Patent ID: 7766774
Filing Date: 2010-08-03
Classification: E05Y,F16D,F16H

Abstract:
1. A decoupler assembly for transferring torque between a shaft and a drive belt, said decoupler assembly comprising: a hub configured to be fixedly assembled to the shaft; a carrier rotatably mounted on said hub; a torsion spring extending between a hub end and a carrier end for elastically transferring torque between said hub and carrier; a pulley rotatably coupled to said hub, said pulley having an outer periphery configured to frictionally engage with the drive belt, said pulley having an inner surface formed therein; a clutch spring secured to said carrier and having a plurality of helical coils frictionally engaging with said inner surface of said pulley to selectively couple said hub and pulley, said torsion spring and said clutch spring wound in opposite senses enabling said clutch spring to expand into gripping engagement with said inner surface during acceleration of said pulley relative to said hub and to contract out of gripping engagement with said inner surface during deceleration of said pulley relative to said hub; and a torque limiter wrapped about said torsion spring and dimensioned to limit outward expansion of said torsion spring at a predetermined torque through contact with the torsion spring and the clutch spring.