Electric motor clutch/brake assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A motor and clutch device comprising:
- an electric motor;
a motor shaft rotatably driven by the electric motor and having a first axis;
a motor housing disposed about the electric motor;
a clutch housing having an interior surface, the clutch housing mounted to the motor housing to form an enclosure;
a brake surface disposed on the interior surface of the clutch housing;
a coil mounting member having a first surface and an opening, the coil mounting member disposed within the enclosure, nonrotatably mounted to the motor housing, and the motor shaft rotatably passing through the opening in the coil mounting member;
a ring-shaped electromagnetically energizable coil having an inner sidewall, an outer sidewall, a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, wherein the top surface is non-rotatably disposed on the first surface of the coil mounting member;
a clutch rotor disposed within the enclosure and mounted on and rotatably driven by the motor shaft, the clutch rotor having a channel formed therein, the channel having a bottom surface, an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall, wherein the coil is located in the channel such that the bottom surface of the coil is adjacent the bottom surface of the channel, the inner sidewall of the coil is adjacent the inner sidewall of the channel and the outer sidewall of the coil is adjacent the outer sidewall of the channel; and
a clutch output shaft assembly comprising;
an output shaft partially disposed in the enclosure and extending from and rotatably mounted in the clutch housing on the first axis;
an annular clutch/brake disc disposed in the enclosure; and
a plurality of springs extending radially outward from the output shaft to the clutch/brake disc, the plurality of springs connected to both the output shaft and the clutch brake disc, wherein the clutch/brake disc moves axially relative to the output shaft between a first position corresponding to a braking mode and a second position corresponding to a driving mode, wherein in the first position the clutch/brake disc is retained against the brake surface by a bias in the plurality of springs when the coil is not energized, and in the second position, the clutch/brake disc is retained against the clutch rotor and the plurality of springs are flexed when the coil is energized.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A clutch/brake assembly is provided which includes a coil plate non-rotatably captured between the upper housing and the lower housing and having affixed thereon a ring shaped coil, a clutch rotor rotatably secured to the shaft and having a groove configured to accommodate therein the ring shaped coil, and a clutch output assembly having a clutch/brake disc and a clutch output shaft. The clutch/brake disc and the clutch output shaft are attached to one another by a plurality of springs. The clutch/brake assembly may be mounted on a deck of a lawnmower to drive a blade.
46 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A motor and clutch device comprising:
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an electric motor; a motor shaft rotatably driven by the electric motor and having a first axis; a motor housing disposed about the electric motor; a clutch housing having an interior surface, the clutch housing mounted to the motor housing to form an enclosure; a brake surface disposed on the interior surface of the clutch housing; a coil mounting member having a first surface and an opening, the coil mounting member disposed within the enclosure, nonrotatably mounted to the motor housing, and the motor shaft rotatably passing through the opening in the coil mounting member; a ring-shaped electromagnetically energizable coil having an inner sidewall, an outer sidewall, a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, wherein the top surface is non-rotatably disposed on the first surface of the coil mounting member; a clutch rotor disposed within the enclosure and mounted on and rotatably driven by the motor shaft, the clutch rotor having a channel formed therein, the channel having a bottom surface, an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall, wherein the coil is located in the channel such that the bottom surface of the coil is adjacent the bottom surface of the channel, the inner sidewall of the coil is adjacent the inner sidewall of the channel and the outer sidewall of the coil is adjacent the outer sidewall of the channel; and a clutch output shaft assembly comprising; an output shaft partially disposed in the enclosure and extending from and rotatably mounted in the clutch housing on the first axis; an annular clutch/brake disc disposed in the enclosure; and a plurality of springs extending radially outward from the output shaft to the clutch/brake disc, the plurality of springs connected to both the output shaft and the clutch brake disc, wherein the clutch/brake disc moves axially relative to the output shaft between a first position corresponding to a braking mode and a second position corresponding to a driving mode, wherein in the first position the clutch/brake disc is retained against the brake surface by a bias in the plurality of springs when the coil is not energized, and in the second position, the clutch/brake disc is retained against the clutch rotor and the plurality of springs are flexed when the coil is energized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An enclosed motor and clutch device comprising:
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a housing consisting of;
(i) a lower housing having a radial flange forming a top surface defining a first plane; and
(ii) an upper housing joined to the top surface of the flange to form an enclosure;an electric motor disposed in the enclosure; a motor shaft disposed in the enclosure and rotatably driven by the electric motor, the motor shaft defining a first axis perpendicular to the first plane; a coil mounting member disposed in the enclosure and nonrotatably mounted to the housing; a ring-shaped electromagnetically energizable coil nonrotatably disposed on the coil mounting member; a clutch rotor disposed in the enclosure and mounted on and rotatably driven by the motor shaft; and a clutch output shaft assembly comprising; an output shaft rotatably mounted in the lower housing on the first axis and extending from an opening in the lower housing; an annular clutch/brake disc disposed in the enclosure; and a plurality of springs extending radially outward from the output shaft to the clutch/brake disc and connected to the output shaft and the clutch/brake disc; wherein the clutch/brake disc moves axially relative to the output shaft between a first position corresponding to a braking mode and a second position corresponding to a driving mode, wherein in the first position the clutch/brake disc is retained against a brake surface by a bias in the plurality of springs when the coil is not energized, and in the second position, the clutch/brake disc is retained against the clutch rotor and the plurality of springs is flexed when the coil is energized. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A lawnmower blade driving motor and clutch assembly comprising:
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an electric motor; a motor shaft rotatably driven by the electric motor and having a first axis; a motor housing disposed about the electric motor; a clutch housing mounted to the motor housing to form an enclosure, the clutch housing having a flange, wherein the flange has a plurality of holes formed therein and configured for mounting the clutch housing on a deck of a lawnmower; a coil mounting member disposed in the enclosure; a ring-shaped electromagnetically energizable coil non-rotatably disposed on the coil mounting member; a clutch rotor disposed in the enclosure and mounted on and rotatably driven by the motor shaft; a clutch output shaft assembly comprising; an output shaft rotatably mounted in the clutch housing on the first axis; an annular clutch/brake disc; and a plurality of springs extending radially outward from the output shaft to the clutch/brake disc and connected to the output shaft and the clutch/brake disc; wherein the clutch/brake disc moves axially relative to the output shaft between a first position corresponding to a braking mode and a second position corresponding to a driving mode, wherein in the first position the clutch/brake disc is retained against a brake surface by a bias in the plurality of springs when the coil is not energized, and in the second position, the clutch/brake disc is retained against the clutch rotor and the plurality of springs is flexed when the coil is energized; and a blade mounted on and rotatably driven by the output shaft. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification