US 12,031,587 B2
Damper controlled wrap spring clutch
George Larson, Roseville, MN (US); and Benjamin Anderson, Scandia, MN (US)
Assigned to Reell Precision Manufacturing Corporation, St. Paul, MN (US)
Appl. No. 17/796,476
Filed by Reell Precision Manufacturing Corporation, St. Paul, MN (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 1, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/016062
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 29, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/155359, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 5, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/968,649, filed on Jan. 31, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0250853 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
Int. Cl. F16D 13/08 (2006.01); F16D 41/20 (2006.01)
CPC F16D 13/08 (2013.01) [F16D 41/206 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wrap spring clutch comprising:
a rotatable input configured with a slot;
a spring comprising a first and a second end, an inner and an outer diameter and having an equilibrium state and a flexed state, the first end of the spring engaged with the slot in the input such that the spring rotates with the input, such that the input does not engage the inner or outer diameter of the spring and with an input torque transmitted exclusively through the first end when the input rotates;
a damper mechanism engaged with the second end such that the damper mechanism causes the spring to change from its equilibrium to its flexed state when the input transitions from stationary to rotational, and such that the damper mechanism allows the spring to change from its flexed to its equilibrium state when the input transitions from rotational to stationary; and
a rotatable output positioned relative to the spring such that the output alternately rotates independently and synchronously with the input when the spring changes between its flexed and equilibrium states.