Torque limiting clutch and its uses
AssigneeImplant Innovations, Inc.
InventorsKeith D. Beaty, Dan P. Rogers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A torque limiting clutch which transmits gradually increasing torque up to a prescribed limit at which limit the clutch disengages from its load. An embodiment designed for light service use in dentistry encloses all the working parts in a housing through which torque is applied to the load, and is autoclavable, This embodiment can be attached to known dental handpieces for assembling components of dental restorations with prescribed limited torque.
Claims20
A slipping clutch comprising a rotatable driving member having a face with first wave-like contours thereon, a rotatable driven member having a face with second wave-like contours thereon similar to said first contours, a plurality of substantially cylindrical self-caging anti-friction rollers disposed between said faces, one of said members being axially movable in either direction, self-cage means having a portion of larger diameter than said roller endwise integral with each of said rollers for locating said rollers between said first and second wavelike contours, and force means for applying a predetermined force for urging said one member toward the other member to maintain said rollers in contact with said faces.
A slipping clutch comprising rotatable driving means, a driving member mounted to rotate with said driving means, said driving member having an annular face with first contours thereon of a predetermined wavelike pattern, a driven member rotatably mounted on said driving means and adapted to impart torque to a load, said driven member having an annular face with second contours thereon similar to those on said driving member, a substantially annular cage space defined between said members, a plurality of spaced rollers each having a self-cage member located in said cage space and a roller member extending out of said cage space between said faces, means for applying a predetermined force urging the driving and driven members together to maintain the rollers in contact with said faces, said cage member of each roller member maintaining said roller member in a predetermined radial location, relative to the axis of rotation of said driving means.
A slipping clutch comprising a rotatable driving member having a face with wavelike contours thereon, a rotatable driven member having a face with wavelike contours thereon similar to the contours on the driving member face, a bore through a first of said members, said bore aligned on the axis of rotation of said first member, support means for holding said members with said faces confronting each other, said first member being fixed in said support means, the second of said members having an elongated torque output shaft fixed at one end to said face of said second member on its axis of rotation, said second member being axially movable in either direction in said support means with said shaft extending from said second member out of said support means through said bore, anti-friction means comprising radially-oriented rollers between said faces, said rollers having integral retainer means for restraining said rollers from migrating radially outward relative to said faces, and force means resident in said support means for applying a predetermined force for urging said second member toward face-to-face contact with said first member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.