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:
Jul. 17, 2007
Filed:
Jan. 29, 2003
Mircea Gradu, Massillon, OH (US);
Mircea Gradu, Massillon, OH (US);
The Timken Company, Canton, OH (US);
Abstract
A clutch (A,B) includes a cam () and a rotor (), both of which revolve around a common axis (X). The cam has a camming surface () provided with lobes (), whereas the rotor carries pistons () which bear against the camming surface of the cam. The pistons project from piston cavities () in the rotor and those cavities communicate through a connecting cavity (), to thereby form a fluid chamber () of constant volume which contains a magneto-rheological fluid (). An electrical coil controls the viscosity of the rheological fluid. When the viscosity is low, the pistons will move inwardly and outwardly on the rotor as the camming surface passes over them and no torque will transfer between the cam and rotor. However, when the fluid is viscous, the fluid will impede displacement of the pistons in the piston cavities, and the pistons will grip the camming surface sufficiently to enable torque to transfer between the cam and rotor.