Patent · US Expired

Water-cooled magnetorheological fluid controlled combination fan drive and water pump

US6561141B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by
13References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 19, 2001
Grant dateMay 13, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 19, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF01P7/042
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A water-cooled magnetorheological fluid controlled combination fan drive and water pump (60) used in a cooling system. Introducing a magnetic field within a working chamber (91) between a drive ring (74) and a driven ring (84) increases the viscosity of a magnetorheological fluid by changing the state of the magnetorheological fluid from a free flowing liquid to a semi-solid state. The shear rate of the magnetorheological fluid in an activated state creates additional torque to drive an output shaft (108), and coupled fan (110), at a higher rotational speed to cool the engine coolant flowing through a closely coupled radiator. The rotation of the drive ring (74) also rotates an attached impeller assembly (112) having impellers (114) to move engine coolant through the cooling system. The magnetic field is induced by directing a flow of electrical current through an electronic coil (62) coupled within the water-cooled magnetorheological fluid controlled combination fan drive and water pump (60), and an electronic control unit coupled to the electronic coil (62) controls the amount of electrical current flowing through the coil (62). This maintains the temperature of the engine block …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.