Means Industries, Inc.

Brenco, Incorporated

Brian D Klecker

Stephen M Ruth

Danny R Sink

Martin Earl Reed

William J Hatcher

A Richard Frank

Sharon G Harrison

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 planar overrunning coupling for transfer of torque from a driving member to a driven member in one direction and which permits freewheeling motion between the members upon a torque reversal, the coupling comprising coupling plates situated in close proximity with a strut retainer plate disposed between them, one plate being connected to the driving member and the other plate being connected to the driven member, each plate having strut recesses, a series of struts located in the recesses of one plate so that each strut may be pivoted, thereby allowing the struts to engage the companion recesses in the other coupling plate, the retainer having angularly spaced apertures that register with the struts to permit pivotal movement of the struts when the retainer plate is in one rotary position, the retainer plate, when it is in a second rotary position, preventing pivotal motion of the struts, thereby permitting freewheeling relative motion of the coupling plates.

Controllable overrunning coupling

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.

One-way overrunning clutch

A planar coupling having a first coupling plate connected drivably to a torque input member and a second coupling plate connected to a torque output member, the first coupling plate being mounted for rotation relative to the second coupling plate, the first plate having angularly spaced recesses at uniform radial distances from the axis of the assembly, the second coupling plate having cooperating recesses in which are positioned force transmitting struts that are biased in an axial direction relative to the axis of the assembly so that upon relative rotation of the coupling plates, the struts in the second coupling plate will engage the recesses in the first coupling plate, the geometry of the struts providing for simplified manufacture and for reduced stresses in the struts as they engage the coupling plate recesses.

Overrunning planar clutch assembly

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

Chesterfield, VA, United States of America

Brian D Klecker