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US 5,699,889 AGranted
One way drive device with a dog clutch to transmit torque and a ratchet clutch to provide an overrun function
AssigneeEpilogics, Inc.
InventorCraig T. Gadd
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A one way drive device for transmitting torque from a rotational input to a rotational output when the device is driven in a counterclockwise torque transmitting rotational direction by the rotational input. The device allows the rotational input to freely rotate in a clockwise overrun direction relative to the rotational output. The one way drive device includes a dog clutch to transmit torque when driven in the torque transmitting direction and a ratchet clutch to provide the overrun function.
Claims26
A one way drive device comprising:
- a) a drive member mounted for rotation about a given axis either in a clockwise overrunning direction or a counterclockwise torque transmitting direction in response to a rotational input;
- b) a driven member mounted for rotation about said given axis, at least in the counterclockwise torque transmitting direction;
- and
- c) coupling means including a coupling member separate from but positioned adjacent to said drive member and said driven member, said coupling member being mounted to said driven member for movement relative to said driven member between a first position for allowing said drive member to rotate freely in the clockwise overrun direction relative to said driven member and a second position for rotationally engaging said drive member to said driven member when said drive member is driven by said rotational input in said torque transmitting counterclockwise direction thereby causing said driven member to rotate in the counterclockwise direction with said drive member, said coupling member being configured to move from its first position to its second position in response to and as a result of initial rotational movement of said drive member in said torque transmitting counterclockwise direction relative to said driven member
- said coupling means further including ratchet clutch means between said drive member and said coupling member for allowing said drive member to rotate freely relative to said coupling member when said drive member is rotating in said overrun direction relative to said coupling member and for engaging and rotationally coupling said coupling member to said drive member when said drive member is being driven by said rotational input in said torque transmitting counterclockwise direction relative to said coupling member, said ratchet clutch means including
- (i) a ratchet clutch planar face on said drive member normal to said given axis,
- (ii) a ratchet clutch planar face on said coupling member normal to said given axis and in close proximity to and coplanar with said ratchet clutch planar face of said drive member,
- (iii) at least one pocket in said ratchet clutch planar face of said drive member, said pocket having a shoulder,
- (iv) at least one pocket in said ratchet clutch planar face of said coupling member, each pocket having a shoulder, and
- (v) at least one pawl having opposing shoulder engaging edges, said pawl being carried by a corresponding pocket of a first one of said ratchet clutch planar faces for movement between a biased first position and a second position
- such that when said rotational input is driving said drive member in said torque transmitting direction relative to said coupling member, said pawl carried by said first one of said ratchet clutch planar faces engages one of said shoulders of a confronting pocket in the other of said ratchet clutch planar faces while the pawl is in its biased position so as to rotationally couple said coupling member to said drive member, thereby causing said coupling member to move said drive member into rotational engagement with said driven member and
- such that when said rotational input is driving said drive member in the overrunning direction relative to the coupling member, said pawl is periodically forced to its second position by the shoulders of the confronting pocket so as to allow said drive member to rotate freely relative to said coupling member in said overrun clockwise direction relative to said coupling member.
9 more elements
A one way drive device comprising:
- a) a drive member mounted for rotation about a given axis either in a clockwise overrunning direction or a counterclockwise torque transmitting direction in response to a rotational input;
- b) a driven member mounted for rotation about said given axis, at least in the counterclockwise torque transmitting direction, said drive member and said driven member being mounted for limited axial movement relative to one another along said given axis between a disengaged position in which said drive member is allowed to rotate freely relative to said driven member and an engaged position in which said drive member directly engages said driven member rotationally coupling said drive member to said driven member;
- c) coupling means including a coupling member separate from but positioned adjacent to said drive member and said driven member, said coupling member being mounted to said driven member for movement relative to said driven member between a first position for allowing said drive member to rotate freely in the clockwise overrun direction relative to said driven member and a second position for rotationally engaging said drive member to said driven member when said drive member is driven by said rotational input in said torque transmitting counterclockwise direction thereby causing said driven member to rotate in the counterclockwise direction with said drive member, said coupling member being configured to move from its first position to its second position in response to and as a result of initial rotational movement of said drive member in said torque transmitting counterclockwise direction relative to said driven member;
- and
- d) housing means connected to said driven member and extending from said driven member around the outer periphery of said drive member and said coupling means forming a housing around said drive member and said coupling means.
2 more elements
A one way drive device comprising:
- a) a drive member mounted for rotation about a given axis either in a clockwise overrunning direction or a counterclockwise torque transmitting direction in response to a rotational input;
- b) a driven member mounted for rotation about said given axis in at least the counterclockwise torque transmitting direction and mounted for limited axial movement along said given axis relative to said drive member;
- and
- c) coupling means including,
- (i) a dog clutch arrangement located between said drive member and said driven member
- (ii) a coupling member separate from but positioned adjacent to said drive member and mounted for axial movement between a first position for allowing said drive member to rotate freely in the clockwise overrun direction relative to said driven member and a second position for rotationally engaging said dog clutch arrangement such that said drive member directly engages and is rotationally coupled to said driven member,
- (iii) ratchet clutch means located between said drive member and said coupling member for allowing said drive member to rotate freely relative to said coupling member when said drive member is rotating in said overrun direction relative to said coupling member and for engaging and rotationally coupling said coupling member to said drive member when said drive member is being driven by said rotational input in said torque transmitting counterclockwise direction relative to said coupling member,
- (iv) housing means connected to said driven member and extending from said driven member around the outer periphery of said drive member and said coupling member forming a housing around said drive member and said coupling member,
- (v) cam means located between said coupling member and said housing means for causing said coupling member to move from its first position to its second position when and as a result of said coupling member and said drive member being driven by said rotational input in said torque transmitting counterclockwise direction relative to said driven member thereby causing said dog clutch arrangement to rotationally couple said drive member to said driven member causing said driven member to rotate in the counterclockwise direction with said drive member.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.