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US 3,968,866 AGranted
Fluid coupling
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorsWayne K. Leichliter, Rodney H. Detty, John B. Hill
Life of this patent
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AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorsWayne K. Leichliter, Rodney H. Detty, John B. Hill
Estimating the term…
A fluid coupling for driving a cooling fan associated with a vehicle in a ram air stream. The coupling comprises relatively rotatable input and output members. The output member defines a chamber within which the input member rotates. The members have lands and grooves which define a shear space therebetween, and are cooperable with viscous shear fluid to transmit torque therebetween. The output member defines a reservoir chamber located forwardly of the lands and grooves in the ram air stream. An impact pumping ramp on the output member directs fluid from the shear space into the reservoir chamber during rotation of the input member. A temperature-responsive valve arrangement controls the flow of fluid from the reservoir chamber to the shear space. The output member has mounting pads against which fan blades are secured. The mounting pads are located axially on the output member between the lands and grooves, and the reservoir chamber and at least, in part, radially outwardly in the lands and grooves. This mounting results in an air cooling chamber being located axially adjacent the land and groove area and radially outwardly of the reservoir chamber. The output coupling member on the backside thereof has a unique construction which minimizes the overall axial length of the unit.
A fluid coupling for driving a cooling fan device associated with a vehicle and which is positionable so that ram air impinges directly thereon, said fluid coupling comprising relatively rotatable input and output coupling members, said output coupling member defining a chamber within which said input coupling member rotates, said input and output coupling members having a shear space therebetween and are cooperable with viscous shear fluid in the shear space to transmit torque therebetween, said output member having means defining a reservoir chamber located forwardly of said shear space, means for directing viscous fluid from said shear space into said reservoir chamber including surface portions on one of said members against which said viscous fluid impinges due to rotation of said input member relative to said output member, temperature-responsive valve means for controlling flow of viscous fluid from said reservoir chamber into said shear space and including a temperature-sensing device located forwardly on said output member in the ram air stream, said output member having fan blade mounting pads against which the fan blades are secured, said fan blade mounting pads being located axially between said shear space and said reservoir chamber and being at least in part located radially outwardly of said shear space, a chamber defined by said output member and said fan blade mounting pads and opening into said ram air stream, said chamber being located axially adjacent said shear space and radially inwardly of said mounting pads.
A fluid coupling for driving a cooling fan device associated with a vehicle and which is positionable so that ram air impinges directly thereon, said fluid coupling comprising relatively rotatable input and output coupling members, said input coupling member including an input shaft, said output coupling member defining a chamber within which said input coupling member rotates, said input and output coupling members defining a shear space therebetween and are cooperable with viscous shear fluid in the shear space to transmit torque therebetween, said output member having means defining a reservoir chamber located forwardly of said shear space, means for directing viscous fluid from the shear space into the reservoir chamber and temperature-responsive valve means for controlling flow of viscous fluid from the reservoir chamber into said shear space, said means for directing fluid from said shear space comprising a pumping element and passage means for directing fluid into said reservoir chamber, a pair of bearings supporting said output coupling member for rotation relative to said input coupling member, one of said bearings being located between a portion of said output member defining said reservoir chamber and said input shaft, and the other of said bearings being located between a flange portion of said output member which projects into a recess in said input member and generally lies in a radial place containing said shear space and said input shaft.
A fluid coupling for driving a cooling fan device associated with a vehicle and which is positionable so that ram air impinges directly thereon, said fluid coupling comprising relatively rotatable input and output coupling members, said output coupling member defining a working chamber within which said input coupling member roatates, said input and output coupling members defining a shear space therebetween and are cooperable with viscous shear fluid in the shear space to transmit torque therebetween, said output coupling member having means defining a reservoir chamber located forwardly of said shear space, means for directing viscous fluid from the shear space into the reservoir chamber and valve means for controlling flow of viscous fluid from the reservoir chamber into the shear space, and fluid seals located between said input coupling member and said output coupling member providing for sealing of said working chamber in which said input coupling member is rotatable, said fluid seals including at least one seal cooperatively engaged between the input member and the output member and which includes a sealing member in engagement with one of said members said input coupling member has a hub portion which extends axially outwardly in opposite directions from a disc portion thereof, said one of said seals being located between one part of said hub on one side of said disc portion and a first portion of said output member adjacent said reservoir chamber and said fluid seals including a second seal between a second part of said hub on a second side of said disc portion and a second portion of said output member, said second portion of said output member comprises a projecting flange portion which at least in part underlies said shear space.
A fluid coupling for driving a cooling fan device associated with a vehicle and which is positionable so that ram air impinges directly thereon, said fluid coupling comprising relatively rotatable input and output coupling members, said output coupling member defining a chamber within which said input coupling member rotates, said input and output coupling members having a shear space therebetween and are cooperable with viscous shear fluid in the shear space to transmit torque therebetween, said output member having means defining a reservoid chamber located forwardly of said shear space, said output member having fan blade mounting pads against which the fan blades are secured, said fan blade mounting pads being located axially between said shear space and said reservoir chamber and being at least in part located radially outwardly of said shear space, a chamber defined by said output member and said fan blade mounting pads and opening into said ram air stream, said chamber being located axially adjacent said shear space and radially inwardly of said mounting pads.
A fluid coupling comprising relatively rotatable input and output coupling members, said output coupling member defining a chamber within which said input coupling member rotates, said input and output coupling members defining a shear space therebetween and are cooperable with viscous shear fluid in the shear space to transmit torque therebetween, a pair of antifriction bearings supporting said output coupling member for rotation relative to said input coupling member and being located axially on opposite sides of said input member, one of said bearings being located axially relative to said shear space and the other of said bearings being located in a flange portion of said output member which projects into a recess in said input member and generally lies in a radial plane containing said shear space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.