Clutch system
First Claim
Patent Images
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 relative to the drive member, the hub portion having a first spring-engaging surface; and
a piston portion adjustable in an axial direction relative to the drive member when the fan clutch device is mounted to a drive member, the piston portion being adjustable between first and second positions, the piston portion having a second spring-engaging surface that opposes the first spring-engaging surface;
a fluid-receiving space located within the clutch device, the space being defined at least partially by surfaces of the hub portion and the piston portion; and
a single spring device abutting against the first spring-engaging surface of the hub portion and the second spring-engaging surface of the piston portion to urge the piston portion toward one of the first position and the second position, wherein the single spring device is coaxially arranged with at least one of the hub portion and 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
47 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 relative to the drive member, the hub portion having a first spring-engaging surface; and a piston portion adjustable in an axial direction relative to the drive member when the fan clutch device is mounted to a drive member, the piston portion being adjustable between first and second positions, the piston portion having a second spring-engaging surface that opposes the first spring-engaging surface; a fluid-receiving space located within the clutch device, the space being defined at least partially by surfaces of the hub portion and the piston portion; and a single spring device abutting against the first spring-engaging surface of the hub portion and the second spring-engaging surface of the piston portion to urge the piston portion toward one of the first position and the second position, wherein the single spring device is coaxially arranged with at least one of the hub portion and the piston portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A fan clutch system, comprising:
-
a drive member that rotates about a rotational axis; a clutch device removably mounted to the drive member, the clutch device comprising; a hub portion that is selectively movable relative to the drive member, the hub portion having a spring-engaging surface; a piston portion adjustable in an axial direction relative to the drive member between a first position and a second position, the piston portion having an opposing spring-engaging surface; a fluid-receiving chamber defined at least partially by surfaces of the hub portion and the piston portion, wherein a single sealed leak path borders a periphery of the fluid-receiving space between to seal the fluid-receiving space from ambient air; and a single spring device arranged between the spring-engaging surface of the hub portion and the opposing spring-engaging surface of the piston portion to urge the piston portion toward one of the first position and the second position, wherein the single spring device is axially aligned with the rotational axis of the drive member. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A fan clutch system, comprising:
-
a drive member that rotates; a clutch device removably mounted to the drive member, the clutch device comprising; a hub portion that is selectively movable relative to the drive member; a piston portion adjustable in an axial direction relative to the drive member between first and second positions, wherein the piston portion includes a clutch surface that selectively couples with the drive member; and a fan blade device mounted to the piston portion, the fan blade device being rotated with the drive member when the clutch engagement surface of the piston portion selectively couples with the drive member. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. A fan clutch device for removably mounting to a drive pulley, the fan clutch device comprising:
-
a mounting member that directly engages with a drive pulley when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive pulley; a hub portion that is selectively movable relative to the drive pulley when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive pulley; and a piston portion adjustable in an axial direction relative to the drive pulley between a first position and a second position when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive pulley; an output surface engageable with a fan blade device, the output surface facing away from the drive pulley when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive pulley so that each of the hub and piston portions are arranged between the fan blade device and the drive pulley when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive pulley; and an annular portion that is rotationally coupled with the output surface and positioned away from the output surface toward the drive pulley when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive pulley, the annular portion defining an inner circumferential surface arranged radially outward of an opposing outer circumferential surface defined by the mounting member, wherein, when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive pulley, the fan clutch device is removable from the drive pulley without disassembly of the hub portion from the piston portion. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. A fan clutch device for removably mounting to a drive member, the fan clutch device comprising:
-
a hub portion that is selectively movable relative to a drive member when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive member; and a piston portion adjustable in an axial direction relative to the drive member between a first position and a second position when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive member, wherein the piston portion includes a clutch surface that selectively couples with the drive member when the fan clutch device is mounted to the drive member, and the piston portion receives a fan blade device mounted thereto; and 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 (45, 46, 47)
-
Specification