1. A one-way clutch, comprising:
a race disposed about an axis for said clutch; and,
a wedge plate with a plurality of finger elements extending toward said race and in contact with said race, wherein a one of said wedge plate and race is arranged for rotational connection to a torque transmitting element in an automotive device and is arranged to rotate independently of an other of said wedge plate and race for rotation, with respect to said other of said wedge plate and race, in a first rotational direction, wherein said plurality of fingers are arranged to grip said race, to rotationally lock said wedge plate and race, for rotation of said one of said wedge plate and race, with respect to said other of said wedge plate and race, in a second rotational direction, opposite said first rotational direction.
2. The one-way clutch of claim 1 wherein for at least one finger in said plurality of fingers a circumferential dimension of a portion in contact with said race is greater than an axial dimension for said portion.
3. The one-way clutch of claim 1 wherein said race further comprises a circumferential surface radially opposite said wedge plate, and for said rotation of said one of said wedge plate and race in said first direction, said plurality of fingers are arranged to slide across said circumferential surface.
4. The one-way clutch of claim 1 wherein said race further comprises a circumferential surface radially opposite said wedge plate and for said rotation of said one of said wedge plate and race in said second direction said plurality of fingers are arranged to exert a radial force against said circumferential surface to oppose rotation of said first one of said wedge plate and race.
5. The one-way clutch of claim 1 wherein said race comprises a circumferential surface radially opposite said wedge plate and wherein each finger in said plurality of fingers comprises a circumferential surface shaped to conform to said circumferential surface of said race.
6. The one-way clutch of claim 1 further comprising a spacing element disposed axially through said wedge plate and providing a solid axial path from one axial end of said clutch to an other axial end of said clutch.
7. The one-way clutch of claim 1 wherein said race or said wedge plate is arranged for connection to said torque transmitting element.
8. A one-way clutch, comprising:
a race disposed about an axis for said clutch; and,
a wedge plate with a plurality of finger elements, wherein said race comprises a circumferential surface radially opposite said wedge plate, wherein said finger elements extend radially toward said race, wherein one of said wedge plate and race is arranged for rotational connection to a torque transmitting element in an automotive device, and wherein each said finger element includes a distal end with a circumferential edge complimentarily shaped with respect to said circumferential surface.
9. The one-way clutch of claim 8 wherein said circumferential edge conformably engages said race circumferential surface.
10. The one-way clutch of claim 8 wherein said distal edge is at a nonuniform radial distance from a longitudinal axis for said wedge plate when said wedge plate is disengaged from said second race.
11. The one-way clutch of claim 8 wherein for at least one finger in said plurality of fingers a circumferential dimension of a portion in contact with said race is greater than an axial dimension for said portion.
12. The one-way clutch of claim 8 wherein said one of said wedge plate and race is arranged to rotate independently of an other of said wedge plate and race for rotation, with respect to said other of said wedge plate and race, in a first rotational direction, and wherein said plurality of fingers are arranged to grip said race, to rotationally lock said wedge plate and race, for rotation of said one of said wedge plate and race, with respect to said other of said wedge plate and race, in a second rotational direction, opposite said first rotational direction.
13. The one-way clutch of claim 12 wherein said race or said wedge plate is arranged for connection to said torque transmitting element.
14. The one-way clutch of claim 8 further comprising a spacing element disposed axially through said wedge plate and providing a mechanical path between first and second axial ends for said clutch.
15. The one-way clutch of claim 14 wherein said spacing element comprises a plate radially disposed about said axis and having at least one axially displaced finger, said at least one axially displaced finger comprising at least a portion of said solid axial path.
16. A one-way clutch for a stator in a torque converter, comprising:
a hub arranged for rotational connection to a stator shaft for said stator; and,
a wedge plate including a plurality of finger elements extending radially inward toward said hub, wherein said wedge plate is arranged for rotational connection to a blade assembly for said stator, wherein each said finger element includes a distal end with a circumferential edge complimentarily shaped with respect to a circumferential surface for said hub, and wherein said circumferential edge conformably engages said race circumferential surface.
17. The one-way clutch of claim 16 wherein said distal edge is at a nonuniform radial distance from a longitudinal axis for said wedge plate when said wedge plate is disengaged from said hub.
18. The one-way clutch of claim 16 wherein for at least one finger in said plurality of fingers a circumferential dimension of a portion in contact with said hub is greater than an axial dimension for said portion.
