초록 ▼

A viscous fan clutch (10) is typically employed in a fan drive mechanism within a truck or automobile. A shaft (18), driven by the engine (12), rotates a clutch member (42) within the fan drive. The clutch member is arranged for fluid engagement with a body member (60) for the transmission of torque

A viscous fan clutch (10) is typically employed in a fan drive mechanism within a truck or automobile. A shaft (18), driven by the engine (12), rotates a clutch member (42) within the fan drive. The clutch member is arranged for fluid engagement with a body member (60) for the transmission of torque thereto when fluid is disposed in an operating chamber (106) defined by complimentary shear surfaces in the clutch and body members (48 and 98), respectively. A tether assembly (30) operates as an actuator to displace a valving element (196) within the clutch to control the torque transmission there through and thus the speed of the output shaft and fan (34) thereof. Fan speed is regulated by variable current signal applied to a coil (174) within assembly (30) to selectively variably frictionally engage valve element assembly (196) with a grounded thrust surface or reaction member (190) to effect limited displacement of a valve element (198) in response thereto.

대표청구항 ▼

A viscous fluid clutch comprising: first and second members mounted for relative rotation about a common axis and defining cooperating shear surfaces; means operative to generate a flow of viscous fluid between said surfaces; valving means mounted for rotation with one of said members and operable t

A viscous fluid clutch comprising: first and second members mounted for relative rotation about a common axis and defining cooperating shear surfaces; means operative to generate a flow of viscous fluid between said surfaces; valving means mounted for rotation with one of said members and operable to frictionally engage a substantially grounded thrust surface to extract kinetic energy from said one member and input it to said valving means to move said valving means and thereby effect modulation of said flow; and actuator means operative to selectively displace said valving means between a first position to a second position to effect said engagement.