Patent · US Active

Viscous clutch with return bore through rotor

US9624988B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by

68References

20Claims

0Family size

Assignee

HORTON, INC. · US

Inventors

Thomas Schmidt · Hannover, DE
Bastian Brand · Schonungen, DE
Scott C. Miller · Freehold, US

Key dates

Filing date	Sep 20, 2013
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Sep 20, 2033

Classification

Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
CPC primaryF16D2300/0212
WIPO fieldMechanical elements
WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A viscous clutch (20) includes a housing assembly (28), a rotor assembly (26), a reservoir (38) to hold a supply of a shear fluid, a working chamber (40) operatively positioned between the housing assembly and the rotor assembly, and a fluid return bore (26-1B) that optionally extends radially through at least an outer diameter portion of the rotor assembly to the working chamber. Selective introduction of the shear fluid to the working chamber facilitates selective torque transmission between the housing assembly and the rotor assembly. The fluid return bore can form at least a portion of a fluid return path (50) from the working chamber to the reservoir.

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