Abstract
In this paper, a new variable torque clutch with skewed rollers, in which the cylinder rollers and the inner and outer races are assembled like a conical roller bearing except that each roller axis inclines with an equal angle to the races axis, was introduced and then investigated theoretically and experimentally. The geometry of the race surface was analyzed and the parametric equations of contact line etc. were derived. A roller-wedge model, based on the motion relationship between the skewed rollers and the two races, was proposed for this clutch. From the static equilibrium condition of the roller, the transmitted torque capacity and kinematics characteristics are evaluated properly. Several prototypes of this clutch were manufactured and measured to show the validity of this design idea and the theoretical results. The computation results were found to in good agreement with the experimental data. In addition, the influences of design parameters on the fundamental characteristics of the variable torque clutch are discussed in detail.