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Cover member for a magnetically operated clutch

  • US 4,449,622 A
  • Filed: 05/20/1982
  • Issued: 05/22/1984
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1981
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An electromagnetic clutch for respectively connecting and disconnecting a drive source to and from a driven device having a fixed hollow cylindrical projection and a rotatable shaft extending within said hollow projection in concentric relation thereto, said electromagnetic clutch comprising:

  • a rotatable body made of magnetizable material and disposed around said hollow cylindrical projection of said driven device in concentric relation thereto, said rotatable body being drivingly connectable to said drive source for rotation around an axis of said shaft and having an inner peripheral surface faced to said cylindrical projection and opposite axial end faces;

    a bearing disposed between an outer peripheral surface of said cylindrical projection and the inner peripheral surface of said rotatable body for rotatably supporting said rotatable body on said cylindrical projection;

    an annular armature made of magnetizable material and connectable to said shaft of said driven device for rotation therewith, said armature being faced to one of the opposite axial end faces of said rotatable body, but normally spaced therefrom by a suitable gap, said armature being movable between an engaging position where said armature is attracted and abuts against said one axial end face of said rotatable body to allow the rotation of said rotatable body by said drive source to be transmitted to said shaft and a disengaging position where said armature is spaced from said one axial end face of said rotatable body by said suitable gap to prevent the rotation of said rotatable body from being transmitted to said shaft;

    an exciting solenoid associated with said armature for moving the same between said engaging and disengaging position in response to energization and deenergization of said solenoid; and

    a cylindrical cover member made of thermoplastic material and fixedly mounted, independently of said bearing, on a portion of the inner peripheral surface of said rotatable body between said one axial end face thereof and said bearing, said cover member having a cylindrical peripheral wall having an axial length thereof extending so as to cover said gap between said one axial end face of said rotatable body and said annular armature and also cover an inner peripheral surface of said annular armature, said cylindrical cover further having an annular end wall radially inwardly extending from one axial end of said peripheral wall of said cylindrical cover member remote from said bearing, to a location where an opening defined by an inner peripheral edge of said annular end wall is located adjacent to a free end of said hollow cylindrical projection of said driven device, said peripheral wall and said annular end wall of said cover member cooperating with each other to define a reservoir space having a relatively large volume for oil leaking out of said driven device and grease flowing from said bearing.

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