The present invention relates to a free-wheel constituting a one-way coupling device and comprising a circular series of jamming members adapted to be interposed between an outer track and an inner track coaxial with each other, a plurality of ramps provided on at least one of said tracks, said ramps being adapted to co-operate with said jamming members, a synchronization cage for housing said jamming members, said cage being subjected to an elastic restoring action, and two lateral closure rings, coupling means for directly interconnecting said closure rings so as to fix said rings angularly to said track with ramps, said elastic restoring means acting on said cage being constituted by springs of circular arcuate form, hooked at one extremity on said synchronization cage and at the other extremity on said lateral closure rings. An important application of the invention is to hydrokinetic torque converters.
A roller-synchronized one-way clutch assembly includes a ring-shaped first retainer element, a ring-shaped second retainer element, a plurality of rollers and at least one spring extending between the first and second retainer elements. In the preferred embodiment, each of the first and second retainer elements is generally U-shaped and different in size and one of the first and second retainer elements is received in a U-shaped channel of the other. The first and second retainer elements are operatively coupled together such that they may move relative to each other in a circumferential direction over a predetermined angle. Alll of the rollers are movably supported by a retainer sub-assembly to provide a complete full phase function.
A one-way roller clutch has an inner race, an outer race, a plurality of rollers that are disposed between the races, a phasing cage that pockets each of the rollers individually, and a cage assembly that is keyed to the outer race. The cage assembly anchors a plurality of energizing springs that engage the phasing cage and bias the phasing cage and pocketed rollers toward an engaged position where the rollers are wedged between the races so that one race drives the other.
A clutch plate, for use with a one-way clutch having a torque-load-transmitting member or "strut" includes a plurality of stacked laminas. At least two of the laminas cooperate to define a load-bearing surface. The load-bearing surface is cooperable with the torque-load-transmitting member to effect one-way torque-load transfer between the strut and the plate. Furthermore, the laminas are secured together to prevent relative movement of any one of the laminas with respect to another of the laminas when the torque-load is transmitted between the strut and the plate.
A method for manufacturing a one-way clutch includes forming an inner plate; forming first and second outer plate members having a common axis; forming at least one strut pocket in one of the group consisting of the inner plate and the second outer plate member; forming at least one notch in the other of the group consisting of the inner plate and the second outer plate member; assembling a strut in the at least one strut pocket; inserting the inner plate between the outer plate members; and securing the outer plate members together to form a unitary outer plate assembly such that the inner plate is rotatably retained within the outer plate assembly and the strut is engageable with the at least one notch to effect one-way torque transfer between the inner plate and the outer plate assembly. The method may also include forming the second outer plate member as two pieces having mating surfaces, and interlocking the mating surfaces together. A one-way clutch manufactured by the method is also disclosed.
