the second roller 130b is held in a state detached from the inner ring 110.

[0069] In this state, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the forward direction, the first roller 130a is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the first inclined surface portion 115a of the roller support portion 111 that supports the first roller 130a and the third inclined surface portion 125a of the first pocket portion 121a, causing the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to mesh.

[0070] On the other hand, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the reverse direction, the first pocket portion 121a does not have an inclined surface portion that can sandwich the first roller 130a between itself and the second inclined surface portion 115b of the roller support portion 111 that supports the first roller 130a. As a result, the first roller 130a moves toward the first pocket portion 121a so as to ride up onto the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 110, causing the inner ring 110 to spin freely.

[0071] In the above state, when the first roller 130a is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the first inclined surface portion 115a and the third inclined surface 125a, and when the second roller 130b is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the second inclined surface portion 115b and the third inclined surface 125a, the magnitude of the contact angle of the first roller 130a and the magnitude of the contact angle of the second roller 130b are less than 90°.

[0072] Furthermore, by holding the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b in a state detached from the inner ring 110, it is possible to switch the operating mode of the engagement clutch 100 to a bidirectional free mode.

[0073] Specifically, as shown in Figure 23, when the switching member 150 is moved axially to the front side and fixed in the third fixed position, as shown in Figure 24, the second tapered portion 164 in the roller position changing portion 151 moves the second roller 130b to be housed in the second pocket portion 121b against the biasing force of the biasing means 140, and the first roller 130a moves to be housed in the first pocket portion 121a against the biasing force of the biasing means 140, due to the action of the first tapered portion 162. As a result, both the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b are held detached from the inner ring 110. In this state, the inner ring 110 will spin freely regardless of whether it is rotated in the forward or reverse direction.

[0074] The meshing clutch 100 with the above configuration also provides the same effects and advantages as the meshing clutch 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0075] In the first to third embodiments described above, the arrangement of multiple pairs of rollers 131 coincides with the position of the roller support portion 111 so that all rollers 130 are simultaneously supported by the roller support portion 111 on the inner ring 110. However, as shown in Figure 25, the configuration may also include multiple pairs of rollers 131 that are circumferentially offset from the roller support portion 111. In this example, in the meshing clutch 100 according to the third embodiment, multiple pairs of rollers 131 are arranged at positions offset by half a pitch in the circumferential direction from the roller support portion 111. This arrangement makes it possible to reduce backlash and achieve smooth meshing.

[0076] In the first to third embodiments described above, a meshing clutch configured to allow switching between four operating modes—a bidirectional lock mode, a forward rotation lock mode, a reverse rotation lock mode, and a bidirectional free mode—was described. However, the operating mode may be configured to allow switching between two operating modes: a bidirectional lock mode and a bidirectional free mode.

[0077] <Fourth Embodiment> Figure 26A is a schematic diagram illustrating the main components of one configuration example of a meshing clutch according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. For convenience, in Figure 26A, the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 110 and the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring 120 are shown as parallel planes. The same applies to Figures 26B, 26C, and 27. This meshing clutch has multiple rollers 130 arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction between an inner ring 110 and an outer ring 120 that are arranged to rotate relative to each other on the same axis. Roller support portions 111 are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 110 at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction, and a plurality of pocket portions 121 corresponding to each of the plurality of rollers 130 are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring 120.

[0078] The pocket portion 121 has an opening width that increases radially inward from the bottom surface, and has a planar third inclined surface portion 125a and a planar fourth inclined surface portion 125b that are inclined in different directions at an angle of less than 90° with respect to the circumferential direction. The third inclined surface portion 125a is formed to extend radially outward with an inclination in one circumferential direction (reverse direction), and functions as an engagement surface that contacts the roller 130 when, for example, the inner ring 110 is locked to prevent relative rotation in the forward direction with respect to the outer ring 120. The fourth inclined surface portion 125b is formed to extend radially outward and inclined in the circumferential direction (forward rotation direction), and functions as an engagement surface that contacts the roller 130 when, for example, a locked state is set that prohibits relative rotation of the inner ring 110 with respect to the outer ring 120 in the reverse direction.

[0079] Each pocket portion 121 has a spring housing hole 128 that extends radially and is continuous with the bottom surface of the pocket portion 121.

[0080] The biasing means 140 is composed of, for example, a coil spring, and each of the multiple biasing means 140 corresponding to each of the multiple rollers 130 is housed in a spring housing hole 128 in a retractable manner.

[0081] In the meshing clutch according to this embodiment, when the switching member 150 is in a non-operating state, torque is applied to the inner ring 110 or outer ring 120, maintaining a meshing standby state so that the roller 130 immediately begins to mesh with the inner ring 110 and outer ring 120. Therefore, the operating mode of the meshing clutch is set to bidirectional lock mode.

