Abstract: A torque transmission apparatus absorbs torque fluctuations (vibrations) while limiting the size of the outside dimensions of a pulley. Elastomeric dampers and pendulum type vibration-absorbing mechanisms are located between an outer tube and an inner tube of a pulley body.

Abstract: A compressor provided with a torque limiter constructed such that, in view of possible occurrence of accidental locking of the compressor, in the case where a one-way clutch is used in place of an electromagnetic clutch in order to permit a refrigerant compressor for a vehicle air-conditioning system to be driven by an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine, when an excessive torque is to be transmitted by the one-way clutch, rollers ride over wedge surfaces and fall into pocket sections, or sprags are reversed to roll-over.

Abstract: A coupling device has a pulley that receives rotational torque from an engine. The torque is transmitted to a shaft through a hub and a one-way clutch. A torque limiter is screwed on the shaft to fasten the inner ring of the one-way clutch onto the shaft. The torque limiter has a breakable portion. The torque is directly transmitted from the inner ring to the shaft when the torque is normal. If the torque exceeds the tightening torque of the torque limiter, the inner ring begins to slide and rotate, and drives the torque limiter in a tightening direction. As the torque limiter is tightened additionally, the tensile stress on the breakable portion is increased. Then, the breakable portion breaks and is separated in axial direction so that the coupling device disconnects torque transmission.

Abstract: In a flexible joint having a first rotating body connected to a shaft of an engine, a second rotating body coaxially connected to the first rotating body via a first rubber damper, and a third rotating body whose outer circumference is coaxially coupled with the second rotating body via a second rubber damper and whose center axis is coaxially connected to a shaft of a compressor, the second rotating body is rotatably held by a front housing of the compressor. Accordingly, eccentric load acting on the joint according to the rotation thereof is received by the housing of the compressor so that the shaft of the compressor receives lower bending moment. Further, as the first and second rubber dampers are used, a composite elastic coefficient thereof is smaller so that torque fluctuation applied to the joint is adequately absorbed.

Abstract: A pulley includes a radial rolling bearing and a pulley main body which are integrated to each other by an insert molding method. Therefore, a metal insert member is not required between the resin pulley main body and the radial rolling bearing, thereby reducing production cost of the pulley. Further, an axial dimension of an outer ring of the radial rolling bearing is set larger than an axial dimension of an inner ring thereof, so that a contact area between the radial rolling bearing and the pulley main body is increased. Therefore, a connection strength between the radial rolling bearing and the pulley main body is increased, and a surface area of the radial rolling bearing is increased, thereby improving heat radiation performance of the radial rolling bearing.

Abstract: A torque transmission device includes a pulley, a cylindrical member, a torque limiter and a weight member. The pulley is rotated by torque transmitted from a drive source. The cylindrical member is connected to a rotatable shaft of a compressor and is rotated integrally with the rotatable shaft. The torque limiter is arranged between the pulley and the cylindrical member and transmits the torque from the pulley to the cylindrical member. The torque limiter disables the transmission of the torque when the torque becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The weight member is secured to the cylindrical member at a point closer to the rotatable shaft than the torque limiter.

Abstract: In a torque transmission system, plural engagement pieces elastically deformable are formed integrally with an outer peripheral portion of a circular portion of a center hub to be engaged with an inner periphery portion of a pulley. A bridge portion of the center hub is disposed to be broken when a torque large than a predetermined torque is applied there to. Since the engagement protrusion pieces are engaged with a part of the pulley, it can prevent the center hub from being removed and falling when the bridge portion of the center hub is broken.

Abstract: A torque transmission apparatus absorbs torque fluctuations (vibrations) while limiting the size of the outside dimensions of a pulley. Elastomeric dampers and pendulum type vibration-absorbing mechanisms are located between an outer tube and an inner tube of a pulley body.

Abstract: An annular groove portion is formed between portions corresponding to groove portions and thereafter the groove portions are formed while the annular groove is pressed. Consequently, since the stress produced due to a plastic deformation in forming the groove portions can be absorbed by the annular groove having a smaller rigidity than the groove portions, no undesirable plastic deformation of the groove portions occurs and hence the accuracy of the finished size of the multi-stage pulley can be improved. Furthermore, the capital investment in groove forming rollers can be reduced and the manufacturing cost of the multi-stage pulley can be reduced.

Abstract: A power transmission system has a Neidhart structure in which a damper is shearing-deformed while being press-deformed when torque is applied to a pulley. The torque is transmitted from the pulley to a center hub by the reaction force in response to a vector component of the deformation of the damper, parallel to the pulley rotation direction, while a torque fluctuation is reduced by the deformation of the damper. Thereby, it is possible to set an elasticity modulus of the damper to be smaller. Therefore, it is possible to provide a compact power transmission system having a reduced torque fluctuation.

Abstract: A hole is formed in a damper rubber, where by when a compressive load is small, pillar portions undergo a flexural deformation so as to result in buckling deformation. On the other hand, when the compressive load becomes large, the hole collapses and the damper rubber under goes a compressive deformation so as to collapse itself. Thus, since the damper rubber has a non-linear characteristic such that an elastic modulus thereof at an amount of deformation exceeding a predetermined amount is larger than that at an amount of deformation less than the predetermined amount, the transmission of a large torque can be implemented while absorbing a torque fluctuation sufficiently.

