Patents by Inventor Neil E. Robb

Neil E. Robb has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20010006599
    Abstract: A fan drive assembly including a cooling fan (11) and a fluid coupling device (13). The cooling fan includes a fan hub (17), a spider (15), and a plurality of fan blades (19). The coupling device has an output coupling assembly (21) including a body (23) and a cover (25). The body (23) includes preferably only three mounting portions (67), each being disposed immediately adjacent an outer periphery of the body. Each of the mounting portions (67) defines the necessary machining chucking surfaces (73), and a spider mounting surface (75) including a pilot surface (77) engaging the pilot diameter (79) of the spider (15). The body (23) includes cooling fins (61) covering substantially all of the rearward surface (59) of the body not covered by the mounting portions. The fan hub (17) also includes a rearwardly extending air dam portion (81), limiting localized radial air flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2001
    Publication date: July 5, 2001
    Inventors: Gerard M. Light, James R. DeBrabander, Neil E. Robb, Donald E. Buckley
  • Patent number: 6206639
    Abstract: A fan drive assembly including a cooling fan (11) and a fluid coupling device (13). The cooling fan includes a fan hub (17), a spider (15), and a plurality of fan blades (19). The coupling device has an output coupling assembly (21) including a body (23) and a cover (25). The body (23) includes preferably only three mounting portions (67), each being disposed immediately adjacent an outer periphery of the body. Each of the mounting portions (67) defines the necessary machining chucking surfaces (73), and a spider mounting surface (75) including a pilot surface (77) engaging the pilot diameter (79) of the spider (15). The body (23) includes cooling fins (61) covering substantially all of the rearward surface (59) of the body not covered by the mounting portions. The fan hub (17) also includes a rearwardly extending air dam portion (81), limiting localized radial air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Gerard M. Light, James R. DeBrabander, Neil E. Robb, Donald E. Buckley
  • Patent number: 6085881
    Abstract: A fluid coupling device having an input coupling member (11) disposed within an operating chamber (33), and operable to transmit torque to an output coupling assembly including a body (15) and a cover (17). Attached to the cover (17) is a valve plate (31) to separate the operating chamber (33) from a reservoir chamber (35), the valve plate defining a fill port (43a, 43b). In order to eliminate morning sickness, which results from the bleed back of fluid though the fill port, an accumulator plate (59) is provided, attached to the cover (17) to define an accumulator chamber (67) within the operating chamber (33). When the engine is turned off, any fluid draining from the reservoir back through the fill port is contained within the accumulator chamber (67), and prevented from flowing directly into the viscous shear chamber (53,55), which would result in morning sickness. After the engine is started, fluid flows from the accumulator chamber and fills the shear chamber in the normal manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Neil E. Robb
  • Patent number: 4826405
    Abstract: A system for fabricating fan blades wherein the assembly includes a flat hub plate having generally radially oriented notches defined therein intersecting the plate periphery. Individual blades each include a hub connection portion adjacent an inner end region which includes parallel flat portions angularly related to the general blade configuration interconnected by a transition portion. The flat blade portions are located upon opposite sides of the hub plate and the transition portion extends through the hub plate notch. The flat portions are attached to the hub plate, and by predetermining the position of the hub connection configuration on the blade, the fan characteristics can be predetermined and accurately duplicated. The system permits a standard set of tools to form a variety of sizes of fan blade components having various characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: Aeroquip Corporation
    Inventor: Neil E. Robb
  • Patent number: 4791713
    Abstract: A system for fabricating fan blades wherein the assembly includes a flat hub plate having generally radially oriented notches defined therein intersecting the plate periphery. Individual blades each include a hub connection portion adjacent an inner end region which includes parallel flat portions angularly related to the general blade configuration interconnected by a transition portion. The flat blade portions are located upon opposite sides of the hub plate and the transition portion extends through the hub plate notch. The flat portions are attached to the hub plate, and by predetermining the position of the hub connection configuration on the blade, the fan characteristics can be predetermined and accurately duplicated. The system permits a standard set of tools to form a variety of sizes of the fan blade components having various characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Assignee: Airmaster Fan Company
    Inventor: Neil E. Robb
  • Patent number: 4406581
    Abstract: An improved shrouded fan assembly (10, 10') is disclosed which forms a labyrinthian seal between a plurality of fan blades (20, 20') and an annular ring (16, 16') mounted to a non-rotating shroud (15, 15') without the use of a rotating annular shroud. The tip of at least one fan blade (20, 20') defines a slot (21, 21') adapted to receive the annular ring (16, 16') to form a labyrinthian seal therewith. The improvement increases fan efficiency by decreasing undesirable air flows in the shroud gap between the shroud (15, 15') and the tips of the fan blades (20, 20').
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1983
    Assignee: Hayes-Albion Corp.
    Inventors: Neil E. Robb, Thomas G. Gorman
  • Patent number: 4088423
    Abstract: A radiator cooling fan assembly is disclosed for use in trucks and other large vehicles. The heavy duty assembly includes a pair of hubs having radially extending arms with blades extending between aligned pairs of hub arms. The arms of one hub are substantially shorter than the arms of the other hub. In addition, the either hub may include either an enlarged aperture in its central portion or webbing between its arms or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Assignee: Hayes-Albion Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Dulin, Thomas G. Gorman, Neil E. Robb, Robert G. Wickham
  • Patent number: 4034438
    Abstract: The closure counter-balance is for attachment as a strut between a hingedly mounted movable closure and a support structure. The counter-balance includes a pair of tubular members telescopingly connected together in sliding relationship. A compression coil spring within the members urges the members apart. Means are provided to frictionally lock the tubular members together in any given relative position thereof. Means are also provided to pivotally attach one end of the counter-balance to the support structure, said means including a release mechanism for easy disengagement thereof. The other end of the counter-balance is provided with latch means which cooperate with means on the support structure to lock the counter-balance in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1975
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1977
    Assignee: Excel Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Louis R. Csokasy, Neil E. Robb