JPH0610231Y2 - Supporting device for elastic member in clutch - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a support device for an elastic member in a clutch.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, a clutch is incorporated in an electric power steering device of an automobile. An electromagnetic clutch can be used as the clutch in this case, but it has a drawback that it is large in size to obtain a required transmission torque. Further, when the meshing clutch is used, there is a problem that a large force is required for aligning the meshing and releasing the meshing under load, and a control device for externally controlling the clutch is required.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the applicant of the present application has proposed a small 3-way clutch that mechanically switches two inputs of a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft without external control and transmits them to a driven shaft. It has already been proposed (Japanese Patent Application No. 63-53307).

8 and 9 show the clutch. In this clutch, the rotational force applied to the input shaft 30 causes the torsion bar 32 connecting the input shaft 30 and the output shaft 31.
When the torque is equal to or less than the set torque, the rotation of the input shaft 30 is transmitted to the output shaft 31 via the torsion bar 32.

When a torque exceeding the set torque of the torsion bar 32 is transmitted to the input shaft 30, the cage 33 provided on the input shaft 30 is relatively rotated with respect to the output shaft 31, and the pocket 34 of the cage 33 is rotated. The rolling element 35 incorporated in the above is engaged with the cam surface 36 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 31 and the cylindrical surface 38 of the outer ring 37, and at the pin hole 39 provided in the input shaft 30 and the tip of the output shaft 31. The pin 40 provided is engaged, the rotation of the input shaft 30 is transmitted to the output shaft 31 by the engagement of the pin 40 and the pin hole 39, and the rotation of the outer ring 37 is caused by the engagement of the rolling element 35. The output shaft 31 is transmitted.

In the above clutch, one rolling element 35 is incorporated in the pocket 34 of the retainer 33, and the rolling element 35 is inserted into the cylindrical surface 38 and the cam surface 3 regardless of whether the input shaft 30 is rotating normally or reversely.
Since the clutch is engaged with the clutch 6, it is necessary to incorporate the pair of elastic members 41 in the pocket 34 to hold the rolling element 35 in the neutral position where it does not engage with the cylindrical surface 38 and the cam surface 36. In the clutch in which the single rolling element 35 and the pair of elastic members 41 are incorporated in the pocket 34, two rolling elements are incorporated in the pocket, and when the input shaft is normally rotated, of the two rolling elements, Increasing the number of rolling elements to be installed compared to a clutch in which one rolling element is clutched to the cylindrical surface and the cam surface and the other rolling element is clutched to the cylindrical surface and the cam surface at the time of reverse rotation. You can
Therefore, there is an advantage that a clutch having a large load capacity can be provided.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

By the way, in the above clutch, the elastic member 4
1 is pushed or hit by the rolling element 35 when the clutch is turned on and off, so that the rolling element 35 and the cage 33 are
If it is simply assembled with the column 42, a fatigue occurs, and the life of the elastic member 41 is shortened.

Then, this invention makes it a technical subject to solve the said problem and to improve the life of an elastic member.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, the length of the rolling element is shorter than the length of the rolling element at the axial center portions of both side surfaces located in the circumferential direction of the column formed between the pockets of the retainer, That is, a structure provided with a notch having a depth capable of absorbing the deformation is adopted.

[Action]

If the notches are provided on both side surfaces of the column as described above, when the elastic member is pushed by the rolling element, the elastic member can escape into the notch, so that the elastic member is not largely deformed and the elastic member The life can be improved.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, bearings 2 are attached to both ends of the inner surface of the outer ring 1, and the output shaft 3 is rotatably supported by the bearings 2.

A cylindrical portion 4 is provided at one end of the output shaft 3, and an input shaft 5 is rotatably inserted inside the cylindrical portion 4.

The inner surface of the outer ring 1 is a cylindrical surface 6, while the outer surface of the output shaft 3 is provided with a cam surface 7 which forms a wedge-shaped space between the cylindrical surface 6 and both ends in the circumferential direction. There are multiple.

A retainer 8 is incorporated between the cylindrical surface 6 and the outer diameter surface of the output shaft 3, and the retainer 8 and the input shaft 5 are connected by a pin 9. For this connection, a pin insertion hole 10 is formed in the cylindrical portion 4 of the output shaft 3, and a rotational gap (not shown) is provided between the pin insertion hole 10 and the pin 9.

A pocket 11 is formed in the cage 8 at a position facing the cam surface 7, and a pocket 11 is formed in the pocket 11.
A book rolling element 12 is incorporated. Both sides of the rolling element 12 are pushed by a pair of elastic members 13 arranged on both sides thereof,
It is held in a neutral state where it does not engage with the cylindrical surface 6 and the cam surface 7.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the elastic member 13 is provided on both sides of the flat plate portion 15 which is brought into contact with the outer diameter surface of the post 14 formed between the pockets 11 of the retainer 8. A pair of side plates 16 that engage with the side surfaces of the side plates 14 are provided, and both ends of the side plates 16 are bent outward to form a pair of elastic pieces 17, and the elastic pieces 17 push the rolling element 12. .

A square hole 18 is formed in the bottom of the cylindrical portion 4 of the output shaft 3, while a square shaft 19 to be inserted into the square hole 18 is provided on the end surface of the input shaft 5, and the square shaft 19 and the square hole 18 are provided. A clearance A in the rotational direction is formed between and.

Further, an insertion hole 20 is provided on the shaft core of each of the output shaft 3 and the input shaft 5, and a torsion bar 21 as a torque setting elastic member is inserted into the insertion hole 20. One end of the torsion bar 21 is connected to the output shaft 3 and the other end is connected to the input shaft 5. The spring force of the torsion bar 21 holds the angular shaft 19 at the neutral position of the clearance A in the rotational direction.

