Horton, Inc.

Horton Manufacturing Company Inc.

Dana Corporation

David R Hennessy

Bastian Brand

Thomas Schmidt

James P LeClaire

Derek Savela

Michael Stevens

Jacob Vincent VandeHei

Kevin Watson

Jamil Marwan Orfali

Neal Shawaluk

Stephen Anthony Stone

Michael J Campbell

Gregory S Mowry

Scott Miller

Hugh K Schilling

Chris A Nelson

Kevin Cahill

James V Radomski

Richard G Christensen

Gavin Dauwalter

Patrick Swords

Joseph Peter Zinke

Ali Abdullah Alsagoor

Benjamin Larson

Mathew Stahl

Brian Nguyen

Kristen Spurlock

Dennis H Wenker

Carter Brown

Adam Gerenz

Alexander John Zaic

Tonya L Coulter

Hugh Schilling

Gregory Stephen Mowry

A transmission system includes planetary gearing with a ring gear, a plurality of planet gears, a carrier, and a sun gear, a forward clutch operatively connected between the ring gear and carrier, a reverse brake operatively connected between the carrier and a rotationally fixed location, and a control subsystem to switch the transmission system between forward and reverse operational modes in the which the ring gear and the sun gear rotate in the same or opposite rotational directions, respectively. A control subsystem actuation stroke can actuate both the forward clutch and the reverse brake based on a common control signal.

Transmission system with planetary gearing operable in forward and reverse modes

A clutch assembly includes a journal bracket having a center shaft, a drive feature rotatably supported on the center shaft of the journal bracket and configured to accept a torque input to the clutch assembly, a clutch pack that is controllable to selectively transmit torque between an input and an output, a housing attached to the clutch pack that includes a stub shaft, a removable connection engaged between the drive feature and the stub shaft such that torque is transmittable through the removable connection during operation of the clutch assembly, and one or more perpendicular engagement features on the stub shaft configured to accept a tool to engage and disengage the removable connection. At least one of the perpendicular engagement features is exposed to line-of-sight access from a location substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the clutch pack.

Accessible clutch attachment assembly and method

A viscous clutch includes an input member rotatable about an axis of rotation, an output member selectively rotatable about the axis of rotation, a working chamber bounded by the input member and the output member, a reservoir, a release bore that fluidically connects the reservoir to the working chamber, a leading wiper that extends into the working chamber, a leading pump bore positioned adjacent to the leading wiper that fluidically connects the working chamber to the reservoir, a trailing wiper that extends into the working chamber, and a trailing pump bore positioned adjacent to the trailing wiper and downstream of the leading pump bore that fluidically connects the working chamber to the reservoir. The trailing wiper has a width that is greater than a width of the leading wiper.

Pump and wiper assembly, associated viscous clutch and associated method

A viscous clutch includes a housing, an input device rotationally fixed to the housing, a rotor, a working chamber, a reservoir, a valve, and a quick disconnect bushing. The housing has a base, a cover, and a housing hub connected in in a rotationally fixed configuration. The input device is a pulley, a sprocket, and/or a gear. The rotor has a rotor disk and a rotor hub connected in a rotationally fixed configuration, and a central opening extends entirely through the rotor hub. The reservoir is carried by the housing and overlaps the input device in an axial direction. The quick disconnect bushing is removably secured to the rotor hub at the central opening and permits a rotationally fixed engagement between the rotor and an item driven by the clutch, such as an output shaft.

Shaft output viscous clutch

A clutch assembly includes a clutch mechanism and an energy harvesting device. The clutch mechanism includes an input member, an output member, and an actuating mechanism to govern selective torque transmission from the input member to the output member. The actuating mechanism is powered by electrical current. The energy harvesting device is electrically connected to the actuating mechanism, and the energy harvesting device is configured to scavenge available energy to generate the electrical current that powers the actuating mechanism.

Energy harvesting clutch control assembly, valve assembly, and electrically actuated clutch

A viscous clutch includes a shaft, a rotor disk, a housing having a base, a working chamber, a reservoir fluidically connected to the working chamber, a valve, an electromagnetic coil, and a flux guide that passes through the housing. The rotor disk includes a conductive portion made of a magnetic flux conductive material that forms a hub of the rotor disk that contacts the shaft and another portion. The base includes a hub with an axially-extending ring, and an armature of the valve is located radially outward of the axially-extending ring. The electromagnetic coil is located at an opposite side of the rotor disk from the reservoir. A magnetic flux circuit extends from the electromagnetic coil to the flux guide, then to the armature of the valve, then to the conductive portion of the rotor disk, then to the shaft, and then back to the electromagnetic coil.

