초록 ▼

A viscous fan clutch which employs a dynamic blocker ring positioned inside of the clutch between the pump plate and the clutch plate in such a manner that the fluid flow path is directed and not left to chance. The blocker ring, in effect, hydraulically separates the drive portion of the clutch fro

A viscous fan clutch which employs a dynamic blocker ring positioned inside of the clutch between the pump plate and the clutch plate in such a manner that the fluid flow path is directed and not left to chance. The blocker ring, in effect, hydraulically separates the drive portion of the clutch from the pump and viscous fluid storage portion. The divider ring due to its location will provide support outboard of the bearing providing optimized durability.

대표청구항 ▼

A bladed fan and viscous clutch assembly for inducing a flow of air comprising an input shaft member adapted to be rotatably driven, clutch plate means rotatably driven by said shaft member, said clutch plate means having a rear face for shearing viscous fluid and having a front face, clutch body me

A bladed fan and viscous clutch assembly for inducing a flow of air comprising an input shaft member adapted to be rotatably driven, clutch plate means rotatably driven by said shaft member, said clutch plate means having a rear face for shearing viscous fluid and having a front face, clutch body means housing said clutch plate means and having an inner viscous shear face axially spaced from said rear face of said clutch plate means to form a viscous fluid shear zone therebetween for receiving a shearable viscous clutch fluid so that said clutch body means can be driven by said clutch plate means through the shear of said fluid in said zone, fan blade means extending from said clutch body means, a cover plate attached to said clutch body means, a pump plate secured to said clutch body means and cooperating with said cover plate to form a reservoir for a quantity of fluid stored therein, said pump plate having pumping means associated therewith to pump fluid exiting from said shear space back to said reservoir, said reservoir being hydraulically separated from said clutch plate means by said pump plate, valve means associated with said pump plate to control the flow of fluid between said reservoir and said shear space, control means for operating said valve means, and fluid sealing ring means sealingly mounted between the interfacing surfaces of said pump plate and said front face of said clutch plate means to establish a discrete pump out cavity and to hydraulically block the interface between said pump plate and said clutch plate means so that substantially all the fluid exiting from said reservoir will be forced to flow through said shear zone and then to said pump out cavity for subsequent discharge by said pumping means on said pumping plate to said reservoir.