Rolling bearing clutch

Abstract: A rolling bearing clutch (51) including an inner ring (52), an outer ring (53), and a plurality of rollers (54) interposed between track surfaces (55, 56) of hyperboloidal contour on the outer periphery of said inner ring (52) and the inner periphery of said outer ring (53), said rollers (54) having a twist angle relative to the center axis of said rings (52, 53), and including a means for moving the track surfaces (55, 56) close to each other so that said rings (52, 53), when relatively rotated in one direction, are brought into the locked condition, said rings (52, 53) being freely rotatable when relatively rotated in the other direction. In order to ensure that the clutch can be disengaged even during torque loading without a screwing-back operation, the means for moving the track surfaces (55, 56) is a thrusting means, such as a hydraulically operated piston (62), so that when a thrust force is imparted to one of said rings (52, 53) with said rings (52, 53) being relatively rotated in said other direction, said clutch (51) is engaged, and when said thrust force is released, said clutch (51) becomes disengaged.

Description: The present invention relates to a rolling bearing clutch according to the preamble of patent claim 1. The ON/OFF operations of the clutch are performed by causing the track surfaces of an inner ring and an outer ring to move close to each other or away from each other. The Document WO-A-93 00519 describes the use of a uni-directional clutch of this kind in a safety coupling between an input shaft and an output shaft. An inner race supporting a plurality of thrust transmitting cylindrical rollers is fixed to the input shaft and surrounded by a coupling race that can be moved close to the inner race by means of a mechanical lever or an electrical actuator, causing the rollers to slide in their axial directions against a thrust washer on an annular shoulder at the end of the inner race and the clutch to be locked. Retraction of the coupling race separates the rollers from the thrust shoulder and disengages the clutch. The Document US-A-1 955 880 describes the use of a clutch of this kind in the transmission gearing of a motor vehicle. An end of a driving shaft is aligned with a shaft to be driven and has an outer conical surface that is surrounded by a similarly inclined inner conical surface of a projecting end portion of a hub which is slidable on and rotates with the shaft to be driven, cylindrical rollers being arranged between the conical surfaces. The actuation of a gear lever mechanism slides the hub to bring the conical surfaces into contact with the rollers and causes components of spring forces to retain the clutch in engagement with a firm but not excessive pressure. The rollers are wedged between and connect the cone surfaces in one direction of relative rotation, and release the surfaces in the other direction to permit free-wheeling. The gear lever mechanism disengages the clutch by positively retracting the hub. A typical conventional rolling bearing clutch as shown in Fig. 4, includes an inner ring 100, an outer ring 101 and a plurality of rollers 104 interposed between the outer periphery of the inner ring 100 and the inner periphery of the outer ring 101 as shown in Fig. 4(a). The rollers 104 are arranged in the inclined condition with a predetermined twist angle β relative to the center axis X of the inner and outer rings 100 and 101 as shown in Fig. 4(b). A track surface 102 of the outer periphery of the inner ring 100 exhibits a substantially convergent cone-like taper surface, and a track surface 103 of the inner periphery of the outer ring 101 is also formed to have a substantially conical shape corresponding to the track surface 102 of the inner ring 100. More precisely, since each of rollers 104 come into line contact with track surfaces 102 and 103, each of track surfaces 102 and 103 exhibits a single hyperboloid contour that is a locus scribed by rotating the rollers 104 about the center axis X. The inner and outer rings 100 and 101 are inclined with a predetermined socket angle  relative to the center axis X. The rollers 104 come into contact with the track surfaces 102 and 103 of the inner and outer rings 100 and 101 with the predetermined twist angle β, and as the inner and outer rings rotate, the rollers 104 are spirally rotated between the track surfaces 102 and 103. When the inner ring 100 is rotated in the outer ring 101 via the rollers 104 in the squeezing-in or advanced direction as shown in Fig. 4(b), a clutch component F1 operating to draw the inner ring 100 and the outer ring 101 near to each other as the rollers 104 roll appears, causing the rollers 104 between the inner ring 100 and the outer ring 101 to be brought into a locked condition thereby enabling torque to be transmitted. On the other hand, when the inner ring 100 is rotated in a reverse direction, a rolling component F2 effective for allowing the inner and outer rings 100 and 101 to be parted away from each other as the rollers 104 roll appears as shown in Fig. 4(c); to thereby enable the rollers 104 to rotate freely. The rolling bearing clutch is utilized as a one-way clutch adapted to transmit torque in one direction and freely rotate in the other direction by utilizing the aforementioned characteristics. It should be noted that a plurality of preliminary pressure springs 105 for imparting a light preliminary pressure between the inner ring 100 and the outer ring 101 are disposed to bring the rollers 104 into initial contact with the inner