Fan coupling

Abstract

To suppress wear without impairing assembling workability of a damming member.SOLUTION: A fan coupling 1 includes: a clutch disc 3 fixed to a drive shaft 2 to rotate integrally with the drive shaft; a clutch housing 4 to which the fan is fixed; a labyrinth passage 12 provided between an outer surface of the clutch housing 4 and an outer side surface of the clutch disc 3 facing each other; a supply passage 13 that supplies a working fluid from a torque transmission chamber 11 to the labyrinth passage 12; a return passage 14 that guides the working fluid discharged radially outward from the labyrinth passage 12 to a storage chamber 10; and a damming member 15 for guiding the working fluid discharged from the labyrinth passage 12 to the return passage 14. The clutch housing 4 is provided with a groove 44 in which the damming member 15 is incorporated, and a spacer 16 for filling an incorporation gap of the damming member 15 is inserted into the groove 44.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fan coupling. [Background technology]

[0002] The inventor of the present application has proposed, for example, Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes that "a fan coupling device 100 that rotates and stops a fan by controlling the energization and cutoff of energization to an electromagnet 13 includes a labyrinth portion 10 provided between the opposing outer surfaces of a clutch housing 4 and a clutch disc 3, a working fluid supply passage 11 for supplying working fluid from a torque transmission chamber 9 to the labyrinth portion 10, and a working fluid discharge passage 12 for guiding working fluid discharged radially outward from the labyrinth portion 10 to a storage chamber 8." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-134820 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The inventors of the present application have considered a structure in which a damming member is incorporated into the clutch housing 4 in order to prevent the working fluid discharged from the labyrinth portion 10 from flowing into the working fluid supply passage 11 and to guide the working fluid into the working fluid discharge passage 12 in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1. However, with this structure, the inventors have considered that there is room for improvement, for example, if the damming member wears out in a short period of time and the damming effect of the working fluid decreases, it becomes impossible to control the operation of the fan.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a fan coupling that can suppress wear without impairing the ease of assembly of the second valve body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The fan coupling according to the present invention comprises a clutch disk fixed to a drive shaft so as to rotate integrally therewith and disposed within a torque transmission chamber described below; a clutch housing to which a fan is fixed and which has a working fluid storage chamber and a torque transmission chamber separated by a partition plate provided therein; a labyrinth passage provided between the opposing outer surface of the clutch housing and the outer surface of the clutch disk; a communication hole provided in the partition plate for communicating the inside of the storage chamber with the torque transmission chamber; a valve body for opening and closing the communication hole; and a clutch coupling for supplying working fluid from the torque transmission chamber to the labyrinth passage. The clutch housing has a supply passage provided between the inner surface of the latch disc and the inner surface of the clutch housing, a return passage that guides the working fluid discharged radially outward from the labyrinth passage by the rotational centrifugal force of the clutch disc to the storage chamber, and a damming member that blocks the working fluid discharged radially outward from the labyrinth passage so as not to flow into the supply passage and guides it to the return passage, wherein the clutch housing has a groove in which the damming member is fitted, and a spacer is inserted into the groove to fill any gaps that may be formed when the damming member is fitted.

[0007] According to this configuration, by fitting the spacer and the blocking member into the groove in the process of assembling the fan coupling, the blocking member is held in the groove without rattle.

[0008] This improves the ease of assembling the damming member, and also prevents the damming member from rattling within the groove, thereby preventing the damming member from colliding with the opening edge of the groove and becoming worn.

[0009] As a result, it becomes possible to avoid a decline in the original function of the damming member, that is, the damming effect of the working fluid, for a long period of time, and therefore it becomes possible to stably control the operation of the fan for a long period of time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fan coupling that can suppress wear without impairing the ease of assembling a damming member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a fan coupling according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a view showing the periphery of a damming member of the fan coupling. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] 1 and 2 show one embodiment of the present invention. The fan coupling 1 shown in the figures includes a drive shaft 2, a clutch disc 3, a clutch housing 4, a partition plate 5, an electromagnet 6, a valve body 7, an attraction plate 8, a control unit 9, etc.

[0014] The drive shaft 2 is rotated by an internal combustion engine (not shown), and has a clutch disc 3 fixed to the tip end of the drive shaft 2.

[0015] The clutch disc 3 is fixed to the drive shaft 2 near the tip end in the axial direction thereof so as to rotate integrally therewith.

