Clutch system
First Claim
1. A fan clutch device to be removably mounted to a drive member, the fan clutch device comprising:
- a hub portion that, when the fan clutch device is mounted to a drive member, is selectively movable in a rotational direction relative to the drive member and substantially stationary in an axial direction relative to the drive member; and
a piston portion selectively movable in the axial direction relative to the hub portion and substantially stationary in the rotation direction relative to the hub portion;
wherein, when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive member, the fan clutch device is removable from the drive member without disassembly of the hub portion from the piston portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A clutch system may include in certain embodiments a clutch body attached to a drive member such as a drive pulley, wherein the clutch body may be removed from the drive member without disassembling the clutch body. In various embodiments, the clutch body may include two clutch plates which enclose a spring-loaded pneumatic reciprocating assembly that in operation causes the plates to selectively separate and engage one another. In certain embodiments, the clutch body may be readily attached to a associated drive pulley in a single step by installation of a single set of fasteners.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A fan clutch device to be removably mounted to a drive member, the fan clutch device comprising:
-
a hub portion that, when the fan clutch device is mounted to a drive member, is selectively movable in a rotational direction relative to the drive member and substantially stationary in an axial direction relative to the drive member; and
a piston portion selectively movable in the axial direction relative to the hub portion and substantially stationary in the rotation direction relative to the hub portion;
wherein, when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive member, the fan clutch device is removable from the drive member without disassembly of the hub portion from the piston portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A fan clutch device, comprising:
-
a first member having a first engagement surface;
a hub portion rotatably coupled to the first member;
a piston portion slidably coupled to the hub portion, the piston portion being selectively movable in an axial direction relative to the hub portion and substantially rotationally stationary relative to the hub portion;
a fluid-receiving chamber defined at least partially by surfaces of the hub portion and the piston portion, wherein a single seal path borders a periphery of the fluid-receiving space between to seal the fluid-receiving space from ambient air. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method of removing a fan clutch device from a drive member, the method comprising:
-
removing a fan clutch device from a drive member, the fan clutch device having a hub portion and a piston portion, the piston portion being selectively movable in the axial direction relative to the hub portion and substantially stationary in the rotation direction relative to the hub portion;
the fan clutch device being removed from the drive member without disassembly of the hub portion from the piston portion. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
-
Specification