Self-contained fan clutch

Claim 2

A self-contained clutch having no external controls comprising, in combination: a first member for connection to a source of power; a second member rotatably mounted with respect to the first member; a drive disc in the same rotational position as the first member; friction facing means reciprocally carried by the second member for engagement with the drive disc; an environment sensing member carried by the second member; and means actuated by the first member and the condition of the environment sensing member for causing the friction facing to contact the drive disc when the environment sensing means senses a first environment range and to disengage the friction facing from the drive disc when the environment sensing member senses a second environment range so that when the condition of the environment sensed by the environment sensing means is within a first range, the friction facing is disengaged from the drive disc and thus the first and second members are not rotatably interrelated but when the condition of the environment sensed by the environment sensing means is within a second range, the friction facing is engaged with the drive disc and the first and second members are rotatably interrelated.

Claim 3

The clutch of claim 1 wherein the first member comprises a shaft, and wherein the second member is rotatably mounted on the shaft.

Claim 4

The clutch of claim 1 wherein the environment sensing means comprises heat sensing means for sensing the temperature of the environment.

Claim 5

A self-contained and temperature controlled, totally "on" or totally "off" fan clutch having no fluid or electric power lines connected externally to the clutch for connection to a live power shaft of an engine comprising, in combination: a drive disc having a first clutch friction surface, with the drive disc being coupled to the live power shaft; a fluid cavity for receiving fluid; means for moveably dividing the fluid cavity into a first section and a second section; a second clutch friction surface operably attached to the moveably dividing means for engagement with the first clutch friction surface; means for biasing the second clutch friction surface away from the first clutch friction surface; means for pumping fluid from the first section of the fluid cavity to the second section of the fluid cavity causing the moveably dividing means to move toward the first section and the second clutch friction surface attached to the dividing means to engage the first clutch friction surface, with the pumping means including a first means mounted on the clutch for sensing engine temperature for actuating the pumping means when the engine temperature reaches a predetermined temperature; means for shunting the hydraulic fluid from the second section to the first section of the fluid cavity causing the moveably dividing means to move toward the second section and the second clutch friction surface to disengage from the first clutch friction surface under the action of the biasing means, with the shunting means including a second means mounted on the clutch for sensing engine temperature for actuating the shunting means when the engine temperature reaches a predetermined temperature.

Claim 6

A self-contained and temperature controlled, totally "on" or totally "off" fan clutch having no fluid or electric power lines connected externally to the clutch for connection to a live power shaft of an engine comprising, in combination: a drive disc having a first clutch friction surface, with the drive disc being coupled to the live power shaft; a fluid cavity for receiving fluid; means for moveably dividing the fluid cavity into a first section and a second section; a second clutch friction surface operably attached to the moveably dividing means for engagement with the first clutch friction surface; means for biasing the second clutch friction surface away from the first clutch friction surface; means for pumping fluid from the first section of the fluid cavity to the second section of the fluid cavity causing the moveably dividing means to move toward the first section and the second clutch friction surface attached to the dividing means to engage the first clutch friction surface, with the pumping means including a first means mounted on the clutch for sensing engine temperature for actuating the pumping means when the engine temperature reaches a predetermined temperature; means for shunting the hydraulic fluid from the second section to the first section of the fluid cavity causing the moveably dividing means to move toward the second section and the second clutch friction surface to disengage from the first clutch friction surface under the action of the biasing means, with the shunting means including a second means mounted on the clutch for sensing engine temperature for actuating the shunting means when the engine temperature reaches a predetermined temperature.

Claim 7

The fan clutch of claim 4 further comprising a cam in a non rotatable relation to the live power shaft and the drive disc, wherein before the engine temperature reaches the predetermined temperature, the pumping means does not interact with the cam and wherein after the engine temperature reaches the predetermined temperature, the first engine temperature sensing means actuates the pumping means by causing the pumping means to contact the cam.

Claim 8

The fan clutch of claim 5 wherein the pumping means includes a pump plunger reciprocal in a pump cavity, wherein the pump plunger includes an outer end for contacting with the cam causing the pump plunger to reciprocate in the pump cavity.

