Liquid Cooled Fan Clutch
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsMeisam Mehravaran, Gregory Bowlby
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid cooled viscous fan clutch transfers torque from a driving plate driven by an engine crankshaft to a driven plate connected to a cooling fan. Heat generated in a working fluid is transferred to a second fluid, such as engine coolant or transmission fluid, flowing between the driven plate and a stationary housing. A controllable valve may be closed to block circulation of working fluid, trapping working fluid in a reservoir, to disengage the clutch. Rotation of the driven plate provides the motive force to circulate the coolant or transmission fluid.
Claims14
A viscous fan clutch comprising:
- input and output shafts;
- a drive plate fixed to the input shaft and having a first plurality of cylindrical ridges;
- a driven plate fixed to the output shaft and having a second plurality of cylindrical ridges interspersed with the first plurality of ridges, the driving plate and driven plate defining a first fluid circuit to direct a working fluid between the first and second pluralities of ridges such that viscous shear exerts torque on the driven plate;
- and
- a stationary housing, the driven plate and the stationary housing defining a second fluid circuit sealed from the first fluid circuit such that heat generated by the viscous shear is transferred through the driven plate to a cooling fluid in the second circuit.
A clutch comprising:
- a housing;
- a driven plate supported for rotation within the housing, the driven plate and the housing defining a coolant circuit;
- and
- a driving plate supported for rotation within the housing in proximity to the driven plate to define a working circuit sealed from the coolant circuit, the driving plate configured to circulate a working fluid through the working circuit.
A powertrain comprising:
- an engine having a crankshaft;
- a radiator;
- a fan configured to increase airflow through the radiator;
- a clutch configured to selectively transfer power from the crankshaft to the fan and to pump a coolant from an inlet to an outlet in response to clutch engagement;
- and
- plumbing configured to route the coolant from the engine to the inlet, from the outlet to the radiator, and from the radiator to the engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.