US 4,899,595 A · Modular dynamometer with extended testing range

Abstract

A modular dynamometer includes a stator mounted to and disposed within a housing and the combustion of a shaft and a rotor also disposed within the housing. The shaft extends through the housing and is adapted for coupling to a prime mover. The housing is closed and is filled with a liquid coolant, such as water. Lateral panels of the housing may be removed after the coolant is drained out to permit one or more rotor/stator combinations to be positioned within the housing along the rotating shaft in an alternating manner. The rotors are attached to the shaft so as to rotate therewith, while the stators are mounted to the housing in a fixed manner. Rotor/stator modules may be easily added to or removed from the dynamometer to facilitate increasing or decreasing the dynamometer capacity permitting the modular dynamometer to test a wide range of prime mover output power.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A dynamometer comprising:

a closed housing containing a working liquid;
a rotatable shaft positioned within and extending out of said housing in a sealed manner, wherein said shaft is coupled to and rotationally displaced by a prime mover having a given output power;
a plurality of modules disposed within said housing and coupled to said shaft along the length thereof, wherein the number of modules coupled to said shaft establishes an output power measuring range of the dynamometer, with a larger number of modules coupled to said shaft for larger output powers of the prime mover;
coupling means for connecting said modules to said housing and said shaft in a manner which facilitates installation in and removal from the dynamometer of one or more of said modules in matching the dynamometer's output power measuring range with the prime mover's output power;
and means coupled to said housing and responsive to rotation of said shaft for measuring the output power of a prime mover.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Modular dynamometer with extended testing range

Life of this patent

Modular dynamometer with extended testing range

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23