Claim 9

The fan clutch of claim 6 wherein while the pump plunger is withdrawn in the pump cavity, fluid is sucked from the first section of the fluid cavity and while the pump plunger is moved into the pump cavity, fluid is forced into the second section of the fluid cavity, with the pump means further comprising means for preventing fluid from flowing into the first section of the fluid cavity when fluid is being forced into the second section of the fluid cavity and means for preventing fluid from being sucked from the second section of the fluid cavity when the fluid is being sucked from the first section of the fluid cavity.

Claim 10

The fan clutch of claim 7 wherein the fluid preventing means comprise check valves.

Claim 11

The fan clutch of claim 7 wherein the cam is wedge shaped and is attached to the drive disc.

Claim 12

The fan clutch of claim 4 wherein the shunting means comprises means for providing fluid flow from the second section of the fluid cavity to the first section including valve means for selectively stopping or allowing fluid flow through the fluid flow providing means, with the valve means being actuable by the second engine temperature sensing means, with the valve means stopping fluid flow through the fluid flow providing means when the engine temperature reaches the predetermined temperature and the valve means allowing fluid flow through the fluid flow providing means when the engine temperature is below the predetermined temperature.

Claim 13

The fan clutch of claim 4, 6 or 10 wherein the engine temperature sensing means comprises wax filled thermal pills.

Claim 14

A self-contained and temperature controlled, totally "on" or totally "off" fan clutch having no fluid or electric power lines connected externally to the clutch for connection to a live power shaft of an engine comprising, in combination: a drive disc having a first clutch friction surface, with the drive disc being coupled to the live power shaft; a fluid cavity for receiving fluid; means for moveably dividing the fluid cavity into a first section and a section section; a second clutch friction surface operably attached to the moveably dividing means for engagement with the first clutch friction surface; means for biasing the second clutch friction surface away from the first clutch friction surface; means for pumping fluid from the first section of the fluid cavity to the second section of the fluid cavity causing the moveably dividing means to move toward the first section and the second clutch friction surface attached to the dividing means to engage the first clutch friction surface; means for shunting the hydraulic fluid from the second section to the first section of the fluid cavity causing the moveably dividing means to move toward the second section and the second clutch friction surface to disengage from the first clutch friction surface under the action of the biasing means; and means mounted on the clutch for sensing engine temperature for actuating the pumping means and the shunting means when the engine temperature reaches a predetermined temperature.

Claim 15

A self-contained and temperature controlled, totally "on" or totally "off" fan clutch having no fluid or electric power lines connected externally to the clutch for connection to a live power shaft of an engine comprising, in combination: a drive disc having a first clutch friction surface, with the drive disc being coupled to the live power shaft; a fluid cavity for receiving fluid; means for moveably dividing the fluid cavity into a first section and a section section; a second clutch friction surface operably attached to the moveably dividing means for engagement with the first clutch friction surface; means for biasing the second clutch friction surface away from the first clutch friction surface; means for pumping fluid from the first section of the fluid cavity to the second section of the fluid cavity causing the moveably dividing means to move toward the first section and the second clutch friction surface attached to the dividing means to engage the first clutch friction surface; means for shunting the hydraulic fluid from the second section to the first section of the fluid cavity causing the moveably dividing means to move toward the second section and the second clutch friction surface to disengage from the first clutch friction surface under the action of the biasing means; and means mounted on the clutch for sensing engine temperature for actuating the pumping means and the shunting means when the engine temperature reaches a predetermined temperature.

Claim 16

The fan clutch of claim 12 wherein the engine temperature sensing means comprises, in combination: a first wax filled thermal pill for actuating the pumping means when the engine temperature reaches a predetermined temperature; and a second wax filled thermal pill for actuating the shunting means when the engine temperature reaches a predetermined temperature.

