Clutch unit for automatically cancelling connection between inpu

Details Clutch unit for automatically cancelling connection between inpu Clutch unit for automatically cancelling connection between inpu

1996-11-21

1999-06-29

Marmor, Charles A.

192 clutches and power-stop control

Clutches

Automatic

192 12R, 192 35, F16D 4302

Patent

active

059155140

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a clutch unit interposed between the Input and output members for transmitting and interrupting torque in an opening and closing mechanism, such as an automobile power window. electrically-powered slide door (one-box car), electrically-powered curtain or the like.
For example, the electrically-powered slide door of an automobile is usually designed such that the rotative power of the driving motor is reduced in speed by a worm and wormwheel mechanism and then transmitted through a solenoid clutch to an output shaft for opening and closing the door. Reducing the speed of the driving motor by a worm and wormwheel mechanism requires the use of a small-sized motor because of the limited installation space and the high rpm and low torque at which the driving motor runs, as compared with the low rpm and high torque of the output shaft necessary for the output shaft to open and close the door. Further, the use of a solenoid clutch is intended to make it possible to open and close the door by manual power input from the output shaft, i.e., by manual operation. That is, since the gear reduction ratio of a worm and wormwheel mechanism is generally high, the connection between the driving motor and the output shaft has to be cancelled before manual opening and closing of the door during stoppage of the driving motor can be made possible.
However. Interposition of a solenoid clutch between the driving motor and the output shaft is liable to increase the power consumption and complicate the control system.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which is capable of automatically cancelling the connection between the input source and the output shaft during stoppage of the input source by means of mechanical construction.
A clutch unit according to the present invention comprises an inner rotatable member, an outer rotatable member, torque transmission members disposed between the inner and outer rotatable members and adapted to effect torque transmission or interruption through wedge engagement/disengagement between the inner and outer rotatable members, a retainer for retaining the torque transmission members, one of the three members, the inner rotatable member, outer rotatable member and retainer, being used as an input member connected to a rotation driving source, one of the other two being used as a differential member, an elastic member for connecting the input member and the differential member in the direction of rotation, a fixed member brake-fixed or fixed to a stationary member in the direction of rotation, and a viscous fluid present between the differential member and the fixed member, wherein the engagement/disengagement of the torque transmission members is controlled by the relative rotation of the differential member effected through the viscous fluid or elastic member.
Upon rotation of the input member, the differential member connected thereto in the direction or rotation through the elastic member is rotated. At this time, the differential member is subjected to the viscoshear resistance of the viscous fluid present between it and the fixed member. For this reason, the elastic member flexes in the direction of rotation, resulting in a corresponding amount of relative rotation (delay in rotation of the differential member) produced between the differential member and the input member. And the relative rotation of the differential member brings the torque transmission members into wedge engagement with the inner and outer rotatable members. Thereby, the torque from the input member is transmitted to the output member through the torque transmission members.
When the input source stops and so does the rotation of the input member and differential member, the viscoshear resistance of the viscous fluid disappears, so that the elastic recovery force of the elastic member enables the differential member to rotate relative to the input member (in the direction opposite to the aforesaid one) to effect the

REFERENCES:
patent: 3055471 (1962-09-01), Warn et al.
patent: 3150750 (1964-09-01), Georges
patent: 4901831 (1990-02-01), Ito et al.
patent: 5016740 (1991-05-01), Ito et al.
patent: 5135084 (1992-08-01), Ito et al.
patent: 5355981 (1994-10-01), Itoh et al.

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