JP2003113864A - Clutch device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a clutch device which reduces the size and the manufacturing cost thereof, and prevents the smoothness in uncoupling the torque transmission from being impaired. SOLUTION: A planetary gear type clutch device comprises a planetary gear base (16) which is rotatably supported while being concentric with an outer member (12) and an inner member (11) and rotatably supports a planetary gear (13), a stopper member (35) retractable by the operation of a solenoid (32) provided on a substantially non-turnable member, a clutch uncoupling member (18) which is rotatably supported by the planetary gear base, and has a projection (a projecting bar 27) engaged with the projected stopper member and a spring member (a torsional spring 19) to elastically connect the planetary gear base to the clutch uncoupling member in an interlocking manner. In this configuration, at the instant when the clutch uncoupling member is stopped, the spring member is deflected, an engaging force of the planetary gear with the inner member is slackened, and the uncoupling operation of the planetary gear type clutch device is smoothed.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a clutch device, and more particularly to a clutch device suitable for intermittently transmitting torque to a feed roller of a facsimile machine, a copying machine, or the like. . 2. Description of the Related Art In a facsimile apparatus or a copying machine, a driven gear and a paper feed roller to which a rotational torque of a motor is constantly applied in order to selectively rotate and stop a paper feed roller under predetermined conditions. , A clutch device is provided. As a clutch device for this purpose, the other end of a coil spring having one end fixed to the drive shaft is wound around the driven shaft, and the torque from the drive shaft to the driven shaft is transmitted by winding the coil spring around the driven shaft. A lap spring type one-way clutch is known in which when a reverse rotation torque acts on a driven shaft, a coil spring is loosened and torque transmission is interrupted (see JP-A-5-157128). . [0003] However, in this type of clutch device, the transmission torque capacity is determined by the axial dimension around which the coil spring is wound. There is a problem that the axial dimension must be increased. In addition, since a special coil spring having a square cross-sectional shape of the wire is used, and a relatively high accuracy is required for an engaging portion between the shaft and the coil spring, the manufacturing cost tends to increase. . In order to promote compactness and low manufacturing costs, it is conceivable to use a one-way clutch using a planetary gear as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-22867. However, this type of clutch is not suitable for the above-mentioned applications because it is difficult for the planetary gear to be disengaged when the drive torque from the motor is constantly applied, and excessive force is applied to the planetary gear when the clutch is disconnected. Did not. [0005] The present invention has been devised to solve such problems of the prior art, and its main purpose is to promote compactness and low production cost, and An object of the present invention is to provide an improved clutch device so as not to impair the smoothness at the time of disconnection of torque transmission. In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an outer member (12) having an internal ring gear (22) and a rotatable shaft coaxially with the outer member are provided. And an inner member (11) supported on the outer periphery and having a recess (23) on the outer periphery, and a planetary gear (13) rotatably received in the recess and meshing with the internal gear. The outer member and the inner member rotate integrally when a part of the gear bites into a part of the recess, and the outer member and the inner member when the bite of a part of the teeth of the planetary gear with respect to the part of the recess are released. And a planetary gear base (16) rotatably supported coaxially with the outer member and the inner member and rotatably supporting the planetary gears. Provided on a non-rotatable member A stopper member (35) which comes and goes by the action of the solenoid (32), and a projection (protrusion 27) rotatably supported by the planetary gear base and capable of engaging with the stopper member at the time of projection.
And a spring member (torsion spring 19) for resiliently and interlockingly connecting the planetary gear base and the clutch release member. With this arrangement, the spring member is bent at the moment when the clutch release member stops, so that the engaging force between the planetary gear and the inner member is loosened, so that the disconnecting operation of the planetary gear type clutch mechanism is facilitated. Can be. The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a part of a sheet feeding mechanism in a facsimile apparatus to which the clutch device according to the present invention is applied. The paper feed mechanism 1 includes a pinion 2 directly connected to a drive shaft (not shown) of a motor, a driven gear 3 meshed with the pinion 2, and a paper feed roller connected to the driven gear 3 via a clutch device 4. It consists of five. In the paper feed mechanism 1, the pinion 2 is constantly rotating during the operation of the facsimile apparatus, and the transmission of torque from the driven gear 3 to the paper feed roller 5 is performed by the clutch device 4 operated by the action of the solenoid type lock mechanism 6. Intermittent by. FIGS. 2 and 3 show a clutch device 4 according to the present invention. The clutch device 4 includes, for example, an inner member 11 coupled to the center shaft 7 of the paper feed roller 5 by key means, an outer member 12 rotatably supported by the inner member 11, an inner member 11, and an outer member 12. The planetary gear 13 is provided between the inner member 11 and the outer member 12 while the planetary gear 13 is rotatably supported on a shaft 15 projecting from the disk portion 14. The planetary gear base 16, a clutch releasing member 18 supported by the cylindrical shaft portion 17 of the planetary gear base 16 so as to be axially immovable and rotatably, and a spring between the planetary gear base 16 and the clutch releasing member 18. The torsion spring 19 is wound around the cylindrical shaft portion 17 of the planetary gear base 16 so as to interlock and connect with force. On the outer member 12, a driven gear 3 forming an external gear ring gear meshing with the pinion 2 is formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof, and an internal gear ring gear 22 meshing with the planetary gear 13.