Claim 17

In a self-contained fan clutch including an annular housing having fan blades extending therefrom and mounted for rotation upon and about a drive disc by a live shaft, an annular piston mounted for reciprocation within an annular cylinder carried by and within said housing, said piston dividing said cylinder into a high pressure cavity side and a low pressure cavity side, friction facing means carried by said piston for engagement with said driven drive disc for rotation of said housing and fan blades thereon, the improvement thereof consisting in apparatus for the actuation of said piston for engagement and disengagement of said friction facing means of said piston with said driven drive disc for the rotation and non-rotation of said housing and fan blades thereon, said improvement including (a) a cam carried by said driven drive disc for rotation of the cam thereby, (b) a piston plunger mounted in a recess formed in said annular cylinder for reciprocation therein by said cam, (c) a heat sensing member carried by said housing and having engagement with said piston plunger for actuation of the piston plunger into and out of pressure contact with the cam, (d) means responsive to the action of said piston plunger in one direction of reciprocation for causing fluid pressure to occur on the high pressure side of said piston to move said piston with the friction facing thereon into contact with said driven drive disc to thereby rotate said housing and fan blades thereon, and (e) means for relieving fluid pressure on the low pressure side of said piston when said piston plunger is reciprocated in the opposite direction thereby moving said piston and friction facing thereon out of contact with said driven drive disc.

Claim 18

In a self-contained fan clutch including an annular housing having fan blades extending therefrom and mounted for rotation upon and about a drive disc by a live shaft, an annular piston mounted for reciprocation within an annular cylinder carried by and within said housing, said piston dividing said cylinder into a high pressure cavity side and a low pressure cavity side, friction facing means carried by said piston for engagement with said driven drive disc for rotation of said housing and fan blades thereon, the improvement thereof consisting in apparatus for the actuation of said piston for engagement and disengagement of said friction facing means of said piston with said driven drive disc for the rotation and non-rotation of said housing and fan blades thereon, said improvement including (a) a cam carried by said driven drive disc for rotation of the cam thereby, (b) a piston plunger mounted in a recess formed in said annular cylinder for reciprocation therein by said cam, (c) a heat sensing member carried by said housing and having engagement with said piston plunger for actuation of the piston plunger into and out of pressure contact with the cam, (d) means responsive to the action of said piston plunger in one direction of reciprocation for causing fluid pressure to occur on the high pressure side of said piston to move said piston with the friction facing thereon into contact with said driven drive disc to thereby rotate said housing and fan blades thereon, and (e) means for relieving fluid pressure on the low pressure side of said piston when said piston plunger is reciprocated in the opposite direction thereby moving said piston and friction facing thereon out of contact with said driven drive disc.

Claim 19

A self-contained clutch having no external controls comprising, in combination: a first member; a second member rotatably mounted with respect to the first member; a drive disc for rotation with the first member; a piston mounted for reciprocation within a cylinder carried by the second member, the piston dividing the cylinder into a high pressure cavity side and a low pressure cavity side; friction facing means engaged by the piston for engagement contact with the drive disc for providing rotation of the second member with the first member; an environment sensing means carried by the second member; and means actuated by the environment sensing means for moving fluid between the high pressure cavity side and the low pressure cavity side of the cylinder for moving the piston within the cylinder to cause the friction facing to engage and disengage with the drive disc so that when the condition of the environment sensed by the environment sensing means is within a first range, the friction facing is disengaged from the drive disc and thus the first and second members are not rotatably interrelated but when the condition of the environment sensed by the environment sensing means is within a second range, the friction facing is engaged with the drive disc and the first and second members are rotatably interrelated.

Claim 20

A self-contained clutch having no external controls comprising, in combination: a first member; a second member rotatably mounted with respect to the first member; a drive disc for rotation with the first member; a piston mounted for reciprocation within a cylinder carried by the second member, the piston dividing the cylinder into a high pressure cavity side and a low pressure cavity side; friction facing means engaged by the piston for engagement contact with the drive disc for providing rotation of the second member with the first member; an environment sensing means carried by the second member; and means actuated by the environment sensing means for moving fluid between the high pressure cavity side and the low pressure cavity side of the cylinder for moving the piston within the cylinder to cause the friction facing to engage and disengage with the drive disc so that when the condition of the environment sensed by the environment sensing means is within a first range, the friction facing is disengaged from the drive disc and thus the first and second members are not rotatably interrelated but when the condition of the environment sensed by the environment sensing means is within a second range, the friction facing is engaged with the drive disc and the first and second members are rotatably interrelated.

