Nsk-warner Kabushiki Kaisha

Nsk-warner Kubushiki Kaisha

Akihiro Ishida

Mikio Uchida

Akira Tagawa

A method for manufacturing an assembly of an outer ring of a one-way clutch and a stator housing of a torque converter is provided. An outer ring is provided and its outer peripheral surface is subjected to a plastic deformation process, such as forging, to thereby form an up and down structure which extends from one side only halfway through to the outer side of the outer ring. Preferably, the main body of the outer ring is deformed such that side projections are formed at spaced intervals in a circumferential direction to thereby define a spline-like structure. Then, the outer ring is machined only at its inner peripheral surface and its side surface which is opposite to the side where the up and down structure is formed. Thus, the outer peripheral surface and the side surface where the up and down structure is formed are left unmachined. Then, a stator housing is formed either by molding or casting using the outer ring thus formed as an insert. Therefore, there is obtained an assembly of an outer ring of a one-way clutch and a stator housing having an integrated structure.

Method for forming an assembly of one-way clutch ring and its housing

A ribbon spring for use in a sprag-synchronized one-way clutch includes a metal thin plate which is formed with a plurality of sprag insertion holes of a predetermined shape preferably defined by stamping. In one embodiment, the sprag insertion hole is generally E-shaped as defined by a pair of tabs substantially identical in shape and size which extend into the sprag insertion hole from one side edge thereof. In another embodiment, the sprag insertion hole is generally C-shaped as defined by a relatively wide tab which extends into the sprag insertion hole from one side edge thereof and which is formed with a slot. With these structures, the sprag is prevented from wobbling or skewing during operation and an optimal spring constant can be set easily.

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Fujisawa, Japan

Akihiro Ishida