Anti-air lock system for a pneumatic fan drive clutch assembly
AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.
InventorSamuel Settineri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clutch assembly (20) for a fan drive system (12) of an engine (14) includes a translatable clutch housing (30) that is coupled to a fan (16). A rotating shaft (32) is coupled to a drive pulley (22) of the engine (14). A liner (34) resides between and is engageable with the translatable clutch housing (30) and the rotating shaft (32). A clutch spring (35) engages the translatable clutch housing (30) with the rotating shaft (32). A spring carrier (42) retains a portion of the clutch spring (35) and comprises a passage (46) for fluid pressure adjustment within a clutch spring area (38) of the clutch assembly (20).
Claims30
A clutch assembly for a fan drive system of an engine comprising:
- a translatable clutch housing coupled to a fan;
- a rotating shaft coupling a drive pulley of the engine;
- a liner residing between and engageable with said translatable clutch housing and said rotating shaft;
- a clutch spring engaging said translatable clutch housing with said rotating shaft;
- and
- a spring carrier retaining at least a portion of said clutch spring and comprising at least one passage for fluid pressure adjustment within a clutch spring area.
A clutch assembly for a fan drive system of an engine comprising:
- a translatable clutch housing coupled to a fan;
- a rotating shaft coupling a drive pulley of the engine;
- a liner residing between and engageable with said translatable clutch housing and said rotating shaft;
- a clutch spring engaging said translatable clutch housing with said rotating shaft;
- and
- a spring carrier retaining at least a portion of said clutch spring and comprising at least one axial passage for transfer of fluid through said spring carrier.
A fluidically controlled fan drive system for an engine comprising:
- a fan;
- a clutch assembly comprising;
- a translatable clutch housing coupled to said fan;
- a rotating shaft coupling a drive pulley of the engine;
- and
- a liner residing between and engageable with said translatable clutch housing and said rotating shaft;
- a clutch spring engaging said translatable clutch housing with said rotating shaft;
- and
- a spring retainer retaining at least a portion of said clutch spring and comprising at least one passage for fluid pressure adjustment within a clutch spring area;
- a solenoid fluidically coupled to said clutch assembly;
- and
- a controller fluidically actuating said translatable clutch housing via said solenoid.
A method of operating a clutch assembly for an engine comprising:
- receiving an engagement transition signal;
- altering fluid pressure within a piston reservoir in response to said engagement transition signal;
- translating a clutch housing to alter engagement with a rotating shaft in response to said alteration;
- and
- adjusting air pressure within a clutch spring area in response to said translation via a spring carrier having at least one passage.
A clutch assembly for a fan drive system of an engine comprising:
- a translatable clutch housing coupled to a fan;
- a rotating shaft coupling a drive pulley of the engine;
- a liner residing between and engageable with said translatable clutch housing and said rotating shaft;
- a clutch spring engaging said translatable clutch housing with said rotating shaft;
- and
- a piston rod comprising;
- a fluid channel for fluid pressure actuation of said clutch spring;
- and
- at least one passage for fluid pressure adjustment within a clutch spring area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.