System for powering rotating accessories of an internal combustion engine
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorRichard J. Meckstroth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for powering various rotating vehicle accessories such as an alternator, a power steering pump, and an air-conditioning compressor from both a water pump and an engine's crankshaft. At relatively low engine crankshaft speeds, the accessories are driven by a clutch mounted on a water pump at a first speed ratio relative to the engine crankshaft speed; at relatively high engine crankshaft speeds, the accessories are driven by the crankshaft at a second speed ratio relative to the engine crankshaft speed.
Claims11
A system for powering rotating accessories from a rotating shaft on an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:
- a drive unit rotatably connected to said rotating shaft;
- a drive unit clutch mounted to said drive unit;
- an overrunning clutch mounted directly to said rotating shaft;
- and,
- a plurality of rotating accessories rotatably connected to said drive unit through said drive unit clutch and rotatably connected to said rotating shaft through said overrunning clutch such that said accessories are driven by said drive unit at a first speed ratio and driven directly by said rotating shaft at a second speed ratio, with said drive unit clutch operating at a predetermined threshold value of an engine operating condition thereby defining the transition between said first and second speed ratios, with said drive unit clutch being initially disengaged at engine start and engages at a predetermined time after engine start.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.