Patent US2217543A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3661237A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Water-cooled viscous coupling
Assignee: Eaton Corp
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Filing: 1969-11-19
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Granted: 1972-05-09
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Expires: 1989-11-19
Abstract
Abstract A viscous coupling includes an input and an output member which define a shear space therebetween. Viscous fluid in the shear space operates to transmit torque between the input and output members. When torque is transmitted between the input and output members, heat is generated. One of the members has a cooling medium chamber to receive a cooling medium from a cooling medium conduit. The conduit is positioned substantially in alignment with the rotational axis of the input and output members. The cooling medium gravitates toward the outer peripheral surfaces of the cooling medium chamber and vaporizes upon application of sufficient heat thereto. The vapor gravitates toward the rotational axis of the members and is subsequently cooled.
Inventors
- 👤 Owen R Thompson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:59
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16D; F16D35/00; F01; F01P; F01P7/00; F01P7/02; F01P7/04; F01P7/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A coupling apparatus comprising relatively rotatable input and output members, said input and output members defining a shear space therebetween, a viscous fluid in said shear space for transmitting torque between said input and output members with transmission of torque resulting in the generation of heat in said viscous fluid, said viscous fluid being of the type which decreases in viscosity with temperature increases, one of said members having a chamber for receiving a cooling liquid for absorbing and dissipating a portion of the generated heat from said viscous fluid, said cooling liquid being vaporizable at the normal operating temperature of said viscous fluid, and conduit means for directing the cooling liquid into said chamber and said vapor from said chamber for condensation thereof to liquid, whereby the change in phase of said cooling liquid from liquid to vapor and condensation back to liquid results in dissipation of a substantial amount of the generated heat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
A coupling apparatus comprising relatively rotatable input and output members, said input and output members defining a shear space therebetween, a viscous fluid in said shear space for transmitting torque between said input and output members with transmission of torque resulting in the generation of heat in said viscous fluid, said viscous fluid being of the type which decreases in viscosity with temperature increases, one of said members having a chamber for receiving a cooling liquid for absorbing and dissipating a portion of the generated heat from said viscous fluid, said cooling liquid being vaporizable at the normal operating temperature of said viscous fluid, and conduit means for directing the cooling liquid into said chamber and said vapor from said chamber for condensation thereof to liquid, whereby the change in phase of said cooling liquid from liquid to vapor and condensation back to liquid results in dissipation of a substantial amount of the generated heat.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a pump in fluid communication with said conduit means for supplying the cooling liquid to said chamber, and said conduit means comprising a hollow drive shaft for driving said one member having said chamber and rotatable therewith.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
85 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the rotational axis of said conduit means is substantially coaxial with the rotational axis of said one member having said chamber therein, said one member having an outer surface defining said chamber adjacent the shear space between the coupling members for receiving said heat, said cooling liquid being forced outwardly toward the outer surface of said one member and said vapor being displaced inwardly toward the axis of rotation of said one coupling member upon rotation thereof.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
194 words
An apparatus comprising relatively rotatable input and output members, said input and output members defining a viscous fluid shear space therebetween, viscous fluid of the type which decreases in viscosity with temperature increases located in said shear space for transmitting torque between said input and output members, the transmission of torque between said input and output members resulting in generation of heat in said viscous fluid, said input coupling member defining a chamber for receiving a cooling liquid for dissipating at least a portion of the hEat, said shear space being located radially outwardly of the axis of rotation of the input coupling member, said chamber having a wall surface adjacent said shear space, said cooling liquid being forced to move radially outwardly of said chamber upon rotation of said input coupling member and into contact with said wall surface to absorb heat therefrom, said cooling liquid vaporizing upon the heat being applied thereto at said wall surface and the vapor being displaced inwardly by said cooling liquid toward the axis of rotation of the input coupling member, and conduit means for directing cooling liquid into said chamber and vapor therefrom for condensation thereof.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
194 words
