Granted Patent B2

US 7,621,815 · App. 11/671,844 · Granted Nov 24, 2009

Abstract

Claims (7)

1. A clutch for releasably coupling an axially rotatable driving shaft to a coaxial driven shaft comprising:

a gear, having a plurality of cogs, coaxially secured to one of said driving shaft or said driven shaft; and

a receptor coaxially secured to the other of said driving shaft or said driven shaft, said receptor comprising a hub and a plurality of flexible extension segments defining a cavity matingly engaging said gear cogs, each of said extension segments comprising a first elongated shoulder and a second elongated shoulder spaced apart from said first shoulder to define a channel for capturing a portion of a cog therebetween and each of said first elongated shoulders having a height greater than each of said second elongated shoulders;

whereby, when said driven shaft encounters rotational resistance greater than a range of normal operation, said segments flex out of engagement with said gear cogs to allow rotation of said driving shaft without rotation of said driven shaft.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said extension segments are generally parallel to said driving shaft and said driven shaft.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first elongated shoulder has a height greater than one half of the height of a cog.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second elongated shoulder has a height less than one half of the height of said cog.

Assignments (20)