Borgwarner Inc.

Darin Lee Gwin

Neil E Robb

Jason R Roderick

James Patrick May

Ryan W Livingston

A system and method of anchoring a bimetal coil member on a viscous clutch fan drive. An adjustable channeled retainer member together with a silicone or silicone-type material is used to anchor the free end of the bimetal coil member.

Bimetal coil assembly for fan drive

Viscous fan drive systems with wiper members positioned on the OD of the clutch disks, and which rotate at high speed. The fluid reservoir also rotates at input speed. The wiper member directs viscous fluid radially back to the fluid reservoir. The valves in the viscous fan drive systems can be activated by a bimetal mechanism.

Bimetal activated viscous clutch with wiper on clutch disk

Viscous fan drive systems with wiper members positioned on the OD of the clutch disks, and which rotate at high speed. The fluid reservoir also rotates at input speed. The wiper member directs viscous fluid radially back to the fluid reservoir. The valves in the viscous fan drive systems can be activated by an electromagnetic mechanism.

Viscous clutch drive with electromagnetic activation and wiper on clutch disk

Viscous fan drive systems with wiper members positioned on the OD of the clutch disks, and which rotate at high speed. The fluid reservoir also rotates at input speed. The wiper member directs viscous fluid radially back to the fluid reservoir. The valves in the viscous fan drive systems can be activated by a bimetal mechanism or an electromagnetic mechanism.

Viscous clutch with high-speed wiper system

An electronically-controlled viscous fan drive having a one-piece accumulator and reservoir located on the top side of the clutch. The accumulator also has a low pressure and high pressure fill hole for allowing movement of viscous fluid from the reservoir to a anti-bleedback chamber and into the operating and working chamber of the coupling during normal operation. A radially balance valve disk having a step up feature coupled to a spring and an actuator electronically controls movement of viscous fluid from the reservoir to the anti-bleedback chamber through the fill holes by energizing or deenergizing the spring based on engine operating conditions. The valve disk may be a one-piece or two-piece design. The accumulator is designed to prevent morning sickness associated with the flow of viscous fluid from the reservoir to the operating chamber during engine off situations.

Growing community of inventors

Marshall, MI, United States of America

Darin Lee Gwin