Electromechanical clutch

Claim 2

An electromagnetic coupling device including an input member, an output member concentric with said input member, a coil spring having portions wound about said input and output members for forming a driving connection therebetween, an electromagnet concentric with said members, an armature adjacent said electromagnet, yielding means normally biasing said armature away from said electromagnet, said coil spring having a portion thereof positioned for engagement with said armature, with engagement of the spring by the armature preventing rotation of the spring to uncouple said input and output members, operation of said electromagnet moving said armature to change the relationship between said spring portion and armature.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including at least one recess in the armature surface adjacent said spring portion, with said spring portion being arranged to be positioned in said recess to engage the spring and armature.

Claim 4

The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said armature has an annular surface concentric with said electromagnet, said annular surface being positioned adjacent said spring portion and having a plurality of recesses arranged to receive said spring portion.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 3 further characterized in that said recesses are generally equally spaced about said armature annular surface.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 3 further characterized in that said recesses each have a slanted surface positioned to permit said spring portion to slide into a recess.

Claim 7

The structure of claim 3 further characterized in that said spring portion includes an outwardly directed spring tab.

Claim 8

The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said spring portion includes at least a part of a coil, having a radius greater than that of the coil portions forming the driving connection between the input and output members.

Claim 9

An electromagnetic clutch including a normally running input shaft, a normally stationary output shaft concentric with said input shaft, a coil spring having portions wound about said input and output shafts and arranged to form a driving connection therebetween, an electromagnet concentric with said shafts and positioned about said output shaft, an annular armature adjacent said electromagnet, yielding means normally biasing said armature away from said electromagnet and toward said input shaft, said coil spring having a portion thereof positioned for engagement with said armature when the electromagnet is de-energized, engagement of the spring by the armature preventing rotation of the spring and uncoupling said input and output shafts, operation of said electromagnet moving said armature away from said spring portion permitting the spring to form a driving connection between the input and output shafts.

Claim 10

An electromagnetic clutch including a normally running input shaft, a normally stationary output shaft concentric with said input shaft, a coil spring having portions wound about said input and output shafts and arranged to form a driving connection therebetween, an electromagnet concentric with said shafts and positioned about said output shaft, an annular armature adjacent said electromagnet, yielding means normally biasing said armature away from said electromagnet and toward said input shaft, said coil spring having a portion thereof positioned for engagement with said armature when the electromagnet is de-energized, engagement of the spring by the armature preventing rotation of the spring and uncoupling said input and output shafts, operation of said electromagnet moving said armature away from said spring portion permitting the spring to form a driving connection between the input and output shafts.

Claim 11

The structure of claim 8 further characterized in that the yielding means normally biasing said armature away from said electromagnet includes a plurality of spaced springs positioned between the electromagnet and armature.

Claim 12

The structure of claim 9 further characterized by and including a plurality of pins connecting said armature and electromagnet, with said springs being positioned about said pins and between the armature and electromagnet.

Claim 13

The structure of claim 8 further characterized in that said spring portion includes a spring tab, and a plurality of grooves in an annular surface of said armature adjacent said spring tab, with said tab being arranged to be positioned in one of said grooves to engage the spring with the armature and prevent rotation of the spring.

Claim 14

The structure of claim 8 further characterized in that said spring portion includes at least a part of a spring coil having a radius greater than that of the coils forming the driving connection between the input and output shafts.

Claim 15

The structure of claim 8 further characterized by a plurality of stops extending outwardly from said armature and positioned for engagement with said spring portion.