and outer rings 100 and 101. A rolling bearing clutch as constructed above and utilized as an ON/OFF clutch and having the structure as shown in Fig. 5 is known. Fig. 5 (a) is a partial sectional perspective view which shows the entire structure of the ON/OFF clutch, and Fig. 5 (b) shows sectional views which explain operations of the ON/OFF clutch. As shown in Fig. 5(a), the outer ring 101 of the rolling bearing clutch is received in a cylinder 107 as a piston. By feeding fluid pressure such as air pressure or the like through a port 108, the outer ring 101 is displaced in such a direction that the rollers 104 and the track surfaces 102 and 103 of the inner and outer rings 100 and 101 do not come in contact with each other, thereby enabling the rollers 104 to be rotated in normal and reverse directions. By interrupting the feeding of air, the rollers 104 are brought into contact with the track surfaces 102 and 103 of the inner and outer rings 100 and 101 so that rotation of the rollers 104 is locked in one direction. Incidentally, a ball spline 109 is interposed between the cylinder 107 and the outer ring 101. Reference numeral 110 denotes a retainer. A problem of the conventional ON/OFF clutch is restriction of application, because it can function only as a one-way clutch for transmitting torque in a single direction. The present invention has been made to overcome the aforementioned drawback. According to the present invention, this object is achieved with the features of the characterizing portion of patent claim 1. According to the present invention, a rolling bearing clutch includes an inner ring, an outer ring and a plurality of rollers interposed between the track surfaces of the outer periphery of the inner ring and the inner periphery of the outer ring and is constructed such that the rollers are provided with a predetermined twist angle (β) relative to the center axis of the inner and outer rings. Each of the track surfaces of the inner ring and the outer ring is formed by a hyperboloid contour that is a revolving locus scribed when the rollers are rotated about the center axis, and when the inner and outer rings are relatively rotated in one direction, the inner and outer rings are brought into a locked condition, and when said inner and outer rings are relatively rotated in another direction, said inner and outer rings are freely rotatable. The rolling bearing clutch is provided with thrusting means for allowing the track surfaces of the inner ring and the outer ring to come near to each other. The rolling bearing clutch is shifted to the ON condition where the inner and outer rings are locked by thrusting the inner or outer ring by way of a thrusting means with the inner and outer rings being relatively rotated in another direction opposite to the one direction. The rolling bearing clutch is shifted to the OFF condition with the inner and outer rings being freely relatively rotatable by releasing the thrusting means from the thrust condition. According to the present invention, the track surfaces of the inner ring and the outer ring come in contact with the rollers by thrusting the inner or outer ring while the inner and outer rings are relatively rotated in another direction opposite to the one direction. Thus, the input shaft and the output shaft can be mechanically coupled by locking the inner and outer rings and shifting the rolling bearing clutch to the ON condition. When the thrusting means is released from the thrust condition during torque loading, the rollers are caused to roll in such a direction that the outer ring and the inner ring are parted away from each other so that the rollers roll on the track surfaces while sliding thereon, causing the rolling bearing clutch to be shifted to the OFF condition, whereby mechanical coupling of the input shaft and the output shaft can be immediately disconnected. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative examples. Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing a rolling bearing clutch according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a rolling bearing clutch according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing a rolling bearing clutch according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 4(a) to 4(c) are illustrative views of a conventional rolling bearing clutch, wherein Fig. 4(a) is a partially sectioned perspective view of the rolling bearing clutch and Figs. 4(b) and 4(c) are diagrams showing the operation of the rolling bearing clutch. Figs. 5(a) and 5(b) are illustrative views of another conventional rolling bearing clutch, wherein Fig. 5(a) is a partially sectional perspective view of the rolling bearing clutch and Fig. 5(b) is a diagram showing the operation of the rolling bearing clutch. The present invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of a rolling bearing clutch of the present invention. In the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the rolling bearing clutch is constructed in such a way that it is shifted to the ON condition by thrusting an outer ring with thrusting means while the inner and outer rings are relatively rotated in the rolling direction opposite to the locking direction, and the rolling bearing clutch is employed as a one-way clutch. The structure of the track surfaces of the inner and outer rings is entirely the same as that of the conventional rolling bearing clutch, but in contrast with the conventional rolling bearing clutch, so called screw-back operation is not required. Fig. 1 is a sectional view which shows