US 5,597,057 AGranted

One-way clutch apparatus

AssigneeBrenco, Incorporated

InventorsStephen M. Ruth, Brian D. Klecker, A. Richard Frank

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Abstract

A one-way clutch apparatus comprising a driving member having a plurality of recesses, a corresponding plurality of biasing members disposed in the recesses, a corresponding number of keys or struts disposed over the biasing members in the recesses, and a driven member having a plurality of key-engaging notches formed circumferentially about an inside surface. Each of the keys includes a pair of laterally protruding arm portions and each of the arm portions has a ramp formed thereon which acts as a relief to allow the inside surface of the driven member to be placed in close proximate relationship with the inside surface of a driving member and to overlay portions of the recess. The overlaying enables the driven member to damp or otherwise limit the movement of a back end portion of each key when the driving member is moved in either a free-wheeling direction or driving direction, while the ramp portions allow a front end portion of the key to be urged outwardly without any portion of the arm portion interfering with the inside surface of the driven member overlaying portions of each recess. The one-way clutch apparatus is not as dependent upon a copious and continuous supply of lubricant to damp unwanted movement of the key as prior developed one-way clutch systems.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A one-way clutch apparatus comprising:

a planar driving member;
said planar driving member including at least one recess formed on an inside surface thereof;
at least one biasing member disposed on said recess;
a free floating key disposed in said recess over said biasing member so as not to be physically secured to said planar driving member, said key having at least one arm portion having a ramp portion thereon, said key being operable to pivot about said arm portion between an engaged position and a disengaged position;
a planar driven member disposed closely adjacent said driving member, said planar driven member having at least one key-engaging notch formed on an inside surface thereof at a position in radial alignment with said key;
said planar driving and said driven members being rotatable about a common longitudinal axis such that when said planar driving member is rotated in a first direction, said key is moved over said key-engaging notch without engaging within said key-engaging notch, and when said planar driving member is rotated in a second rotational direction opposite to said first direction, said biasing member is allowed to urge said key into engagement with said key-engaging notch, thereby causing said driven member to be driven rotationally in accordance with rotation of said driving member;
and
said ramp portion of said arm portion of said key further enabling said key to be pivoted into engagement with said key-engaging notch without said arm portion key interfering with said inside surface of said planar driven member when said planar driven member is in assembled and in close proximity with said planar driving member.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/382,070Filed 1 Feb 1995 · continuation in part
Priority: 26 Oct 1993
Granted: 28 Jan 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

F16D 41/12
Freewheels or freewheel clutches: with hinged pawl co-operating with teeth, cogs, or the like
F16D 41/125
With hinged pawl co-operating with teeth, cogs, or the like: the pawl movement having an axial component
Y10T 74/2136
Pawls and ratchets: pivoted pawls
F16D
Couplings for transmitting rotation