Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
340 words
A viscous fluid drive including a housing member (18) having axially spaced generally radially extending side surfaces(80,82) which, together with a generally axially extending inner peripheral surface (54) on said housing member, define a working chamber (22), a reservoir (28) defined by said housing member adjacent said working chamber, a clutch member (16) located within said working chamber and having a pair of axially spaced generally radially extending side surfaces (44,46) axially spaced from said radially extending side surfaces of said housing member and an outer generally axially extending peripheral surface (52) spaced from said inner peripheral surface of said housing member, viscous fluid within said working chamber and said reservoir, an input shaft (12) rotatably secured to one of said members and rotatably supporting said other member, an outlet opening (72) having a front edge (72b) closest to the direction of fluid movement during operation of said drive and located in said housing member in the radial area of said peripheral surfaces for communicating fluid from said working chamber to said reservoir, an inlet opening (40) in said housing member for communicating fluid from said reservoir to said working chamber, and condition responsive valve means (34,36) to direct fluid between said reservoir and said working chamber through one of said openings, characterised by a fixed pumping device (64) in said housing member and having a radially extending portion (78) which is adjacent said outlet opening, projects axially toward said adjacent clutch side surface (44), and has a front edge (96a) which is substantially aligned with the rear edge of said outlet opening; and an axially extending portion (76) circumferentially aligned with said radially extending portion, projecting radially a distance between said peripheral surfaces, and extending axially a distance between said side surfaces of said housing member to impinge fluid flowing between said peripheral surfaces and thereby direct said impinged fluid radially inwardly along said adjacent side surfaces of said members into contact at one side with said front edge of said radially extending portion and into said outlet opening.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
340 words
A viscous fluid drive including a housing member (18) having axially spaced generally radially extending side surfaces(80,82) which, together with a generally axially extending inner peripheral surface (54) on said housing member, define a working chamber (22), a reservoir (28) defined by said housing member adjacent said working chamber, a clutch member (16) located within said working chamber and having a pair of axially spaced generally radially extending side surfaces (44,46) axially spaced from said radially extending side surfaces of said housing member and an outer generally axially extending peripheral surface (52) spaced from said inner peripheral surface of said housing member, viscous fluid within said working chamber and said reservoir, an input shaft (12) rotatably secured to one of said members and rotatably supporting said other member, an outlet opening (72) having a front edge (72b) closest to the direction of fluid movement during operation of said drive and located in said housing member in the radial area of said peripheral surfaces for communicating fluid from said working chamber to said reservoir, an inlet opening (40) in said housing member for communicating fluid from said reservoir to said working chamber, and condition responsive valve means (34,36) to direct fluid between said reservoir and said working chamber through one of said openings, characterised by a fixed pumping device (64) in said housing member and having a radially extending portion (78) which is adjacent said outlet opening, projects axially toward said adjacent clutch side surface (44), and has a front edge (96a) which is substantially aligned with the rear edge of said outlet opening; and an axially extending portion (76) circumferentially aligned with said radially extending portion, projecting radially a distance between said peripheral surfaces, and extending axially a distance between said side surfaces of said housing member to impinge fluid flowing between said peripheral surfaces and thereby direct said impinged fluid radially inwardly along said adjacent side surfaces of said members into contact at one side with said front edge of said radially extending portion and into said outlet opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A pump according to claim 1, characterised in that said radially extending portion and said axially extending portion are secured together.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
A pump according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that said front edge of said radially extending portion is configured in part to define an opening (70) which bounds said outlet opening on three sides and is opened on the fourth side to direct fluid into said opening of said pump and thereafter into said outlet opening.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A pump according to claim 3, characterised in that said front edge of said axially extending portion is located to the rear of the most forwardly portion of the front edge of said radially extending portion and forward of the rear edge of said pump opening.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A pump according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that said axially extending portion extends substantially between said side surfaces of said housing member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A pump according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that said axially extending portion extends at least one-half of the distance between said side surfaces of said housing member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A pump according to claim 6, characterised in that the minimum length of said axially extending portion is greater than twenty percent of the maximum length of said radially extending portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A pump according to claim 6, characterised in that the front edge (96) of said axially extending portion and the front edge of said radially extending portion lie substantially in line with one another.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A pump according to claim 6, characterised in that the front edge (96) of the axially extending portion is skewed relative to the axis of rotation of said input shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
159 words
A viscous fluid drive having a rotatable clutch member (16) located in a working chamber (22) within a rotatable housing member (18), an aperture (72) through which working fluid can leave the working chamber, the aperture being in a radially extending wall (26) of the housing member and facing a radially extending surface (74) of the clutch member, and a fixed means (64) in said housing member for directing fluid out through the aperture during relative rotation of the members, characterised in that said means comprises a portion (76) at least partly obstructing the space between the peripheral inner surface (54) of the housing member and the peripheral outer surface (52) of the clutch member at a position in the peripheral direction, adjacent to,said aperture, and a further portion (78) in generally the same peripheral position, in register with the aperture in the radial direction, and partly obstructing the space between said radially extending wall and radially extending surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
159 words
A viscous fluid drive having a rotatable clutch member (16) located in a working chamber (22) within a rotatable housing member (18), an aperture (72) through which working fluid can leave the working chamber, the aperture being in a radially extending wall (26) of the housing member and facing a radially extending surface (74) of the clutch member, and a fixed means (64) in said housing member for directing fluid out through the aperture during relative rotation of the members, characterised in that said means comprises a portion (76) at least partly obstructing the space between the peripheral inner surface (54) of the housing member and the peripheral outer surface (52) of the clutch member at a position in the peripheral direction, adjacent to,said aperture, and a further portion (78) in generally the same peripheral position, in register with the aperture in the radial direction, and partly obstructing the space between said radially extending wall and radially extending surface.