Stress Analysis of a New Disk-Type Variable Torque Slipping Clutch with Skewed Rollers

Abstract

In this paper a new disk type of the variable torque slipping clutch with skewed rollers (VTSCSR) is presented and investigated both theoretically and experimentally. It is comprised of two flat disks, a number of skewed cylindrical rollers, and a cage. The slipping torque is produced by the skewed rollers rolling and slipping between the two disks. Based on the integral equation of the Boussinesq solution, the contact pressures are numerically calculated under the condition that the nonlinear equilibrium equations of the clutch elements are satisfied. By considering both pressure and friction, the components of subsurface stress are calculated from the integration of the Mindlin's subsurface stress equations of concentrated force. A numerical solver is then successfully developed by which the characteristics of the disk-type VTSCSR, including the torque capacity, angular velocities of the roller and cage, contact pressure and von Mises stress, etc, are calculated and illustrated for the typical designs. The influences on the distribution of the von Mises stress by applying various types of profiled rollers to the disk-type VTSCSR are also discussed. It has been found that the full crown with two arcs profiled roller can approximately give rise to the axially uniform distribution of the von Mises stress and therefore satisfies the design principle of the average damage of materials. In addition, the preliminary experiment was done in order to show the feasibility of this design idea and to verify the theoretical torque capacity.