Live center viscous clutch
US10578170B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 4, 2016 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 16, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16D2300/0212
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A viscous clutch (20; 20′) includes a rotor (26), a housing (24) that at least partially surrounds the rotor, a center shaft (22) rotationally fixed to the housing, a mounting disk (30) rotationally fixed to the rotor, a working chamber (38) defined between the rotor and the housing, a reservoir (36) for holding a supply of shear fluid, an electromagnet (34), a valve assembly (32) to selectively control flow of the shear fluid between the reservoir and the working chamber, and a flux guide (54) operatively positioned between the electromagnet and the armature. At least a portion of the mounting disk extends outside the housing. The valve assembly including an armature (32-3) that is selectively movable in response to magnetic flux generated by the electromagnet, and the magnetic flux is transmitted between the armature and the electromagnet along a flux circuit. The flux guide extends through the mounting disk.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.