192 clutches and power-stop control – Clutches – Automatic
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-29
2004-09-28
Lorence, Richard M. (Department: 3681)
192 clutches and power-stop control
Clutches
Automatic
C192S045000, C192S045100, C074S00700R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06796413
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a one-way clutch to be employed in a starting system for an automobile or a motorcycle.
BACKGROUND ART
As shown in
FIG. 6
, an engine for an automobile or the like is started by the driving force of a starting motor (not shown) being transmitted to a crankshaft
131
, which is a power transmission shaft. A one-way clutch
101
is arranged to prevent the generation of reverse-direction power after the engine has been started.
The one-way clutch
101
includes: an inner race
115
supported for rotation on the crankshaft
131
by a seizure-preventing member (for example, a roller bearing)
123
; an outer race
102
concentric with and surrounding the inner race
115
; and rollers
109
interposed between the inner race
115
and the outer race
102
. The rollers
109
serve as torque transmitting members.
As shown in
FIG. 7
, the rollers
109
are placed in wedge-shaped first pockets
103
formed in the inner circumferential side of the outer race
102
. A second pocket
104
is formed so as to be connected to the deeper end of the first pocket
103
. A spring
113
is placed in the second pocket
104
to push the roller
109
toward the shallower end of the first pocket
103
. The inner race
115
and the outer race
102
rotate together when the one-way clutch
101
is locked by the frictional engagement of the bottom (outer) surfaces
103
a
of the first pockets
103
and the outer circumferential surface of the inner race
115
.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, a driven gear
121
is fixedly attached to the inner race
115
of the conventional one-way clutch
101
. A boss member
111
and a rotor
124
fastened together with rivets
140
are fastened to a side surface of the outer race
102
by means of bolts
117
.
The boss member
111
has an outer flange
110
extending annularly and perpendicularly to its axis, and a boss portion
106
axially extending from the inner circumferential edge of the outer flange
110
. The boss portion
106
is fixedly mounted on the crankshaft
131
.
The rotor
124
has an inner flange
127
extending annularly and perpendicularly to its axis, and a cylindrical wheel
125
axially extending from the outer circumferential edge of the inner flange
127
. Magnets
130
are attached to the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical wheel
125
, to form a part of a generator.
The conventional one-way clutch
101
transmits the driving force of the starting motor (not shown) to the crankshaft
131
via the driven gear
121
and the boss member
111
. In some cases, respective axes of the one-way clutch
101
(the outer race
102
) and the boss member
111
may not be aligned, due to dimensional errors of holes for the bolts
117
or the like, because the boss member
111
is fastened to the outer race
102
of the one-way clutch
101
by means of the bolts
117
. In such a case, the one-way clutch
101
and the boss member
111
cannot be closely connected to the crankshaft
131
, and gaps may be formed between them. Thus, sometimes, rattling movement and/or rattling noise may be generated.
If the respective axes of the one-way clutch
101
, the boss member
111
and the crankshaft
131
are not aligned, the transmission of the driving force tends to be biased (unbalanced) and thus the driving force cannot be satisfactorily transmitted. In such a case, a load acts on the crankshaft
131
in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the crankshaft
131
, which may cause some troubles, such as the breakdown of the one-way clutch
101
, in the engine.
In addition, the holes, into which the bolts
117
are screwed or inserted, have to be formed in the outer race
102
of the one-way clutch
101
and the boss member
111
, which increases machining processes, reduces productivity and increases cost.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to solve the foregoing problems, and to provide an inexpensive one-way clutch that does not rattle, does not generate noise, is capable of satisfactorily transmitting driving force, rarely develops trouble or breakdown, and can be efficiently produced.
This invention is a one-way clutch including: an inner race supported for rotation on a power transmission shaft; an outer race concentrically surrounding the inner race; and torque transmitting members interposed between the inner race and the outer race and capable of transmitting torque in one direction of the inner race to the outer race; wherein the outer race is integrally provided with an extending portion that extends inwardly in a radius direction thereof, and the extending portion is capable of being engaged with the power transmission shaft.
According to the feature, the respective axes of the extending portion and the inner race can be easily aligned with the axis of the power transmission shaft, such as a crankshaft. Consequently, the one-way clutch does not rattle, does not generate noise, is capable of satisfactorily transmitting driving force, rarely develops trouble or breakdown, and can be produced at a high efficiency at a low cost.
Concretely, the outer race and the extending portion are formed in a single member by, for example, forging.
Preferably, the outer race including the extending portion is subjected to a carburizing process to achieve desired high hardness. Then, the extending portion is subjected to a tempering process, to enable the extending portion to be machined so as to be fastened to the power transmission shaft. Alternatively, the outer race including the extending portion may be subjected to a carburizing process after the extending portion has been treated by an anticarburization treatment.
Alternatively, the carburized extending portion may be subjected to a carburized-part removing process after the outer race including the extending portion has been processed by a carburizing process. Alternatively, the outer race excluding the extending portion may be subjected to induction hardening after the outer race including the extending portion has been tempered.
Preferably, an axially extending cylindrical wheel (wall) is formed integrally with the outer race. In the case, the outer race, the extending portion and the cylindrical wheel may be integrally formed by, for example, forging.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5085713 (1992-02-01), Morishita et al.
patent: 5415258 (1995-05-01), Numata
patent: 5620074 (1997-04-01), Zenmei et al.
patent: 5779015 (1998-07-01), Murata
patent: 5966985 (1999-10-01), Shuto et al.
patent: 6534880 (2003-03-01), Sone et al.
patent: 0494681 (1992-07-01), None
Fukui Kiyotaka
Miyamoto Tadashi
Ladas & Parry
Lorence Richard M.
Musashi Seimitsu Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
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