US 11,624,410 B2Granted

Modular viscous fan clutch system

AssigneeKit Masters

InventorsCraig Swanson, Dale Scherman

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A viscous clutch head may be replaced by selecting a viscous clutch head and a mount adapter. The viscous clutch head and the mount adapter may be selected from a group of universal modular fan drives and from a group of mount adapters. The mount adapter of a threaded type or a flange and bolt type may be selected. Depending on the viscous clutch head to be replaced, a fan adapter and/or a pilot adapter may also be selected from a group of fan adapters and from a group of pilot adapters. Accordingly, a range of models of viscous fan clutch systems may be replaced by using a limited number of parts. These parts may be stored on a tool cart. As different models of viscous fan clutch systems may be replaced using a limited number of parts, the in-stock inventory of replacement parts may be reduced.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A modular fan clutch assembly comprising:

a modular fan drive, and
a flange and bolt mount adapter comprising a flange section, an intermediate section, and
a fan drive attachment section arranged longitudinally along a common axis, the flange section having
a pilot adapter aperture centered along the axis and extending through the flange section and partially into the intermediate section, and
at least two groups of bolt apertures, each group disposed radially around an outer portion of the flange section symmetrically about the common axis and angularly spaced from each other group, wherein
a first group of the at least two groups of bolt apertures has a first pattern adapted to mate with a first fan mount type, and
a second group of the at least two groups of bolt apertures has a second pattern adapted to mate with a second fan mount type differing in bolt attachment pattern from the first fan mount type, wherein
the fan drive attachment section attaches to a first end of the modular fan drive.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/563,216Filed 6 Sep 2019 · continuation
Priority: 14 Jan 2013
Published: US 2020/0240478 A130 Jul 2020
Granted: 11 Apr 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

F16D 35/00
Fluid clutches in which the clutching is predominantly obtained by fluid adhesion
B25H 5/00
Tool, instrument or work supports or storage means used in association with
B62B 3/10
Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor: characterised by supports specially…
B65D 85/00
Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials

Family

Application61/752,067Us provisional application · filed 14 Jan 2013
Application61/754,728Us provisional application · filed 21 Jan 2013
Application13/843,703Parent of this continuation · filed 15 Mar 2013
Application14/268,499Parent of this continuation · filed 2 May 2014
US 8,745,867 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Jun 2014
US 2020/0240478 A1Pre-grant publication · published 30 Jul 2020
US 10,408,280 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2014/0367935 A1Published application
US 11,624,410 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.