IP Library Granted Patent US 12,078,220
Granted Patent B2
US 12,078,220 · App. 18/043,870 · Granted Sep 3, 2024

Clutch unit

Inventors: Kunihiro Mikasa (Fujisawa, JP); Yasumasa Hibi (Iwata, JP); Kyohei Sasanuma (Iwata, JP); Shaoluan Bian (Iwata, JP)
Assignees: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA; NTN CORPORATION
F16D67/02B60N2/165
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,078,220
App. No.
18/043,870
Granted
Sep 3, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a clutch unit in which an output-side outer ring member is attached to a base plate without welding. A clutch unit ( 100 ) includes an output-side clutch ( 60 ) and a housing ( 11 ) that accommodates the output-side clutch ( 60 ). The output-side clutch ( 60 ) includes an output-side outer ring member ( 62 ). The output-side outer ring member ( 62 ) and the housing ( 11 ) have an engagement protrusion ( 62 s ) and an engagement groove ( 11 s ) that engage with each other to restrict relative rotation therebetween.

Claims (37)

1. A clutch unit for use in a vehicle seat, the clutch unit comprising:

an operation lever that is rotatable about a rotation axis;

an output shaft member that is rotatable about the rotation axis and outputs, to the vehicle seat, an operation force applied to the operation lever;

an input-side clutch that is driven by the operation lever and transmits rotation of the operation lever to the output shaft member;

an output-side clutch that transmits a rotational torque of the input-side clutch to the output shaft member and limits transmission of a rotational torque from the output shaft member to the input-side clutch; and

a housing that accommodates at least the output-side clutch

wherein the output-side clutch includes:

an output-side inner ring member that rotates integrally with the output shaft member about the rotation axis;

an output-side outer ring member that is attached to the housing; and

an output-side intermediate transmission member that is rotatably provided between the output-side inner ring member and the output-side outer ring member, and transmits a rotational torque of the output-side inner ring member to the output-side outer ring member,

wherein the output-side outer ring member and the housing have engagement structures that engage with each other to restrict relative rotation therebetween,

wherein the engagement structures include an engagement protrusion and an auxiliary engagement protrusion each extending outward in a radial direction of the rotation axis from an outer peripheral portion of the output-side outer ring member,

wherein the auxiliary engagement protrusion has a smaller protrusion amount in the radial direction of the rotation axis than that of the engagement protrusion,

wherein the engagement structures include an engagement groove formed in the housing and to be engaged with the engagement protrusion,

wherein the housing has an auxiliary engagement groove engageable with the auxiliary engagement protrusion, and

wherein the auxiliary engagement protrusion and the auxiliary engagement groove face each other with a gap therebetween in a circumferential direction of the rotation axis.

2. The clutch unit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the engagement protrusion is included in a pair of engagement protrusions formed at positions that are point-symmetric about the rotation axis.

3. The clutch unit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the auxiliary engagement protrusion is included in a plurality of auxiliary engagement protrusions formed on the output-side outer ring member.

4. A clutch unit for use in a vehicle seat, the clutch unit comprising:

an operation lever that is rotatable about a rotation axis;

an output shaft member that is rotatable about the rotation axis and outputs, to the vehicle seat, an operation force applied to the operation lever;

an input-side clutch that is driven by the operation lever and transmits rotation of the operation lever to the output shaft member;

an output-side clutch that transmits a rotational torque of the input-side clutch to the output shaft member and limits transmission of a rotational torque from the output shaft member to the input-side clutch; and

a housing that accommodates at least the output-side clutch

wherein the output-side clutch includes:

an output-side inner ring member that rotates integrally with the output shaft member about the rotation axis;

an output-side outer ring member that is attached to the housing; and

an output-side intermediate transmission member that is rotatably provided between the output-side inner ring member and the output-side outer ring member, and transmits a rotational torque of the output-side inner ring member to the output-side outer ring member,

wherein the output-side outer ring member and the housing have engagement structures that engage with each other to restrict relative rotation therebetween,

wherein the engagement structures include an engagement protrusion and an auxiliary engagement protrusion each extending outward in a radial direction of the rotation axis from an outer peripheral portion of the output-side outer ring member,

wherein the auxiliary engagement protrusion has a smaller protrusion amount in the radial direction of the rotation axis than that of the engagement protrusion,

wherein the engagement structures include an engagement groove formed in the housing and to be engaged with the engagement protrusion,

wherein the housing has an auxiliary engagement groove engageable with the auxiliary engagement protrusion,

wherein the auxiliary engagement protrusion is included in one of two pairs of auxiliary engagement protrusions formed on the output-side outer ring member at positions that are point-symmetric about the rotation axis, and

wherein the engagement protrusion is included in a pair of engagement protrusions and the two pairs of auxiliary engagement protrusions are formed at positions that are rotationally symmetric about the rotation axis.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2024
From: AISIN SHIROKI CORPORATION
To: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 067984/0392 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 10, 2024
From: SHIROKI CORPORATION
To: AISIN SHIROKI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067671/0402 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 2, 2023
From: MIKASA, KUNIHIRO; HIBI, YASUMASA; SASANUMA, KYOHEI; BIAN, SHAOLUAN
To: SHIROKI CORPORATION; NTN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062861/0865 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-013324 · Jan 29, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230313850A1 · Oct 5, 2023