Claim 21

The clutch of claim 15 wherein the fluid moving means comprises, in combination: means for pumping fluid from the low pressure cavity side to the high pressure cavity side of the cylinder; means for shunting fluid from the high pressure cavity side to the low pressure cavity side of the cylinder when the condition of the environment is within the second range, but prevents shunting fluid between the high pressure cavity side and the low pressure cavity side of the cylinder when the condition of the environment is within the first range; and means for biasing the piston to the high pressure cavity side of the cylinder to thereby provide a fully "on" or "off" operation of tbe clutch.

Claim 22

The clutch of claim 16 wherein the shunting means comprises, in combination: a second environment sensing means carried by the second member; and bypass check valve means actuated by the second environment sensing means for allowing fluid to be bypassed from the high pressure cavity side to the low pressure cavity side of the cylinder.

Claim 23

The clutch of claim 17 wherein the second environment sensing means includes a stem which extends and retracts with the condition of the environment; and wherein the shunting means further comprises, in combination: a push plate for engagement with the stem of the second environment sensing means; means for biasing the push plate against the stem of the second environment sensing means; and means for biasing the push plate and the bypass check valve means apart.

Claim 24

The clutch of claim 16 wherein the fluid moving means includes, in combination: means for providing fluid passage between the high pressure cavity side and the shunting means; means for providing fluid passage between the shunting means and the low pressure cavity side; means for providing fluid passage from the low pressure cavity side to the pump means but preventing fluid passage from the pump means to the low pressure cavity side; and means for providing fluid passage from the pump means to the high pressure cavity side but preventing fluid passage from the high pressure cavity side to the pump means.

Claim 25

The clutch of claim 19 wherein the means for providing fluid passage from the low pressure cavity side to the pump means but preventing fluid passage from the pump means to the low pressure cavity side includes a suction side poppet valve and wherein the means for providing fluid passage from the pump means to the high pressure cavity side but preventing fluid passage from the high pressure cavity side to the pump means includes a suction side poppet valve.

Claim 26

The clutch of claim 16 wherein the fluid moving means further comprises, in combination: a fluid reservoir located in the second member; means for providing fluid passage between the high pressure cavity side and the shunting means; means for providing fluid passage between the fluid reservoir and the shunting means; means for providing fluid passage between the fluid reservoir and the low pressure cavity side; means for providing fluid passage from the low pressure cavity side and the reservoir to the pump means but preventing fluid passage from the pump means to the low pressure cavity side and the reservoir; and means for providing fluid passage from the pump means to the high pressure cavity side but preventing fluid passage from the high pressure cavity side to the pump means.

Claim 27

The clutch of claim 16 wherein the first member further comprises, in combination: means for rotation with the first member for actuating the pump means with the environment sensing means.

Claim 28

The clutch of claim 22 wherein the means for rotation with the first member for actuating the pump means with the environment sensing means comprises, in combination: a cam mounted on the first member; and wherein the pump means comprises, in combination: a pump plunger reciprocal in a pump cavity and having an outer end for contact with the cam of the first member.

Claim 29

The clutch of claim 23 wherein the environment sensing means includes a stem which extends and retracts with the condition of the environment; and wherein the pump means comprises, in combination: a push plate for engagement with the stem of the environment sensing means; means for biasing the push plate against the stem of the environment sensing means; and means for biasing the push plate and the pump plunger apart.

Claim 30

The clutch of claim 15 wherein the first member comprises a shaft, and wherein the second member is rotatably mounted on the shaft.

Claim 31

The clutch of claim 15 wherein the environment sensing means comprises heat sensing means for sensing the temperature of the environment.

Claim 32

A self-contained clutch having no external controls comprising, in combination: a first member; a second member rotatably mounted with respect to the first member; a drive disc for rotation with the first member; friction facing means reciprocally carried by the second member for engagement with the drive disc of the first member; an environment sensing member carried by the second member; means actuated by the first member and the condition of the environment sensing member for causing the friction facing to contact the drive disc when the environment sensing means senses a first environment range and to disengage the friction facing from the drive disc when the environment sensing member senses a second environment range so that when the condition of the environment sensed by the environment sensing means is within a first range, the friction facing is disengaged from the drive disc and thus the first and second members are not rotatably interrelated but when the condition of the environment sensed by the environment sensing means is within a second range, the friction facing is engaged with the drive disc and the first and second members are rotatably interrelated; and a piston mounted for reciprocation within a cylinder carried by the second member, with the piston dividing the cylinder into a high pressure cavity side and a low pressure cavity side, with the friction facing means being reciprocated by the piston; and wherein the means for causing the friction facing to engage and disengage with the drive disc comprises, in combination: means for moving fluid between the high pressure cavity side and the low pressure cavity side of the cylinder.

