Selective Torque Coupling With Friction Spiral Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing torque transmission devices are complex, unreliable, and unable to selectively connect multiple output elements, limiting their efficiency and versatility in mechanical systems.
Innovation Solution
A device with connection means featuring rotating elements with logarithmic spiral profiles that can switch between engagement and disengagement configurations, allowing for selective and simultaneous connection to multiple output elements, enhancing torque transmission efficiency and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If elastic tabs are used to keep guide element and guided element disconnected, then the device can maintain disengagement state, but the device becomes complex and unreliable due to fragility of elastic tabs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the elastic tabs from the device structure entirely. Instead of using elastic tabs to maintain disengagement, the invention uses a rotating element with friction surfaces that can be actively engaged or disengaged through rotation, eliminating the fragile elastic components that caused reliability issues.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using elastic elements to maintain disengagement (passive state), the invention uses friction surfaces that maintain engagement through normal force (active state), and disengagement is achieved by rotating the element to change the friction contact geometry. This inverts the approach from passive elastic retention to active friction-based retention.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a free-wheel device with sprags is used to transmit torque, then torque can be transmitted in both directions, but the device cannot selectively connect to multiple output elements
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating element with friction surfaces serves multiple functions: it transmits torque in both rotational directions when engaged, and can be selectively disengaged from any output element. A single rotating element can connect to multiple different output elements by rotation, making the device versatile without requiring separate mechanisms for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a dynamic rotating element that can change its angular position to selectively engage different output elements. This dynamic capability allows the same friction surfaces to connect to multiple outputs sequentially or simultaneously, providing adaptability that static free-wheel devices cannot achieve.
3Device complexity
If simple solutions with few components are used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability and efficiency in torque transmission may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of multiple separate connection mechanisms into a single rotating element with friction surfaces. This merging reduces the total number of components while maintaining reliability, as the friction-based engagement is inherently robust and does not require fragile elastic elements or complex multi-component assemblies.
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
The device provides stable and efficient rotary motion transmission between elements, enabling selective connection to multiple outputs, improving system reliability and reducing component complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a first friction surface (1251) arranged to come into friction contact with a second friction surface (1101) of the receiving element when the connection means (120) is in the engagement configuration
Data Source
Figure 1~1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 2~2A
AI summary
A device (100) for the selective transmission of torques, said device (100) comprising an inlet arranged to provide an inlet torque Q and comprising a transmission element (105) arranged to rotate with speed ω about a rotation axis x. The device (100) also comprises a predetermined number m of outlets arranged to express, respectively, outlet torques T i , with i= 1,2,..., m each outlet comprising a receiving element (110,110',110a,110b,110a',110b') arranged to rotate with speed ϑ i about said rotation axis x. The device (100) comprises then connection means (120) arranged to pass between a disengagement configuration and an engagement configuration. In the disengagement configuration the inlet is disengaged by each outlet in such a way that Q ≠ T i and ω ≠ ϑ i . In the engagement configuration the inlet is engaged to a number n of outlets, with 1≤n≤m, and the transmission element (105) is connected by friction to a number n of respective receiving elements (110,110',110a,110b,110a', 110b') in such a way that (Formula I) (I) and ω = ϑ1 = ϑ2 =... = ϑn.