Clutch, steering device, and method for producing clutch

A clutch configured to mechanically establishing and disestablishing a torque transmission path between an input shaft through which a torque is input and an output shaft through which the torque is output, the clutch comprising:

• a sun gear configured to switch between a fixed state and a non-fixed state;
• an internal gear coupled to the input shaft in a torque transmittable manner;
• planetary gears configured to mesh with the sun gear and the internal gear;
• a carrier configured to rotatably support the planetary gears and coupled to the output shaft in a torque transmittable manner, the carrier comprising a through hole through which the output shaft extends;
• a third area disposed on an outer surface of the output shaft;
• a fourth area that is disposed on an inner wall of the carrier defining the through hole and that is spline-fitted to the third area;
• and
• a first area disposed at a position that is on the inner wall of the carrier defining the through hole and that is farther away from the input shaft than the fourth area is from the input shaft, the first area comprising a shape that makes the first area rotatable while being fitted to the third area.

A steering device comprising

• a clutch configured to mechanically establishing and disestablishing a torque transmission path between an input shaft through which a torque is input and an output shaft through which the torque is output, the clutch comprising:
• a sun gear configured to switch between a fixed state and a non-fixed state;
• an internal gear coupled to the input shaft in a torque transmittable manner;
• planetary gears configured to mesh with the sun gear and the internal gear;
• a carrier configured to rotatably support the planetary gears and coupled to the output shaft in a torque transmittable manner, the carrier comprising a through hole through which the output shaft extends;
• a first area disposed on an inner wall of the carrier defining the through hole;
• a second area that is disposed on an outer surface of the output shaft and that is spline-fitted to the first area;
• and
• a third area disposed at a position that is on the outer surface of the output shaft and that is closer to the input shaft than the second area is to the input shaft, the third area comprising a shape that makes the third area rotatable while being fitted to the first area.

A method for producing a clutch configured to mechanically establishing and disestablishing a torque transmission path between an input shaft through which a torque is input and an output shaft through which the torque is output, the clutch comprising:

• a sun gear configured to switch between a fixed state and a non-fixed state;
• an internal gear coupled to the input shaft in a torque transmittable manner;
• planetary gears configured to mesh with the sun gear and the internal gear;
• a carrier configured to rotatably support the planetary gears and coupled to the output shaft in a torque transmittable manner, the carrier comprising a through hole through which the output shaft extends;
• a first area disposed on an inner wall of the carrier defining the through hole;
• a second area that is disposed on an outer surface of the output shaft and that is spline-fitted to the first area;
• and
• a third area disposed at a position that is on the outer surface of the output shaft and that is closer to the input shaft than the second area is to the input shaft, the third area comprising a shape that makes the third area rotatable while being fitted to the first area,
• the method comprising:
• fitting the first area and the third area to each other;
• after the fitting step, adjusting a rotational angle of the carrier relative to the output shaft;
• and
• after the adjusting step, spline-fitting the output shaft and the carrier to each other.