An apparatus comprising relatively rotatable input and output members, said input and output members defining a viscous fluid shear space therebetween, viscous fluid of the type which decreases in viscosity with temperature increases located in said shear space for transmitting torque between said input and output members, the transmission of torque between said input and output members resulting in generation of heat in said viscous fluid, said input coupling member defining a chamber for receiving a cooling liquid for dissipating at least a portion of the hEat, said shear space being located radially outwardly of the axis of rotation of the input coupling member, said chamber having a wall surface adjacent said shear space, said cooling liquid being forced to move radially outwardly of said chamber upon rotation of said input coupling member and into contact with said wall surface to absorb heat therefrom, said cooling liquid vaporizing upon the heat being applied thereto at said wall surface and the vapor being displaced inwardly by said cooling liquid toward the axis of rotation of the input coupling member, and conduit means for directing cooling liquid into said chamber and vapor therefrom for condensation thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 4 further including a pump, said conduit means including a hollow drive shaft communicating with said pump to direct cooling liquid into said cooling chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
193 words
A torque transmitting mechanism comprising a rotatable input member, a rotatable output member, and a torque transmitting interface therebetween, said torque transmitting interface allowing slippage of said members relative to each other during transmission of torque therebetween causing heat to be generated at said torque transmitting interface during operation of said torque transmitting mechanism, one of said members including a chamber having a first portion adjacent said torque transmitting interface and a second portion remote from said torque transmitting interface radially inwardly of said first portion, a liquid cooling medium disposed in said chamber, said liquid cooling medium being vaporizable at the normal operating temperature of said torque transmitting interface for cooling said interface, said vaporized cooling medium being displaced inwardly toward the axis of rotation of said one member into said second portion of said chamber, a source of said cooling medium, and conduit means extending from said source into the second portion of said chamber to continuously supply liquid cooling medium into said second chamber during operation of said mechanism and for conducting said vapor from said chamber for condensation thereof to liquid by the flow of liquid cooling medium thereinto.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
193 words
A torque transmitting mechanism comprising a rotatable input member, a rotatable output member, and a torque transmitting interface therebetween, said torque transmitting interface allowing slippage of said members relative to each other during transmission of torque therebetween causing heat to be generated at said torque transmitting interface during operation of said torque transmitting mechanism, one of said members including a chamber having a first portion adjacent said torque transmitting interface and a second portion remote from said torque transmitting interface radially inwardly of said first portion, a liquid cooling medium disposed in said chamber, said liquid cooling medium being vaporizable at the normal operating temperature of said torque transmitting interface for cooling said interface, said vaporized cooling medium being displaced inwardly toward the axis of rotation of said one member into said second portion of said chamber, a source of said cooling medium, and conduit means extending from said source into the second portion of said chamber to continuously supply liquid cooling medium into said second chamber during operation of said mechanism and for conducting said vapor from said chamber for condensation thereof to liquid by the flow of liquid cooling medium thereinto.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
125 words
An apparatus comprising relatively rotatable input and output members, said input and output members defining a shear space therebetween so that a viscous fluid in said shear space transmits torque between said input and output members, the transmission of torque between said input and output members resulting in the generation of heat, one of said members having a chamber for receiving a cooling medium for dissipating at least a portion of the generated heat, conduit means having a passageway for directing the cooling medium into said chamber, said cooling medium vaporizing upon heat being applied thereto, said conduit providing cooling medium for cooling said vapor, and a tube located in said passageway, said tube having a bore therein for receiving the vapor from said chamber.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
125 words
An apparatus comprising relatively rotatable input and output members, said input and output members defining a shear space therebetween so that a viscous fluid in said shear space transmits torque between said input and output members, the transmission of torque between said input and output members resulting in the generation of heat, one of said members having a chamber for receiving a cooling medium for dissipating at least a portion of the generated heat, conduit means having a passageway for directing the cooling medium into said chamber, said cooling medium vaporizing upon heat being applied thereto, said conduit providing cooling medium for cooling said vapor, and a tube located in said passageway, said tube having a bore therein for receiving the vapor from said chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said tube is located in said passageway and the cooling medium in said passageway cools and condenses said vapor received by said tube from said chamber.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
251 words