the first embodiment of the present invention. The rolling bearing clutch 51 includes an inner ring 52, an outer ring 53, a plurality of cylindrical rollers 54 interposed between the outer periphery of the inner ring 52 and the inner periphery of the outer ring 53, and a retainer 57 for retaining the rollers 54 at predetermined conditions. The inner ring 52 is fixed directly to an output shaft 58. The outer ring 53 is connected to the outer annulus 60 via a ball spline mechanism 59, and the outer ring 53 is relatively displaceable in the axial direction relative to the outer annulus 60, while it is rotated together with the outer annulus 60 in the rotating direction. An input shaft 70 is connected to the outer annulus 60. An inner annulus 61 is fixed to the outer annulus 60, and the space surrounded by the outer annulus 60 and the inner annulus 61 constitutes a cylinder portion in which a piston 62 is axially displaceably arranged. A clutch ON/OFF working oil chamber 64 is defined between the inner surface of the cylinder portion and the piston 62, and working oil is fed to the working oil chamber 64 via working oil feeding passages 66a, 66b, 66c and 66d formed in the stationary flange 65 and the inner annulus 61. The working oil feeding passage 66a is connected to a hydraulic pump via a control valve V. In addition a working oil discharging nozzle 75 communicated with the working oil chamber 64 is provided in the outer annulus 60. A plurality of thrust balls 67 are interposed between the piston 62 and the outer annulus 53. The thrust balls 67 are retained in a circular disc-like retainer 68. A plurality of preliminary pressure springs 69 are interposed between the outer ring 53 and the outer annulus 60 so that preliminary pressure is imparted to the rollers 54 by thrusting the outer ring 53 relative to the inner ring 52 in the axial direction. A radial bearing 72 is interposed between a stationary flange 65 and an output shaft 58, and a radial bearing 73 is interposed between the outer annulus 60 and the inner ring 52. Reference numeral 76 denotes an 0-ring seal. The structure of track surfaces 55 and 56 of the inner ring 52 and the outer ring 53 exhibits the entirely same hyperboloid contour as that of the conventional rolling bearing clutch and description on it is herein omitted. Next, operation of the rolling bearing clutch constructed as above will be described below. An input shaft 70 is connected to a prime mover (not shown). In this embodiment, the input shaft 70 is relatively rotated only in the rolling direction opposite to the locking direction of the inner and outer rings of the rolling bearing clutch 51. When the rolling bearing clutch 51 is shifted to the OFF condition while the input shaft 70 is rotated, the outer ring 53 is rotated together with the outer annulus 60, but a rolling component effective for parting the inner and outer rings 52 and 53 away from each other by the rolling of the roller 54 is generated, allowing the rollers 54 to be rotated freely. Thus, the inner ring 52 is not rotated. When the control valve V is opened while the foregoing condition is maintained, the working oil is fed into the working oil chamber 54 so that pressure is induced in the working oil in the working oil chamber 54 by the centrifugal force. The piston 62 is, thus, thrust in the leftward direction by the centrifugal pressure, and the track surfaces of the outer ring 53 and the inner ring 52 come near to each other so that the rolling bearing clutch 51 is shifted to the ON condition, causing the input shaft 70 to be mechanically coupled to the output shaft 58. When the feeding of the working oil into the working oil chamber 64 is interrupted by closing the control valve V during the torque loading, the working oil in the working oil chamber 64 is discharged from the nozzle 75 by the centrifugal force so that the piston 62 is released from the thrust condition. Thus, a component effective for moving the inner and outer rings 52 and 53 away from each other by the rolling of the rollers 54 is generated, and the rollers 54 are rotated freely so that the rolling bearing clutch 51 is immediately shifted to the OFF condition. A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 2. In this embodiment, an inner ring 52, an outer ring 53, a plurality of rollers 54, an outer annulus 60, an inner annulus 61 and so forth are the same as those in the first embodiment. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in respect of a point that the thrusting force for driving a piston 62 is not caused by the centrifugal force but it is caused by fluid pressure (static pressure) of the working oil itself supplied from a pump. Specifically, in this embodiment, a slide bearing 77 made of a metallic material is interposed between the inner annulus 61 and a stationary flange 65. When a control valve V is opened, oil with a predetermined intensity of high pressure is fed into the working oil chamber 64. A piston 62 is displaced in the leftward direction by the pressure of the working oil to thrust the outer ring 53 in the leftward direction so that the track surfaces of the outer ring 53 and the inner ring 52 come near to each other, causing the rolling bearing clutch to be shifted to the ON condition. Other structures and functions are same as those in the embodiment shown in Fig. 7. A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 3. According to this embodiment, an inner ring 52, an outer ring 53, a plurality of rollers 54, an outer annulus 60 and so forth are the same as those