Motor having worm gear mechanism

• US 6,288,464 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2000
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: ASMO Company Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Hiroaki, Inoue, Keiji, Torii, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullins, Burton S.
• Application Number:
  US09/536,399
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 310/78, 310/75.R, 192/223.2, 192/38
• US Class Current: 310/78
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/02 adapted to specific functions
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/108 with friction clutches
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1166 comprising worm and worm-wheel structural association with bearings specially adapted for worm gear drives H02K7/081

Abstract

A motor used in a power window system includes a motor section, a warm-gear included output section and a one-way clutch. The one-way clutch is disposed between a motor'"'"'s shaft and a worm'"'"'s shaft. The one-way clutch includes a drive member having at least a pair of guide surfaces, driven member coupled with the drive member, a stationary housing, and a rotary member disposed between the driven member and the stationary member and between the pair of guide surfaces. The motor and the one-way clutch has a common member fixed to both the motor and the one-way clutch.

Claims

1. A motor comprising:

a motor section including an armature and an armature shaft;

an output section including a worm mechanism having a worm shaft, a worm bearing supporting said worm shaft coaxially with said armature shaft; and

a one-way clutch disposed between said armature shaft and said worm shaft, said clutch including a drive member connected to said armature shaft, a driven member coupled with said drive member and connected to said worm shaft, and a clutch housing for accommodating said drive member and driven member;

wherein

said clutch housing integrally includes said worm bearing.

2. The motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said one-way clutch includes a rotary member disposed between said driven member and said housing; and

said drive member controls location of said rotary member to restrict said driven member if said drive member is rotated by said driven member, and to make said driven member free if said driven member is rotated by said drive member.

3. The motor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said driven member has a plurality of control surfaces, and said rotary member is disposed between one of said plurality of control surfaces and said clutch housing.

4. The motor as claimed in claim 3, wherein said control surface provides a different distance between said control surface and said clutch housing as said location of said rotary member changes.

5. The motor as claimed in claim 3, wherein said control surface has a surface providing a shorter distance between said control surface and said clutch housing as said rotary member leaves a center thereof.

6. The motor as claimed in claim 3, wherein said plurality of control surfaces are each formed as one of a shallow V-shaped surface, a shallow U-shaped surface, and a flat surface.

7. The motor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said drive member has a plurality of guide surfaces for controlling location of said rotary member.

8. The motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said one-way clutch includes a rotary member disposed between said driven member and said clutch housing; and

force is transferred from said drive member to said rotary member, moving said rotary member in the same direction as said drive member.

9. The motor as claimed in claim 8, wherein said rotary member is disengaged from first and second guide surfaces if said driven member rotates said drive member.

10. The motor as claimed in claim 9, wherein if a force is exerted on a window while said motor is not turned on, said driven member is stopped from further rotating, and said window is not opened further.

11. The motor as claimed in claim 8, wherein said rotary member comprises a plurality of balls.

12. The motor as claimed in claim 8, wherein said rotary member comprises a plurality of rollers.

13. A motor comprising:

a motor section including an armature and an armature shaft;

an output section including a worm mechanism having a worm shaft disposed coaxially with said armature shaft;

a one-way clutch disposed between said armature shaft and said worm shaft, said clutch including a drive member connected to said armature shaft, a driven member connected to said worm shaft, and a clutch housing for accommodating said drive member and driven member; and

wherein said clutch housing integrally includes a drive-member bearing for rotatably supporting said drive member.

14. The motor as claimed in claim 13, wherein said output section comprises a worm housing and a worm bearing fixed to said worm housing to support said worm shaft coaxially with said armature shaft.

15. A motor comprising:

a motor section including an armature, a commutator, and an armature shaft;

an output section including a worm mechanism having a worm shaft, a worm bearing supporting said worm shaft coaxially with said armature shaft; and

a one-way clutch disposed between said armature shaft and said worm shaft, said clutch including a drive member having at least a pair of guide surfaces and connected to said armature shaft, a driven member coupled with said drive member and connected to said worm shaft, a stationary housing for accommodating said drive member and driven member, and a rotary member disposed between said driven member and stationary housing and between said pair of guide surfaces;

wherein

said drive member and said commutator are fixed together.

16. The motor as claimed in claim 15, wherein

one of said drive member and said commutator has a male-coupling portion, and the other has a female-coupling portion.

17. The motor as claimed in claim 15, wherein

one of said drive member and said driven member has a male-coupling portion, and the other has a female-coupling portion.

18. The motor as claimed in claim 15, wherein said drive member and said commutator are integrated into a unit.

19. The motor as claimed in claim 15, wherein said driven member and said worm shaft are integrated into a unit.

20. A motor comprising:

a motor section including an armature, a commutator, and an armature shaft;

an output section including a worm mechanism having a worm shaft, a worm bearing supporting said worm shaft coaxially with said armature shaft; and

a one-way clutch disposed between said armature shaft and said worm shaft, said clutch including a drive member having at least a pair of guide surfaces and connected to said armature shaft, a driven member coupled with said drive member and connected to said worm shaft, a stationary housing for accommodating said drive member and driven member, and a rotary member disposed between said driven member and stationary housing and between said pair of guide surfaces;

wherein

said motor section and said clutch are connected by a common member.