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US 2005/0133774 A1Published application
Drive-through force transmission device and methods
AssigneeWaupaca Elevator Company, Inc.
InventorDwayne Long
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A force transmission device comprises a winding drum, a force converter, and a clutch/brake. The force converter communicates with both the winding drum and the clutch/brake. The force converter is adapted to convert a torsional force in the winding drum, into axial force/movement. The axial force/movement applies a clutch-type driving force. The clutch/brake can also apply a radially-directed braking force, whereby the force converter provides mechanical load compensation.
Claims51
A force transmission device, comprising:
- (a) a prime mover;
- (b) a clutch/brake assembly communicating with said prime mover;
- (c) a winding drum communicating with said clutch/brake assembly;
- and
- (d) a force converter communicating with said clutch/brake assembly and said winding drum and,
- said clutch/brake assembly comprising a clutch/brake housing having a housing inner surface, a plurality of discs defining a collective outer perimeter surface, including at spaces between said discs, said discs being generally concentrically disposed within said clutch/brake housing, and at least one braking element disposed between said housing inner circumferential surface and the collective outer perimeter surface of said plurality of discs, thereby to realize a frictional coupling between said discs and the inner surface of said clutch/brake housing.
3 more elements
A force transmission device, comprising:
- (a) drive shaft;
- (b) a force converter comprising a first actuation member and a second actuation member, said force converter being drivingly engaged with said drive shaft;
- (c) a clutch communicating with said force converter;
- and
- (d) a winding drum drivably engaged with said force converter;
- said first actuation member and said second actuation member being engaged with each other so as to effect axial movement of at least one of said first and second actuation members relative to the other of said first and second actuation members, and wherein the axial movement of the at least one of said first and second actuation members corresponds to respective engagement and/or disengagement of said clutch.
3 more elements
A force transmission device comprising:
- (a) a drive shaft;
- (b) a force converter drivingly engaged with said drive shaft;
- and
- (c) a winding drum drivably engaged with said force converter;
- said force converter further comprising a first actuation member and a second actuation member, said force converter being adapted and configured so as to enable at least one of said first and second actuation members to axially move relative to the other of said first and second actuation members, whereby a torsional force applied to at least one of said first actuation member and said second actuation member realizes an axial advancement or regression of at least one of said first actuation member and said second actuation member relative to the other one of said first actuation member and said second actuation member.
2 more elements
A drive-through clutch/brake comprising:
- (a) a clutch assembly including at least one clutch disc, at least one friction disc, a helical gear, and a helical drive;
- (b) a brake housing;
- (c) at least one brake element effective to engage said clutch assembly at said at least one clutch disc and/or said at least one friction disc, and said brake housing.
A method of automatically controlling a load, comprising:
- (a) suspending a gravitationally-actuated load from a force transmission device, the force transmission device comprising a winding drum, a force converter, and a brake;
- (b) transferring the gravitationally actuated load through a cable, to said winding drum and thereby converting the gravitational force to a torsional force;
- (c) transferring at least some of the force from the winding drum, through the force converter, and into the brake;
- and
- (d) converting at least some of the torsional force from the winding drum into axial movement, and thereby developing a braking force in the brake.
2 more elements
A method of controlling a load, comprising:
- (a) applying a loading force, in a loading direction, to a force transmission device comprising a force receiver, a force converter, and a brake;
- (b) applying sufficient braking energy to the brake to prevent the loading force from causing motion;
- and
- (c) applying driving energy from a prime mover to the force transmission device, in a direction such that the driving energy force is additive to the loading force, and in sufficient amount to overcome the braking force provided by the brake, thereby to enable movement of the load in accord with the direction of the loading force while the braking energy is being applied.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.