In the clutch configured as described above, when the input shaft 5 is rotated and the rotational force is equal to or less than the set torque of the torsion bar 21, the torsion of the torsion bar 21 is small, and the rotation of the input shaft 5 passes through the torsion bar 21. It is transmitted to the output shaft 3.

Further, when the rotational force of the input shaft 5 exceeds the set torque of the torsion bar 21, the torsion bar 21 is largely twisted and the input shaft 5 and the cage 8 are relatively rotated with respect to the output shaft 3, and the rotation causes rolling elements. 12 moves in the circumferential direction to engage with the cylindrical surface 6 and the cam surface 7, and the clutch is established. Further, when the cage 8 further rotates in the same direction, the square shaft 19 and the square hole 18 are
Engage. For this reason, the rotation of the input shaft 5 is transmitted to the output shaft 3 by the engagement of the square shaft 19 and the square hole 18, and when a rotational force is applied to the outer ring 1 in advance, the rotation is passed through the rolling elements 12. Is transmitted to the output shaft 3.

As described above, when the rotational force applied to the input shaft 5 is less than or equal to the set torque of the torsion bar, the rotation of the input shaft 5 can be transmitted to the output shaft 3. Since two rotations of the outer wheel 1 can be transmitted to the output shaft 3, the handle in the rack and pinion type manual steering device is attached to the input shaft 5, the pinion shaft of the wheel steering pinion is connected to the output shaft, and If the sensor for detecting the twist of the torsion bar 21 transmits the rotation of the motor whose operation is controlled by the control device to the outer wheel, the clutch can be used as the clutch of the electric power steering device.

By the way, in the above-mentioned clutch, the elastic member 13 is pushed by the rolling element 12 or is hit by the pumping of the rolling element 12 when the clutch is engaged or disengaged, so that the elastic member 13 is apt to be depressed.

In order to solve the problem, a depth shorter than the length of the rolling element 12 and absorbing the deformation of the elastic piece 17 of the elastic member 13 is provided at the axial center portions of both side surfaces located in the circumferential direction of the column 14 of the cage 8. A notch 22 is provided (see FIGS. 3 to 5). By providing the cutout portion 22, the elastic member 1
When the elastic piece 17 of No. 3 is pushed by the rolling element 12, the elastic piece 17 escapes into the notch 22. Therefore, the elastic piece 17 is not largely deformed, and the elastic piece 17 can be prevented from settling.

In addition, in order to stabilize the attachment of the elastic member 13 attached to the pillar 14, the recess 2 in which the flat plate portion 15 is fitted to the outer diameter surface of the pillar 14 is provided.
3 is formed, and projections 24 with which both ends of the flat plate portion 15 engage are provided on both end surfaces of the recess 23.

FIG. 7 shows another example of attachment of the elastic member 13.
In this example, the elastic member 13 is attached to the pillar 14 from the inner diameter surface of the cage 8, and the inward bending piece 25 provided on the side edge of the side plate 16 of the elastic member 13 is provided on the side surface outer diameter portion of the pillar 14. The inclined surface 26 is engaged.

As described above, by attaching the elastic member 13 to the column 14 from the inner diameter side of the retainer 8, even if the retainer 8 rotates at a high speed and a large centrifugal force acts on the elastic member 13, the elastic member 13 can be used.
Can be prevented from coming off the pillar 14.

[Effect of device]

As described above, in the present invention, the notches for accommodating the deformation of the elastic member are provided on both side surfaces of the column, and when the elastic member is pushed by the rolling element, the elastic member escapes into the notch. As a result, there is little settling of the elastic member,
A great effect can be brought about in improving the life of the elastic member.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional front view showing an embodiment of a clutch adopting an elastic member supporting device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1, and FIG. A plan view showing a part of the cage, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 3, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the above elastic member, FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing another example of attachment of the above elastic member, FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional front view showing a conventional clutch, and FIG. 9 is IX- of FIG. It is a sectional view taken along the line IX. 1 ... Outer ring, 3 ... Output shaft, 5 ... Input shaft, 6 ... Cylindrical surface, 7 ... Cam surface, 8 ... Retainer, 11 ... Pocket, 12 ... Rolling element 13 ... Elastic member , 14 ... pillar, 15 ... flat plate part, 16 ... side plate, 17 ... elastic piece, 21 ... torsion bar.

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Claim: What is claimed is: 1. An inner surface of an outer ring is a cylindrical surface, and a cam surface is formed on the outer surface of an output shaft inserted inside the outer ring so as to form a wedge-shaped space between the cylindrical surface and the cylindrical surface. A cage provided between the outer ring and the output shaft is provided with a pocket at a position facing the cam surface, and a rolling element made up of rollers is provided in the pocket, and the rolling element has an outer peripheral cylindrical surface and a cam. A support device for an elastic member in a clutch incorporating a pair of elastic members for holding the rolling element in a neutral position that does not engage with the surface, and is located in the circumferential direction of a column formed between pockets of the cage. A support device for an elastic member in a clutch, characterized in that a cutout portion having a depth shorter than the length of the rolling element and capable of absorbing the deformation of the elastic member is provided at an axial center portion of both side surfaces. 2. The elastic member is provided with a pair of side plates that engage with both side surfaces of the column on both sides of a flat plate portion that is in contact with an outer diameter surface or an inner diameter surface of the column, and both side portions of the side plates are directed outward. The support device for an elastic member in a clutch according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member for bending the rolling element is formed by bending the elastic piece.