Viscous fluid clutch

Claim 2

A viscous fluid clutch comprising a first drive member including first and second annular walls connected at their outer peripheral portions and providing a working chamber therebetween, a drive shaft extending into said working chamber, a second drive member mounted on said drive shaft in said working chamber intermediate said first and second annular walls and providing a shear drivE relationship therewith, annular reservoir means spaced apart from the outer peripheral portion of said working chamber without common wall means therebetween and including a fluid medium, and a pair of oppositely disposed conduits serving to connect said annular reservoir means to said second annular wall of said first drive member and to communicate said fluid medium between said annular reservoir means and said outer peripheral portion of said working chamber for causing said fluid medium to vary its inner annular level in said working chamber on both sides of said second drive member in response to expansion and contraction of said fluid medium due to changes in ambient temperature around said annular reservoir means, thereby varying the torque transmitted between said first and second drive members.

Claim 3

A visous fluid clutch comprising first and second relatively rotatable drive members, said first drive member having an annular working chamber formed therein, said second drive member being mounted in said working chamber and providing shear spaces adjacent opposite sides thereof, said shear spaces being operable with a fluid medium to provide a fluid shear drive relationship between said first and second drive members, annular reservoir means located apart from the outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces, said working chamber and said annular reservoir means each having independent wall means, and a pair of conduits connected between said independent wall means and communicating said fluid medium between said outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces and said annular reservoir means for causing said fluid medium to vary its inner annular level in said shear spaces in response to expansion and contraction of said fluid medium due to changes in ambient temperature around said annular reservoir means, thereby varying the speed of said first drive member with respect to the speed of said second drive member.

Claim 4

A visous fluid clutch comprising first and second relatively rotatable drive members, said first drive member having an annular working chamber formed therein, said second drive member being mounted in said working chamber and providing shear spaces adjacent opposite sides thereof, said shear spaces being operable with a fluid medium to provide a fluid shear drive relationship between said first and second drive members, annular reservoir means located apart from the outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces, said working chamber and said annular reservoir means each having independent wall means, and a pair of conduits connected between said independent wall means and communicating said fluid medium between said outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces and said annular reservoir means for causing said fluid medium to vary its inner annular level in said shear spaces in response to expansion and contraction of said fluid medium due to changes in ambient temperature around said annular reservoir means, thereby varying the speed of said first drive member with respect to the speed of said second drive member.

Claim 5

A viscous fluid clutch comprising a first drive member including first and second spaced annular side walls and a peripheral wall connected to the outer peripheral portions of said annular side walls and providing a viscous shear working chamber therein; a second drive member having annular side walls mounted in said working chamber intermediate said first and second annular walls; a facing pair of said annular side walls, one on said first drive member and the other on said second drive member and having viscous shear drive means operative during rotation of said members, when there is a minimum volume of fluid in said working chamber from the outer perimeter thereof to an annular low-fill fluid level providing a maximum speed reduction, when the volume of said fluid in said working chamber is increased to increase the fill-level providing said fluid in an increasing portion of said viscous shear drive means the speed reduction is decreased, and when the volume of said fluid increases to a high-fill fluid level in said working chamber to provide fluid in a maximum portion of said viscous shear drive means a minimum speed reduction is provided; an enclosed compartment providing a reservoir heat-insulated from the first drive member, exposed on all sides to ambient air and filled with said fluid, so the temperature of said fluid in said reservoir is substantially responsive to ambient air temperature and unresponsive to the temperature of said first drive member, and having free passage means having a very small volume compared to said reservoir communicating between said reservoir chamber and said working chamber between the outer periphery and said low-fill fluid level of said working chamber permitting free movement of said fluid between said reservoir and working chambers operative in response to increasing ambient air temperature to cause expansion of said fluid in said reservoir chamber to cause said fluid to move to said working chamber to increase the fluid level from said low-fill fluid level to said high-fill fluid level to change from maximUm to minimum speed reduction.