Abstract: In a flexible joint having a first rotating body connected to a shaft of an engine, a second rotating body coaxially connected to the first rotating body via a first rubber damper, and a third rotating body whose outer circumference is coaxially coupled with the second rotating body via a second rubber damper and whose center axis is coaxially connected to a shaft of a compressor, the second rotating body is rotatably held by a front housing of the compressor. Accordingly, eccentric load acting on the joint according to the rotation thereof is received by the housing of the compressor so that the shaft of the compressor receives lower bending moment. Further, as the first and second rubber dampers are used, a composite elastic coefficient thereof is smaller so that torque fluctuation applied to the joint is adequately absorbed.

Abstract: The manufacturing cost of a multi-stage pulley is reduced without coaxially arranging a plurality of groove forming sections. While a portion between groove sections 103 is being pushed by a pushing roller 204, the groove sections 103 are successively formed. While a portion of workpiece W2 pushed by a groove forming roller 206 to form one groove section 103a and a portion of workpiece W2 pushed by a groove forming roller 207 to form the other groove section 103b are being shifted from each other in the circumferential direction, one groove section (103a) and the other groove section (103b) are simultaneously formed. Due to the foregoing, when the groove sections 103 are formed, it is possible to prevent the deformation of the groove section 103 and the groove section 103 which is adjacent to it. Accordingly, it is possible to enhance the yield of the multi-stage pulley 100 without coaxially arranging a plurality of groove forming sections.

Abstract: A torque limiting mechanism includes an axial space formed in a cylindrical wall of a pulley, and a pin protruding and extending from a back surface of a discharge disc. The pin is inserted into the axial space, and a rubber damper is installed between the inner surface of the axial space and the pin. When torque difference between the pulley and the discharge disc exceeds a threshold, a root portion of the pin is broken to separate the discharge disc from the pulley, thereby interrupting rotation transmission from the pulley to the discharge disc.

Abstract: An annular groove portion is formed between portions corresponding to groove portions and thereafter the groove portions are formed while the annular groove is pressed. Consequently, since the stress produced due to a plastic deformation in forming the groove portions can be absorbed by the annular groove having a smaller rigidity than the groove portions, no undesirable plastic deformation of the groove portions occurs and hence the accuracy of the finished size of the multi-stage pulley can be improved. Furthermore, the capital investment in groove forming rollers can be reduced and the manufacturing cost of the multi-stage pulley can be reduced.

Abstract: In order to reduce an electromagnetic clutch in an axial size, a ring-shaped leaf spring connects an armature to a hub. The leaf spring has an outer ring portion connected to the armature, an attachment portion connected to the hub and located inner than the outer ring portion, and a connecting portion for connecting the outer ring portion and the attachment portion. A plurality of rivets of the armature are disposed at the outer ring portion. An embossed portion for generating an initial deflection on the leaf spring is disposed at an intermediate portion between the rivets in the circumferential direction of the outer ring portion.

Abstract: A bearing used for an electromagnetic clutch includes an inner race, an outer race, and a plurality of balls provided between the inner and outer races. The plurality balls are arranged in single row, and each of the balls contacts both inner and outer races at two contact points, respectively. Thus, even when the outer race inclines due to an external force, each ball continuously contacts both the inner race and the outer race at at least one point, respectively. Accordingly, the balls do not fall due to gravity, thereby preventing noise generated by balls falling and colliding with the races.

Abstract: A spring plate member is connected to a hub. The spring plate member includes a plate spring portion generating a resilient force to separate an armature from a rotor, and an outer ring portion, which faces the armature. An elastic member is provided between the armature and the outer ring portion for connecting the armature directly with the outer ring portion. Thus, operation noises of the electromagnetic clutch and a compressor are efficiently reduced. Further, the axial dimension of elastic member can be made much smaller than that of the conventional cylindrical elastic member.

Abstract: A disk material is plastic-formed to form an inner cylindrical portion of a rotor and a cover member which covers an end side of the rotor. After that, the disk material is slit inwardly from an outside thereof in a radial direction of the disk material to form an outer cylindrical portion of the rotor and a pulley corresponding portion which will be the pulley. Finally, the pulley corresponding portion is plastic-formed to form a pulley groove. Thereby, even when the location of the pulley relative to the outer cylindrical portion are different, same processes can be applied to these different type pulley integrated rotors until the disk material is slit. That is, many different type pulley integrated type rotors can be manufactured with low cost while maintaining high concentric accuracy between the pulley and the rotor.

Abstract: An electromagnetic clutch has an armature, a rotor housing accommodating a stator housing and an exciting coil having negative and positive terminals. A passage is formed to extend from an outer peripheral surface of the stator housing to the negative terminal and the positive terminal. The passage is filled with a conductive metal member having a melting point lower than that of the stator housing between the outer surface of the stator housing and the negative terminal. When frictional heat generated between the armature and the rotor housing exceeds a preset value, the metal member melts and flows to the positive terminal, thereby short-circuiting the coil. As a result, a fuse between a power source and the clutch is fused, thereby turning off the clutch. Therefore, the clutch does not need to have a thermal fuse therein and is reduced in size without increasing power consumption.