Back to results
US 9,316,272 B1Granted
Viscous clutch with high-speed wiper system
AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.
InventorDarin Lee Gwin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Viscous fan drive systems with wiper members positioned on the OD of the clutch disks, and which rotate at high speed. The fluid reservoir also rotates at input speed. The wiper member directs viscous fluid radially back to the fluid reservoir. The valves in the viscous fan drive systems can be activated by a bimetal mechanism or an electromagnetic mechanism.
Claims19
A viscous clutch fan drive mechanism comprising:
- a housing member, said housing comprising a cover member and a body member;
- a central shaft member positioned in the housing;
- said shaft member connected to a pulley member and rotatable at input speed;
- a clutch disk member positioned in the housing member and fixedly attached to said shaft member;
- said housing member positioned on said shaft member by a bearing member;
- a fluid chamber cover member connected to said clutch disk member forming a fluid reservoir and rotatable with said clutch disk member;
- a fan member attached to said housing and rotatable therewith;
- a working chamber comprising at least one fluid surface member positioned on said clutch disk member and at least one mating fluid surface member positioned on said housing member;
- a scavenge passageway located in said clutch disk member for passing viscous fluid from said working chamber to said fluid reservoir through said clutch disk member, said scavenge passageway having a first opening on the circumferential outer diameter surface of said clutch disk member;
- a second opening of said scavenge passageway positioned radially inward of said at least one fluid surface member on said clutch disk member;
- said second opening being located in said fluid reservoir;
- a valve member located in said fluid reservoir and covering said second opening;
- and
- a wiper member located on said outer diameter surface of said clutch disk member adjacent said first opening.
11 more elements
A clutch disk system for a viscous fluid fan drive mechanism comprising:
- a clutch disk member for rotation in said fan drive, the clutch disk includes a first opening in the outer diameter surface in communication with a passageway of said clutch disk member;
- a wiper member positioned on said outer diameter surface of said clutch disk member, said wiper member being formed on said clutch disc member and comprising a radially outward raised portion of said clutch disk member, said wiper member is positioned adjacent said first opening, and said wiper member has a recess in an end adjacent said first opening.
A viscous clutch drive mechanism comprising:
- a housing member;
- a central shaft member positioned at least partially in said housing;
- said shaft member connected to a pulley member and rotatable at input speed;
- a clutch disk member positioned in the housing member and fixedly attached to said shaft member;
- said housing member positioned on said shaft member by a bearing member;
- a fluid chamber cover member connected to said clutch disk member forming a fluid reservoir and rotatable with said clutch disk member;
- a working chamber comprising at least one fluid labyrinth positioned on said clutch disk member and at least one mating fluid labyrinth positioned on said housing member;
- a scavenge passageway located in said clutch disk member for passing viscous fluid from said working chamber to said fluid reservoir through said clutch disk member, said scavenge passageway having a first opening on the circumferential outer diameter surface of said clutch disk member;
- a second opening of said scavenge passageway positioned radially inward of said at least one fluid surface member on said clutch disk member;
- said second opening being located in said fluid reservoir;
- a valve member located in said fluid reservoir and covering said second opening;
- and
- a wiper member located on said outer diameter surface of said clutch disk member adjacent said first opening.
10 more elements
A clutch disk system for a viscous fluid fan drive mechanism comprising:
- a clutch disk member for rotation in said fan drive mechanism;
- a wiper member positioned on the outer diameter surface of said clutch disk member;
- a substantially radially oriented passageway in said clutch disk member and having a first opening on said outer diameter surface adjacent said wiper member;
- a second opening on said passageway radially inward from said outer diameter surface and opening into a fluid reservoir;
- and
- a valve member located in the fluid reservoir and covering said second opening.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.