Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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LINEAR TRAVEL FRICTION CLUTCH
Field of the invention:
The present invention relates relates to the field of torque power
transmission
devices, such as clutches used to transfer torque from one equipment to
another, as in
the case with motors, engines, gearboxes and the like, for example. More
particularly,
the present invention relates to a linear travel friction clutch, to a kit for
assembling the
same, to an assembly provided with such a linear travel friction clutch, and
to
corresponding methods of assembling and operating associated thereto.
Background of the invention:
It is well known in the art that for long, clutches have been around and used
mostly to transfer torque from one device (ex. electric motors, gas turbine
engines,
starter devices, etc.) to another equipment (ex. another motor, engine,
gearbox, shaft,
etc.). Clutches are most often used with electrical motors, but are not
limited to, and can
be used as starter, and also with other motor types where the clutches are
used for
intermittent torque transmitters between a motor of any given kind, to a
gearbox, shaft
and/or any other device needing rotational torque power, and more
particularly,
intermittent torque power.
One best example is an electrical starter motor when used to start a
automobile's
engine, where when the electrical starter is activated, the bendix clutch
engages
between the starter motor and the automobile's engine to provide rotational
torque so
the automobile's engine can be started. Once the starting sequence is
completed, the
starter motor is deactivated and the bendix clutch disengaged so the
automobile's
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engine can operate freely. The main characteristic of clutches is that they
are designed
to engage and disengage in a manner that both the driver motor and that which
it drives
(e.g. slave motor, gearbox, shaft, etc.) are temporarily mechanically
connected to each
other.
But it is also known that clutches are usually assembled with a great number
of
complex parts and components, such as springs, friction discs subjected to
wear, cams
or cylinders and friction plates or engaging teeth that makes clutches complex
and
sensitive devices easily subjected to failures, and often of large size and
considerably
heavy.
Also, most of actual clutches available today and offering linear motion
capabilities, accomplish this motion with the use of a secondary electrical or
mechanical
system such as solenoid, used to move the clutch engaging component forward or
backward. This represents additional parts that complicate the clutch, while
making the
clutch more subject to failures and dependent to a secondary system and power
source
to accomplish its operation.
Therefore, in view of the above, there is a need to continue innovating and
finding better and/or different ways of torque power transmission, in a
quicker, easier,
simpler, faster, more efficient, more reliable, more versatile and/or more
durable
manner, than what is possible with known conventional systems. Indeed, it
would be
particularly useful to provide a new torque power transmission device with
additional
simplicity and/or reliability, along with reduced and size and/or weight.
Summary of the invention:
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An object of the present invention is to provide a transmission device (ex.
clutch,
etc.) which, by virtue of its design and components, is an improvement over
other
related transmission devices, systems, assemblies and/or methods known in the
prior
art.
The present disclosure concerns a transmission device (ex. clutch, etc.)
and/or
corresponding transmission method such as the one briefly described herein and
such
as the one exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
More particularly, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a linear travel friction clutch assembly for use with a corresponding
complementary motor assembly requiring power torque transmission, the linear
travel
friction clutch assembly:
a shaft being pivotably mountable about a given support, the shaft being
linearly
displaceable with respect to said support and being operable between drawn-in
and
drawn-out configurations, the shaft having a driver portion configured for
connection to a
driver apparatus in order to selectively drive said shaft in rotation;
an adapter portion connectable to the shaft so as to rotate therewith, the
adapter
being provided with at least one guiding slot; and
a friction head mountable onto the adapter portion and being displaceable and
operable between disengaged and engaged configurations with respect to a
corresponding receiving component of the complementary motor assembly in order
to
selectively transmit torque from the driver apparatus to the complementary
assembly via
the linear travel friction clutch assembly.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided
an
assembly (ex. a motor, an engine, a gearbox, etc.) provided with the above-
mentioned
transmission device.
