Self-releasing clutch assembly for a vehicle door lock
US6516929B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 23, 2001 |
| Grant date | Feb 11, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 23, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE05B81/06
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A self-releasing clutch assembly for locking a vehicle door lock. The clutch assembly (11) includes a servo-actuated input drive and a cinching output drive. A gear shaped first actuator (42) is mounted to the input drive. A cylindrical second actuator (44) is mounted to the output drive and is moveable relative to the first actuator. Four pairs of rollers (50) are interdisposed between the first and second actuators and moveable between a disengaged position and an engaged position. With the disengaged position, the rollers rest against the first actuator and allowing the second actuator to rotate relative thereto. With the engaged position, the rollers interlock the first and second actuators for relative concurrent movement. The clutch assembly is characterized by the first actuator including four driving surfaces (43) and the second actuator including four corresponding abutments (48). The driving surfaces engage and move the rollers from the disengaged position to the engaged position in response to movement by the input drive. The abutments then lock the rollers between the first and second actuators to couple the input drive with the output drive thereby transferring the mov…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.