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:
May. 13, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 19, 2001
Dale A. Stretch, Novi, MI (US);
Wade A. Smith, Mayville, MI (US);
David Turner, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
Thomas A. Gee, Allen Park, MI (US);
Borg Warner, Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
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.