19. The one-way clutch of claim 16 wherein said plurality of fingers are arranged to grip said hub, to rotationally lock said hub and said outer race for rotation of said outer race in a rotational direction.
20. The one-way clutch of claim 16 wherein said circumferential surface comprises a cylindrical surface with a first radius with respect to said axis and said circumferential edge comprises a section of a circle with a second radius, with respect to said axis, substantially equal to said first radius.
21. A one-way clutch, comprising:
a race disposed about an axis for said clutch; and,
a wedge plate including a plurality of finger elements extending radially toward said race, wherein said race includes a circumferential surface radially opposite said wedge plate; wherein one of said wedge plate and race is arranged for rotational connection to a torque transmitting element in an automotive device, wherein each said finger element includes a distal end with a circumferential edge complimentarily shaped with respect to said circumferential surface, wherein said circumferential edge conformably engages said race circumferential surface, wherein said distal edge is at a nonuniform radial distance from a longitudinal axis for said wedge plate when said wedge plate is disengaged from said race, and wherein for at least one finger in said plurality of fingers a circumferential dimension of a portion in contact with said race is greater than an axial dimension for said portion.
22. A one-way clutch, comprising:
a race disposed about an axis for said clutch;
a clutch element radially disposed about said axis; and,
a spacing element disposed axially through said clutch element plate, wherein one of said clutch element and race is arranged for rotational connection to a torque transmitting element in an automotive device and is arranged to rotate independently of an other of said clutch element and race for rotation, with respect to said other of said clutch element and race, in a first rotational direction, wherein said clutch element is arranged to radially engage said race, to rotationally lock said clutch element and race, for rotation of said one of said clutch element and race, with respect to said other of said clutch element and race, in a second rotational direction, opposite said first rotational direction, wherein a circumferential extent of said clutch element in contact with said race is greater than an axial extent of said clutch element in contact with said race, and wherein said spacing element provides a mechanical path axially between first and second axial ends for said clutch.
23. The one-way clutch of claim 22 wherein said spacing element is arranged to transmit a thrust load between said axial ends.
24. The one-way clutch of claim 22 wherein said spacing element comprises a plate radially disposed about said axis and having at least one axially displaced finger, said at least one axially displaced finger comprising at least a portion of said mechanical path.
25. The one-way clutch of claim 22 wherein said race comprises a circumferential surface radially opposite said clutch element, wherein said clutch element comprises a plurality of finger elements extending toward said race, wherein each said finger element includes a distal end with a circumferential edge complimentarily shaped with respect to said circumferential surface, and wherein said circumferential edge conformably engages said race circumferential surface.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A process for reducing molecular weight of lignin comprising:
carbonating a black liquor stream at a temperature between about 80\xb0 C. and 200\xb0 C. and adjusting the pH above 10;
recovering a dense liquid-lignin phase, wherein lignin within the dense liquid-lignin phase has a first average molecular weight; and
exposing said dense liquid-lignin to heat and pressure for a predetermined period of time to reduce an average molecular weight of said dense liquid-lignin to a second average molecular weight, wherein the second average molecular weight is less than the first average molecular weight.
2. The process according to claim 1 further comprising, acidifying the dense liquid lignin with an acid to a pH between 1.5 and 3.5.
3. The process according to claim 1, wherein said carbonating of the black liquor is effective to adjust the pH to between 11 and 13.
4. The process according to claim 1, wherein exposing said dense liquid-lignin to heat and pressure is at a temperature of about 150\xb0 C. to about 300\xb0 C.
5. The process according to claim 1, wherein exposing the dense liquid lignin to heat and pressure is at a temperature of about 150\xb0 C. to about 190\xb0 C.
6. The process according to claim 1 where a strong base is added to the dense liquid-lignin to raise its pH and catalyze lowering of the average molecular weight.
7. The process according to claim 1, further comprising adding an oxidizing agent to said black liquor prior to carbonating in an amount effective to eliminate or substantially reduce the odor of the resulting lignin product.
8. The process according to claim 7, wherein said oxidizing agent is a member of the group consisting of oxygen, air, a peroxide, or mixtures thereof.
9. The process according to claim 1, wherein exposing said dense liquid-lignin to heat and pressure for the period of time to reduce the average molecular weight of the lignin to a second average molecular weight comprises introducing the dense liquid-lignin into a plug-flow reactor.