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According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a
system (ex. a motor, an engine, a gearbox, etc.) for carrying out the above-
mentioned
transmission method.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a
method of installing (i.e. assembling, etc.) the above-mentioned transmission
device,
system and/or components thereof.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a
method of operating the above-mentioned transmission device, assembly, system
and/or components thereof.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a
kit
with corresponding components for assembling the above-mentioned transmission
device, assembly, system and/or components thereof.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is also
provided a
set of components for interchanging with components of the above-mentioned
kit.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is also
provided a
method of assembling components of the above-mentioned kit and/or set.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is also
provided a
method of doing business with the above-mentioned method(s), kit, set, device,
assembly, system and/or components thereof.
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The objects, advantages and other features of the present invention will
become
more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of
preferred
embodiments thereof, given for the purpose of exemplification only, with
reference to
the accompanying drawings.
Brief description of the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an example of a linear travel friction
clutch
shown in a possible context of use (ex. on a large turbine) according to a
possible
embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of what is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a component shown in Figure 2 intended to
receive the linear travel friction clutch according to a possible embodiment
of the
present invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the linear travel friction clutch shown in
Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along cross-section lines 5-5 of
Figure 4.
Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of what is shown in Figure 6.
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of some of the components shown in Figure 4
shown in an exploded manner.
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Figure 8 is a top view of some of the components shown in Figure 4 shown in an
exploded manner.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of another example of a linear travel friction
clutch
shown in a possible context of use (ex. on a smaller turbine) according to a
possible
embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of what is shown in Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of what is shown in Figure 9.
Figure 12 is an enlarged view of some of the components shown in Figure 11,
including the linear travel friction clutch.
Figure 13 is an enlarged view of a portion of what is shown in Figure 12.
Figure 14 is a perspective view of the linear travel friction clutch shown in
Figure
10.
Figure 15 is a perspective view of a component shown in Figure 2 intended to
receive the linear travel friction clutch according to a possible embodiment
of the
present invention.
Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of some of the components shown in Figure
14 shown in an exploded manner.
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Figure 17 is a side view of some of the components shown in Figure 14 shown in
an exploded manner.
Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention:
In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar
elements. Furthermore, for sake of simplicity and clarity, namely so as to not
unduly
burden the figures with several reference numbers, only some figures have been
provided with reference numbers, and components and features of the present
invention illustrated in other figures can be easily inferred therefrom. The
embodiments,
geometrical configurations, materials mentioned and/or dimensions (expressed
in
inches, for example) shown in the figures are preferred, for exemplification
purposes
only.
Moreover, although the present invention was primarily designed for torque
power transmission devices, and more particularly for clutches used to
transfer torque
from one equipment to another such as motor, engines or gearboxes, it may be
used
with other types of objects, and in other fields, as apparent to a person
skilled in the art.
For this reason, expressions such as "torque", "power", "transmission",
"clutch", "motor",
"engine", "gearbox", etc., used herein should not be taken as to limit the
scope of the
present invention and includes all other kinds of objects or fields with which
the present
invention could be used and may be useful, as apparent to a person skilled in
the art.
Moreover, in the context of the present invention, the expressions "device,
"clutch", "system", "machine", "method", "kit", and "assembly", as well as any
other
equivalent expressions and/or compounds word thereof known in the art will be
used
interchangeably, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
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Furthermore, in the context of the present description, it will be considered
that
all elongated objects will have an implicit "longitudinal axis" or
"centerline", such as the
longitudinal axis of a shaft, or the centerline of a hole, for example (and as
a result,
there is a "transversal axis" being substantially "perpendicular" for each
longitudinal
axis, etc.), and that expressions such as "connected" and "connectable", or
"mounted"
and "mountable", may be interchangeable, in that the present invention also
relates to a
kit with corresponding components for assembling a resulting fully assembled
and
operational transmission device (and/or a resulting system, assembly, etc.,
including
such a transmission device).
