Engine Cooling Fans Patents (Class 416/169A)
  • Patent number: 4876492
    Abstract: An apparatus for pumping fluid such as an integral pump/motor is provided. A housing having an inlet and an outlet has a rotatable assembly including an impeller located within and adapted to rotate within the housing to move fluid through the housing from the inlet to the outlet. Secured to the exterior of the housing is a stationary assembly for applying an electromagnetic field through the housing to and around the impeller to rotate the impeller and thereby to cause it to move fluid through the housing.The apparatus is for use in a cooling system, such as a cooling system of an automobile engine, to pump fluid through the cooling system. A temperature sensor is provided for sensing the temperature of the fluid within the cooling system. An electronic control, responsive to the temperature sensor, supplies electrical power to stationary assembly.Also, a method of circulating fluid within a system, such as a cooling system of an automobile engine, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gene D. Lester, Richard A. Morgan, Harold B. Harms, John P. Barrett, Tsung K. Chang, Donald S. Cushing, Richard F. Broo, William M. Hood
  • Patent number: 4871298
    Abstract: The blade (10) for a propeller constituted by a hub (20) to which the feet (12) are fixed has a leading edge (14) and a trailing edge (15) which is formed by two arcs (152, 153) having respective mean radii of curvature (.rho.2, .rho.3) which are different and interconnected without an angular point. These edges are both curved in the downstream direction and define a blade which narrows from the axis to the periphery of the propeller. Application in propellers of motorized fans associated with automobile vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: ECIA - Equipments Et Composants Pour L'Industrie Automoblie
    Inventor: Jean C. Vera
  • Patent number: 4737077
    Abstract: The blade has an axis (.GAMMA.) which is the locus of the thrust centers (C) of its cross-sections parallel to its foot (13) which has a connecting point (I) between an abyssal arc (.gamma..sub.1) whose concavity faces toward the leading edge (11) and a summit arc (.gamma..sub.2) whose concavity faces toward the trailing edge (12) of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1988
    Assignee: Aciers et Outillage Peugeot
    Inventor: Jean-Claude Vera
  • Patent number: 4718378
    Abstract: A cooling system for an I.C. engine includes a gerotor pump coupling a drive shaft 10 to the fan blades 20. The pump is arranged to self-prime when a by-pass passage 26 connecting the pump with the reservoir is closed by initial movement of the thermostat 34 displacing a tube 36 to close port 38. When primed, the gerotor set will drive the fan at an intermediate speed. Further movement of the thermostat displaces a spool valve 26 to take waist 24 out of register with transfer path 22 so that the pump locks up and the fan is driven at a higher speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: Concentric Pumps Limited
    Inventor: Robin E. Child
  • Patent number: 4692053
    Abstract: A universal, direct drive fan coupling designed to attach a radiator cooling fan to a water pump of an internal combustion engine for an automobile or like vehicle wherein the subject coupling is specifically designed to efficiently replace the fan idling clutch present in many relatively current models of American made automobiles, or like vehicles. The inherent versatility of the subject direct drive coupling enables the elimination of any clutch mechanism normally found in the aforementioned automobile type which is positioned between the rotating shaft associated with the conventional cooling fan and a subsequently positioned and driven component of the circulation system such as the water pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1987
    Assignees: Manuel Sampedro, Russell T. Kohuth
    Inventor: Manuel Sampedro
  • Patent number: 4655686
    Abstract: An air conveying device is provided on a radiator for water cooled internal combustion engines. The device comprises a fan rotor supported on the internal combustion engine by means of a fan rotor shaft on which is located a belt pulley for a driving belt. A fan shroud surrounds the outer ends of the fan blades and is fastened to the blade tips. So that even belts with a relatively short belt length can be installed from the fan rotor direction, the fan shroud has at least one slot extending in the axial direction for inserting the belt and for slipping the length of belt which is positioned at the shaft-free end of the fan rotor over the fan shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Assignee: Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Manfred Nonnenmann, Kurt Hauser, Hans-Dieter Gohl
  • Patent number: 4569631
    Abstract: A fan in which the root-to-tip net blade skew angle (A.sub.b) (either forward or rearward) is less than 1/2 of the blade spacing; in a first radially inward region of the blade, the blade is rearwardly skewed as indicated by the leading edge skew angle (A.sub.e); in a second region radially outward of the first region, the leading edge skew angle indicates a forward skew.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1986
    Assignee: Airflow Research and Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventor: Leslie M. Gray, III
  • Patent number: 4487551
    Abstract: A cooling fan assembly made of plastic material is composed of a plurality of fan blades and a boss and connected to a viscous fluid coupling device rotatably mounted through a bearing assembly on a driving shaft of an automotive vehicle. An axially resilient connecting member in the form of a plate spring is fixed to the boss of the fan assembly at one end thereof and to the coupling device at the other end thereof, whereby the inertia moment of the fan rotation causes the appropriate rotation of the fan assembly in spite of possible misalignment of the coupling device with respect to the driving shaft to thereby protect the bearing assembly from being damaged. Helical or waved springs may be interposed between the fan boss and the coupling device in place of the plate spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken-Ichiro Mizutani, Hiroto Masai, Nobuyoshi Kozawa
  • Patent number: 4459087
    Abstract: A fan unit for cooling an internal combustion engine comprising a fan impeller associated with a coaxial channel for guiding the air travelling through said impeller and an electric driving motor of DC type. The channel is fixed to the ends of the blades of the impeller and rotates with the impeller and itself constitutes the rotor of the electric motor whose stator coaxially surrounds at least a part of the channel. The stator is rigid with a fixed shaft around which the impeller rotates. This fan unit has a high permeability when inoperative so that it is particularly adapted for use in an automobile vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1984
    Assignee: Aciers et Outillage Peugeot
    Inventor: Jean Barge
  • Patent number: 4425879
