초록 ▼

A viscous 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 the

A viscous 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 (100) defined by complimentary shear surfaces in the clutch and body members (48,98), respectively. An actuator assembly (30) operates to displace a valving element (196) within the clutch to control the torque transmission therethrough and thus the speed of the output shaft and fan (34) thereof. The actuator is electrically powered by a generator (222) made up of an armature (224) carried by the body member and a plurality of field generating magnets carried by clutch member (42) for rotational interaction therebetween. The clutch is tetherless and receives a slip speed demand signal by an optical or other non-contacting data link to provide tight control of fan speed and engine outlet coolent temperature.

대표청구항 ▼

An improved viscous fluid clutch of the type including first and second members mounted for relative rotation about a common axis defining cooperating shear surfaces, means to establish a flow of viscous fluid between said surfaces, a valving element carried by one of said members to modulate said f

An improved viscous fluid clutch of the type including first and second members mounted for relative rotation about a common axis defining cooperating shear surfaces, means to establish a flow of viscous fluid between said surfaces, a valving element carried by one of said members to modulate said fluid flow by limited displacement of said element, actuator means responsive to an electrical current to selectively position said element and a grounded sensor operative to generate a control signal as a function of a system parameter, said improvement comprising: a source of said electrical current; circuit means interconnecting said actuator means and source of electrical current, said circuit means operative to modulate the flow of said electrical current in response to said control signal; and a non-contacting signal link interfacing said sensor and circuit means including a transmitter element in circuit with said sensor operative to radiate said control signal as a function of said parameter measured by said sensor and a receiving element in circuit with said circuit means operative to receive said radiated control signal.