Lightweight overrunning clutch assembly
OwnerH. John Rader, IIIinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An overrunning clutch assembly comprises a housing and a tubular shaft rotatably coupled together with a roller or sprag clutch positioned therebetween to permit the housing to freely rotate about the shaft in one direction, or to establish torque communication between the shaft and the housing when rotated in the opposite direction. To minimize the weight of the assembly while also containing the radial forces and stresses generated by the roller clutch when transmitting torque, the housing and the shaft are reinforced with high-strength, high-modulus materials having high strength-to-weight ratios.
Claims15
An overrunning clutch comprising:
- a tubular shaft member having an inner surface;
- a housing member rotatably sleeved about said shaft member, said housing member having an outer surface;
- means for establishing torque communication between said housing member and said shaft member only when relative rotation between said housing member and said shaft member is in a first direction;
- a first reinforcing material circumscribing said outer surface of said housing member for containing expansive forces applied to said housing member during said torque communication;
- and
- a second reinforcing material urged against said inner surface of said shaft member for resisting compressive forces applied to said shaft member during said torque communication, said reinforcing materials having high tensile strength and a high modulus of elasticity.
A bicycle free-wheel hub assembly comprising:
- a steel tubular shaft having an inner surface;
- an aluminum housing rotatably sleeved about said shaft, said housing having an outer surface;
- rollers;
- a shell disposed between said shaft and said housing, said shell defining at least one annular race having inclined recesses for housing said rollers, said housing being freely rotatable about said shaft in a first direction, but engaging said shaft and establishing torque communication therebetween in a second and opposite direction;
- a hardened steel sleeve disposed between said housing and said shell for protecting said housing from plastic deformation;
- a first reinforcing material integrally bonded to said outer surface for reinforcing said housing to contain expansive forces applied to said housing during said torque communication;
- and
- a second reinforcing material integrally bonded to said inner surface for reinforcing said shaft to contain compressive forces applied to said shaft during said torque communication.
An overrunning clutch assembly comprising:
- a steel tubular shaft having an inner surface;
- an aluminum housing rotatably sleeved about said shaft;
- rollers;
- a shell disposed between said shaft and said housing, said shell defining at least one annular race having inclined recesses for housing said rollers, said housing being freely rotatable about said shaft in a first direction, but engaging said shaft and establishing torque communication therebetween in a second and opposite direction;
- a hardened steel sleeve disposed between said housing and said shell, said shell having an outer surface;
- a first reinforcing material affixed to said outer surface for reinforcing said sleeve to contain expansive forces applied to said sleeve during said torque communication;
- and
- a second reinforcing material affixed to said inner surface for reinforcing said shaft to contain compressive forces applied to said shaft during said torque communication.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.