in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. In this embodiment, means for imparting a thrust force onto the outer ring 53 is composed of a piston and an actuator. Specifically, a casing 80 is connected to an outer annulus 60, and a piston 81 and a hydraulic cylinder 82 for driving the piston 81 are received in the casing 80. The foremost end of the piston 81 comes in contact with a plurality of thrust balls 67, and a bearing receiver 83 is fixed to the rear end of a hydraulic cylinder 82. A thrust bearing 84 is interposed between the bearing receiver 83 and the casing 80. The hydraulic cylinder 82 includes a stationary portion 82a at the rear part thereof, and a radial bearing 85 is interposed between the stationary portion 82a and the casing 80. In this embodiment, when the hydraulic cylinder 82 is not operated, the rolling bearing clutch is shifted to the OFF condition. When the hydraulic cylinder 82 is actuated, the piston 81 is displaced in the leftward direction to thrust the outer ring 53 in the leftward direction so that the track surfaces of the outer ring 53 and the inner ring 52 come near to each other, causing the rolling bearing clutch to be shifted to the ON condition. Other structures and functions are same as those in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. As described above, according to the present invention, the track surfaces of the inner ring and the outer ring come near to each other by the operation of the thrusting means while the inner and outer rings are relatively rotated in the rolling direction opposite to the locking direction, whereby the rolling bearing clutch can be shifted to the ON condition by locking the inner and outer rings, and when the thrusting means is shifted from the thrust condition during the torque loading, the track surfaces of the inner and outer rings are parted away from each other so that the rolling bearing clutch can be shifted to the OFF condition. According to the present invention, since the torque can be transmitted in both directions, the rolling bearing clutch can be employed for various applications.

Claims: A rolling bearing clutch (51) including an inner ring (52), an outer ring (53), and a plurality of rollers (54) interposed between the track surfaces (55, 56) formed on the outer periphery of said inner ring (52) and the inner periphery of said outer ring (53), said rollers (54) being provided with a predetermined twist angle (β) relative to the center axis (X) of said inner and outer rings (52, 53), and each of the track surfaces (55, 56) of said inner ring (52) and said outer ring (53) being formed by a hyperboloid contour that is a revolving locus scribed when said rollers (54) are rotated about the center axis (X), and a thrusting means for moving the track surfaces (55, 56) of said inner ring (52) and said outer ring (53) close to each other, and when said inner and outer rings (52, 53) are relatively rotated in one direction, said inner and outer rings (52, 53) are brought into the locked condition, and when said inner and outer rings (52, 53) are relatively rotated in another direction, said inner and outer rings (52, 53) are freely rotatable, characterized in that said inner and outer rings (52, 53) are locked by imparting a thrust force to said inner or outer ring (52, 53) with said thrusting means, with said inner and outer rings (52, 53) being relatively rotated in another direction opposite to the one direction, whereby said rolling bearing clutch (51) is shifted to the ON condition, and said inner and outer rings (52, 53) are freely relatively rotatable by releasing said thrusting means from the thrust condition, whereby said rolling bearing clutch (51) is shifted to the OFF condition. The rolling bearing clutch (51) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said thrusting means comprises a piston (62) engageable with said outer ring (53) and means for applying the fluid pressure to the pressure receiving surface of said piston (62). The rolling bearing clutch (51) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for applying fluid pressure comprises a working oil chamber (64) defined between the pressure receiving surface of said piston (62) and a cylinder portion adapted to receive said piston (62), a working oil feeding portion for feeding the working oil to said working oil chamber (64), and a nozzle (75) for discharging the working oil from said working oil chamber (64), said fluid pressure is centrifugal pressure formed by the centrifugal force applied to the working oil in said working oil chamber (64). The rolling bearing clutch (51) as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for applying fluid pressure comprises a working oil chamber (64) defined between the pressure receiving surface of said piston (62) and a cylinder portion adapted to receive said piston (62), a working oil feeding portion for feeding the working oil to said working oil chamber (64), and a nozzle (75) for discharging the working oil from said working oil chamber (64), said fluid pressure is formed by feeding an increased pressure working oil to the working oil chamber (64). The rolling bearing clutch (51) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said thrusting means comprises a piston (81) engageable with said outer ring (53) and an actuator for driving said piston (81).

Inventors: HOSHIDE KAORU, KIMURA KATSUMI, HOSHIDE, KAORU, KIMURA, KATSUMI
Applicants: EBARA CORP, THK CO LTD, EBARA CORPORATION, THK CO., LTD.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: F16D41
IPC codes: F16D41, F16D25