Means Industries, Inc.

Brenco, Incorporated

A Richard Frank

Stephen M Ruth

Brian D Klecker

A one-way clutch apparatus comprising a driving member having a plurality of recesses, a corresponding plurality of biasing members disposed in the recess, 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 to 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 art developed one-way clutch systems.

One-way clutch apparatus

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.

Growing community of inventors

West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

A Richard Frank