Viscous clutch with return bore through rotor

USRE48623E1 · kind E1 · reissue

Assignee

• HORTON, INC. · US

Inventors

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

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 26, 2019
• Grant date: Jul 6, 2021
• Expiry date: Mar 26, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC —): General

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.