To provide a two-way clutch capable of preventing the occurrence of engagement shock and popping in installing the clutch in hybrid four-wheel vehicle on which a motor assistedly driving auxiliary drive wheels is mounted.
An engagement element 8 is installed between a cam face 7 formed on the inner periphery of an outer ring 1 and a cylindrical face 5 formed on the outer periphery of a drive shaft 3. The elastic force of a switch spring 12 is provided to a holder 9 holding an engagement element 8 to energize the holder 9 in one direction, and the engagement element 8 is switched to a position where the engagement element comes into contact with the cam face 7a for normal rotation and the cylindrical face 5 of the cam face 7 so that the engagement element 8 is not switched to a reverse rotation side even if the drive shaft 3 is rotated in the reverse direction. When the outer ring 1 is rotated in the normal rotating direction, the engagement element 8 is engaged immediately with the cylindrical face 5 and the cam face 7 to prevent the engagement shock from occurring. Also, an armature 21 locked to the holder 9 is attracted by an electromagnet 17 to lock the holder 9. When the outer ring 1 is rotated in the reverse direction, the engagement element 8 is switched to the reverse side to transmit the rotation of the outer ring 1 to the drive shaft 3.
DOMOTO MASAKAZU
Higashio Masahiro
Torii Kazuhisa