Torque transmitting device

Claim 2

A torque transmitting device comprising: a pair of coaxially supported members having spaced, generally parallel, normally opposed torque transmitting surfaces, at least one of said members being supported for rotation about the common axis, a plurality of short, elastic, normally straight fibers secured to one of said torque transmitting surfaces and extending generally perpendicularly therefrom generally equal distances greater than the minimum spacing between said torque transmitting surfaces, and a plurality of protuberances circumferentially spaced with respect to said common axis of said members to define the other of said torque transmitting surfaces, whereby upon relative rotation of said members said fibers engage said protuberances to transmit torque between said members through the resistance of said fibers to bending.

Claim 3

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 1 including means for adjusting the extent of engagement of said fibers with said protuberances to permit adjustment of the torque that may be transmitted between said members.

Claim 4

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 1 wherein said protuberances define a generally uniform pattern torque transmitting surface.

Claim 5

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 3 wherein said protuberances are defined by a regular woven mesh secured to a generally solid support surface.

Claim 6

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 4 including means for adjusting the extent of engagement of said fibers with said protuberances to permit adjustment of the torque that may be transmitted between said members.

Claim 7

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 1 wherein said other member is supported against rotation to form a constant limiting torque rotational brake.

Claim 8

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 1 wherein said other member is independently supported for rotation about said common axis to form a constant limiting torque slip clutch.

Claim 9

A torque transmitting device comprising: a pair of members having spaced, generally parallel, facing torque transmitting surfaces, at least one of said members being supported for rotation about an axis generally perpendicular to said torque transmitting surfaces, a plurality of short, elastic, normally straight fibers secured to one of said torque transmitting surfaces and extending perpendicularly therefrom generally equal distances greater than the minimum spacing between said surfaces, and a plurality of protuberances circumferentially spaced with respect to said axis to define the other of said torque transmitting surfaces, whereby upon rotation of said one member said fibers engage said protuberances to transmit torque between said members through resistance of said fibers to bending.

Claim 10

A torque transmitting device comprising: a pair of members having spaced, generally parallel, facing torque transmitting surfaces, at least one of said members being supported for rotation about an axis generally perpendicular to said torque transmitting surfaces, a plurality of short, elastic, normally straight fibers secured to one of said torque transmitting surfaces and extending perpendicularly therefrom generally equal distances greater than the minimum spacing between said surfaces, and a plurality of protuberances circumferentially spaced with respect to said axis to define the other of said torque transmitting surfaces, whereby upon rotation of said one member said fibers engage said protuberances to transmit torque between said members through resistance of said fibers to bending.

Claim 11

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 8 including means for adjusting said Spacing between said facing planar surfaces to permit adjustment of the torque that may be transmitted between said members.

Claim 12

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 8 wherein said protuberances define a generally uniform pattern torque transmitting surface.

Claim 13

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 10 wherein said protuberances are defined by a regular woven mesh secured to a generally solid planar support surface.

Claim 14

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 11 including means for adjusting said spacing between said facing planar surfaces to permit adjustment of the torque that may be transmitted between said members.

Claim 15

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 12 wherein said means for adjusting said spacing includes resilient means for urging said members together to urge the free ends of said fibers through said mesh into contact with said solid support surface.

Claim 16

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 8 wherein said members are disk-shaped and coaxial.

Claim 17

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 8 wherein said other member is supported against rotation to form a constant limiting torque rotational brake.

Claim 18

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 8 wherein said other member is independently supported coaxially with said first member for rotation about the common axis to form a constant limiting torque slip clutch.

Claim 19

A torque transmitting device comprising: a pair of coaxially supported interfitting cylinders having curved, spaced, generally parallel, normally opposed torque transmitting surfaces, at least one of said members being supported for rotation about the common axis, a plurality of short, elastic normally straight fibers secured to one of said torque transmitting surfaces and extending generally perpendicularly therefrom generally equal distances greater than the minimum spacing between said torque transmitting surfaces, and a plurality of protuberances circumferentially spaced with respect to said common axis of said members to define the other of said torque transmitting surfaces, whereby upon relative rotation of said members said fibers engage said protuberances to transmit torque between said members through the resistance of said fibers to bending.

Claim 20

A torque transmitting device comprising: a pair of coaxially supported interfitting cylinders having curved, spaced, generally parallel, normally opposed torque transmitting surfaces, at least one of said members being supported for rotation about the common axis, a plurality of short, elastic normally straight fibers secured to one of said torque transmitting surfaces and extending generally perpendicularly therefrom generally equal distances greater than the minimum spacing between said torque transmitting surfaces, and a plurality of protuberances circumferentially spaced with respect to said common axis of said members to define the other of said torque transmitting surfaces, whereby upon relative rotation of said members said fibers engage said protuberances to transmit torque between said members through the resistance of said fibers to bending.

Claim 21

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 17 including means for effecting relative axial movement of said members to permit relative offsetting of said torque transmitting surfaces to adjust the extent of engagement of said fibers with said protuberances and the torque that may be transmitted between said members.

Claim 22

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 17 wherein said protuberances define a generally uniform pattern torque transmitting surface.

Claim 23

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 19 wherein said protuberances are defined by a regular woven mesh secured to a generally solid support surface.

Claim 24

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 20 including means for effecting relative axial movement of said members to permit relative offsetting of said torque transmitting surfaces to adjust the extent of engagement of said fibers with said protuberances and the torque that may be transmitted between said members.

Claim 25

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 17 wherein said other member is supported against rotation to form a constant limiting torque rotational brake.

Claim 26

A torque transmitting device as recited in claim 17 wherein said other member is independently supported for rotation about said common axis to form a constant limiting torque slip clutch.