Floating drive assembly for an automotive cooling fan
US5791876A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 25, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 11, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 25, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16H55/54
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An assembly (12) for moving air through a heat exchanger (10) comprising a shroud (14) for mating with a heat exchanger (10) and a fan (20) disposed in the rear opening (18) of the shroud (14). The fan (20) comprises a hub (22) having an axis (A) and blades (24) extending radially from the hub (22) to distal ends for moving air through the shroud (14). The assembly is characterized by a floating drive assembly (52, 54, 56) including an inner drive member (64), an outer drive member (68, 70), and a flexible transmission (74, 75) interconnecting the members for rotating the drive members together while allowing relative radial movement between the drive members as the drive members rotate the fan (20). A bearing ring mechanism (28, 30) interconnects the distal ends of the blades (24) and the shroud (14) for rotatably supporting the fan (20) solely by the shroud (14). The bearing ring mechanism (28, 30) includes a ring (28) surrounding and interconnecting the distal ends of the fan blades (24) a guideway (30) in the shroud (14) supporting and retaining a head (32) extending from the ring (28) for rotation relative to the shroud (14).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.