US 5,964,331 AGranted

One-way overrunning clutch

AssigneeMeans Industries, Inc.

InventorsMartin E. Reed, William J. Hatcher, Brian D. Klecker, Danny R. Sink

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Abstract

An overrunning clutch assembly including first and second ring-shaped clutch members with face surfaces disposed in opposing relation and with at least one rigid strut disposed therebetween for movement to engage recessed pockets in the opposed surfaces upon rotation in one direction and for movement out of engagement with the pockets in at least one of the face surfaces upon relative rotation in the opposite direction. A retaining member permanently retains the clutch in assembled relation and cooperates with the ring-shaped clutch members to form a lubricant reservoir maintaining the struts in a lubricant bath during operation. The retaining member forms a weir over which the lubricant flows from the reservoir at a radial location to assure that the struts remain submerged during operation.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A one-way overrunning clutch assembly comprising:

a first clutch member including an annular body portion having a cylindrical inner periphery and an outer periphery defined by an annular rim portion projecting axially from a first side thereof, said rim portion having an inner cylindrical surface;
a second clutch member including an annular body portion having a cylindrical outer surface and an inner peripheral surface, the cylindrical outer surface of the body portion of the second clutch member being telescopingly received in the inner cylindrical surface of the rim portion of said first clutch member such that said first and second clutch members have a common central axis;
said first and second clutch members having inner surfaces disposed in spaced opposing relation to one another, each inner surface having a plurality of recesses formed therein to define strut abutment shoulders at spaced intervals thereabout;
a rigid strut having a body portion pivotally supported for movement between a driving position, wherein said strut projects into and engages an abutment shoulder in the inner surface of each of said clutch members to interlock said clutch members for rotation together in one direction, and an overrunning position, wherein said strut is out of contact with the abutment shoulders of the inner surface of at least one of said clutch members to permit free relative rotation between said first and second clutch members in the opposite direction;
and
an annular retainer positioned within the inner cylindrical surface of the rim portion of said first clutch member, said retainer having an outer peripheral edge portion permanently engaging and forming a fluid-tight seal with the cylindrical inner surface of the rim portion of said first clutch member and an annular body portion having a first surface overlying at least a portion of the body portion of said second clutch member, the annular body portion of said retainer extending inward from the inner cylindrical surface of the rim portion of said first clutch member and terminating in an inner peripheral edge defining an annular weir at a radial location between the radially-innermost portion of the body of said strut and radially outward from the inner periphery of said first clutch member.

3 more elements

A one-way overrunning clutch assembly comprising:

a first clutch member including an annular body portion having a cylindrical inner periphery and an outer periphery defined by an annular rim portion projecting axially from one side thereof, the rim portion of said first clutch member having an inner cylindrical surface;
a second clutch member including an annular body portion having a cylindrical outer surface and an inner periphery defined by a hub projecting axially from one side thereof, the hub having an outer cylindrical surface,
the cylindrical inner periphery of the body portion of the first clutch member being telescopingly received on the outer cylindrical surface of the hub of said second clutch member, and the cylindrical outer surface of the body portion of the second clutch member being telescopingly received in the inner cylindrical surface of the rim portion of said first clutch member, whereby said first and second clutch members define an enclosed cavity therebetween;
said first and second clutch members having substantially planar inner surfaces disposed in opposing relation to one another, each inner surface having a plurality of recesses formed therein to define strut abutment shoulders at spaced intervals about the respective inner surfaces;
at least one rigid strut having a body portion pivotally supported for movement between a driving position, characterized by a strut projecting into and engaging an abutment shoulder of each of said clutch members to interlock said clutch members for rotation together in one direction, and an overrunning position, characterized by a strut being out of contact with the abutment shoulders of at least one of said clutch members to permit free relative rotation between said first and second clutch members in the opposite direction, each strut having a radially-innermost portion;
an inwardly-directed annular groove formed in an inner surface of the rim portion of said first clutch member;
and
an annular retainer having an outer peripheral edge portion permanently engaged and forming a fluid-tight seal with the groove in the rim portion of said first clutch member and a body portion overlying a portion of said second clutch member, the body portion of said retainer extending inward from the groove and terminating in an inner peripheral edge at a location radially inward of the radially-innermost portion of the body portion of said at least one strut and radially outward of the cylindrical outer surface of the hub of the second clutch member.

5 more elements

An overrunning clutch assembly comprising:

a first member rotatable about an axis and including a first surface generally normal to the axis and an axially-extending peripheral rim portion;
a second member rotatable about the axis including a second surface disposed in a spaced opposing relation to the first surface of said first member, said second member further including a third surface thereon opposite to the second surface;
an arrangement for coupling said first member with said second member when said first member rotates in a first direction relative to said second member, the arrangement including
a plurality of recesses formed in each of the first surface of said first member and the second surface of said second member, each of the recesses defining an abutment shoulder, and
at least one strut, each strut having a first end for engagement with the abutment shoulders of said first member and a second end opposite the first end for engagement with the abutment shoulders of said second member, each strut including a radially-innermost portion;
and
an annular retainer having an outer peripheral edge portion permanently engaging the rim portion of said first member in fluid-tight relation therewith, wherein said retainer includes a body portion overlying the third surface of the second member, the body portion of said retainer extending to a location radially inward of the radially-innermost portion of each of said struts, and wherein the first surface and rim portion of the first member cooperates with the body portion of said retainer to define an annular, radially-inwardly-opening trough for retaining a quantity of lubricating oil sufficient to substantially immerse each of said struts when said lubricating oil is maintained within the trough by centrifugal force.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.