An apparatus comprising relatively rotatable input and output members, said input and output members defining a shear space therebetween so that a viscous fluid in said shear space transmits torque between said input and output members, the transmission of torque between said input and output members resulting in the generation of heat, one of said members having a chamber for receiving a cooling medium for dissipating at least a portion of the generated heat, and conduit means for directing the cooling medium into said chamber, said cooling medium vaporizing upon heat being applied thereto, said conduit providing cooling medium for cooling said vapor, said conduit means being connected with said one member having said chamber and adapted to rotate therewith, the rotational axis of said conduit Means being substantially coextensive with the rotational axis of said one member having said chamber therein, said one member having an outer surface defining said chamber adjacent the shear space between the coupling members for receiving said heat, said cooling medium gravitating toward the outer surface of said one member and said vapor gravitating toward the center of said chamber upon rotation of said one member, said conduit means including a tube having a bore therein, said tube being positioned inside said passageway for receiving said vapor and having a longitudinal axis substantially coextensive with said rotational axis of said one member having said chamber therein and conducting the vapor therealong from said chamber for cooling said vapor with the cooling medium in said conduit.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
251 words
An apparatus comprising relatively rotatable input and output members, said input and output members defining a shear space therebetween so that a viscous fluid in said shear space transmits torque between said input and output members, the transmission of torque between said input and output members resulting in the generation of heat, one of said members having a chamber for receiving a cooling medium for dissipating at least a portion of the generated heat, and conduit means for directing the cooling medium into said chamber, said cooling medium vaporizing upon heat being applied thereto, said conduit providing cooling medium for cooling said vapor, said conduit means being connected with said one member having said chamber and adapted to rotate therewith, the rotational axis of said conduit Means being substantially coextensive with the rotational axis of said one member having said chamber therein, said one member having an outer surface defining said chamber adjacent the shear space between the coupling members for receiving said heat, said cooling medium gravitating toward the outer surface of said one member and said vapor gravitating toward the center of said chamber upon rotation of said one member, said conduit means including a tube having a bore therein, said tube being positioned inside said passageway for receiving said vapor and having a longitudinal axis substantially coextensive with said rotational axis of said one member having said chamber therein and conducting the vapor therealong from said chamber for cooling said vapor with the cooling medium in said conduit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said tube includes a portion extending radially from the longitudinal axis of said tube and into said chamber for receiving the vapor and pumping the vapor along the bore of said tube away from said chamber.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
201 words
An apparatus comprising relatively rotatable input and output members, said input and output members defining a viscous fluid shear space therebetween, the transmission of torque between said input and output members resulting in generation of heat, said input member defining a chamber for receiving a cooling medium for dissipating at least a portion of the heat, said shear space being located radially outwardly of the axis of rotation of the input coupling member, said cooling medium tending to move radially outwardly of said chamber upon rotation of said input member and said cooling medium vaporizing upon the heat being applied thereto and the vapor tending to be disposed along the axis of rotation of the input member, a hollow drive shaft for driving said input member, said hollow shaft communicating with said chamber for directing coolant into said chamber and providing for removal of said vapor from said chamber, and a water pump communicating with said hollow shaft to provide a pressurized cooling medium in said cooling chamber, said hollow drive shaft having a tube supported centrally thereof for conducting vapor from said chamber, said vapor being cooled by the cooling medium in the hollow drive shaft externally of the tube.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
201 words
An apparatus comprising relatively rotatable input and output members, said input and output members defining a viscous fluid shear space therebetween, the transmission of torque between said input and output members resulting in generation of heat, said input member defining a chamber for receiving a cooling medium for dissipating at least a portion of the heat, said shear space being located radially outwardly of the axis of rotation of the input coupling member, said cooling medium tending to move radially outwardly of said chamber upon rotation of said input member and said cooling medium vaporizing upon the heat being applied thereto and the vapor tending to be disposed along the axis of rotation of the input member, a hollow drive shaft for driving said input member, said hollow shaft communicating with said chamber for directing coolant into said chamber and providing for removal of said vapor from said chamber, and a water pump communicating with said hollow shaft to provide a pressurized cooling medium in said cooling chamber, said hollow drive shaft having a tube supported centrally thereof for conducting vapor from said chamber, said vapor being cooled by the cooling medium in the hollow drive shaft externally of the tube.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-09 | 1975-11-08 | 1976-05-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-09 | 1979-11-08 | 1980-05-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-09 | 1983-11-08 | 1984-05-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |