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US 2014/0228158 A1Published application
Torsional impact damping and decoupling pulley
AssigneeMotorcar Parts of America, Inc.
InventorsJohn G. AGNITCH, Nelson MEZA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pulley assembly for an automobile auxiliary apparatus, such as an alternator, that dampens torsional impacts and reduces the stress on the auxiliary apparatus, the belt drive system and other apparatuses, by use of both wear-prone damping elements and a one-way overrunning clutch mechanism allowing for the free run of the pulley shaft.
Claims12
A pulley assembly comprising:
- (a) an inner shaft;
- (b) an inner rotating element coupled to and disposed concentrically about the inner shaft;
- (c) a one-way overrunning clutch disposed between the inner shaft and the inner rotating element, the one-way overrunning clutch being configured so as to permit torque to be transferred from the inner rotating element to the inner shaft, and to substantially prevent the transfer of torque from the inner shaft to the inner rotating element;
- and
- (d) an outer pulley housing coupled to, and disposed about, the inner rotating element, and one or more damping elements disposed between the outer pulley housing and the inner rotating element, whereby torsional impacts to the pulley assembly are substantially reduced.
2 more elements
A pulley assembly comprising:
- (a) an elongated, generally cylindrical inner shaft;
- (b) an inner rotating element coupled to and disposed concentrically about the inner shaft;
- (c) a one-way overrunning clutch disposed between the inner shaft and the inner rotating element, the one-way overrunning clutch being configured so as to selectively permit torque to be transferred from the inner rotating element to the inner shaft, and to substantially prevent the transfer of torque from the inner shaft to the inner rotating element;
- (d) an outer pulley housing coupled to, and disposed about, the inner rotating element, so as to define a plurality of radial cavities therebetween;
- and
- (e) a plurality of damping elements disposed in one or more of the cavities, whereby torsional impacts to the pulley assembly are substantially reduced.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.