One way clutch device

Claim 2

One way clutch device comprising, in combination, a first member having ratchet teeth and recesses between the same disposed in a circle having a center located in an axis, each ratchet tooth having a substantially radial front face and a sloping back face; and a second member including a plurality of integral resilient arms, each of said resilient arms having a substantially radial root portion, an elongated thin main portion extending in circumferential direction along said ratchet teeth radially spaced from the same, and a pawl portion at the end of said main portion, said pawl portions being arranged in a circle having a center located in said axis, and resiliently engaging said ratchet teeth and recesses so that during relative turning of said first and second members in one direction, said pawl portions slide on said sloping back faces of said ratchet teeth while said main portions are resiliently angularly displaced and bent in the region of said root portions whereby said pawl portions radially move into and out of said recesses, and so that during relative turning in the opposite direction, said pawl portions engage said front faces and are urged by the engaged ratchet teeth to move in circumferential direction so that said circumferential main portions are resiliently bent along the length thereof and deformed to bulge toward said ratchet teeth until abutting the same so that the engaged ratchet teeth, and thereby said first member, are momentarily resiliently coupled by said resilient arms with said second member so as to dampen a peak torque applied by said first member until said deformed main portions abut said ratchet teeth and cannot be further deformed.

Claim 3

Clutch device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first member has a circular inner surface formed with said ratchet teeth and recesses; wherein said second member is located within said first member; wherein said resilient arms project outward; and wherein said pawl portions are the end portions of said resilient arms.

Claim 4

Clutch device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first member has a circular inner surface formed with said ratchet teeth and recesses; wherein said second member is located within said first member; wherein said resilient arms project outward; and wherein said pawl portions are the end portions of said resilient arms.

Claim 5

Clutch device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second member has three integral resilient arms; and wherein said pawl portions of said three arms are angularly spaced angles from each other which differ by one-third of the angle between two adjacent ratchet teeth.

Claim 6

Clutch device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second members are integral bodies consisting of a synthetic plastic material.

Claim 7

Clutch device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second members are integral bodies consisting of a synthetic plastic material.

Claim 8

Clutch device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient arms of said second member tend to assume a position of rest in which said pawl portions are located along a circle whose diameter is different from the diameter of the circle along which said ratchet teeth are located so that said arms are resiliently deformed and prestressed when said pawl portions engage said recesses and ratchet teeth.

Claim 9

Clutch device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient arms of said second member tend to assume a position of rest in which said pawl portions are located along a circle whose diameter is different from the diameter of the circle along which said ratchet teeth are located so that said arms are resiliently deformed and prestressed when said pawl portions engage said recesses and ratchet teeth.

Claim 10

Clutch device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first member has a circular inner surface formed with said ratchet teeth and recesses; wherein said second member is located within said first member; wherein said resilient arms project outward; and wherein said resilient arms of said second member tend to assume a position of rest in which said pawl portions are located along a circle whose diameter is greater than the diameter of the circle along which said ratchet teeth are located so that said elongated thin main portions are resilienTly deformed and prestressed when said pawl portions engage said recesses and said ratchet teeth.

Claim 11

Clutch device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first member has a circular inner surface formed with said ratchet teeth and recesses; wherein said second member is located within said first member; wherein said resilient arms project outward; and wherein said resilient arms of said second member tend to assume a position of rest in which said pawl portions are located along a circle whose diameter is greater than the diameter of the circle along which said ratchet teeth are located so that said elongated thin main portions are resiliently deformed and prestressed when said pawl portions engage said recesses and said ratchet teeth.

Claim 12

Clutch device as claimed in claim 6 comprising a shaft extending along said axis and fixedly connected with said second member for rotation therewith; and drive means for rotating said first member about said axis whereby motion is transmitted by said ratchet teeth and pawl portions to said second member only when the rotary speed of said first member in the direction of rotation opposite to said one direction exceeds the rotary speed of said shaft and of said second member.

Claim 13

Clutch device as claimed in claim 6 comprising a shaft extending along said axis and fixedly connected with said second member for rotation therewith; and drive means for rotating said first member about said axis whereby motion is transmitted by said ratchet teeth and pawl portions to said second member only when the rotary speed of said first member in the direction of rotation opposite to said one direction exceeds the rotary speed of said shaft and of said second member.

Claim 14

Clutch device as claimed in claim 1 comprising a shaft extending along said axis and connected with one of said members for rotation therewith; and drive means for rotating the other of said members about said axis whereby motion is transmitted by said ratchet teeth and pawl portions to said one member only when the rotary speed of said other member in the direction of rotation opposite to said one direction exceeds the rotary speed of said shaft and of said one member. During turning of outer member 25 with pawl arms 43 in counterclockwise direction, pawl portions 42a slide over the back faces of the stationary outer member 39. During winding up movement of outer member 25 in clockwise direction, pawl portions 43a slide on the back faces of ratchet teeth 1a of outer member 25, while a small torque is transmitted in clockwise direction to the pawl arms 43. However, this small torque which also tends to turn shaft 24 and pawl arms 42, cannot have an effect on shaft 24, since pawl portions 42a, tending to turn in clockwise direction, are blocked by the front faces of ratchet teeth 1a of the fixed outer member 39. During operation of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 3, shaft 3 effects the shifting of number wheel 21 to successive digital positions representing monetary units during every revolution with cam 8. When one way clutch 1, 2 is operated by means 4 to 7 representing the distance travelled by the car, shaft 3 is driven at a certain rotary speed. Simultaneously, shaft 3 is driven by the time drive means including gear 22 since the same is in meshing engagement with the outer member 1'' of the other clutch. by the front faces of ratchet teeth 1a of the fixed outer member 39 so that shaft 24 cannot turn in clockwise direction. Particular in connection with the intermittent winding up of the spring motor 25 to 28 and the sudden reversal of the direction of rotation of the same, the function of the resilient pawl arms is of great importance. It is particular advantage of the invention that all functions required of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 3 can be obtained by one way clutches, each of which consists only of two parts which can be easily assembled at low cost by unskilled labor. Due to the shape of the pawl arms, and also depending on the material from which they are made, an elastic coupling at the moment of engagement is It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of one way clutches differing from the types described above. While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a one way clutch having a part with circumferential extending resilient pawl arms cooperating with ratchet teeth of another part, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changed may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims. I claim: engaged ratchet teeth to move in circumferential direction so that said circumferential main portions are resiliently bent along the length thereof and deformed to bulge toward said ratchet teeth until abutting the same so that the engaged ratchet teeth, and thereby saiD first member, are momentarily resiliently coupled by said resilient arms with said second member so as to dampen a peak torque applied by said first member until said deformed main portions abut said ratchet teeth and cannot be further deformed.

Claim 15

Clutch device as claimed in claim 1 comprising a shaft extending along said axis and connected with one of said members for rotation therewith; and drive means for rotating the other of said members about said axis whereby motion is transmitted by said ratchet teeth and pawl portions to said one member only when the rotary speed of said other member in the direction of rotation opposite to said one direction exceeds the rotary speed of said shaft and of said one member.