The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 14, 1991
Filed:
Apr. 11, 1990
NSK-Warner Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A speed responsive centrifugal clutch having a one-way clutch function and suitable for use as a lock-up clutch of a torque converter is provided. The one-way clutch is provided not as a separate component but as structurally integrated in the clutch. The speed responsive centrifugal clutch includes a clutch plate fixedly mounted on a rotating shaft, a damper plate supported to be rotatable relative to the clutch plate and carrying damper elements, a reaction ring supported to be rotatable over a predetermined angle range relative to the damper plate, a plurality of shoe assemblies supported by the reaction ring to be displasable radially outwardly due to centrifugal forces, and a one-way clutch mechanism incorporated between the clutch plate and the damper plate. Because of the provision of such a one-way clutch mechanism in this particular manner, the overall size of the clutch can be minimized and transmission of rotating force can be carried out extremely smoothly.