Claim 33

A self-contained clutch having no external controls comprising, in combination: a first member; a second member rotatably mounted with respect to the first member; a drive disc for rotation with the first member; friction facing means reciprocally carried by the second member for engagement with the drive disc of the first member; an environment sensing member carried by the second member; means actuated by the first member and the condition of the environment sensing member for causing the friction facing to contact the drive disc when the environment sensing means senses a first environment range and to disengage the friction facing from the drive disc when the environment sensing member senses a second environment range so that when the condition of the environment sensed by the environment sensing means is within a first range, the friction facing is disengaged from the drive disc and thus the first and second members are not rotatably interrelated but when the condition of the environment sensed by the environment sensing means is within a second range, the friction facing is engaged with the drive disc and the first and second members are rotatably interrelated; and a piston mounted for reciprocation within a cylinder carried by the second member, with the piston dividing the cylinder into a high pressure cavity side and a low pressure cavity side, with the friction facing means being reciprocated by the piston; and wherein the means for causing the friction facing to engage and disengage with the drive disc comprises, in combination: means for moving fluid between the high pressure cavity side and the low pressure cavity side of the cylinder.

Claim 34

The clutch of claim 27 wherein the fluid moving means comprises, in combination: means for pumping fluid from the low pressure cavity side to the high pressure cavity side of the cylinder; means for shunting fluid from the high pressure cavity side to the low pressure cavity side of the cylinder; and means for biasing the piston to the high pressure cavity side of the cylinder.

Claim 35

The clutch of claim 28 wherein the environment sensing means comprises, in combination: a first environment sensing member for actuating the pumping means and a second environment sensing member for actuating the shunting means.

Claim 36

The clutch of claim 28 wherein the fluid moving means includes, in combination: means for providing fluid passage between the high pressure cavity side and the shunting means; means for providing fluid passage between the shunting means and the low pressure cavity side; means for providing fluid passage from the low pressure cavity side to the pump means but preventing fluid passage from the pump means to the low pressure cavity side; and means for providing fluid passage from the pump means to the high pressure cavity side but preventing fluid passage from the high pressure cavity side to the pump means.

Claim 37

The clutch of claim 30 wherein the means for providing fluid passage from the low pressure cavity side to the pump means but preventing fluid passage from the pump means to the low pressure cavity side includes a suction side poppet valve and wherein the means for providing fluid passage from the pump means to the high pressure cavity side but preventing fluid passage from the high pressure cavity side to the pump means includes a suction side poppet valve.

Claim 38

The clutch of claim 28 wherein the means for causing the friction facing to engage and disengage with the drive disc further comprises, in combination: a cam mounted on the first member; and wherein the pump means comprises, in combination: a pump plunger reciprocal in a pump cavity and having an outer end for contact with the cam of the first member.

Claim 39

The clutch of claim 32 wherein the environment sensing means includes a stem which extends and retracts with the condition of the environment; and wherein the pump means comprises, in combination: a push plate for engagement with the stem of the environment sensing means; means for biasing the push plate against the stem of the environment sensing means; and means for biasing the push plate and the pump plunger apart.

Claim 40

The clutch of claim 28 wherein the shunting means comprises, in combination: a second environment sensing means carried by the second member; and bypass check valve means actuated by the second environment sensing means for allowing fluid to be bypassed from the high pressure cavity side to the low pressure cavity side of the cylinder.

Claim 41

The clutch of claim 34 wherein the environment sensing means includes a stem which extends and retracts with the condition of the environment; and wherein the shunting means further comprises, in combination: a push plate for engagement with the stem of the environment sensing means; means for biasing the push plate against the stem of the environment sensing means; and means for biasing the push plate and the bypass check valve means apart.

Claim 42

The clutch of claim 15 or 1 further comprising, in combination: fan blades operatively connected to the second member for rotation therewith.