Drive mechanism
US4573561A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 23, 1983 |
| Grant date | Mar 4, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 23, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16D25/082
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A clutch drive mechanism (10) interconnects a vehicle engine (12) with a vehicle air compressor (14) to provide a driving connection therebetween when operation of the air compressor (14) is necessary to charge the vehicle reservoir (18) and to break the driving connection to the air compressor (14) when the reservoir (18) is fully charged. The drive mechanism (10) includes a clutch disc pack (82) which is controlled by a piston (52). Piston (52) responds to a pressure signal from a conventional unloader mechanism (20) to disengage the clutch mechanism (10) to disconnect the air compressor (14) from driving connection with the vehicle engine (12). A thrust bearing (68) provides a rotary connection between the piston (52) and the disc pack (82) and another thrust bearing (46) is provided between the output drive (36) and the clutch drive housing (26) so that axial forces or loads are transmitted to the housing (26) instead of to the compressor (14). These bearings rotate only when the clutch driven mechanism is engaged.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.