10. The process according to claim 1, wherein said black liquor has a solids content between 10 to 70 weight percent.
11. A process for reducing molecular weight of lignin, comprising:
acidifying a black liquor stream to a pH above 10 to form a dense liquid-lignin phase;
isolating the dense liquid-lignin phase from the black liquor stream, wherein lignin within the dense liquid-lignin phase has a first average molecular weight; and
exposing said lignin to heat and pressure at a temperature of about 150\xb0 C. to about 250\xb0 C. for a period of time to reduce an average molecular weight of the lignin to a second average molecular weight, wherein the second average molecular weight is less than the first average molecular weight.
12. The process according to claim 11, wherein subsequent to exposing the dense liquid-lignin to heat and pressure for the period of time to reduce the average molecular weight of the lignin to the second average molecular weight acidifying the dense liquid-lignin with an acid to a pH less than 4.
13. The process according to claim 11 wherein a strong base is added to the dense liquid-lignin to raise its pH and catalyze lowering the average molecular weight.
14. The process according to claim 11, further comprising adding an oxidizing agent to the black liquor prior to acidifying the black liquor in an amount effective to eliminate or substantially reduce the odor of the resulting lignin product.
15. The process according to claim 11, wherein said oxidizing agent is a member of the group consisting of oxygen, a peroxide, or mixtures thereof.
16. The process according to claim 11, wherein said black liquor has a solids content between 10 to 70 weight percent.
17. A process for reducing molecular weight of lignin comprising:
carbonating a black liquor stream at a temperature between about 80\xb0 C. and 200\xb0 C. and adjusting the pH above 10;
recovering a first dense liquid-lignin phase, wherein lignin within the first dense liquid-lignin phase has a first average molecular weight;
exposing the first dense liquid-lignin to heat and pressure for a pre-determined period of time to reduce a first average molecular weight of the lignin to a second average molecular weight, wherein the second average molecular weight is less than the first average molecular weight,
further carbonating the less dense liquid stream isolated from the first carbonation to lower a pH to a range of about 9 to about 10 recovering a second dense liquid-lignin phase.
18. The process according to claim 17 further comprising, acidifying the dense liquid-lignins, either combined or separately, with an acid to a pH less than 6.
19. The process according to claim 17, further comprising, acidifying the dense liquid-lignins, either combined or separately, with an acid to a pH between 1.5 and 3.5.
20. The process according to claim 17, wherein said carbonating of said black liquor is carried out by contacting said black liquor with carbon dioxide countercurrently.
21. The process according to claim 17, wherein said carbonating of the black liquor is effective to reduce the pH to between 9.0 and 10.5.
22. The process according to claim 17, wherein exposing the dense liquid lignin to heat and pressure is at a temperature of about 150\xb0 C. to about 300\xb0 C.
23. The process according to claim 17, wherein exposing the dense liquid-lignin to heat and pressure is at a temperature of about 150\xb0 C. to about 190\xb0 C.
24. The process according to claim 17 where a strong base is added to the dense liquid lignin to raise its pH and catalyze lowering of the average molecular weight.
25. The process according to claim 17 further comprising, adding an oxidizing agent to the black liquor prior to carbonating the black liquor in an amount effective to eliminate or substantially reduce the odor of the resulting lignin product.
26. The process according to claim 17, wherein the oxidizing agent is a member of the group consisting of oxygen, air, a peroxide, and mixtures thereof.
27. The process according to claim 17, wherein exposing the dense liquid- lignin to heat and pressure for the period of time to reduce the average molecular weight of the lignin to a second average molecular weight comprises introducing the dense liquid lignin into a plug-flow reactor.
28. The process according to claim 17, wherein said black liquor has a solids content between 10 to 70 weight percent.
29. A process comprising the steps of pH fractionation, using controlled acidification of black liquor to separate a first liquid-lignin fraction of relatively high molecular weight, further acidification of produce a second liquid-lignin fraction of lower molecular weight, heating the first liquid-lignin fraction to lower its molecular weight, and blending the resulting two fractions to produce a blend of desirably lower molecular weight.
30. A process according to claim 29, where said black liquor feedstock is oxidized.
31. The process according to claim 30, wherein said oxidizing agent is a member of the group consisting of comprises oxygen, air, a peroxide, and mixtures thereof.