Magnetic clutch

• US 5,105,928 A
• Filed: 09/24/1990
• Issued: 04/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Saeki, Kiyoshi, Otsuki, Toshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krolikowski, Julie A.
• Application Number:
  US07/586,972
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 192/48.1, 192/58 B, 192/84 AA, 192/84 PM, 310/103, 310/90, 310/92, 310/96
• US Class Current: 192/84.93
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2403/724 electromagnetic clutches
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 35/00 Fluid clutches in which the clutching is predominantly obtained by fluid adhesion F16D37/00 takes precedence ; arrangements of viscous clutches in four-wheel drives - B60K17/3465 and B60K17/351
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 49/00 Dynamo-electric clutches; Dynamo-electric brakes
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 49/065 hysteresis type

Abstract

A magnetic clutch has a driving-side rotating member for holding one of a magnetic substance member and a hysteresis member and rotating in asynchronization with a rotary shaft; a driven-side rotating member for holding the other of the magnetic substance member and the hysteresis member and rotating in synchronization with the shaft, the driven-side and driving-side rotating members being spaced apart on the shaft; and a device for regulating the rotation of the shaft with sliding friction caused by viscosity. Alternatively, the driving-side rotating member can rotate in synchronization with a rotary shaft, and the driven-side rotating member can rotate in asynchronization with the shaft.

Claims

1. A magnetic clutch comprising:

a rotary shaft;

a driving-side rotating member having one of a magnetic substance member and a hysteresis member thereon, and so supported on said rotary shaft as to be rotatable in asynchronization with the rotary shaft;

a driven-side rotating member having the other of the magnetic substance member and the hysteresis member thereon, and fixed to said rotary shaft so as to rotate in synchronization with the shaft, the driven-side and driving-side rotating members being spaced apart on said shaft with said magnetic substance member and said hysteresis member confronting one another; and

regulating means, including a viscous medium, provided on said shaft for producing sliding friction based on the viscosity of said medium as said shaft rotates and for transmitting a force corresponding to the sliding friction to said shaft to thereby regulate the rotation of the shaft.

2. A magnetic clutch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for regulating the rotation of the shaft also includes a plate fixed to said shaft so as to rotate in synchronization with rotation of the shaft, the viscous medium being disposed over said plate.

3. A magnetic clutch as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising means for adjusting the spacing between the driving-side and driven-side rotating members.

4. A magnetic clutch comprising:

a rotary shaft;

a driving-side rotating member having one of a magnetic substance member and a hysteresis member thereon, and fixed to said rotary shaft so as to rotate in synchronization with the rotary shaft;

a driven-side rotating member having the other of the magnetic substance member and the hysteresis member thereon, and so supported on said rotary shaft as to be rotatable in asynchronization with the shaft, the driven-side and driving-side rotating members being spaced apart on said shaft with said magnetic substance member and said hysteresis member confronting one another; and

regulating means, including a viscous medium, provided on said driven-side rotating member for producing sliding friction based on the viscosity of said medium as the driven-side rotating member rotates and for transmitting a force corresponding to the sliding friction to said driven-side rotating member to thereby regulate the rotation of the driven-side rotating member.

5. A magnetic clutch as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means for regulating the rotation of the shaft also includes a rotating member arranged on the shaft and a magnet, and wherein said viscous medium is a magnetic fluid held on said rotating member by the magnet.

6. A magnetic clutch as claimed in claim 4, and further comprising means for adjusting the spacing between the driving-side and driven-side rotating members.