Power Window Clutch Roller Support for Grease Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing clutch designs for power window motors face issues with grease distribution between the clutch housing and rollers, leading to insufficient grease, which affects the clutch's ability to effectively transmit rotational force and prevent unwanted rotation when the motor is not driven.
Innovation Solution
The clutch design includes an annular clutch housing, a drive side rotating body, a driven side rotating body, rollers, and a support member, with grease applied between the clutch housing and rollers, where the support member restricts the rollers' rotation to prevent grease scattering and ensure adequate lubrication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If grease is applied between the inner circumferential surface of the clutch housing and the rollers to restrict slipping, then the rollers can effectively hinder rotation when the rotation shaft is not driven, but the grease becomes scattered when the rotation shaft is rotationally driven, resulting in insufficient grease
Solution Approach 1:
A grease retention member is introduced as an intermediary component between the clutch housing and the rollers. This member has a grease retention portion that holds grease, and a grease supply portion that supplies grease to the contact surface between the rollers and the clutch housing. This intermediary structure prevents grease scattering during rotation while ensuring adequate grease supply for maintaining the locking function.
Solution Approach 2:
The grease retention member pre-supplies grease to the contact surface before the rollers begin to rotate. By having grease already positioned at the grease supply portion, the system ensures that grease is available at the critical interface before scattering occurs during operation, maintaining effective lubrication and locking function throughout the operational cycle.
2Ease of operation
If the rollers are allowed to rotate freely about their central axes during rotation, then the rollers can rotate smoothly along the inner circumferential surface, but the grease scatters and becomes insufficient for maintaining proper sandwiching
Solution Approach 1:
The grease retention member acts as an intermediary that manages grease distribution. It includes a grease retention portion that stores grease and a grease supply portion that continuously replenishes grease at the contact interface, allowing the rollers to rotate smoothly while preventing grease loss and maintaining the sandwiching function.
Solution Approach 2:
The grease retention member changes the grease supply parameter from a static initial application to a dynamic continuous supply. By structuring the member with both retention and supply portions, the system maintains optimal grease levels at the contact surface throughout rotation, ensuring both smooth operation and reliable sandwiching.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design prevents grease scarcity, allowing the rollers to function effectively as wedges, ensuring proper rotational force transmission and preventing unwanted rotation when the motor is not driven, thus enhancing the clutch's performance and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
Grease is applied between the inner circumferential surface of the clutch housing and the rollers to restrict slipping of the rollers on the inner circumferential surface of the clutch housing
Implementation Method 2
when the rotation shaft is rotationally driven, the rollers rotate about their axes while rotating along the inner circumferential surface of the clutch housing about the rotation axis of the drive side rotating body. Thus, the grease between the inner circumferential surface of the clutch housing and the rollers is scattered as the rollers rotate about their central axes.
Data Source
AI summary
A clutch includes a roller arranged between a clutch housing and a driven side rotating body. The roller is rotated about a rotation axis of a drive side rotating body together with the drive side rotating body when the drive side rotating body is rotationally driven. The roller hinders rotation of the driven side rotating body by being sandwiched between the clutch housing and the driven side rotating body when the drive side rotating body is not rotationally driven. The support member sandwiches the roller between the clutch housing and the driven side rotating body. The support member rotates about the rotation axis of the drive side rotating body together with the drive side rotating body. The grease is arranged between the clutch housing and the roller. The support member restricts rotation of the roller about a central axis of the roller.