Moreover, components of the machine(s) and/or steps of the method(s)
described herein could be modified, simplified, altered, omitted and/or
interchanged,
without departing from the scope of the present invention, depending on the
particular
applications which the present invention is intended for, and the desired end
results, as
briefly exemplified herein and as also apparent to a person skilled in the
art.
In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings may comprise various components, and
although the preferred embodiments of the transmission method and
corresponding
transmission device may consist of certain preferred steps and components as
explained herein, not all of these steps and components are essential to the
invention
and thus should not be taken in their restrictive sense, i.e. should not be
taken as to
limit the scope of the present invention. It is to be understood, as also
apparent to a
person skilled in the art, that other suitable steps, components and
cooperation
thereinbetween, may be used for the present transmission method and
corresponding
device (as well as corresponding components) according to the present
invention, as
will be briefly explained hereinafter and as can be easily inferred herefrom
by a person
skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention.
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Broadly described, the present invention, as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, relates to an invention used to intermittently transfer rotational
force and
torque from one driver device to a driven device, such as for starting or
mechanical
rotation driving purposes and more particularly related to clutches used to
transfer
intermittent torque power from one rotating device to another.
Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1, is one example of
the
linear travel friction clutch assembly 1 in a context of an example use, to
start a turbine.
Fig. 4 through 8 show the linear travel friction clutch assembly 1 in greater
detail.
The linear travel friction clutch assembly 1 has a shaft 2, which, in this
example, has a
cylindrical shape (which can be machined of steel for instance) having a
driver portion
configured for connection to a driver apparatus of any suitable type (e.g.
such as the
one schematized in Fig. 1). In this embodiment, the driver portion is in the
form of a rod
of a length sufficient to connect to the desired driver device and of enough
diameter to
provide strength to resist to the driver device's applied torque force. Also
present on this
shaft 2 is an adapter portion 11 having a larger diameter than the rod
portion, and
having angled guide slots 8 shown in Fig. 8. A friction head 3 has a socket in
the form of
a bored cylindrical cavity which receives the adapter portion 11 therein with
sufficient
play to allow free relative rotation and axial sliding.
For illustrative purposes, in the specific example of the linear travel
friction clutch
1 illustrated herein, the rod portion 10 of the shaft 2 has 1/4 inch diameter
and 3 inches of
length, the adapter portion has 1/2 inch diameter and an axial length of 1/2
inch, and the
guide slots 8 have 1/8 of an inch wide by 1/8 of an inch deep with an
approximate
length of 3/16 of an inch angled at 83 degrees clockwise in reference to the a
central
axis coinciding with the length of the shaft 2.
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In this specific example, the friction head 3, which can be made of machined
steel for instance, generally has a solid of revolution shape with a generally
cylindrical
portion having the socket 12, and a truncated conical portion extending
therefrom, away
from the shaft 2. A cylindrical bored cavity 13 extends through the truncated
conical
portion and communicated with the socket 12. A number of apertures 14 are
provided
which lead radially into the socket 12, the number of which correspond to the
number of
guide slots 8 of the given embodiment. The apertures 14 can be drilled and
tapped
holes 14, for instance. A numbers of grooves 9 are also provided in the outer
surface
truncated conical portion . The friction head 3 conical surface can be of any
suitable
angle allowing it to be adapted to the angle of a corresponding conical inner
cavity of a
receiving surface of a component (e.g. 15 see Fig. 3) present on the device
which is to
be driven. In this particular embodiment, experimentations demonstrated that a
60
degrees total angle with a friction head 3 having a 1 inch diameter performed
satisfactorily well, and better than other angles.
The diameter of the internal cavity 12 of the friction head 3 is slightly
larger than
the diameter of the adapter portion, which allows the friction head 3 to fit
and freely slide
over the adapter portion 11, and also includes the cavity 13 having a still
smaller
diameter and which can be drilled through the friction head 3 along the
central axis.
