Torque Limiters
In vehicles, torque limiters, also known as over load clutches, automatically disengage the clutch at a predetermined torque and provide consistent torque levels. These are used in the engines of all kinds of manual automobiles, including cars, trucks and industrial or construction equipment like forklifts. After a car experiences many overloads at low speeds, internal car systems tend to develop unnecessary torque that can damage many components, such as shafts, gearboxes, chains and couplings if there is a jam. To prevent this, torque limiters set the torque to a specific level, which will extend the life of the car significantly. They do this by uncoupling the drive, which is called disconnecting.
The torque limiter should be installed as close to a possible source of a jam as possible. This allows the system's inertia or torque to be quickly disconnected from the jammed section, causing it to slowly coast to a stop without any more damage. While some are automatically reset, most require the operator to manually reset the torque limiter. There are 4 different methods of disconnecting. The first occurs when the shear pin that connects the shafts is destroyed. Synchronous magnetic torque limiters use permanent magnets that are mounted to the shafts. This is the quickest method, but it creates more backlash than other types. Ball detent limiters transmit force through hard ball-shapes held in place with springs, and pawl and spring methods use springs to hold a drive pawl against a notch in the rotor.