192 clutches and power-stop control – Clutches – Operators
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-27
2003-09-09
Lorence, Richard M. (Department: 3681)
192 clutches and power-stop control
Clutches
Operators
C192S11000B, C384S490000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06615968
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ball bearing assembly structure, an electromagnetic clutch having the ball bearing assembly structure, and a gas compressor equipped with the electromagnetic clutch.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vane-type gas compressor used for a car air conditioner or the like, a rotary power is transmitted from an engine-crankshaft pulley to a rotor shaft
40
through a belt
60
and electromagnetic clutch
50
as shown in FIG.
1
.
The electromagnetic clutch
50
has a ring-shape electromagnet
51
, a prime-mover pulley
5
for passing the magnetic flux of the electromagnet
51
, a plurality of rows of ball bearing
530
(see
FIG. 10
) for rotatably and coaxially holding the prime-mover pulley
52
to the electromagnet
51
, and a follower armature plate
54
to be attracted or adsorbed to an end surface
52
a
of the prime-mover pulley
52
by the magnetic flux.
During engine rotation, the prime-mover pulley
52
and the ball bearing
530
holding the same are rotatively driven at all times by a belt
60
.
When operating the gas compressor
1
, the electromagnet
51
of the electromagnetic clutch
50
is energized to attract or adsorb the follower armature plate
54
to an end surface
52
a
of the prime-mover pulley
52
and join the prime-mover pulley
52
and the rotor shaft
40
, thereby rotating the rotor shaft
40
.
The ball bearing
530
of the electromagnetic clutch
50
conventionally has used one having an even number of balls
530
a
per row, e.g. fourteen as shown in FIG.
10
. Generally, the ball bearing causes vibration and noise due to rotation. In the case of the ball bearing
530
rotating while undergoing a radial load due to a tension of the belt
60
, vibration and noise considerably occur. Particularly when other vibration and noise levels are lowered during engine idling, the vibration and noise of the ball bearing
530
transmitted to the vehicular compartment is not negligible.
The inventor has conducted various experiments and discovered that the one factor of high vibration and noise level is an even number of balls of the ball bearing. In the ball bearing
530
having an even number of balls
530
a
per one row, the balls
530
a
are in a facing relation to have linear-symmetry arrangement between the inner race
530
b
and the outer race
530
c
. The deformation and vibration at a regular particular frequency is caused in the inner and outer races. It is to be considered that the vibration as a source also increases noise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the foregoing problem in the conventional art and provides an electromagnetic clutch low in vibration and noise resulting from a ball bearing assembly of the present invention and a gas compressor with the electromagnetic clutch.
In order to solve the foregoing problems in the conventional art, the present invention provides an electromagnetic clutch having a ball bearing assembly having an odd number of balls per row. By providing the odd number of balls, the arrangement of balls will not be in a facing relation. The deformation in the inner and outer races during rotation of the ball bearing while undergoing a radial load is made irregular and complicated, eliminating the deformation and vibration at a regular predetermined frequency and lowering the level of vibration and noise.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1394110 (1921-10-01), Nelson
patent: 2499640 (1950-03-01), Gamet
patent: 3292980 (1966-12-01), Gustafsson et al.
patent: 4425520 (1984-01-01), Hiraga
patent: 4468178 (1984-08-01), Hiraga et al.
patent: 4645435 (1987-02-01), Sugimoto
patent: 5356277 (1994-10-01), Yamaguchi et al.
patent: RE35672 (1997-11-01), Taguchi
patent: 6102822 (2000-08-01), Nakazeki
patent: 6244408 (2001-06-01), Tobayama et al.
patent: 199062191 (2000-09-01), None
patent: 58-174729 (1983-10-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 2000, No. 09, Oct. 13, 2000, publication No. 2000170753, publication date Jun. 20, 2000.
Adams & Wilks
Lorence Richard M.
Seiko Instruments Inc.
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