[0016] A fan (not shown) is attached to the outer diameter side of the clutch housing 4. The clutch housing 4 has a two-piece structure in which a first housing 41 and a second housing 42 are combined together.

[0017] The second housing 42 is supported via a rolling bearing (reference numeral omitted) at a midpoint in the central axial direction of the drive shaft 2 so as to be relatively rotatable. The first housing 41 is fixed to the second housing 42 and is disposed so as to cover the tip end side of the drive shaft 2.

[0018] The interior of the clutch housing 4 is divided by a partition plate 5 into a reservoir chamber 10 for the working fluid and a torque transmission chamber 11. The working fluid is, for example, silicon oil.

[0019] The storage chamber 10 is formed between the second housing 42 and the partition plate 5. The torque transmission chamber 11 is formed between the first housing 41 and the partition plate 5. The clutch disc 3 is disposed within the torque transmission chamber 11.

[0020] The partition plate 5 is provided with a communication hole 51 that communicates between the storage chamber 10 and the torque transmission chamber 11. The communication hole 51 is adapted to be opened and closed by the valve body .

[0021] The electromagnet 6 is fixed to the internal combustion engine or an auxiliary device. The electromagnet 6 is formed in an annular shape, and the drive shaft 2 is rotatably inserted through the inner hole of the electromagnet 6 via a rolling bearing (reference number omitted).

[0022] The valve element 7 is formed of an elastic plate-like member. This valve element 7 closes the communication hole 51 when the electromagnet 6 is not energized, and is driven to open the communication hole 51 when the electromagnet 6 is energized.

[0023] The attraction plate 8 is attached to the valve body 7 closer to the electromagnet 6, and is attracted to the electromagnet 6 when the electromagnet 6 is energized.

[0024] The control unit 9 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an input / output interface, and a drive for a portable storage medium, and performs various functions by the CPU executing programs stored in the ROM or the HDD. One of these functions is to energize the electromagnet 6 at any timing.

[0025] A labyrinth passage 12 is provided between the outer peripheral region of the clutch disc 3 and the outer peripheral region of the first housing 41, where they face each other.

[0026] The labyrinth passage 12 is created by fitting together the comb tooth portion 31 provided on the outer peripheral region of the clutch disc 3 and the comb tooth portion 43 provided on the outer peripheral region of the first housing 41 with an appropriate gap.

[0027] Between the clutch disc 3 and the clutch housing 4, a supply passage 13, a return passage 14, etc. are provided.

[0028] The supply passage 13 is a flow path for guiding the working fluid in the torque transmission chamber 11 to the labyrinth passage 12, and is provided in a predetermined angular region in the circumferential direction of the clutch disc 3 between the opposing clutch disc 3 and the second housing 42 of the clutch housing 4, and is provided so as to connect the center side and the outer periphery side of the clutch disc 3.

[0029] The return passage 14 is a passage for guiding the working fluid discharged radially outward from the labyrinth passage 12 by the rotational centrifugal force of the clutch disc 3 and the clutch housing 4 to the storage chamber 10, and is configured by combining a gap 14a, a first passage 14b, a second passage 14c, and a third passage 14d.

[0030] Gap 14a is provided between the opposing clutch disc 3 and first housing 41 of clutch housing 4. First passage 14b is provided in first housing 41 so as to extend radially outward from gap 14a. Second passage 14c is provided in first housing 41 and second housing 42 so as to extend from first passage 14b parallel to the central axis of first housing 41 toward second housing 42. Third passage 14d is provided in second housing 42 so as to extend radially inward from second passage 14c and connect to storage chamber 10.

[0031] Further, a groove 44 is provided in the second housing 42 of the clutch housing 4. In this groove 44, a damming member 15 is incorporated.

[0032] The damming member 15 blocks the working fluid discharged radially outward from the labyrinth passage 12 so that it does not flow into the supply passage 13 and guides it to the return passage 14, and is in a state where it protrudes outward from the opening of the groove 44, thereby coming into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the clutch disc 3.

[0033] The damming member 15 is made of a resin that has excellent self-lubricating properties and abrasion resistance, such as fluororesin such as ETFE (Ethylene Tetra Fluoro Ethylene).

[0034] The groove 44 has a dovetail shape (or trapezoidal shape) in cross section that gradually narrows from the inner bottom toward the opening. A spacer 16 is attached to the groove 44 to fill the installation gap of the damming member 15.

[0035] The spacer 16 is made of a solid foamed resin, which is preferably one that is resistant to elastic deformation and has thermal expansion properties.

