US 12,253,124 B2
Clutch device with claw member for selectively locking rings
Osamu Katayama, Fukuroi (JP); and Takashi Kurita, Fukuroi (JP)
Filed by NSK-Warner K.K., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/523,940.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-195423 (JP), filed on Dec. 7, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0191759 A1, Jun. 13, 2024
Int. Cl. F16D 41/16 (2006.01); F16D 41/14 (2006.01)
CPC F16D 41/16 (2013.01) [F16D 41/14 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A clutch device comprising:
a first ring being one of an inner ring and an outer ring;
a second ring being the other of the inner ring and the outer ring;
a plurality of first claw members supported by the second ring, wherein each of the first claw members is movable along a plane perpendicular to an axial direction of the inner ring and the outer ring, each of the first claw members including a first end portion;
a plurality of second claw members supported by the second ring, wherein each of the second claw members is movable along the plane, each of the second claw members including a second end portion;
a plurality of first biasing members supported by the second ring to bias the first end portion of each of the plurality of first claw members toward the first ring; and
a plurality of second biasing members supported by the second ring to bias the second end portion of each of the plurality of second claw members toward the first ring, wherein the clutch device is configured to selectively set a state of the plurality of first claw members and the plurality of second claw members, wherein the state is selected from a group consisting of: a locked state where the first end portions and the second end portions are in contact with the first ring; a one-way state where the first end portions are in contact with the first ring and the second end portion is portions are separated from the first ring; and a free state where the first end portions and the second end portions are separated from the first ring,
wherein the first ring includes a plurality of meshing teeth arranged in a circumferential direction of the first ring to protrude toward the second ring, and
wherein each of the plurality of meshing teeth includes:
a first surface extending substantially radially to contact a corresponding first end portion in the locked state;
a second surface extending substantially radially to contact a corresponding second end portion in the locked state; and
a third surface is located between the first surface and the second surface to face the second ring, wherein the third surface inclines away from the second ring as the third surface extends in a direction from the first surface to the second surface.