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US 7,980,373 B2Granted
Electronically controlled fluid coupling device with fluid scavenge control
AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.
InventorRick L. Boyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A viscous fan drive with a front-mounted fan and electrical actuation without a tethered harness. The mechanical package includes an inverted viscous clutch, a drive pulley and a split electromagnetic actuator with the electrical portion mounted to a stationary mounting member. An axially moveable valve member controls the flow of viscous fluid.
Claims20
An electronically controlled fluid coupling device comprising:
- an output member including a center shaft member;
- an input member bearing mounted around said output member, said input member comprising a body member and a cover member;
- a stationary housing member bearing mounted to said input member;
- a rotor member mounted to said output member and contained within said cover member and said body member, said body member and said rotor member defining a working chamber;
- a reservoir plate member mounted to said input member and housing a fluid aperture therein;
- a fluid reservoir defined between said reservoir plate and said body member, said fluid reservoir having a quantity of viscous fluid;
- a fluid chamber defined between said reservoir plate and said rotor member, said fluid chamber fluidically coupled to said working chamber and fluidically coupled to said fluid reservoir;
- an armature valve member coupled to said input member, said armature valve member axially moveable to any of an infinite number of positions between a first position, a midlevel position, and a second position;
- a ring magnet member attached to said armature valve member, an outer armature ring member attached to said armature valve member, and a hub member attached to said body member, said hub member having an annular opening for mating with said armature ring member;
- said moveable armature valve member capable of covering said fluid aperture when said armature valve member is in said second position, therein preventing flow of said quantity of viscous fluid from said fluid reservoir to said fluid chamber, said aperture valve member capable of partially covering said fluid aperture when said armature valve member is in said midlevel position, therein allowing partial flow of said quantity of viscous fluid from said fluid reservoir to said working chamber to partially engage said rotor and said output member, and said armature valve member capable of substantially uncovering said fluid aperture when said armature valve member is in said first position, thereby allowing full flow of viscous fluid between said fluid chamber and said fluid reservoir;
- an electromagnetic subassembly mounted to said stationary housing member;
- a power source electrically coupled to said electromagnetic subassembly;
- and
- a controller electrically coupled to said power source, said controller directing said power source to provide an electrical current to said electromagnetic subassembly, wherein said electromagnetic subassembly induces a magnetic field in response to said electrical current, wherein said armature valve member can move axially from said first position to said midlevel position to said second position depending upon the strength of said magnetic field.
11 more elements
An electronically controlled fluid coupling device comprising:
- an output member including a center shaft member;
- an input member bearing mounted around said output member, said input member comprising a body member and a cover member;
- a stationary housing member bearing mounted to said input member;
- a rotor member mounted to said output member and contained within said cover member and said body member, said body member and said rotor member defining a working chamber;
- a reservoir plate member mounted to said output member and having a fluid aperture;
- a fluid reservoir defined between said reservoir plate and said body member, said fluid reservoir having a quantity of viscous fluid;
- a fluid chamber defined between said reservoir plate and said rotor member, said fluid chamber fluidically coupled to said working chamber and fluidically coupled to said fluid reservoir;
- an armature valve member coupled to said input member, said armature valve member axially moveable to any of an infinite number of positions between a first position, a midlevel position, and a second position;
- a ring magnet member attached to said armature valve member, an outer armature ring member attached to said armature valve member, and a hub member attached to said body member, said hub member having an annular opening for mating with said armature ring member;
- said moveable armature valve member capable of uncovering said fluid aperture when said armature valve member is in said second position, therein allowing flow of said quantity of viscous fluid from said fluid reservoir to said fluid chamber, said armature valve member capable of partially covering said fluid aperture when said armature valve member is in said midlevel position, therein allowing partial flow of said quantity of viscous fluid from said fluid reservoir to said working chamber to partially engage said rotor and said output member, and said armature valve member capable of substantially covering said fluid aperture when said armature valve member is in said first position, thereby preventing flow of viscous fluid from said fluid chamber to said fluid reservoir;
- an electromagnetic subassembly mounted to said stationary housing member;
- a power source electrically coupled to said electromagnetic subassembly;
- a controller electrically coupled to said power source, said controller directing said power source to provide electrical current to said electromagnetic subassembly, wherein said electromagnetic subassembly induces a magnetic field in response to said electrical current, wherein said armature valve member can move axially from said first position to said midlevel position to said second position in response depending upon the strength of said magnetic field.
10 more elements
A method for controlling the engagement of an electronically controlled fluid coupling device, the method comprising:
- (a) forming the electronically controlled fluid coupling device comprising:
- an output member including a center shaft member;
- an input member bearing mounted around said output member, said input member comprising a body member and a cover member;
- a stationary housing member bearing mounted to said input member;
- a rotor member mounted to said output member and contained within said cover member and said body member, said body member and said rotor member defining a working chamber;
- a reservoir plate member mounted around said output member and having a fluid aperture;
- a fluid reservoir defined between said reservoir plate and said body member, said fluid reservoir having a quantity of viscous fluid;
- a fluid chamber defined between said reservoir plate and said rotor member, said fluid chamber fluidically coupled to said working chamber and fluidically coupled to said fluid reservoir;
- an armature valve member coupled to said input member, said armature valve member axially moveable between a first position, a second position, and midlevel positions between said first and second positions;
- said moveable armature valve member uncovering said fluid aperture when said armature valve member is in said first position and covering said fluid aperture when said armature subassembly is in said second position, and partially covering said fluid aperture in any of said midlevel positions;
- an electromagnetic subassembly mounted to said stationary housing member, said electromagnetic subassembly including a coil;
- a power source electrically coupled to said coil;
- a controller electrically coupled to said power source;
- and
- at least one sensor electrically coupled to said controller;
- (b) measuring an engine operating condition using said at least one sensor at a given engine speed, said given engine speed corresponding to a rotational speed of said input member;
- (c) comparing said measured engine operating condition with a desired engine operating condition range at said given engine speed;
- (d) generating an electrical current within said power source when said measured engine operating condition is not within said desired engine operating condition range, wherein the generation of said electrical current activates said coil, therein generating a magnetic field, wherein said magnetic field causes said armature valve member to move in response to the strength of said magnetic field from said first position to one of said midlevel positions or said second position to control the flow of viscous fluid from said fluid reservoir to said working chamber through said fluid aperture to control the rotational rate of said output member.
15 more elements
An electronically controlled viscous fluid coupling assembly for a fan comprising:
- (a) an output member including a center shaft and configured for attachment to a fan member;
- (b) an input member bearing mounted to said output member and rotatable around said output member and at input speed, said input member comprising a body member and a cover member;
- (c) a stationary mounting member bearing coupled to said input member;
- (d) a viscous fluid supply mechanism positioned within said input member and comprising a rotor member, a reservoir plate member having a fluid aperture, a fluid reservoir, a fluid chamber, a working chamber and a quantity of viscous fluid;
- (e) an electromagnetic member mounted on said stationary mounting member;
- (f) an electromagnetically actuated armature valve member for controlling viscous fluid engagement of said output member with said input member, said armature valve member being axially moveable for opening, partially opening and covering said fluid aperture responsive to a magnetic field generated by said electromagnetic member;
- (g) a ring magnet member attached to said armature valve member and a hub member attached to said body member, said hub member having an annular opening for mating with an armature ring member;
- wherein the operation and the speed of a fan is controlled by said viscous fluid coupling assembly without a wire tether member.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.