Bimetal coil assembly for fan drive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9856924-B2
Application number	US-201514625600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2015
Priority date	Feb 18, 2015
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

A system and method of anchoring a bimetal coil member on a viscous clutch fan drive. An adjustable channeled retainer member together with a silicone or silicone-type material is used to anchor the free end of the bimetal coil member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A viscous fan clutch comprising:
a housing having a plurality of first concentric ribs;
a rotor rotatably disposed in the housing, the rotor having a plurality of second concentric ribs that are juxtaposed with the first concentric ribs, the rotor and the housing cooperating to form a working chamber;
a fluid reservoir that is coupled in fluid communication with a radially inner side of the working chamber;
a valve coupled to the housing, the valve including a valve element that is rotatably disposed in the housing and movable between a first valve element position, which inhibits fluid communication from the fluid reservoir into the working chamber, and a second valve element position that permits fluid communication from the fluid reservoir to the working chamber;
a bimetal coil having a first end, which is rotatably coupled to the valve element, and a second end that is radially outward of the first end;
an adjustable retainer member that is movable about a rotational axis of the rotor relative to the housing through a predetermined angle, the adjustable retainer member defining a first slotted mounting aperture and a channel into which the second end of the bimetal coil is received; and
a first threaded fastener received through the first slotted mounting aperture and threadably coupled to the housing.

2. The viscous fan clutch of claim 1 , further comprising a cured material disposed in the channel and bonding the second end of the bi-metal coil to the adjustable retainer member.

3. The viscous fan clutch of claim 2 , wherein the cured material comprises silicone.

4. The viscous fan clutch of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable retainer member defines a second slotted mounting aperture and wherein the viscous fan clutch further comprises a second threaded fastener that is received through the second slotted mounting aperture and threadably coupled to the housing.

5. The viscous fan clutch of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable retainer member defines a first projection that is disposed in the channel, the first projection contacting a first surface on the second end of the bimetal coil.

6. The viscous fan clutch of claim 5 , wherein the adjustable retainer member defines a second projection that is disposed in the channel, the second projection contacting a second surface on the second end of the bimetal coil that is opposite the first surface.

7. The viscous fan clutch of claim 5 , wherein the second end of the bimetal coil comprises a tang and wherein the first projection contacts the second end at a location between the tang and the first end of the bi-metal coil.

8. A viscous fan clutch comprising:
a housing having a plurality of first concentric ribs;
a rotor rotatably disposed in the housing, the rotor having a plurality of second concentric ribs that are juxtaposed with the first concentric ribs, the rotor and the housing cooperating to form a working chamber;
a fluid reservoir that is coupled in fluid communication with a radially inner side of the working chamber;
a valve coupled to the housing, the valve including a valve element that is rotatably disposed in the housing and movable between a first valve element position, which inhibits fluid communication from the fluid reservoir into the working chamber, and a second valve element position that permits fluid communication from the fluid reservoir to the working chamber;
a bimetal coil having a first end, which is rotatably coupled to the valve element, and a second end that is radially outward of the first end; and
means for adjustably coupling the second end of the bimetal coil to the housing.

9. The viscous fan clutch of claim 8 , further comprising means for securing the second end of the bimetal coil to the means for adjustably coupling the second end of the bimetal coil to the housing.

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Livingston Ryan W
• Roderick Jason R
• Gwin Darin L

Classifications

• F16D35/023 Primary

  the valve being actuated by a bimetallic coil (F16D35/026 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16D35/021

  actuated by valves · CPC title