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US 11,035,423 B2Granted
Non-friction coupling and control assembly, engageable coupling assembly and locking member for use in the assemblies
AssigneeMeans Industries, Inc.
InventorJohn W. Kimes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An overrunning, non-friction coupling and control assembly, an engageable coupling assembly and locking members for use in the assemblies are provided. A centroid or center of mass of at least one of the locking members is offset from a pivot axis of the locking member so that as the locking member moves from an engaged position, a moment arm of the centroid relative to the pivot axis decreases from a maximum value to substantially zero in a disengaged position to facilitate disengagement of the locking member at high rotational speeds.
Claims28
A locking member for controllably transmitting torque between first and second coupling members of a coupling assembly, the first and second coupling members being supported for rotation relative to one another about a common rotational axis, the first coupling member including a coupling face having a pocket which is sized and shaped to receive and nominally retain the locking member, the locking member comprising:
- a member-engaging first end surface;
- a member-engaging second end surface;
- and
- an elongated main body portion between the end surfaces, the main body portion being configured to enable pivotal motion of the locking member about a pivot axis, the end surfaces of the locking member being movable between engaged and disengaged positions with respect to the coupling members during the pivotal motion whereby one-way torque transfer may occur between the coupling members and wherein a centroid of the locking member is offset from the pivot axis and in the disengaged position the centroid is substantially aligned with a first radial line containing the common rotational axis and the pivot axis and in the engaged position the centroid lies with the common rotation axis on a second radial line that is offset from the first radial line so that as the locking member moves from the engaged position, a moment arm of the centroid relative to the pivot axis decreases to facilitate disengagement of the locking member.
1 more element
An engageable coupling assembly comprising:
- first and second coupling members, the first and second coupling members being supported for rotation relative to one another about a common rotational axis;
- a locking member for controllably transmitting torque between the coupling members:
- the first coupling member having a coupling face with a pocket which is sized and shaped to receive and nominally retain the locking member, the pocket having a socket portion;
- the locking member including:
- a member-engaging first end surface;
- a member-engaging second end surface;
- and
- an elongated main body portion between the end surfaces, the main body portion including a projecting ball-shaped portion received and retained within the socket portion at a ball and socket interface to enable pivotal motion of the locking member about a pivot axis, the end surfaces of the locking member being movable between engaged and disengaged positions with respect to the coupling members during the pivotal motion whereby one-way torque transfer may occur between the coupling members;
- and
- wherein the socket portion of the pocket at the ball and socket interface has an arm that extends across a radial line containing the common rotational axis and the pivot axis and into the pocket, the arm of the socket portion being wrapped about a portion of the ball-shaped portion.
7 more elements
An overrunning coupling and control assembly comprising:
- first and second coupling members, the first and second coupling members being supported for rotation relative to one another about a common rotational axis;
- a locking member for controllably transmitting torque between the coupling members;
- the first coupling member having a first face with a pocket which is sized and shaped to receive and nominally retain the locking member and a second face having a passage in communication with the pocket to communicate an actuating force to the locking member to actuate the locking member within the pocket so that the locking member moves between engaged and disengaged positions, the pocket having a socket portion;
- the locking member including:
- a member-engaging first end surface;
- a member-engaging second end surface;
- and
- an elongated main body portion between the end surfaces, the main body portion including a projecting ball-shaped portion received and retained within the socket portion at a ball and socket interface to enable pivotal motion of the locking member about a pivot axis, the end surfaces of the locking member being movable between the engaged and disengaged positions with respect to the coupling members during the pivotal motion whereby one-way torque transfer may occur between the coupling members;
- and
- wherein the socket portion of the pocket at the ball and socket interface has an arm that extends across a radial line containing the common rotational axis and the pivot axis and into the pocket, the arm of the socket portion being wrapped about a portion of the ball-shaped portion.
7 more elements
An overrunning coupling and control assembly comprising:
- first and second coupling members supported for rotation relative to one another;
- a locking member for controllably transmitting torque between the coupling members;
- the first coupling member having a first face with a pocket which is sized and shaped to receive and nominally retain the locking member and a second face having a passage in communication with the pocket to communicate an actuating force to the locking member acting to pivot the locking member from a disengaged position to an engaged position with respect to the coupling members whereby one-way torque transfer may occur between the coupling members, the pocket having a socket portion;
- the locking member the locking member including:
- a member-engaging first end surface;
- a member-engaging second end surface;
- and
- an elongated main body portion between the end surfaces, the main body portion including a projecting ball-shaped portion received and retained within the socket portion at a ball and socket interface to enable pivotal motion of the locking member about a pivot axis, the end surfaces of the locking member being movable between the engaged and disengaged positions with respect to the coupling members during the pivotal motion;
- and
- an actuator received within the passage to provide the actuating force;
- a return spring disposed in a recess formed in the pocket plate to exert a spring force on the locking member acting to move the locking member to a disengaged position with respect to the coupling members;
- and
- wherein the socket portion of the pocket at the ball and socket interface has an arm that extends across a radial line containing the common rotational axis and the pivot axis and into the pocket, the arm of the socket portion being wrapped about a portion of the ball-shaped portion.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.