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US 5,636,719 AGranted
Rotational control apparatus
AssigneeHorton, Inc.
InventorsJohn B. Davis, Robert C. Bredt, Kent Carlson, Darren Reasy
Life of this patent
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AssigneeHorton, Inc.
InventorsJohn B. Davis, Robert C. Bredt, Kent Carlson, Darren Reasy
Estimating the term…
Rotational control apparatus in the forms of fan clutches (A, A') are shown including an eddy current drive (224). Specifically, the eddy current drive (224) includes a plurality of permanent magnets (226) mounted circumferentially spaced and with alternating polarity by a holder (228) to the input or output of the clutch (A, A') and a magnetically conductive ring (242) mounted to the other of the input or output of the clutch (A, A'). Thus, the output portion and the fan blades mounted thereto are driven at engine speeds when the clutch (A, A') is air actuated and are driven at a rotational speed less than engine speed by the eddy current drive (224) when the clutch (A, A') is not air actuated and without separate controls for the eddy current drive (224). A housing (62) comprises the output portion of the clutch (A) which is rotatably mounted by a bearing (58) to the hub portion (24) of a friction disc (28) which comprises the input portion of the clutch (A). In other forms, the output portion of the clutch (A') is in the form of a hub (20') rotatably mounted on a stationary shaft (24') and the input portion is in the form of a sheave (50') rotatable relative to the hub (20') and the shaft (24'). Additionally, the hub (20') can be braked by rotatably relating the hub (20') to the shaft (24'). In one form, the friction ring (252) includes peripheral gear teeth (256) in slideable gearing relation with gear teeth (250) formed in the housing (62) and is formed of fiber brake material to act as a dampener between the friction disc (28) and the housing (62) to absorb torsional vibration.
Rotational control apparatus comprising, in combination:
In a rotational control apparatus including a first, friction disc portion slideably mounted on and rotationally related to a hub rotatably mounted about an axis on a shaft and including an input rotatable about the axis and relative to the hub and to the shaft at a first rotational speed, with the first, friction disc portion being reciprocal on the hub between a first position to rotatably relate the first, friction disc portion to the input to drive the hub at the first rotational speed and a second position, the improvement comprising means for rotating the hub on the shaft at a second speed different from the first rotational speed when the first, friction disc portion is in the second position with the rotating means including a first drive component carried by the input and a second drive component mounted to the first, friction disc portion, with the spacing between the first and second drive components changing as the first friction disc portion moves from the second position to the first position.
In a rotational control apparatus including an input rotatable about an axis, an output, with the input rotatable about the axis relative to the output, and first and second drive components carried by the input and output, respectively, for rotatably relating the input and the output, the improvement comprising, in combination:
In a rotational control apparatus in the form of a fan clutch for controlling the rotation of a fan and including an input rotatable about an axis, an output, with the input rotatable about the axis relative to the output, and first and second drive components carried by the input and output, respectively, for rotatably relating the input and the output, the improvement comprising, in combination:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.