Non-chattering ball detent torque limiter

摘要

A ball-detent torque-limiting assembly has breakout means for maintaining an axial separation distance between opposing pocketed surfaces of the assembly once the primary balls of the assembly have rolled out of their pockets, wherein the axial separation distance maintained by the breakout means is at least as great as the diameter of the balls. The breakout means may include a plurality of secondary balls deployed in a breakout event. The breakout means assumes the axially directed spring load that urges the opposing pocketed surfaces together, thereby preventing the primary balls from entering and exiting the pockets in quick and violent succession following breakout and avoiding damage to the torque-limiting assembly. The torque-limiting assembly is resettable by counter-rotation following a breakout event.

主权项

1. In a torque-limiting assembly wherein a plurality of primary balls roll out of respective opposing ball pockets in opposing surfaces of a gear and a backing plate when a torque limit is exceeded to enable relative rotation between the gear and the backing plate by rolling engagement of the primary balls with the opposing surfaces, wherein the opposing surfaces are biased toward one another by axially directed spring loading, the improvement comprising:
a plurality of secondary balls arranged to keep the opposing surfaces separated by an axial distance at least as great as a diameter of the primary balls during intermittent alignment of the primary balls with the opposing ball pockets during the relative rotation; wherein the plurality of secondary balls keep the opposing surfaces separated by an axial distance greater than the diameter of the primary balls during intermittent alignment of the primary balls with the opposing ball pockets during the relative rotation.