Magnetically hinged overrunning clutch
US9856928B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 28, 2017 |
| Grant date | Jan 2, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 28, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16D2041/0603
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A magnetically hinged, overrunning clutch is disclosed. Sprags containing rare-earth permanent magnets, and arranged in pairs of opposite magnetic orientation, are located within the gap between the inner surface of a hollow, circularly cylindrical shaft and the external surface of a smaller diameter, second circularly cylindrical shaft. Pairs of rare-earth permanent magnets encircling the second cylindrical shaft are located at, or just beneath, the surface of the shaft and are arranged in pairs having alternating magnetic orientation. The sprags are cylinders having a pseudo-spiral cross-section and are sized, and the ferromagnetic region located, such that when the sprags are attracted to the shaft-magnets, the first shaft may be rotated with respect to the second shaft in a first, overrunning direction of rotation, but the first shaft does not rotate with respect to the second shaft in an opposite, or lock-up direction.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.