Centrifugal clutch
US5437356A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 18, 1993 |
| Grant date | Aug 1, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 18, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16D43/18
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A centrifugal clutch includes a pair of clutch shoes, a rotor, and a housing around the clutch shoe and rotor. Each clutch shoe is formed to include pockets that receive drive arms on the rotors. The shape of the pocket on the top side of the clutch shoe is different than the shape of the pocket on the bottom side so that the clutch has one torque capacity if the rotor drive arm extends into the "top side" pocket and a different torque capacity if the rotor drive arm extends into the "bottom side" pocket. The side walls of each pocket and the side walls on each rotor drive arm are shaped and configured so that a user can change the torque capacity of the clutch by changing the orientation of the clutch shoes relative to the rotor drive arms inside the housing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.