Fluid coupling with electric clutch

Claim 2

In a fluid and friction coupling, a combination comprising an input shaft; an output shaft; a housing having an axis and including a pump wheel of the fluid coupling mounted on said input shaft; at least one friction clutch coaxially accommodated in the interior of said housing and having a component mounted in said housing for movement axially thereof between a first position in which said friction clutch is disengaged and said input shaft is free to rotate relative to said housing, and a second position in which said friction clutch is engaged and said housing is connected to said input shaft for shared rotation therewith, including an armature; and means located at the exterior of said housing and operative for selectively generating a magnetic field penetrating through said housing from said exterior to said interior thereof to act on said armature to thereby displace said component between said positions thereof.

Claim 3

In a fluid and friction coupling, a combination comprising a housing having an axis and an interior which is sealed with respect to the exterior of said housing and accommodates a body of fluid for the fluid coupling; an output shaft mounted in said housing for rotation; at least one friction clutch coaxially accommodated in the interior of said housing and having a component mounted in said housing for movement axially thereof between a first position in which said friction clutch is disengaged and a second position in which said friction clutch is engaged and including an armature; and means located at the exterior of said housing and operative for selectively generating a magnetic field penetrating through said housing from the exterior to the interior thereof to act on said armature to thereby displace said component between said positions thereof, including an electromagnet outside of said body of fluid at said exterior of said housing, means for sensing a parameter of said output shaft, means for comparing the sensed parameter with a predetermined parameter and means for energizing said electromagnet in dependence on the difference between said parameters.

Claim 4

In a fluid and friction coupling, a combination comprising a housing having an axis and an interior which is sealed with respect to the exterior of said housing and accommodates a body of fluid for the fluid coupling; an output shaft mounted in said housing for rotation; at least one friction clutch coaxially accommodated in the interior of said housing and having a component mounted in said housing for movement axially thereof between a first position in which said friction clutch is disengaged and a second position in which said friction clutch is engaged and including an armature; and means located at the exterior of said housing and operative for selectively generating a magnetic field penetrating through said housing from the exterior to the interior thereof to act on said armature to thereby displace said component between said positions thereof, including an electromagnet outside of said body of fluid at said exterior of said housing, means for sensing a parameter of said output shaft, means for comparing the sensed parameter with a predetermined parameter and means for energizing said electromagnet in dependence on the difference between said parameters.

Claim 5

A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said sensed parameter is the speed of rotation of said output shaft.

Claim 6

In a fluid and friction coupling, a combination comprising a housing having an axis and an end wall at one axial end thereof; at least one friction clutch coaxially accommodated in the interior of said housing with a spacing from said end wall and having a component mounted in said housing for movement axially of the latter between a first position in which said friction clutch is disengaged and a second position in which said friction clutch is engaged; an armature rigidly mounted on said component for movement therewith and located at said end wall in said spacing; and means located at the exterior of said housing adjacent said end wall and operative for selectively generating a magnetic field penetrating through said end wall from the exterior to the interior of said housing to act on said armature and jointly displace the same with said component between said positions of the latter, whereas said friction clutch is located substantially outside the magnetic field generated by said generating means.

Claim 7

In a fluid and friction coupling, a combination comprising a housing having an axis and an end wall at one axial end thereof; at least one friction clutch coaxially accommodated in the interior of said housing with a spacing from said end wall and having a component mounted in said housing for movement axially of the latter between a first position in which said friction clutch is disengaged and a second position in which said friction clutch is engaged; an armature rigidly mounted on said component for movement therewith and located at said end wall in said spacing; and means located at the exterior of said housing adjacent said end wall and operative for selectively generating a magnetic field penetrating through said end wall from the exterior to the interior of said housing to act on said armature and jointly displace the same with said component between said positions of the latter, whereas said friction clutch is located substantially outside the magnetic field generated by said generating means.

Claim 8

A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said interior of said housing is sealed with respect to said exterior and accommodates a body of fluid for the fluid coupling; and wherein said generating means includes an electromagnet outside of said body of fluid at said exterior of said housing.

Claim 9

A combination as defined in claim 5; wherein said fluid coupling moves said body of fluid and further comprising means for guiding said moving fluid toward and past said friction clutch so as to cool the same.

Claim 10

A combination as defined in claim 5, wherein said electromagnet is annular and coaxial with said housing; and wherein said end wall is formed with at least one magnetically permeable portion located intermediate said electromagnet and said armature of said component so that said magnetic field penetrates through said magnetically permeable portion.

Claim 11

A combination as defined in claim 4, and further comprising an input shaft and an output shaft; wherein said housing is mounted on one of said shafts for rotation of the latter relative thereto when said component of said friction clutch is in said first position thereof, and for shared rotation therewith when said component of said friction clutch is displaced towards said second position thereof.

Claim 12

A combination as defined in claim 4, and further comprising an input shaft and an output shaft; wherein said housing is mounted on one of said shafts for rotation therewith; and wherein the other shaft is mounted in said housing for rotation relative thereto when said component of said friction clutch is in said first position thereof and for shared rotation therewith when said component of said friction clutch is in said second position thereof.

Claim 13

A combination as defined in claim 9, wherein said one shaft is said input shaft; further including a turbine wheel connected to said output shaft for rotation therewith; and wherein said housing includes a pump wheel of the fluid coupling.

Claim 14

A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said generating means displaces said component towards said first position thereof; and further comprising means for displacing said component towards said second position thereof upon termination of the action of said generating means.

Claim 15

A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said generating means displaces said component towards said second position thereof; and further comprising means for displacing said component towards said first position thereof upon termination of the action of said generating means.