192 clutches and power-stop control – Clutches – Operators
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-30
2001-09-11
Bonck, Rodney H. (Department: 3681)
192 clutches and power-stop control
Clutches
Operators
C192S084961
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286650
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims priority from Japanese patent application No. Hei 10-356477 filed Dec. 15, 1998, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic clutch that transmits and cuts rotational power and that is particularly suitable for driving a compressor for an automobile air conditioning apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
One type of known electromagnetic clutch for a compressor is disclosed in JP-U-6-30535. The electromagnetic clutch has a rotor which is driven by a driving source such as an engine and has an armature which is disposed opposite the rotor keeping a predetermined small gap between them. The armature is supported by a hub of the driven side via a leaf spring.
When an electromagnetic coil is energized to generate an electromagnetic attractive force, the armature is attracted to the rotor, and the armature is attached to the rotor by an elastic deformation of the leaf spring. Consequently, the rotation of the rotor is transmitted to the driven-side hub via the armature and the leaf spring, and a compressor connected to the hub is operated.
However, according to the above described electromagnetic clutch, a triangle-shaped flange portion, extended outwardly in the radial direction, is unitarily formed with the driven-side hub. One ends of a plurality of the leaf springs (for example, three leaf springs) are connected to the flange portion, and the other ends of the leaf springs are connected to the armature.
Accordingly, in an axial direction of the electromagnetic clutch, the flange portion of the driven-side hub is piled up on the leaf spring as well as the armature is piled up on the leaf spring. Consequently, the electromagnetic clutch is increase in size in the axial direction, and the mounting performance of the electromagnetic clutch on a limited space such as an engine compartment is decreased.
Furthermore, since a plurality of leaf springs are used, the assembly of the leaf springs are complicated, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost of the electromagnetic clutch.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made in light of the foregoing problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an electromagnetic clutch which reduces its size in the axial direction and simplifies its structure.
According to an electromagnetic clutch of the present invention, ring-shaped leaf spring, which connects an armature with a slave-side rotating member, includes an outer ring portion connected to the armature, an attachment portion connected to the slave-side rotating member and located inner than the outer ring portion, and a connecting portion for connecting the outer ring portion and the attachment portion.
The armature includes a plurality of fixing portions provided on the outer ring portion, and a deflection generating portion for generating an initial deflection on the leaf spring is disposed between the fixing portions.
Accordingly, the initial deflection is given to the ring-shaped leaf spring by the deflection generating portion provided on the leaf spring or the armature. Therefore, it is not necessary to arrange the armature, leaf spring and the slave-side rotating member (driven-side hub) in the axial direction like the prior art, and only the armature and the ring-shaped leaf spring are arranged in the axial direction.
Consequently, the electromagnetic clutch is reduced in size in the axial direction, and mounting the electromagnetic clutch on a limited space, such as an engine compartment, is facilitated.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2407757 (1946-09-01), MacCallum
patent: 3727736 (1973-04-01), Miller et al.
patent: 3762516 (1973-10-01), Matsushita
patent: 3788099 (1974-01-01), Miller
patent: 4471862 (1984-09-01), Sugita
patent: 4523916 (1985-06-01), Kizler et al.
patent: 4574930 (1986-03-01), Koitabashi
patent: 4871342 (1989-10-01), Boss et al.
patent: 4984668 (1991-01-01), Onishi et al.
patent: 5138293 (1992-08-01), Ishimaru
patent: 5445256 (1995-08-01), Tabuchi et al.
Hayashi Toshihiro
Tabuchi Yasuo
Bonck Rodney H.
Denso Corporation
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
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