The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 17, 1989
Filed:
Nov. 10, 1987
Robert J Mohan, Madison Heights, MI (US);
Walter K O'Neil, Birmingham, MI (US);
Eaton Corporation, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
A viscous fan clutch (10) is typically employed in a fan drive mechanism within a truck or automobile. A shaft (18), driven by the engine (12), rotates a clutch member (42) within the fan drive. The clutch member is arranged for fluid engagement with a body member (60) for the transmission of torque thereto when fluid is disposed in an operating chamber (106) defined by complimentary shear surfaces in the clutch and body members (48 and 98), respectively. A tether assembly (30) operates as an actuator to displace a valving element (196) within the clutch to control the torque transmission there through and thus the speed of the output shaft and fan (34) thereof. Fan speed is regulated by variable current signal applied to a coil (174) within assembly (30) to selectively variably frictionally engage valve element assembly (196) with a grounded thrust surface or reaction member (190) to effect limited displacement of a valve element (198) in response thereto. A fan speed feedback signal is generated by teeth (164) passing in close proximity to a magnetic pick-up (166) is integrated within tether housing (122) and output to control circuit (222) via a conducting path (173 or 183).