Claim 6

A viscous fluid clutch comprising a first drive member including first and second spaced annular side walls and a peripheral wall connected to the outer peripheral portions of said annular side walls and providing a viscous shear working chamber therein; a second drive member having annular side walls mounted in said working chamber intermediate said first and second annular walls; a facing pair of said annular side walls, one on said first drive member and the other on said second drive member and having viscous shear drive means operative during rotation of said members, when there is a minimum volume of fluid in said working chamber from the outer perimeter thereof to an annular low-fill fluid level providing a maximum speed reduction, when the volume of said fluid in said working chamber is increased to increase the fill-level providing said fluid in an increasing portion of said viscous shear drive means the speed reduction is decreased, and when the volume of said fluid increases to a high-fill fluid level in said working chamber to provide fluid in a maximum portion of said viscous shear drive means a minimum speed reduction is provided; an enclosed compartment providing a reservoir heat-insulated from the first drive member, exposed on all sides to ambient air and filled with said fluid, so the temperature of said fluid in said reservoir is substantially responsive to ambient air temperature and unresponsive to the temperature of said first drive member, and having free passage means having a very small volume compared to said reservoir communicating between said reservoir chamber and said working chamber between the outer periphery and said low-fill fluid level of said working chamber permitting free movement of said fluid between said reservoir and working chambers operative in response to increasing ambient air temperature to cause expansion of said fluid in said reservoir chamber to cause said fluid to move to said working chamber to increase the fluid level from said low-fill fluid level to said high-fill fluid level to change from maximUm to minimum speed reduction.

Claim 7

A viscous fluid clutch comprising a first drive member including first and second spaced annular side walls and a peripheral wall connected to the outer peripheral portions of said annular side walls and providing a viscous shear working chamber therein; a second drive member having annular side walls mounted in said working chamber intermediate said first and second annular walls; a facing pair of said annular side walls, one on said first drive member and the other on said second drive member and having viscous shear drive means operative during rotation of said members, when there is a minimum volume of fluid in said working chamber from the outer perimeter thereof to an annular low-fill fluid level providing a maximum speed reduction, when the volume of said fluid in said working chamber is increased to increase the fill-level providing said fluid in an increasing portion of said viscous shear drive means the speed reduction is decreased, and when the volume of said fluid increases to a high-fill fluid level in said working chamber to provide fluid in a maximum portion of said viscous shear drive means a minimum speed reduction is provided; an enclosed compartment providing reservoir means separated from said working chamber by an air space and being exposed on all sides to ambient air and filled with said fluid, so the temperature of said fluid in said reservoir means is substantially responsive to ambient air temperature and unresponsive to the temperature of said first drive member, and having free passage means having a very small volume compared to said reservoir means communicating between said reservoir means and said working chamber between the outer periphery and said low-fill fluid level of said working chamber permitting free movement of said fluid between said reservoir means and said working chamber operative in response to increasing ambient air temperature to cause expansion of said fluid in said reservoir means to cause said fluid to move to said working chamber to increase the fluid level from said low-fill fluid level to said high-fill fluid level to change from maximum to minimum speed reduction.

Claim 8

A viscous fluid clutch comprising a first drive member including first and second spaced annular side walls and a peripheral wall connected to the outer peripheral portions of said annular side walls and providing a viscous shear working chamber therein; a second drive member having annular side walls mounted in said working chamber intermediate said first and second annular walls; a facing pair of said annular side walls, one on said first drive member and the other on said second drive member and having viscous shear drive means operative during rotation of said members, when there is a minimum volume of fluid in said working chamber from the outer perimeter thereof to an annular low-fill fluid level providing a maximum speed reduction, when the volume of said fluid in said working chamber is increased to increase the fill-level providing said fluid in an increasing portion of said viscous shear drive means the speed reduction is decreased, and when the volume of said fluid increases to a high-fill fluid level in said working chamber to provide fluid in a maximum portion of said viscous shear drive means a minimum speed reduction is provided; an enclosed compartment providing reservoir means separated from said working chamber by an air space and being exposed on all sides to ambient air and filled with said fluid, so the temperature of said fluid in said reservoir means is substantially responsive to ambient air temperature and unresponsive to the temperature of said first drive member, and having free passage means having a very small volume compared to said reservoir means communicating between said reservoir means and said working chamber between the outer periphery and said low-fill fluid level of said working chamber permitting free movement of said fluid between said reservoir means and said working chamber operative in response to increasing ambient air temperature to cause expansion of said fluid in said reservoir means to cause said fluid to move to said working chamber to increase the fluid level from said low-fill fluid level to said high-fill fluid level to change from maximum to minimum speed reduction.

