US 6,640,947 B2Granted

Rolling element clutch

OwnerFriedrich-Wilhelm von Hackewitzinventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A rolling element clutch (1) includes an outer ring (2), an inner ring (3) and a cage ring (6) mounted there between, which has a plurality of circumferentially spaced cage pockets 8. In each cage pocket 8 is inserted a controlling insert. The inner ring (3) may rotate in freewheeling direction (4) or in blocking direction (5). In order to have a rolling element clutch (1) which retards the rotating elements in an exceptionally slow and smooth manner during rotation of the inner ring (3) in blocking direction (5), there is arranged at least one clutch roller (15) on either side of the controlling insert. Each clutch roller (15) has a relatively long axially extending rotational symmetrical outer surface, which is guided between a cylindrical outer raceway (16) of the outer ring (2) and a cylindrical inner raceway (17) of the inner ring (3). Rolling elements revolving between the outer ring 2 and the inner ring 3 are mounted into each controlling insert running between the outer ring (2) and the inner ring (3) may drive and displace the controlling insert either in freewheeling direction (4) or in blocking direction (5) within its cage pocket. Only during displacement of the controlling insert in blocking direction both clutch rollers (15) of each cage pocket get inclined gradually. The inclination of the clutch rollers (5) continues until the clutch rollers (15) become jammed between the outer raceway (16) and the inner raceway (17), thus blocking the rotational movement of the inner ring (3).

A rolling element clutch comprising an outer ring, a concentrically within the outer ring carried, in the one freewheeling direction or in other blocking direction rotating inner ring and a rotationally carried cage ring there between having a plurality of circumferentially arranged radial through-going cage pockets, in each of which is inserted a circumferentially sliding displaceable controlling insert, characterized in that

the controlling insert (9) has in circumferential direction driving and axially supporting rolling elements (14), which are mounted in the controlling insert (9) between the outer ring (2) and the inner ring (3) and at least one clutch roller (15) is mounted on either side of the controlling insert (9) between a cylindrical outer raceway (16) of the outer ring (2) and a cylindrical inner raceway (17) of the inner ring (3), this clutch roller (15) having a relatively long rotational symmetric outer surface (16), an outside end portion (19) being narrowly surrounded by an outside cavity (22) which is worked into an axially inwardly showing sidewall (23) of the cage pocket (8) and an inside end portion (20) being narrowly surrounded by an inside cavity (24) which is worked into the axial outwardly showing sidewall (25) of the controlling insert (9), wherein
during rotation of the inner ring (3) in freewheeling direction (4) the controlling insert (9) is driven by the rolling elements (14) and is placed in freewheeling direction (4) until becoming stopped by edge means in the corresponding cage pocket (8), so that the outer surface (16) of each clutch roller (15) becomes narrowly guided between a guide wall (49) of the controlling insert (9) showing in freewheeling direction (4) and an adjacent guide wall (50) of he cage pocket (8) of the cage ring (6), and
during rotation of the inner ring (3) in blocking direction (5) the controlling insert (9) is driven by the rolling elements (14) and is placed in blocking direction (5) in its cage pocket (8), whereby the guide wall (49) of the controlling insert (9) and the guide wall (50) of the cage pocket (8) become more distant to each other and each clutch roller (15) is rasped by the outside cavity (22) and the inside cavity (24) and positioned inclined in order to become jammed between its outer raceway (16) and its inner raceway (17).

Abstract

Claims10