    Abstract: This disclosure deals with a drive for a fan of an internal combustion engine, the drive including a clutch connected between the engine and the fan blades. A piston is movable to actuate the clutch, and an actuating fluid is employed to move the piston. The fan drive is connected to the engine lubricating system so that the engine lubricant acts as the actuating fluid. An engine temperature responsive circuit actuates the clutch to engage and disengage at certain engine temperatures. The fan drive includes a fluid feed path, return path and control path, but only two fluid connections to the clutch are necessary. When the temperature responsive circuit operates to disengage the clutch, a valve releases the pressure in order to quickly disengage the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1984
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Shadday, Dennis A. Wilber
  • Patent number: 4384824
    Abstract: A fan for attachment to fan clutch housing members having supporting shoulders at two different radial distances from their axis, respectively. The fan comprises a plurality of fan blade supporting arms extending radially outward from a hub and a central opening formed through the hub. The central opening is defined by a plurality of angularly spaced apart inner arcuate edges located at a first radial distance from the axis of the hub and a plurality of angularly spaced apart outer arcuate edges located at a second radial distance from the axis of the hub, wherein the second radial distance is greater than the first radial distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1983
    Assignee: Eagle-Motive Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Woods
  • Patent number: 4302156
    Abstract: Electro-viscous fan clutch having an electromagnet carried by a rotatable pump plate within the confines of the clutch housing. The electromagnet controls a spring arm valve element which is deflected to a spring loaded position by the generated magnetic field so that viscous clutch operation is terminated. On deenergization of the electromagnet, the valve element springs back to a position in which the fluid gate is opened to allow viscous operation of the clutch for engine cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1981
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Frank E. LaFlame
  • Patent number: 4227861
    Abstract: Engine cooling fan with viscous-magnetic clutch which is electrically energized on closure of thermal switch mounted within engine coolant. As fan coil housing is driven on engagement of the magnetic clutch, silicone fluid is centrifugally displaced into working area of viscous clutch for fluid drive of fan body. Because of slippage in the fluid drive, fan speeds will gradually increase from minimum to maximum speeds. With progressive increase in speed, conventional fan blading can be employed without excessive fan generated noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1980
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Frank E. LaFlame
  • Patent number: 4169693
    Abstract: A fluid coupling device and fan mounting arrangement is disclosed. The fan is of the type having a hub portion and a plurality of fan blades integrally molded therewith from a plastic material and an annular spider having its outer periphery attached to the hub portion and a plurality of inwardly extending tabs bolted to bolt bosses projecting forwardly from the front surface of the output coupling member. The bolt bosses define a bolt circle having a radius R.sub.1 and the output coupling member includes a plurality of pilot portions defining a pilot diameter of radius R.sub.2, wherein R.sub.2 is greater than R.sub.1. The annular spider includes a plurality of inwardly extending pilot tabs, each of which engages the outer periphery of one of the pilot portions of the output member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1979
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Richard K. Brubaker
  • Patent number: 4153389
    Abstract: A plastic fan configured for attachment to a fan drive in a manner in which cooling air will be promoted to flow from the rear of the fan drive across the rear fins of the fan drive and through the blades of the fan. The flow of air across the rear fins increases heat dissipation from the fan drive. The fan has a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced blades secured to an axially extending hub portion. The hub portion is configured to be radially spaced from the fan drive to define an annular passage. Further, the front edge of the hub portion is spaced rearwardly from the forward portion of the rear fins of the fan drive to define a slot for cooling air to flow substantially unrestricted through the annular passage and to the blades of the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1979
    Inventor: Keith A. Boyd
  • Patent number: 4150919
    Abstract: A fan construction of the type having a hoop configured hub provided with fan blades. The hub has apertures adjacent the blade roots. A viscous drive carries the hub. Rotation of the fan causes a pressure differential between the two ends of each hub aperture thus forcing an airflow radially outward to assist in cooling the viscous drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1979
    Assignee: Wallace Murray Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph V. Matucheski
  • Patent number: 4132301
    Abstract: A fluid actuatable fan clutch having an energy absorbing internal caliper action, including a pulley or sheave rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft; an annular friction facing connected to an internal surface of the sheave; a fan blade hub rotatably mounted on the shaft adjacent the sheave, the hub having an annular piston cavity or cylinder having a piston located therein facing the friction facing, the piston being normally urged out of contact with the friction facing by a suitable spring member; an annular thrust cap located on the side of said friction facing opposite the piston, the thrust cap being connected to the fan hub and being normally out of contact with the friction facing; and suitable passageways for supplying air or other fluid to the back side of said piston for urging the piston into contact with said friction facing and against said thrust cap to thereby engage the fan hub with the sheave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1979
    Assignee: Evans Products Company
    Inventor: Jerry L. Zabonick
  • Patent number: 4044729
    Abstract: A cooling fan drive for the motor of a vehicle has a fan drive hub with the fan blades at the front end and a bracket at the rear end for mounting on the motor. An internal friction clutch connects the fan blades to an external casing formed with grooves to receive driving belts. The clutch is operated by a pneumatic ram at the rear end of the assembly near the mounting bracket and compressed air to actuate the ram is admitted at the rear end through an air line from a thermostat valve in the coolant circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1977
    Inventor: Arthur Ernest Henry Elmer