Patent ID: 8413547

Claim:
A retrograde torque-limiting gear train apparatus installed between a bidirectional input and a one-way output, comprising: an input shaft ( 2000 ); an output shaft ( 3000 ); a first gear train for transmitting power from said bi-directional input to said one-way output to cause rotation of said output shaft ( 3000 ) in a one-way output direction when said bi-directional input (shaft ( 2000 ) is rotated in a first input direction; a second gear train for transmitting power from said bi-directional input to said one-way output to cause rotation of said output shaft ( 3000 ) in said one-way output direction when said bi-directional input shaft ( 2000 ) is rotated in a second input direction opposite the first input direction; a first one-way transmission ( 301 ) included in one said first and second gear trains; at least one second one-way transmission ( 302 , 303 , or 305 ) included in another of said first and second gear trains; and a torque-limiting transmission ( 800 ) installed between said input shaft ( 2000 ) and said output shaft ( 3000 ) for providing an overload function to permit rotation of said output shaft ( 3000 ) relative to said input shaft ( 2000 ) and thereby prevent locking of said gear train apparatus when one of the following occurs: (a) a torque applied to said output shaft ( 3000 ) exceeds a predetermined torque, and (b) a torque is applied to said output shaft ( 3000 ) in a direction opposite said one-way output direction.