Rolling-contact bearing type clutch

A rolling-contact bearing type clutch comprising an inner rotation body, an outer rotation body, a plurality of intermediate rotation bodies and energizing means;

• said inner rotation body defining an inner raceway surface in the shape of a mono-hyperboloid of revolution about one axis line;
• said outer rotation body defining an outer raceway surface in the shape of a mono-hyperboloid of revolution about said axis line;
• said inner raceway surface and said outer raceway surface facing each other to form a combination of raceways;
• said intermediate rotation bodies having conical rolling surfaces and being disposed in the circumferential direction of said raceways with their center axes slanting at a predetermined angle to a section including said axis of said inner and outer rotation bodies, the surface of each intermediate rotation body being in line contact with said inner and outer raceway surfaces, whereby said intermediate rotation bodies have large diameter sides with diameters larger than small diameter sides thereof;
• said energizing means comprising means for pushing said intermediate rotation bodies in the direction from the large diameter side to the small diameter side of said intermediate rotation bodies;
• and
• said inner or outer rotation body being provided with an annular member which brings the movement of said intermediate rotation bodies in the axis line direction to a stop and guides rolling of said intermediate rotation bodies at the large diameter side thereof.

A rolling-contact bearing type clutch comprising an inner rotation body, an outer rotation body, a plurality of intermediate rotation bodies and energizing means;

• said inner rotation body defining an inner raceway surface in the shape of a cylinder about one axis line;
• said outer rotation body defining an outer raceway surface in the shape of a combined curved surface of a mono-hyperboloid of revolution and an ellipsoid about said axis line;
• said inner raceway surface and said outer raceway surface facing each other to form a combination of raceways;
• said intermediate rotation bodies having an hourglass shaped rolling surface and being formed with a partial curve of ellipse rotated about the center axis thereof and with the radial section gradually increased from one end to the other end being disposed in the circumferential direction of said raceways with their center axes slanting at a predetermined angle to a section including said axis of said inner and outer rotation bodies, the surface of each intermediate rotation body being in line contact with said inner and outer raceway surfaces,
• said energizing means comprising means for pushing said rotation bodies in the direction from said other end to said one end of said intermediate rotation bodies;
• and
• said inner or outer rotation body being provided with an annular member which brings the movement of said intermediate rotation bodies in the axis line direction to a stop and guides rolling of said intermediate rotation bodies at said other end.

A rolling-contact bearing type clutch comprising an inner rotation body, an outer rotation body, a plurality of intermediate rotation bodies and energizing means;

• said outer rotation body defining an outer raceway surface in the shape of a cylinder about one axis line;
• said inner rotation body defining an inner raceway surface in the shape of a combined curved surface of a mono-hyperboloid of revolution and an ellipsoid of revolution about said axis line;
• said inner raceway surface and said outer raceway surface facing each other to form a combination of raceways;
• said intermediate rotation bodies having a convex drum-shaped rolling surface formed with a partial curve of an ellipse rotated about the center axis thereof and with the radial section gradually increased from one end to the other end and being disposed in the circumferential direction of said raceways with their center axes slanting at a predetermined angle to a section including said axis of said inner and outer rotation bodies, the surface of each intermediate rotation body being in line contact with said inner and outer raceway surfaces,
• said energizing means comprising means for pushing said intermediate rotation bodies in the direction from said other end to said one end thereof;
• and
• said inner or outer rotation body being provided with an annular member which brings the movement of said intermediate rotation bodies in the axis line direction to a stop and guides rolling of said intermediate rotation bodies at said other end.