Also present on the friction head 3 is a number of grooves 9, embodied here in
the form
of two grooves having different diameters, which are used herein to position
and hold
toric rings 5 and 6 which purposes will be detailed further below. The
apertures 14
receive aft dog set screws 4 which, in this case, are screwingly secured
therein and
protrude into the guide slots 8 whence the friction head 3 is assembled to the
shaft 2.
Henceforth, although the friction head is free to move to a certain degree,
relative to the
shaft 2, this movement is limited to a somewhat spiraling movement over a
given length,
as it is guided by the engagement between the aft dog set screws 4 and the
guide slots
3.
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A biasing member is used, provided here in the form of a magnet 7 which in
this
embodiment is provided of cylindrical geometry and pressure fitted onto the
shaft 2 at
the shown location, i.e. adjacent the friction head 3, the purpose of which
will be
detailed below.
It will be understood that in alternate embodiments, the rod portion 10 can be
modified freely in order to adapt the linear travel friction clutch to any
suitable driver
device, be it electric, pneumatic or thermal engines to name a few examples.
For
instance, a larger driver motor driving or starting a larger driven device
such as a gas
turbine, will typically require using components having larger dimensions in
the linear
travel friction clutch, whereas a smaller driver or driven device will
typically require the
linear travel friction clutch to be adapted to smaller size.
For proper functioning, it can be required to properly lubricate the portion
between the friction head 3 larger cavity 12 and the adapter portion 11 so
that the
relative movement can occur smoothly.
The use of the toric rings 5 and 6 (cO' Rings) can favour the torque transfer.
They
can be of a natural or synthetic rubber material for instance, and the exact
number and
configuration thereof can be varied depending on the embodiment. The grooves 9
can
be adapted as a function of the toric rings they are engineered to receive,
for instance.
The outer face of the truncated conical portion of the friction head,
including the
toric rings 5 and 6, can be referred to an engagement face of the clutch. The
receiving
component 15 on the turbine which receives the engagement face of the clutch
can be
said to also have an engagement face. In this embodiment, the engagement face
of the
receiving component 15 is matingly shaped with a conically inverted surface
having an
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equal total angle so a perfect contact can occur between the friction head 3
and the
inverted conical surface of the driven device, and that the rotational torque
transmitted
across that interface can adequately be transferred without slipping.
Experimentations
were carried out with success using an approximate 60 degrees total angle.
It is also to be understood that the guiding member which is engaged in the
guide
slots 8, and which, in the illustrated example, are embodied by the aft dog
set screws 4,
have a significant function as they are responsible here both for the transfer
of rotational
torque and for the conversion of rotational torque into linear motion of the
friction head 3
relative the adapter portion 11 in a manner that the friction head 3 moves
forward or
backward as the shaft 2 is rotated or stops rotating, via the guiding within
the guide slots
8. They should therefore be embodied in a manner providing them sufficient
mechanical
resistance for both functions.
It will be understood that in the illustrated embodiment, two aft dog set
screws 4
are used. In alternate embodiments, a greater quantity of aft dog set screws
can be
used. In any case, they should be equally spaced around the friction head 3
not to
compromise the dynamic balancing.
It is also to be understood that the slots 8 can be angled or oriented in
either
directions and in accordance with the desired application clockwise or counter
clockwise
rotation direction. In the embodiment illustrated, they are shown adapted to
rotation in
the counter clockwise direction.
The linear travel friction clutch can be used for high speed rotation
applications
and for which proper dynamic balancing is required in order to maintain
mechanical
integrity and vibrations within reasonable limits.
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It is also to be understood that alternate embodiments can depart from the
geometry described above and illustrated. For instance, the engagement face of
the
clutch can be provided in the form of a cavity with a female, inwardly
protruding conical
inner surface, and the engagement face of the receiving component can be
provided
with the male truncated conical outer surface, for instance. Internal grooves
9 and toric
rings 5 and 6 can be positioned internally in such a female embodiment.