[0036] Next, the operation of the fan coupling 1 having the above configuration will be described.

[0037] When the electromagnet 6 is de-energized, the attraction plate 8 is moved away from the electromagnet 6 by the elastic force of the valve body 7, and the communication hole 51 is closed by the valve body 7, so that the working fluid in the storage chamber 10 cannot flow into the torque transmission chamber 11. As a result, torque cannot be transmitted from the clutch disc 3, which rotates integrally with the drive shaft 2, to the clutch housing 4, and the clutch housing 4 becomes non-rotating.

[0038] On the other hand, when the electromagnet 6 is energized by the control unit 9, the attraction plate 8 is attracted to the electromagnet 6, and the valve body 7 opens the communication hole 51, allowing the working fluid in the storage chamber 10 to flow through the communication hole 51 into the torque transmission chamber 11. The working fluid that has flowed into the torque transmission chamber 11 flows into the labyrinth passage 12 via the supply passage 13, and the working fluid in the labyrinth passage 12 circulates so that it is returned to the storage chamber 10 via the return passage 14. As a result, torque is transmitted from the clutch disc 3, which rotates integrally with the drive shaft 2, to the clutch housing 4 via the working fluid, and the clutch housing 4 rotates integrally with the clutch disc 3. In other words, a fan (not shown) rotates.

[0039] Here, when the damming member 15 is fitted into the groove 44 in the process of assembling the fan coupling 1, the spacer 16 is fitted into the groove 44 before the damming member 15 is fitted in. When the damming member 15 is fitted in this manner, the damming member 15 is held in the groove 44 without rattle.

[0040] This improves the ease of assembling the damming member 15, and also prevents the damming member 15 from rattling within the groove 44, thereby preventing the damming member 15 from colliding with the opening edge of the groove 44 and becoming worn. In particular, in this embodiment, the damming member 15 is made of a resin that is self-lubricating and has excellent wear resistance, which reduces wear on the sliding surface between the damming member 15 and the clutch disc 3.

[0041] As a result, it becomes possible to avoid a decline in the original function of the damming member 15, that is, the damming effect of the working fluid, for a long period of time, and therefore it becomes possible to stably control the operation of the fan (not shown) for a long period of time.

[0042] As described above, according to the embodiment to which the present invention is applied, it is possible to suppress wear without impairing the ease of assembling the damming member 15.

[0043] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the claims and the equivalents thereof.

[0044] In the above embodiment, an example is given in which the groove 44 has a dovetail shape in cross section, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0045] For example, although not shown, it is possible to make the cross-sectional shape of the groove 44 have the same width from the inner bottom to the opening. In the case of such an embodiment, the same effects and advantages as those of the above embodiment can be obtained. [Industrial Applicability]

[0046] The present invention can be suitably used in fan couplings. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1 Fan Coupling 2 drive shafts 3 clutch disc 31 Comb teeth 4 Clutch housing 41 First Housing 42 Second Housing 43 Comb teeth 44 Groove 5 Divider 51 Communication hole 6. Electromagnets 7 Valve body 8 Suction plate 9 Control Unit 10 Working fluid storage chamber 11 Torque transmission chamber 12 Labyrinth Passage 13 Supply route 14 Circulation channel 14a Gap 14b 1st aisle 14c 2nd aisle 14d 3rd aisle 15 Damming member 16 spacer

Claims

[Claim 1] a clutch disc fixed to the drive shaft so as to rotate integrally therewith and disposed within the torque transmission chamber; a clutch housing to which a fan is fixed and which has a working fluid storage chamber and a torque transmission chamber separated by a partition plate provided therein; a labyrinth passage provided between an outer surface of the clutch housing and an outer surface of the clutch disc; a communication hole provided in the partition plate that communicates between the storage chamber and the torque transmission chamber; a valve body for opening and closing the communication hole; a supply passage provided between an inner surface of the clutch disc and an inner surface of the clutch housing, the supply passage being configured to supply hydraulic fluid from the torque transmission chamber to the labyrinth passage; a return passage that guides the working fluid discharged radially outward from the labyrinth passage by the rotational centrifugal force of the clutch disc to the storage chamber; a damming member for guiding the working fluid discharged radially outward from the labyrinth passage to the return passage so as not to flow into the supply passage, The clutch housing is provided with a groove into which the damming member is fitted, A fan coupling characterized in that a spacer is inserted into the groove to fill a gap when the damming member is installed.

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