Patent · US Expired

Torque limiting clutch

US5129497A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
9References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 25, 1991
Grant dateJul 14, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 25, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16D7/027
  • WIPO fieldMechanical elements
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A hub member receives a tapered collect for gripping a drive shaft such as a shaft projecting from an electric motor. The hub member extends into a surrounding cylindrical housing which is secured to rotate with the hub member and carries a set of generally square clutch plates. An annular drive member is supported for relative rotation by the hub member and has an inner portion projecting into the housing to support a set of annular clutch disks which interfit between the clutch plates. The housing encloses oil which circulates between the clutch plates and disks, and a set of rotary seals confine the oil within the housing while providing for rotation of the drive member relative to the hub member and housing. The drive member has external teeth for driving a load through an endless belt or gears, and the housing encloses a set of compression springs which normally urge the stack of clutch plates and disks together for transmitting a selectable maximum torque from the drive shaft to the drive member through the hub member and housing.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.