Are formed on the inner peripheral surface. On the outer peripheral portion of the inner member 11, a substantially semicircular recess 23 opened outward in the radial direction is provided at a position that divides the circumference into three equal parts. The three recesses 23 receive the planetary gear 13 supported by the planetary gear base 16 and meshed with the internal gear 22. One of the openings in the recesses 23 in the circumferential direction is cut off along a plane parallel to the tangent to the circumscribed circle of the inner member 11 and passing through the center of the planetary gear 13,
Thereby, the edge 24 with which the teeth of the planetary gear 13 bite is formed in each of the three recesses 23. The planetary gear base 16 and the clutch release member 1
On the surfaces facing each other, a single radial ridge 25, 26 is provided. These ridges 25 and 26
Are locked from the outside in the circumferential direction with respect to the respective ends 19a and 19b of the torsion spring 19. As described above, the clutch device 4 is provided with the solenoid lock mechanism 6. The lock mechanism 6 includes a solenoid 32 fixed to a substantially non-rotatable stay member 31 and a coil spring in a direction in which one end thereof is hingedly connected to a solenoid base 33 and the other end is in contact with the clutch release member 18. And a stopper member 35 urged and resilient at 34. The clutch release member 18 has a radial ridge 2 which can be engaged with the other end of the stopper member 35 at the time of projection.
7 are provided at appropriate positions in the circumferential direction. Next, the operation of the apparatus of the present invention will be described. Normally, a pinion 2 directly connected to the motor shaft
The driving force of the motor is applied to the driven gear 3 composed of the external gear ring gear, that is, the outer member 12 via the external gear, and the outer member 12 is constantly rotating during the operation of the motor. On the other hand, the solenoid 32 is interrupted by the current under predetermined conditions, and when excited, the stopper member 35 as an armature is attracted to the core of the solenoid 32.
From the protrusion 27 of the clutch release member 18 to the stopper member 35
The other end of the clutch release member 18 is allowed to rotate (the state shown by the solid line in FIG. 2), and when demagnetized, the resilient force of the coil spring 34 causes the other end of the stopper member 35 to project (In the state of the imaginary line in FIG. 2)
The rotation of the clutch release member 18 is prevented. When the solenoid 32 is in the excited state and the stopper member 35 is separated from the ridge 27 of the clutch releasing member 18, the clutch releasing member 1 is
The planetary gear base 16 operatively connected to the gear 8 is also free together with the clutch release member 18. In this state, the torsion spring 1
Since no load is applied to 9, no reaction force is generated. The outer member 12 has an arrow A in FIG.
, That is, the clockwise rotation torque is constantly acting, so when the planetary gear 13 rotates clockwise due to meshing with the internal gear ring gear 21, the planetary gear 13 separates from the side wall of the recess 23 and The teeth bite into the edge 24 provided in the opening. Thereby, the inner member 11 and the outer member 1
2 are integrally connected via a planetary gear 13, and the driving force of the motor is transmitted to the paper feed roller 5 connected to the inner member 11. When the solenoid 32 is demagnetized, the other end of the stopper member 35 approaches the clutch release member 18 side. Then, when the ridge 27 is caught on the other end of the stopper member 35, the clutch release member 18 is stopped. Since the clutch release member 18 and the planetary gear base 16 are elastically connected via the torsion spring 19, when the clutch release member 18 stops rotating, the torsion spring 19 bends. As a result, the biting force of the teeth of the planetary gear 13 against the edge 24 of the recess 23 is loosened. Then, the pressing force of the torsion spring 19 acts in a direction to bring the planetary gear 13 close to the side wall of the recess 23, that is, in a direction to move the teeth away from the edge 24, so that the planetary gear 13 against the edge 24 of the recess 23. The bite of the tooth comes off completely. As a result, the transmission of torque between the inner member 11 and the outer member 12 is interrupted, the outer member 12 idles, and the paper feed roller 5 stops. As described above, according to the present invention, the planetary gear base and the clutch release member are interlocked via the spring means, and the spring member flexes at the moment when the clutch release member stops. Thus, the engagement force between the planetary gear and the inner member is reduced, so that the disconnection operation of the planetary gear type clutch mechanism can be facilitated. Therefore, according to the present invention, in the clutch device provided in the paper feeding mechanism, a great effect can be achieved in promoting compactness and reduction in manufacturing cost without impairing smoothness in cutting off the torque transmission.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a drive mechanism of a paper feed roller to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a top view of a clutch device according to the present invention in which a solenoid type lock mechanism is mounted. 3—III-III in FIG. 4 of the clutch device according to the present invention
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line.
Side view cut away along line IV-IV [Description of symbols] 1 paper feed mechanism 2 pinion 3 driven gear 4 clutch device 5 paper feed roller 6 solenoid type lock mechanism 7 center shaft 11 inner member 12 outer member 13 planet Gear 14 Disk portion 15 Shaft 16 Planetary gear base 17 Cylindrical shaft portion 18 Clutch release member 19 Torsion spring 22 Internal gear ring gear 23 Recess 24 Edge 25 to 27 Ridge 31 Stay member 32 Solenoid 33 Solenoid base 34 Coil spring 35 Stopper member

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. An outer member having an internal gear ring gear,
An inner member rotatably supported coaxially with the outer member and having a recess on the outer periphery; and a planetary gear rotatably received in the recess and meshing with the internal gear. When a part of the gear teeth bites into a part of the recess, the outer member and the inner member rotate integrally,
A clutch device in which the outer member and the inner member rotate relative to each other when the engagement of a part of the teeth of the planetary gear with respect to a part of the recess is released, wherein the outer member and the outer member A planetary gear base rotatably supported coaxially with the inner member and rotatably supporting the planetary gear; a stopper member which is provided and retracted by the action of a solenoid provided on a substantially non-rotatable member; A clutch release member rotatably supported by a gear base and having a projection engageable with the stopper member at the time of projection; and a spring member for resiliently and interlockingly connecting the planetary gear base and the clutch release member. And a clutch device.