Eaton Corporation

Borgwarner Inc.

Other

Thomas A Gee

Joseph B Dierker, Jr

Mark W Sullivan

David Curtis Turner

Dale Arden Stretch

Wade Alan Smith

E James Lane

Glen D Peterson

Eugene R Braun

Gerard M Light

Donald Speranza

Russell C Holmes

Daniel G Smedley

Gunnar Baltare

John Dresden, Iii

Jeffrey H Skorupski

Joseph A Tremba

David A Belfi

Richard W Gibson

Gerald L Jacobs

William Eybergen

A water-cooled magnetorheological fluid controlled combination fan drive and water pump ( ) used in a cooling system. Introducing a magnetic field within a working chamber ( ) between a drive ring ( ) and a driven ring ( ) 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 ( ), and coupled fan ( ), at a higher rotational speed to cool the engine coolant flowing through a closely coupled radiator. The rotation of the drive ring ( ) also rotates an attached impeller assembly ( ) having impellers ( ) to move engine coolant through the cooling system. The magnetic field is induced by directing a flow of electrical current through an electronic coil ( ) coupled within the water-cooled magnetorheological fluid controlled combination fan drive and water pump ( ), and an electronic control unit coupled to the electronic coil ( ) controls the amount of electrical current flowing through the coil ( ). This maintains the temperature of the engine block within an acceptable temperature range at a particular engine speed.

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

An electronically controlled magnetorheological fluid based fan drive assembly used to increase the rotational speed of a coupled radiator cooling fan. Introducing a magnetic field within a working chamber between a drive ring and an output member increases the viscosity of a magnetorheological fluid by changing the state of the fluid from a free flowing liquid to a semi-solid state. The shear rate of the magnetorheological fluid can be increased to create additional torque to drive the output member and coupled radiator fan at a higher rotational speed to cool the engine coolant flowing through a closely coupled radiator. The magnetic field is induced by directing a flow of electrical current through an electronic coil coupled within the fan drive assembly , and an electronic control unit coupled to the electronic coil controls the amount of electrical current flowing through the coil . This maintains the temperature of the engine block within an acceptable temperature range at a particular engine speed.

Electronically controlled magnetorheological fluid based cooling fan drive assembly

A full floating inverted axle assembly having a removable axle shaft. A hub assembly includes an inner race rigidly connected to a wheel body and rotatably connected to an outer race which is in turn rigidly connected to an axle housing to enable rotation of the wheel body relative to the axle housing. A driving member is disposed within the axle housing for driving the inner race and wheel body. A removable axle shaft forms a detachable connection between the driving shaft and inner race. The removable axle shaft is externally removable from the entire axle assembly when the hub assembly is connected to the axle housing. Such an arrangement facilitates a disconnect between the driving member and inner race thereby allowing the wheel body to freely rotate, such as during towing, without having to remove the hub assembly. A brake torque member may be disposed between the inner race and axle housing to allow customized brake arrangements.

Axle hub assembly with removable axle shaft

A fluid coupling assembly (11) in which the fluid coupling (43) is disposed within a coolant cavity (C) defined by an engine block (B) of an internal combustion engine. The fluid coupling includes an input coupling assembly (45) and disposed therein is an output coupling member (55), the input and output cooperating to define forward (61,65) and rearward (63,67) viscous shear areas to optimize torque capacity of the coupling. The input coupling assembly (45) includes a rearward body member (49) disposed within the cavity (C) and which includes impeller blades (73), such that the member (49) also serves as the water pump for the engine.

Water cooled viscous fan drive

A control system/method for controlling engine (12) output torque in a vehicular powertrain system (10) including an electronically controlled engine and a torque load limited drivetrain system (11) is provided. The control will sense values of a control parameter (GR, OS) indicative of potential overloading of the drivetrain at maximum engine output torque and will cause engine output torque to be limited to a value less than the maximum value thereof.

Engine torque control

An electronically controlled clutch pedal dashpot driveline torque limiter utilizes a solenoid to regulate the apply rate of a vehicle master clutch based on current vehicle operating conditions such as engine speed, transmission input speed, and clutch pedal release rate. The present invention allows greater control authority of master clutch apply rates to reduce or eliminate the incidence of engine stall and excessive slipping of the master clutch.

Electronically controlled clutch pedal dashpot driveline torque

A trailer electrical monitor function is implemented into a microprocessor based truck tractor and trailer electrical communication system where a programmable memory unit connected to a trailer electronic control unit is used by the trailer electronic control unit to store a trailer identification code, the result of which is connected through an interface circuit to the trailer electronic control unit where the result is then transmitted to a tractor electronic control unit and/or to an external programming unit. The tractor and trailer electronic control units control the state of a plurality of switching devices to establish the appropriate electrical connection into and out of a standard seven pin tractor/trailer electrical connector where high speed data communication links are used for control diagnostics.

