Reell Precision Manufacturing Corporation

George D Larson

John M Nutter

Benjamin Ernest Anderson

Allan Triebold

Timothy W Jenum

Philip A Billings

John Alan Kossett

Jeffrey Randall

Horace Beale

One aspect is a detent hinge device having a first cam component with at least one spline and an axial cam face, the first cam component having a root diameter and an outer diameter. A second cam component has at least one spline and an axial cam face, the second cam component having a root diameter and an outer diameter. Each of the first and second cam components are aligned on an axis, wherein the cam faces of the first inner and first outer cam components face each other. An axial spring acts on the first cam component forcing it against the second cam component. An axial retention element securing each of the first and second cam components and axial spring on the axis. A first mounting bracket has splines on an inner surface. The first mounting bracket contains the first cam component such that the splines of the first mounting bracket engage the splines of the first cam component thereby transferring torque from the first cam component to the first mounting bracket via the splines. A second mounting bracket has splines on an inner surface. The second mounting bracket contains the second cam component such that the splines of the second mounting bracket engage the splines of the second cam component thereby transferring torque from the second cam component to the second mounting bracket via the splines. The first and second cam components comprise the same shape.

Detent hinge

One aspect is an insert molded torsion bar hinge including a cylindrical metal torsion bar with a main bar body, a portion of which extends along a torsion bar axis, a first contoured bar end and a second contoured bar end on opposite ends of the main bar body. A first hinged element of molded plastic and with a first knuckle, is molded directly over and encompasses the first contoured bar end such that the first contoured bar end is fixed within and not rotatable relative to the first hinged element. The first knuckle is molded directly over and encompassing a portion of the main bar body. A second hinged element of molded plastic and with a second knuckle is molded directly over and encompasses the second contoured bar end such that the second contoured bar end is fixed within and not rotatable relative to the second hinged element. The second knuckle is molded directly over and encompassing a portion of the main bar body. The first and second hinged elements rotate and produce a torsional spring torque.

Insert molded torsion bar hinge

One aspect is an inertial lock friction hinge, including a shaft assembly having a shaft assembly recess and a friction assembly having a friction assembly recess. The shaft assembly and the friction assembly are rotatably coupled for relative frictional rotation. The hinge includes a restraining component positioned within the hinge such that when the hinge is in an unlocked condition the restraining component is not engaged with both the friction assembly recess and the shaft assembly recess so that the shaft assembly and the friction assembly are allowed to rotate relative to each. The restraining component is positioned such that when the inertial lock friction hinge is in a locked condition the restraining component is at least partially engaged with both the friction assembly recess and the shaft assembly recess so that the shaft assembly and the friction assembly are locked and prevented from relative rotation by the restraining component.

Inertial lock friction hinge

One aspect is a wrap spring clutch with a rotatable input and a spring having a first and a second end and having an equilibrium state and a flexed state, the spring engaged with the input through one of the first and second ends such that the spring rotates with the input and with an input torque transmitted exclusively through one of the first and second ends when the input rotates. A damper mechanism is engaged with one of the first and second ends such that the damper mechanism causes the spring to change from its equilibrium to its flexed state when the input transitions from stationary to rotational, and such that the damper mechanism allows the spring to change from its flexed to its equilibrium state when the input transitions from rotational to stationary. A rotatable output is positioned relative to the spring such that the output synchronously rotates with the input when the spring is in its flexed state and rotates independently of the input when the spring is in its equilibrium state.

Damper controlled wrap spring clutch

One aspect is ring clip assembly including at least one ring clip having a ring portion surrounding an arm, the arm configured to define an aperture. The ring portion and the arm is separated thereby defining a slot between them. A shaft extends through the aperture in an interference fit, the arm configured to radially flex without contact from the ring portion. The ring portion has transmission elements on its outer perimeter configured to transmit movement to another member.

Ring clip assembly

One aspect is a torque element retention system with a housing having an opening. A torque assembly has a shaft and a torque element stacked along the shaft and is configured substantially within the opening of the housing. The torque element has an arm portion and a foot portion and the opening has an arm opening section configured to receive the arm portion of the torque element and a foot retention section configured to receive the foot portion of the torque element. The torque element retention system has a system axis through the center of the shaft and extending through the foot retention section. The at least one of the first and second foot end portions of the foot retention section includes first and second non-parallel segments having no normal length to chord length ratio greater than 0.5.

Torque element retention system

A roller lock device has a shaft and a housing configured over the shaft for selective relative movement thereto. A plurality of rollers is configured between the housing and the shaft, at least some of which are substantially conically shaped. A cage is configured between the housing and the shaft and adjacent the rollers such that the rollers are at least partially constrained from movement by the cage. A control is configured to move the rollers axially thereby engaging and disengaging the roller lock. The housing has ramps configured to receive the rollers, the ramps having a curved contour.

Cone roller lock device

One aspect is a detent device with a first hub having an axis and comprising a first feature having both a radial and an axial dimension relative to the hub axis, and having a first hub connection portion. A second hub is located co-axially outside the first hub and comprises a second feature having both a radial and an axial dimension relative to the hub axis, the second feature of the second hub touching the first feature of the first hub when the features are aligned. The second hub has a second hub connection portion. The first and second features have complementary mating geometries. The detent device is configured such that when relative movement is provided to the first and second hub connection portions, a circumferential strain energy of the second hub changes, providing a variable force between the two connection portions depending on their relative position.

Circumferential strain rotary detent

The invention is a spring clutch mechanism including a first member and a second member coaxially disposed with respect to the first member where at least one of the first and second members is rotatable. A wrap spring assembly is in rotational engagement with the first member. At least one slip clip which has an outer axially extending surface and an axially extending aperture which forms an inner axially extending surface is disposed in rotational engagement between the second member and the wrap spring assembly.

Spring clutch utilizing torque slip clips

A self-braking electromagnetic wrap spring clutch having a wrap spring control ring and a brake control armature plate at separate locations within a common magnetic circuit. The self-braking electromagnetic clutch includes: a shaft, a driving hub rotatable on said shaft and carrying a wrap spring and a control ring, a driven hub attached to said shaft, a shoulder assembly directly axially adjacent to said control ring extending radially from and rotatable with the driven hub and having ferromagnetic radially inner and outer annular segments separated by a binder having a sufficiently low magnetic permeance in relation to the inner and outer segments to create a magnetic permeance discontinuity therebetween, an armature plate adjacent to the shoulder assembly and being axially slidable toward and a way from the shoulder assembly, a non-rotatable friction plate axially adjacent to the armature plate, biasing means for biasing the armature plate into frictional contact with the friction plate, and non-rotatable magnetic circuit body means for directing magnetic flux simultaneously between the control ring and the shoulder assembly and between the armature plate and the shoulder assembly.

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Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

George D Larson