Shear thickening fluid based rotary power coupler mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12259014-B2
Application number	US-202217703224-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2022
Priority date	Mar 21, 2022
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A power coupler for transferring rotary power from a rotary power device to a load device includes a shear thickening fluid (STF) and a chamber that contains the STF. The power coupler further includes a drive shaft housed radially within a drive side section of the chamber and protruding outward from an end of the chamber for coupling to the rotary power device. The power coupler further includes a load shaft housed radially within a load side section of the chamber and protruding outward from another end of the chamber for coupling to the load device. The power coupler further includes a drive turbine housed radially within the drive side section and coupled to the drive shaft. The power coupler further includes a load turbine housed radially within the load side section at a fixed operational distance from the drive turbine and coupled to the load shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power coupler for transferring rotary power from a rotary power device to a load device, the power coupler comprising:
a shear thickening fluid (STF), wherein the STF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to a second range of shear rates, wherein the second range of shear rates are greater than the first range of shear rates;
a chamber, the chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF, wherein the chamber includes a cylindrical interior channel, wherein the cylindrical interior channel includes a drive side section and a load side section;
a drive shaft, the drive shaft housed at least partially radially within the drive side section and protruding outward from a drive side section end of the chamber for coupling to the rotary power device;
a load shaft, the load shaft housed at least partially radially within the load side section and protruding outward from a load side section end of the chamber for coupling to the load device;
a drive turbine, the drive turbine housed at least partially radially within the drive side section and coupled to the drive shaft, the drive turbine configured to exert pressure against the shear thickening fluid in response to rotary movement of the drive shaft from a rotary force applied to the drive shaft from the rotary power device, wherein the drive turbine includes a rotary array of drive teeth arranged in a gear pattern of the drive teeth; and
a load turbine, the load turbine housed at least partially radially within the load side section at a fixed operational distance from the drive turbine and coupled to the load shaft, the load turbine configured to apply a secondary rotary force to the load drive shaft in response to the pressure exerted against the shear thickening fluid from the drive turbine, wherein the fixed operational distance between the drive turbine and the load turbine enables both the first range of shear rates and the second range of shear rates, wherein the load turbine includes a rotary array of load teeth arranged in a gear pattern of the load teeth, wherein the gear pattern of the load teeth complements the gear pattern of the drive teeth such that the pressure exerted against the shear thickening fluid from the rotary array of drive teeth causes the rotary array of load teeth to apply the secondary rotary force to the load shaft such that revolutions per unit of time of the load shaft are greater than revolutions per the unit of time of the drive shaft.

2. The power coupler of claim 1 further comprises:
a cartridge seal to guide the load shaft into the chamber, wherein the cartridge seal facilitates containment of the STF within the chamber, wherein the cartridge seal remains in a fixed position relative to the chamber; and
a retaining device to maintain the load shaft in a fixed position within the cartridge seal to establish the fixed operational distance between the drive turbine and the load turbine.

3. The power coupler of claim 1 , wherein the STF comprises:
a plurality of nanoparticles, wherein the plurality of nanoparticles includes one or more of an oxide, calcium carbonate, synthetically occurring minerals, naturally occurring minerals, polymers, SiO2, polystyrene, polymethylmethacrylate, or a mixture thereof.

4. The power coupler of claim 1 , wherein the STF further comprises:
one or more of ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, ethanol, silicon oils, phenyltrimethicone, or a mixture thereof.

5. The power coupler of claim 1 , wherein the rotary array of drive teeth further comprises:
the arranged gear pattern of the rotary array of drive teeth configured to provide:
the decreasing viscosity in response to the first range of shear rates of the STF in the chamber in response to a first range of rotary power from the rotary power device, and
the increasing viscosity in response to the second range of shear rates of the STF in the chamber in response to a second range of rotary power from the rotary power device, wherein the second range of rotary power is greater than the first range of rotary power.

6. The power coupler of claim 1 , wherein the rotary array of load teeth further comprises:
the arranged gear pattern of the rotary array of load teeth configured to provide:
a first range of rotary output power to the load shaft in response to the first range of shear rates of the STF in the chamber resulting from a first range of rotary power from the rotary power device that causes the decreasing viscosity, and
a second range of rotary output power to the load shaft in response to the second range of shear rates of the STF in the chamber resulting from a second range of rotary power from the rotary power device that causes the increasing viscosity, wherein the second range of rotary output power is greater than the first range of rotary output power causing the revolutions per the unit of time of the load shaft to be greater than the revolutions per the unit of time of the drive shaft.

Assignees

• Moshun Llc

Inventors

• Boundy Timothy John
• Barger Steven Michael
• Lydon Terence Michael
• Lang Richard Michael
• Gonzalez Jr Wilfredo
• Boundy Darren Michael
• Mchugh Eric
• Schuda David
• Wilson Iv George L
• Grube Gary W
• Resch Jason K
• Derango Mario F
• Buchalo John Edward
• Herbst Richard A
• Estes Kurt
• Anderson Evan

Classifications

• F16D2300/08

  Details or arrangements of sealings not provided for in group F16D3/84 · CPC title

• F16D33/20

  Shape of wheels, blades, or channels with respect to function · CPC title

• F16D3/80

  in which a fluid is used (fluid couplings allowing continuous slip F16D31/00 - F16D35/00) · CPC title

• F16D57/005

  Details of blades, e.g. shape · CPC title

• F16D33/02 Primary

  controlled by changing the flow of the liquid in the working circuit, while maintaining a completely filled working circuit · CPC title