Programmable trailer indentification system integrated into a truck

A brake drum assembly with a cylindrical brake drum having an open end and a flanged end and an axis of rotation where an annular squealer band is formed on the brake drum approximately adjacent to the flanged end. A plurality of fracture apertures are formed in the squealer band and axially extend through the squealer band parallel to the axis of rotation of the brake drum. The fracture apertures are randomly circumferentially spaced along the squealer band and/or randomly angled relative to the axis of rotation. The squealer band is then cracked from the fracture apertures radially outward to the outer surface of the squealer band thereby providing friction dampening as vibration in the brake drum and squealer band cause relative motion within each crack. In an alternative embodiment, fracture apertures are formed in the brake drum adjacent to the open end and oriented radially inward where the brake drum is cracked from each fracture aperture toward the open end.

Vehicle brake drum having a cracked surface for increasing vibration

A brake actuator assembly is disclosed for expanding internal shoe brakes in which a pair of brake shoes (17) are disposed within a brake drum (11). A pair of cam members (33,35) are fixed to a pair of cam shafts (41,43) and are operable to engage the brake shoes by use of cam followers (37,39), in response to a brake input (56,55). The cam shafts (41,43) are timed relative to each other by a pair of gears (73,75). The disclosed actuator assembly ensures that the cam members rotate through the same angular magnitude, but the amount of torque transmitted to each cam is determined by the braking force required for the respective brake shoe. The disclosed actuator assembly provides for substantially greater lift, for longer shoe wear life, without taking up as much space in the radial direction as would an equivalent S-cam arrangement.

Brake actuator assembly including twin cam members

A gear device such as a change gear transmission of the countershaft (21) type in which, mounted for rotation about the countershaft is a larger gear (17) and a smaller gear (29). The transmission housing (11) defines a first lubricant reservoir (R1), having a nominal fill level (L1), which is able to lubricate the smaller gear as it rotates. A partition member (51) is disposed around the larger gear and defines a second lubricant reservoir (R2) through which the larger gear passes as it rotates. The partition member defines fluid passages (71,73) providing restricted communication from the first reservoir to the second reservoir. The fluid passages (71,73) are sized such that as the larger gear rotates, carrying lubricant out of the second reservoir (R2), there is maintained in the second reservoir a second fill level (L2), below the first fill level (L1) such that at least a portion of the teeth of the larger gear (17) pass just below the second fill level as the larger gear rotates. The result is substantially reduced churning losses, without decreasing the ability to lubricate the smaller gears.

Churning loss reduction means for gear type devices

A remote system (10)/method for testing vehicle brake or brake system performance of vehicles (30) driving past a testing module (36) adjacent a test roadway (28A) is provided. Preferably, the system/method is associated with a typical highway weight station (14-22) and includes a brake testing area (28) located in series between the usual weight scales (18) and a ramp (22) back onto a highway.

Remote brake performance testing system/method

A dual piston hydraulic cylinder for actuating a clutch and an upshift brake in a heavy-duty vehicle is provided which achieves consistent, selectable, sequential, and controllable operation utilizing a single control pedal. A preloaded spring located between two pistons sequences the pressure accumulation and fluid flow to actuate the clutch and the upshift brake in such a manner so as to preclude brake actuation unless the clutch is disengaged. A fluid reservoir in selective fluid communication with the hydraulic cylinder automatically adjusts the separate fluid links between the clutch and the upshift brake to compensate for changes in their corresponding engaged positions due to wear. The apparatus disclosed accommodates the use of disparately designed clutches and upshift brakes.

Dual piston hydraulic cylinder for clutch and upshift brake actuator

A clutch pedal dashpot for controlling the rate torque is applied to a vehicular driveline during the coupling of an engine to a transmission by controlling the rate at which the clutch engages via damping clutch pedal travel. The dashpot is for use in a vehicle, such as a heavy-duty truck, which includes a clutch pedal displaced between a resting position and a depressed position. The clutch pedal dashpot includes a damper piston, coupled to the clutch pedal, for controlling the rate at which the clutch pedal returns to the first position from the second position during coupling so as to control the rate of clutch engagement, thereby controlling the rate of torque applied to the driveline.

Clutch pedal dashpot driveline torque limiter

A truck tractor and trailer electrical communication system having one electronic control unit located in tractor and another electronic control unit located in at least one trailer both respectively controlling the state of a plurality of switching devices to establish the appropriate electrical connection into and out of a standard seven pin tractor/trailer electrical connector where high speed data communication links are used for control and diagnostics.

Truck tractor and trailer electrical communication system

A grade and acceleration sensor having a weight, a first sensor for measuring a first parameter of the weight due at least to the force of gravity to generate a first signal, a second sensor for measuring a second parameter of the weight due to both the force of gravity and the acceleration of the vehicle on which the sensor is mounted to generate a second signal, a grade angle generator generating the grade angle .theta. in response to the first and second signal, and an acceleration generation generating a signal having a value corresponding to the acceleration of the vehicle in response to the first and second signals. In a first embodiment, the weight is a bob of a pendulum, the first parameter is a displacement angle of the bob due to acceleration and gravity and the second parameter is the force on the arm of the bob due to gravity and acceleration. In a second embodiment, the first parameter is force generated by a weight due to gravity along a first axis and the second parameter is the force generated by the weight due to acceleration and gravity along a second axis normal to the first axis.

Growing community of inventors

Allen Park, MI, United States of America

Thomas A Gee