Clutch of a beach buggy

Details Clutch of a beach buggy Clutch of a beach buggy

2001-11-14

2003-06-10

Bonck, Rodney H. (Department: 3681)

192 clutches and power-stop control

Clutches

Operators

C192S052100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06575284

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the clutch of a beach buggy, particularly to one capable to let the outer cover of the clutch activated to rotate slowly together with the transmission gear when the engine is started so that the shifting gear can easily mesh with the transmission gear. When gear shifting begins, probability and speed of engagement between these two gears are increased, preventing the beach buggy from abrupt rushing when accelerated.
A conventional beach buggy, as shown in
FIG. 1
, includes a transmission device having a drive disk
10
driven to rotate by the engine of a beach buggy and a clutch
20
. The clutch
20
has a fixed groove wheel
21
and a sliding groove wheel
22
pushed to closely press the fixed groove wheel
21
by a spring
26
, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3
, with a belt
23
fitted in between the two groove wheels
21
,
22
and connected to the drive disk
10
so as to let the drive disk
10
rotate together with the clutch
20
. Further, an actuating member
24
is positioned adjacent to the sliding groove wheel
22
, capable to be rotated by a hollow shaft
210
protruding out from the fixed groove wheel
21
, as shown in FIG.
2
. The actuating member
24
has its circumferential edge provided with a plurality of curved members
240
arranged in a circle and one end of each curved member
240
is pivotally connected with the actuating member
24
and the other end is a free end, having a lining
241
secured on the outer wall of each curved member
240
, so that the free ends of the curved members
240
are able to expand outward when the actuating member
24
rotates, as shown in
FIGS. 2
,
4
and
5
.
Then, an outer cover
25
is positioned outside the actuating member
24
and the hollow shaft
210
of the fixed groove wheel
21
, having an annular inward flange
250
covering around the actuating member
24
, as shown in FIG.
4
. Thus, when accelerated, the actuating member
24
rotates fast and the free ends of the curved members
240
will expand outward due to a centrifugal force, letting the linings
241
contact with the inward flange
250
of the outer cover
25
and the actuating member
24
rotate together with the outer cover
25
, as shown in FIG.
5
. In addition, the outer cover
25
is provided with a ratchet hole
251
in the center for receiving a drive shaft
252
so that the outer cover
25
can rotate together with the drive shaft
252
, which also drives the transmission gear to rotate. Thus, when gear shifting begins one of the transmission gears meshes with the gear rotated by the drive shaft
252
, and the beach buggy will begin to run forward or backward after being accelerated.
However, the conventional transmission device described above has the following defects.
1. When the engine of a beach buggy is started but not accelerated, the actuating rotator
24
of the clutch
20
cannot rotate fast and there isn't a centrifugal force large enough to push the curved members
240
to expand outward so that the outer cover
25
unable to contact with the linings
241
on the curved members
240
cannot be activated to rotate nor the transmission gear of the drive shaft
252
. Thus, when carrying on gear shifting (whether the car is running forward or backward), one of the transmission gears keeps rotating but the gear driven by the drive shaft
252
remains still, failing to engage each other immediately and resulting in frictional creaking.
2. If accelerated at this time, the linings
241
on the free ends of the curved members
241
of the actuating member
24
will immediately contact with the inward flange
250
of the outer cover
25
, as shown in
FIG. 5
, and the outer cover
25
of the clutch
20
will synchronously rotate fast together with the drive shaft
252
as well as the transmission gear. But, in case the transmission gear and the shifting gear immediately mesh with each other at this moment, the car will abruptly rush forward fast, endangering the driver himself and other persons.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is devised to offer the clutch of a beach buggy, possible to let the shifting gear mesh with the transmission gear very fast and prevent the beach buggy from rushing forward abruptly.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1852552 (1932-04-01), Altorfer
patent: 2443593 (1948-06-01), Birsch
patent: 3000480 (1961-09-01), Bochory
patent: 3610062 (1971-10-01), Hoff
patent: 4294342 (1981-10-01), St. John
patent: 4345664 (1982-08-01), Anno et al.
patent: 4830163 (1989-05-01), Miyazaki et al.
patent: 5503261 (1996-04-01), Schultz

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Clutch of a beach buggy does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Clutch of a beach buggy, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Clutch of a beach buggy will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3158835