US 5,199,538 AGranted

Drive device with variable torque-limiting system

AssigneeZahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AG

InventorsManfred Fischer, Alfred Magg

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Abstract

A drive device with variable torque-limiting system. When a setting mechanism (17) forming part of a crank mechanism (23) is actuated in order to displace a carrier waggon (19) to which a hydrofoil component (2) is fastened, large forces are induced. To avoid excessive stresses on the components, the torque-limiter (15) is designed so that the drive torque is automatically variable within the limits of an adjustment range (88). The drive torque to be limited can, for example, be set at low values at the beginning and at the end of an oscillation path of the setting mechanism (17). The drive torque is varied by varying the preloading force of the spring assembly (47) of the torque-limiter (15). To this end, a comparator (74) detects the number of rotations of the output shaft (38) and varies the preloading force of the spring assembly (47).

Claims22

Dependent claims

A drive device having a torque limiter (15) comprising an input shaft (32) and an output shaft (38);

an input flange (43) being supported by said input shaft (32) and carrying input ramps (44) on a surface thereof;
an output flange (46) drivingly connected with said output shaft (38) and being concentrically located and axially movably with respect to said input shaft (32), said output flange (46) having output ramps (45) on a surface thereof adjacent said input ramps (44), roller members (48) being supported between said input ramps and said output ramps (44, 45) via a pre-load force generated by a spring assembly (47), and a multi-disc brake (51) associated with said output flange for varying transmission of an output torque of said drive device,
wherein a comparator element (74) is drivingly connected with said output shaft (38) to detect the number of revolutions of said output shaft (38),
said spring assembly (47) interacts with said output flange (46) and said comparator element (74), and
the pre-load force of said spring assembly (47) is varied due to relative rotation between said comparator element (74) and said output flange (46) during operation of said drive device.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.