Viscous clutch and method of operation

A viscous clutch includes an input member, an output member, a working chamber defined between the input member and the output member, a reservoir to hold a supply of a shear fluid, a valve that controls a flow of the shear fluid between the reservoir and the working chamber along a fluid circuit that fluidically connects the reservoir and the working chamber, a bearing, and an electromagnetic coil supported by the bearing. The electromagnetic coil includes a coil housing and a winding that forms multiple turns within an interior volume of the coil housing, wherein the coil housing has a stepped configuration to at least partially accommodate the bearing within a first step. Selective energization of the electromagnetic coil actuates the valve.

Viscous clutch and associated electromagnetic coil

A viscous clutch includes an input member, an output member, a working chamber, a reservoir to hold a supply of a shear fluid, an outlet, a return bore, an accumulator, and a first wall having an arcuate segment. The reservoir is connected to the working chamber by a fluid circuit, along which the outlet passes the shear fluid from the reservoir to the working chamber and the return bore returns the shear fluid pumped out of the working chamber to the accumulator. The accumulator is arranged in series with the reservoir in the fluid circuit. The first wall is positioned within the reservoir to separate a first portion from a second portion.

Viscous clutch fluid capture system

A viscous clutch includes an input member, an output member, a working chamber defined between the input member and the output member, a reservoir to hold a supply of a shear fluid fluidically connected to the working chamber by a fluid circuit, a valve that is electromagnetically actuatable to selectively control a flow of the shear fluid along the fluid circuit, a control coil assembly, and a securing mechanism. The control coil assembly includes a modular center hub removably attached to the input member, an electromagnetic coil and a coil bearing rotatably supporting the electromagnetic coil on the modular center hub. The securing mechanism is removably attached to the input member radially inward of the working chamber and the reservoir, and includes a radially outwardly extending flange.

Modular viscous clutch

A fan blade () includes a working region () having a leading edge () and a pressure side (). A plurality of flow modification features (-to-) are positioned at the working region, including first and second flow modification features (---) each having a wedge shape with a pointed end () and a wider end (), and located on the pressure side. A length of the first flow modification feature is less than a chord length of the fan blade, and the pointed end of the first flow modification feature is spaced from the leading edge. A length of the second flow modification feature is less than the chord length of the fan blade, and the pointed end of the second flow modification feature is spaced from the leading edge. The first and second flow modification features are spaced from each other to define a channel () therebetween.

Fan blade surface features

A cleaning system for use with a heat exchanger and a fluid pressurizing assembly includes a wand assembly, a pivot assembly, and a movement mechanism having a body and a piston rod moveable relative the body in response to fluid pressurization. The wand assembly includes a wand in fluid communication with the fluid pressurizing assembly, and having a first orifice configured to eject fluid toward the heat exchanger. The wand is supported by the pivot assembly such that the wand is selectively pivotable about a first pivot axis. The movement mechanism connects to the pivot assembly at a second pivot axis offset from the first pivot axis such that selective movement of the piston rod produces pivotal movement of the wand about the first pivot axis.

Heat exchanger blower system

A cleaning system for use with a heat exchanger and a fluid pressurizing assembly includes a wand assembly, a pivot assembly, and a movement mechanism having a body and a piston rod moveable relative the body in response to fluid pressurization. The wand assembly includes a wand in fluid communication with the fluid pressurizing assembly, and having a first orifice configured to eject fluid toward the heat exchanger. The wand is supported by the pivot assembly such that the wand is selectively pivotable about a first pivot axis. The movement mechanism connects to the pivot assembly at a second pivot axis offset from the first pivot axis such that selective movement of the piston rod produces pivotal movement of the wand about the pivot axis.

Heat exchanger blower method

A viscous clutch (') includes a stationary journal bracket (&#x2032;) defining a mounting shaft (--&#x2032;), an output member (&#x2032;) rotatably supported on the mounting shaft about an axis (A), an input member (&#x2032;) rotatably supported on the mounting shaft about the axis, and a working chamber (&#x2032;) defined between the input member and the output member to selectively transmit torque there between when a shear fluid is present. The mounting shaft extends axially through the viscous clutch from a front face (&#x2032;) of the viscous clutch to a rear face (&#x2032;) of the viscous clutch, with the rear face defining a mounting surface for mounting the viscous clutch at a mounting location. The front and rear faces are located at opposite sides of the viscous clutch and face in opposite directions.

Integrated viscous clutch

An electromagnetically actuated viscous clutch assembly includes a rotor arranged relative to an axis of rotation, an electromagnetic coil for generating magnetic flux, a housing positioned adjacent to the rotor to create a fluid working chamber therebetween with the housing and the rotor being selectively rotatable relative to one another, an insert extending through the housing and configured to conduct magnetic flux from the electromagnetic coil along a flux path, a valve assembly electromagnetically linked to the insert along the flux path for selectively controlling fluid flow into the working chamber to selectively engage the rotor and the housing, and a plurality of recesses defined in a portion of the housing located at an interior of the flux path to reduce eddy currents.

Growing community of inventors

Burnsville, MN, United States of America

David R Hennessy