[0082] As shown in Figure 26B, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the forward direction, the roller 130 is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the first inclined surface portion 115a of the roller support portion 111 and the third inclined surface portion 125a of the pocket portion 121, causing the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to mesh. The roller 130 is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the first inclined surface 115a and the third inclined surface 125a, such that the magnitude of the contact angle α is less than 90°.

[0083] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 26C, when the inner ring 110 is rotated in the reverse direction, the roller 130 is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the second inclined surface portion 115b of the roller support portion 111 and the fourth inclined surface portion 125b of the pocket portion 121, causing the inner ring 110 and the outer ring 120 to mesh. The roller 130 is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the second inclined surface 115b and the fourth inclined surface 125b, such that the contact angle α is less than 90°.

[0084] In this meshing clutch, the operating mode of the meshing clutch can be switched to a bidirectional free mode by rotating the switching member 150 in the forward direction and holding the first roller 130a and the second roller 130b in a state where they are detached from the inner ring 110.

[0085] In other words, as shown in Figure 27, when the switching member 150 is rotated in the forward direction and fixed in the operating position, the action of the first cam surface 152a in the roller position changing portion of the switching member 150 causes the roller 130 to move against the biasing force of the biasing means 140 so that it is housed in the pocket portion 121. As a result, the roller 130 is held in a state detached from the inner ring 110. In this state, the inner ring 110 will spin freely regardless of whether it is rotated in the forward or reverse direction.

[0086] The meshing clutch with the above configuration can also obtain the same effects and advantages as the meshing clutch 100 according to the first to third embodiments.

[0087] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the present invention as described in the claims. For example, in each of the embodiments described above, a configuration in which the outer ring is fixed and the inner ring rotates has been described, but a configuration in which the inner ring is fixed and the outer ring rotates, or a configuration in which both the inner and outer rings rotate, may also be used. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0088] 100... Engagement clutch 110 ··· Internal circle 111... Roller support section 112 ··· Shaft 115... Inclined surface section 115a... 1st slope section 115b...Second slope section 120 ··· Outer ring 121 ··· Pocket section 121a ··· First pocket section 121b ··· Second pocket section 122...Bottom plate part 122a... Through hole 123 ··· Cylindrical part 124...Bearing section 125... Slope section 125a...Third slope section 125b... 4th slope section 128 ··· Spring housing hole 130 ··· Laura 130a ··· 1st roller 130b ··· Second roller 131 ··· Laura vs. 135 ··· Mounting groove 140 ··· biasing means 150 ··· Switching component 151... Roller position change section 152a ··· First cam surface 152b ··· Second cam surface 153... Columnar protrusion 155 ... base 158...Operation section 160 ··· Column part 161 ··· First pressing section 162 ··· First tapered section 163... Second pressing section 164 ··· Second tapered section 165a... 1st fixing hole 165b... 2nd fixing hole 165c... 3rd fixing hole 170 ··· Position fixing pin 175 ··· Cover component 176 ··· Through hole

Claims

1. A meshing clutch comprising an inner ring and an outer ring mounted coaxially and rotatably relative to each other, a plurality of rollers provided between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a biasing means for radially biasing each of the plurality of rollers, A roller support portion for supporting the roller is formed on either the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring or the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring, and the roller support portion includes an inclined surface portion having a planar inclined surface that extends inclined with respect to the circumferential direction. A pocket portion capable of accommodating the roller is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring and the other of the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring, and the pocket portion includes an inclined surface portion having a planar inclined surface that extends inclined with respect to the circumferential direction. The roller is sandwiched in the circumferential direction between the inclined surface of the roller support and the inclined surface of the pocket, thereby preventing relative rotation of the outer ring and the inner ring. The switching member further comprises a switching member configured to move at least one of the plurality of rollers so as to be housed in the pocket portion against the biasing force of the biasing means, The aforementioned plurality of rollers are arranged in pairs at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction, The aforementioned pocket portion includes a first pocket portion corresponding to one of the paired rollers and a second pocket portion corresponding to the other roller. A meshing clutch characterized in that the first pocket portion is formed to extend radially outward with an inclination in one circumferential direction, and the second pocket portion is formed to extend radially outward with an inclination in the other circumferential direction.

2. The meshing clutch according to claim 1, characterized in that the biasing means is a garter spring.

3. The meshing clutch according to Claim 1, characterized in that the cross-sectional shape of the opening edge of the roller support portion is R-chamfered.

4. The meshing clutch according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of pairs of rollers are arranged to be offset in the circumferential direction with respect to the roller support portion.

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