Claim 9

A viscous fluid clutch comprising first and second relatively rotatable drive members, said first drive member having an annular working chamber formed therein, said second drive member being mounted in said working chamber and providing shear spaces adjacent opposite sides thereof, said shear spaces being operable with a fluid medium to provide a fluid shear drive relationship between said first and second drive members, at least one opening formed through said second drive member radially inwardly of said shear spaces and providing communication therebetween, an annular tubular member forming a reservoir chamber spaced apart from the outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces, and a plurality of conduits interconnecting said annular tubular member and said first drive member and communicating said fluid medium between said outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces and said reservoir chamber for causing said fluid medium to vary its inner annular level in said shear spaces as a result of expanding and contracting due to changes in ambient temperature around said annular tubular member, thereby varying the speed of said first drive member with respect to the speed of said second drive member.

Claim 10

A viscous fluid clutch comprising first and second relatively rotatable drive members, said first drive member having an annular working chamber formed therein, said second drive member being mounted in said working chamber and providing shear spaces adjacent opposite sides thereof, said shear spaces being operable with a fluid medium to provide a fluid shear drive relationship between said first and second drive members, at least one opening formed through said second drive member radially inwardly of said shear spaces and providing communication therebetween, an annular tubular member forming a reservoir chamber spaced apart from the outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces, and a plurality of conduits interconnecting said annular tubular member and said first drive member and communicating said fluid medium between said outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces and said reservoir chamber for causing said fluid medium to vary its inner annular level in said shear spaces as a result of expanding and contracting due to changes in ambient temperature around said annular tubular member, thereby varying the speed of said first drive member with respect to the speed of said second drive member.

Claim 11

A viscous fluid clutch comprising a first drive member including first and second annular walls connected at their outer peripheral portions and providing a working chamber therebetween, a drive shaft extending into said working chamber, a second drive member mounted on said drive shaft in said working chamber intermediate said first and second annular walls and providing a shear drive relationship therewith, opening means formed through said second drive member communicating between opposite sides thereof, annular reservoir means located apart from the outer peripheral portion of said working chamber and including a circular tubuLar-shaped chamber containing a fluid medium, and a pair of tubular conduits interconnecting said annular reservoir means and said outer peripheral portion of said working chamber and communicating said fluid medium therebetween for causing said fluid medium to vary its volume and thus its inner annular level in said working chamber in response to changes in ambient temperature around said tubular reservoir means, thereby varying the torque transmitted between said first and second drive members.

Claim 12

A viscous fluid clutch comprising a first drive member including first and second annular walls connected at their outer peripheral portions and providing a working chamber therebetween, a drive shaft extending into said working chamber, a second drive member mounted on said drive shaft in said working chamber intermediate said first and second annular walls and providing a shear drive relationship therewith, opening means formed through said second drive member communicating between opposite sides thereof, annular reservoir means located apart from the outer peripheral portion of said working chamber and including a circular tubuLar-shaped chamber containing a fluid medium, and a pair of tubular conduits interconnecting said annular reservoir means and said outer peripheral portion of said working chamber and communicating said fluid medium therebetween for causing said fluid medium to vary its volume and thus its inner annular level in said working chamber in response to changes in ambient temperature around said tubular reservoir means, thereby varying the torque transmitted between said first and second drive members.

Claim 13

A vicous fluid clutch comprising a first drive member including first and second annular walls connected at their outer peripheral portions and providing a working chamber therebetween, a drive shaft extending into said working chamber, a second drive member mounted on said drive shaft in said working chamber intermediate said first and second annular walls and providing a shear drive relationship therewith, an annular tubular reservoir member located exterior the outer peripheral portion of said working chamber, first conduitry means communicating between said annular tubular reservoir member and said outer peripheral portion of said working chamber for causing the fluid medium to vary its volume and thus its inner annular level in said working chamber in response to changes in ambient temperature around said annular tubular reservoir member, thereby varying the torque transmitted between said first and second drive members, and second conduitry means communicating between said annular tubular reservoir member and a radially inner portion of said working chamber for causing any air tending to become trapped in said annular tubular reservoir member to escape to said radially inner portion of said working chamber.

Claim 14

A vicous fluid clutch comprising a first drive member including first and second annular walls connected at their outer peripheral portions and providing a working chamber therebetween, a drive shaft extending into said working chamber, a second drive member mounted on said drive shaft in said working chamber intermediate said first and second annular walls and providing a shear drive relationship therewith, an annular tubular reservoir member located exterior the outer peripheral portion of said working chamber, first conduitry means communicating between said annular tubular reservoir member and said outer peripheral portion of said working chamber for causing the fluid medium to vary its volume and thus its inner annular level in said working chamber in response to changes in ambient temperature around said annular tubular reservoir member, thereby varying the torque transmitted between said first and second drive members, and second conduitry means communicating between said annular tubular reservoir member and a radially inner portion of said working chamber for causing any air tending to become trapped in said annular tubular reservoir member to escape to said radially inner portion of said working chamber.