Similarly, the
mating male-female aspect of the friction head and the adapter portion 11,
and/or the
mating male-female aspect of the guiding members and the guide slots can be
inverted.
When the shaft 2 is subjected to counter clockwise rotation, the slots 8
transfer
rotational torque to the aft dog set screws 4 since the lower portion of the
aft dog set
screws 4 are engaged in the shaft 2 slots, which in turns, transfer rotational
torque to
the friction head 3 and the friction head 3 rotates.
As the slots 8 are also angled to an angle lower than 90 degrees compared to
the shaft 2 central axis, the shaft 2 counter clockwise rotation applies
forward pressure
to the aft dog set screws 4 which in turn transfers this forward pressure to
the friction
head 3 and forward linear motion of the friction head 3 is accomplished.
When the shaft's 2 rotation is stopped, the rotation dynamics momentum affects
the friction head 3 and the aft dog set screws 4 tend to maintain rotation,
generating
backward pressure between the slots 8 to be applied to the aft dog set screws
4
engaging members which cause at first the friction head 3 to reverse backward
and
secondly to stop rotating at the end of the slots 8.
In other words, when the shaft 2 is subjected to a counter clockwise rotation,
there are two combined rotational and linear forces that move the friction
head 3
forward in an approximate slots 8 length and in rotation by the combined
interaction of
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the slots 8 and the aft dog set screws 4. In opposite and when the shaft 2 is
stopped in
its rotation, the rotational inertia dynamics momentum of the friction head 3
moves
backward to its initial position by means of two opposite combined rotational
and linear
forces interacting between the slots 8 and the aft dog set screws 4 and in a
slots 8
length.
The friction head 3 linear forward motion creates a contact between the toric
rings 5 and 6 with the driven devices 15 contact surface and where this
assembly 1
rotational torque is then transmitted to the driven device and where the
driven device
rotation is initiated. It was experimentally found that greater the driven
device's
rotational resistance is, greater the applied linear motion and friction
forces applied by
this assembly 1 is also and to the point where the linear motion and friction
forces
applied by this assembly 1 is linearly proportional to the driven device's
rotational
resistance.
As the present system's 1 rotation is stopped, this assembly 1 disengages from
the driven device by means of the linear friction head 3 moving backward to
its initial
position and process is complete.
This assembly 1 also incorporates a magnet 7 used to maintain the friction
head
3 to its initial backward position after the process in complete and for it
was
experimentally discovered that occasionally, the friction head 3 can move
forward by
means of vibrations often created by specific applications and where the
friction head 3
can involuntary become in contact with the driven device contact surface after
the
process in complete, which can damage both the assembly 1 and the driven
device,
especially in high speed rotation applications and for which the magnet 7 was
used to
maintain the friction head 3 to its initial backward position.
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This magnet 7 is to be of sufficient magnetism force to maintain the friction
head
3 in position while not too powerful to inhibit the friction head's 3 forward
motion when
required. In conducted experimentations which yielded satisfactory results,
the magnet
7 was of an equal external diameter to the external diameter of the friction
head 3, with
an internal diameter best to allow a press fit on the shaft 2 smaller diameter
section 10
and was with a thickness of 1/8 of an inch.
In the tests and for the above description, the driver device was an air motor
used as a starter unit and the driven device was a gas turbine used to be
started with
the invention use. In alternate embodiments, the driven devices can be other
gas
turbines, an internal combustion engine, a shaft, a gearbox or any other
suitable device.