Claim 15

A viscous fluid clutch comprising first and second relatively rotatable drive members, said first drive member having an annular working chamber formed therein, said second drive member being mounted in said working chamber and providing shear spaces adjacent opposite sides thereof, said shear spaces being operable with a fluid medium to provide a fluid shear drive relationship between said first and second drive members, a first annular tubular member forming a first reservoir chamber apart from the outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces, a conduit connected between said first annular tubular member and said first drive member for supporting said first annular tubular member and for communicating said fluid medium between said outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces and said first reservoir chamber for causing said fluid medium to vary its inner annular level in said shear spaces as a result of expanding and contracting due to changes in ambient temperature around said first annular tubular member, thereby varying the speed of said first drive member with respect to the speed of said second drive member, and a second smaller annular tubular member mounted within said first reservoir chamber and forming a second reservoir chamber containing a second fluid medium for expanding and contracting in response to changes in said ambient temperature to further vary the variation of said inner annular level of said first-mentioned fluid medium in said shear spaces.

Claim 16

A viscous fluid clutch comprising first and second relatively rotatable drive members, said first drive member having an annular working chamber formed therein, said second drive member being mounted in said working chamber and providing shear spaces adjacent opposite sides thereof, said shear spaces being operable with a fluid medium to provide a fluid shear drive relationship between said first and second drive members, a first annular tubular member forming a first reservoir chamber apart from the outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces, a conduit connected between said first annular tubular member and said first drive member for supporting said first annular tubular member and for communicating said fluid medium between said outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces and said first reservoir chamber for causing said fluid medium to vary its inner annular level in said shear spaces as a result of expanding and contracting due to changes in ambient temperature around said first annular tubular member, thereby varying the speed of said first drive member with respect to the speed of said second drive member, and a second smaller annular tubular member mounted within said first reservoir chamber and forming a second reservoir chamber containing a second fluid medium for expanding and contracting in response to changes in said ambient temperature to further vary the variation of said inner annular level of said first-mentioned fluid medium in said shear spaces.

Claim 17

A vicous fluid clutch comprising first and second relatively rotatable drive members, said first drive member having an annular working chamber formed therein, said second drive member being mounted in said working chamber and providing shear spaces adjacent opposite sides thereof, said shear spaces being operable with a fluid medium to provide a fluid shear drive relationship between said first and second drive members, an annular tubular member forming a reservoir chamber and being spaced apart from the outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces, at least one conduit serving to support said annular tubular member and to communicate said fluid medium between said outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces and said reservoir chamber for causing said fluid medium to vary its inneR annular level in said shear spaces as a result of expanding and contracting due to changes in ambient temperature around said annular tubular member, thereby varying the speed of said first drive member with respect to the speed of said second drive member, and an annular solid member mounted within said reservoir chamber, said annular solid member being adapted to expand and contract in response to changes in said ambient temperature to affect the volume of said fluid medium in said reservoir chamber to further vary the variation of said inner annular level of said fluid medium in said shear spaces.

Claim 18

A vicous fluid clutch comprising first and second relatively rotatable drive members, said first drive member having an annular working chamber formed therein, said second drive member being mounted in said working chamber and providing shear spaces adjacent opposite sides thereof, said shear spaces being operable with a fluid medium to provide a fluid shear drive relationship between said first and second drive members, an annular tubular member forming a reservoir chamber and being spaced apart from the outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces, at least one conduit serving to support said annular tubular member and to communicate said fluid medium between said outer peripheral portion of said shear spaces and said reservoir chamber for causing said fluid medium to vary its inneR annular level in said shear spaces as a result of expanding and contracting due to changes in ambient temperature around said annular tubular member, thereby varying the speed of said first drive member with respect to the speed of said second drive member, and an annular solid member mounted within said reservoir chamber, said annular solid member being adapted to expand and contract in response to changes in said ambient temperature to affect the volume of said fluid medium in said reservoir chamber to further vary the variation of said inner annular level of said fluid medium in said shear spaces.