The present transmission device, system including the same and/or
corresponding method may also come in the form of various different
embodiment(s)
including one and/or several of the following possible components and features
(and/or
different combination(s) thereof):
1. A linear clutch assembly comprising:
a friction head having a body having a conical engagement face adapted for
engagement with a corresponding face of a driven device, and a receiving
end opposite the engagement face, the conical engagement face having a
central axis;
a shaft having a driver portion centered along the central axis and engageable
with a driver device, and an adapter portion opposite the driver portion, the
adapter portion being slidingly engageable with the receiving end of the
friction head in a cylindrical male-female engagement allowing both linear
relative motion along the central axis and relative rotation between the shaft
and the friction head around the central axis; and
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a plurality of circumferentially interspaced guiding members provided on one
of
the adapter portion and the receiving end, and a plurality of
circumferentially
interspaced slots provided on the other one of the adapter portion and the
receiving end, the slots having a length extending both circumferentially and
axially, the guiding members being slidingly engaged with the slots and
guiding the relative linear motion and rotation along a path corresponding to
the length of the slots.
2. The linear clutch assembly according to any one of the preceding
combination(s),
wherein the friction head is formed with a plurality of annular channels each
receiving
an associated toric ring.
3. The linear clutch assembly according to any one of the preceding
combination(s),
further comprising means to bias the guiding members to one end of the slots.
4. A linear travel friction clutch mechanical assembly used to transfer
rotational motion
and torque from one driver device to another driven device, the linear travel
friction
clutch comprising:
a shaft comprising one smaller diameter section, one larger diameter section
and
a number of angled slots circumferentially interspaced and defined in the
larger diameter section, the shaft being all in one machined part;
a friction head as illustrated and comprising one cylindrical section at its
back
end, a conical surface at its front end, a larger cylindrical internal cavity,
a
smaller cylindrical cavity, a number of apertures, all in one machined part;
a number of guiding members protruding from the apertures and engaged in
corresponding ones of the angled slots.
5. A sequence of operations and forces dynamics to transfer rotational motion
and
torque from one driver device to another driven device where:
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at first the aft dog set screws are firmly fastened into the friction head by
their
threaded section with their unthreaded section freely inserted into the
shaft's
angled slots for free travel motion and invention assembly,
according to any one of the preceding combination(s), rotation and torque are
transmitted from one driver device to this assembly's shaft will cause this
shaft, and thus, its angled slots to rotate,
an invention comprising a friction head part that moves forward in a linear
motion
when the shaft rotates in one direction and moves backward in an opposite
linear motion when the shaft rotation is stopped.
the static mass of the friction head, thus, also the aft dog set screws firmly
fastened into, poses a natural static mass resistance to any motion and
rotation.,
the rotation induced in the shaft and angled slots, combined with the inherent
friction head's static mass resistance, will cause the aft dog set screws
unthreaded section to make contact with the shaft's angled slots one of both
sides and according to the shaft's rotation direction,
when the shaft and angled slots are in rotation, the contact between the aft
dog
set screws unthreaded section and the shaft's angled slots will cause the
friction head to rotate in the same shaft rotation direction,
when the shaft and angled slots are in rotation, the contact between the aft
dog
set screws unthreaded section and the shaft's angled slots, opposed to the
friction head inherent static mass, will cause the friction head to move
forward in a linear motion and according to the shaft rotation direction,
when the shaft and angled slots rotation is stopped, the contact between the
aft
dog set screws unthreaded section and the shaft's angled slots will cause
the friction head to stop rotating,
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a dynamic rotation inertia force is created by the friction head and aft dog
set
screw mass when in rotation,
when the shaft and angled slots rotation is stopped, the friction head is
pulled
backward into initial position when a contact between the aft dog set screws
unthreaded section and the rotating shaft and angled slots, is caused by the
friction head dynamic rotation inertia force,
a friction head part comprises an external conical surface of preferred angle
to
match a driven device internal conical surface of preferred equal angle to
maximize applied pressure between both the friction head external conical
surface and the driven device internal conical surface and reduce slipping,
a number of toric rings are present on the friction head conical surface to
concentrate the friction head's applied pressure to concentrated areas on
the driven device internal conical surface and avoid slipping,
the number of toric rings are present on the friction head to eliminate wear
and
damages between the friction head external conical surface and the driven
device's internal conical surface,
a magnet and magnetic force is used on this invention to retain the friction
head
to its backward position.
A linear travel friction clutch to transfer rotational motion and torque from
one
driver device to another driven device, the linear travel friction clutch
comprising:
a shaft where one smaller diameter section of longer length will be machined
to
ideal size and heat treated for enough resistance to receive the selected
application's torque and forces and to best suit the clutch's purpose.
A steel shaft according to any one of the preceding combination(s), where a
larger diameter section of shorter length will be machined and heat treated
for best
resistance according to the selected application and to best suit clutch's
purpose.
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A steel shaft according to any one of the preceding combination(s), where a
number of slots will be machined into and at a preferred angle and orientation
to best
suit this assembly's scope and according to the specific application's
rotation direction.
A friction head part manufactured using steel material, on which one preferred
angled external conical surface and one cylindrical section will be machined
to best suit
this assembly's scope.
A friction head according to any one of the preceding combination(s), where a
number of grooves will be machined to sizes and diameters prescribed by toric
rings
selection and to best suit this assembly's scope.
A friction head according to any one of the preceding combination(s), where
one
large internal cylindrical cavity is machined to dimensions suitable for
assembly with this
assembly's shaft larger diameter section and to best suit this assembly's
scope.
A friction head according to any one of the preceding combination(s), where
one
smaller internal cylindrical hole is drilled through to small dimensions and
to best suit
this assembly's scope.
A friction head according to any one of the preceding combination(s), where a
number of drilled and tap holes of dimensions suited for a number of selected
aft dog
set screws selected but not limited too, and positioned for best assembly
purposes with
this invention shaft's slots positions and to best suit this assembly's scope.
A number of aft dog set screws and not limited too, and selected to best suit
the
assembly's torque and forces requirements and scope.
A number of rubber toric rings also referred to as "0" rings, selected of best
dimensions and diameters to best suit the prescribed application's torque,
pressure and
friction requirements and to best suit this assembly's scope.
A magnet of sufficient size and magnetic strength capable of retaining this
assembly's friction head when static, but without preventing a forward linear
travel of the
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friction head when this assembly's shaft is subjected to rotation and to best
suit this
assembly's scope.
As may now be appreciated, the present invention is a substantial improvement
over other conventional transmission devices in that, by virtue of its design
and
components, as briefly explained herein, the linear travel friction clutch
according to the
present invention, enables to overcome several of prior art drawbacks,
providing for a
quicker, easier, simpler, faster, more efficient, more reliable, more
versatile and/or more
durable system.
The present system is advantageous in that: a) it provides a device in the
form of
a proposed clutch capable of torque power transfer by means of rotation and
simple
contact friction; b) it provides a device in the form of the proposed clutch
capable of
linear motion without use of secondary systems, such as simply by using
rotational
torque from the driver motor; c) it provides a device having a small amount of
components or parts; d) it provides a clutch having a small size and weight,
while
maintaining satisfactory reliability, and/or improving reliability; e) it
provides simple and
practical method for torque transfer; f) it enables to alleviate some of the
needs
concerning clutches and intermittent torque power transfer from one device to
another;
g) etc.
The present system and corresponding parts are preferably made of
substantially
rigid materials, such as metallic materials, hardened polymers, composite
materials,
polymeric materials, and/or the like, so as to ensure a proper operation
thereof
depending on the particular applications for which the covering system is
intended and
the different parameters (forces, moments, torques, etc.) in cause, as
apparent to a
person skilled in the art.
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21
Of course, and as can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art, the
scope of the claims should not be limited by the possible embodiments set
forth in the
examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the
description as a whole.
Furthermore, although preferred embodiments of the present invention have
been briefly described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it
is to be
understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments and that
various
changes and modifications could be made without departing form the scope and
spirit of
the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.
