A magnetic clutch has a driving-side rotating member for holding one of a magnetic substance member and a hysteresis member and rotating in asynchronization with a rotary shaft; a driven-side rotating member for holding the other of the magnetic substance member and the hysteresis member and rotating in synchronization with the shaft, the driven-side and driving-side rotating members being spaced apart on the shaft; and a device for regulating the rotation of the shaft with sliding friction caused by viscosity. Alternatively, the driving-side rotating member can rotate in synchronization with a rotary shaft, and the driven-side rotating member can rotate in asynchronization with the shaft.
A magnetic coupler has a magnetic disc containing permanent magnets located between two electroconductive plates and separated therefrom by air gaps. The magnetic disc and electroconductive plates are mounted on coaxial or parallel-spaced input and output shafts so that rotation of the input shaft causes rotation of the output shaft by way of magnetic friction between the permanent magnets and the electroconductive plates.
An electro-slip clutch may include a friction stack for receiving input rotation from an input shaft and a surrounding hub and for attaching to an output member. A bearing surface may be provided adjacent the friction stack and a solenoid may further be provided. The solenoid may include a plunger in a first position pressing against the bearing surface with a first degree of force and in a second position different than the first position relative to the bearing surface. Thus, torque transmitted through the friction stack is adjustable by the solenoid. A method of operating a clutch mechanism may include providing a solenoid adjacent a friction stack and providing a first current level to the solenoid, the first current level energizing a coil of the solenoid and pushing a plunger within the solenoid towards the friction stack with a first degree of force.
The invention relates to a device for driving a coolant pump (2) for the coolant circuit of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle comprising a drive train that encompasses a drive wheel (7), a viscous coupling (11), and a drive shaft (3). The inventive driving device is provided with a second coupling (15) which is embodied as a clutch and can be connected to the drive train parallel to the viscous coupling (11), resulting in increased redundancy and two-step rev control.
A magnetic coupler has a magnetic disc containing permanent magnets located between two electroconductive plates and separated therefrom by air gaps. The magnetic disc and electroconductive plates are mounted on coaxial or parallel-spaced input and output shafts so that rotation of the input shaft causes rotation of the output shaft by way of magnetic friction between the permanent magnets and the electroconductive plates.
A mechanism for transferring torque from a motor to a gear train through a magnetic hysteresis slip clutch has a feature for disconnecting the motor from the gear train. A cup element of the clutch is carried on a shaft and can be shifted along the shaft's axis. The cup element has a magnetic member on its outer surface and an interior hysteresis layer. An electromagnet can magnetically apply force to the magnetic member to axially shift the cup element, and by so doing can shift a drive gear carried on the cup element into and out of mesh with a first gear of the gear train. In a preferred embodiment, the cup element shifts the drive gear into mesh with the gear train's first gear when the electromagnet is energized and magnetically applies force to the magnetic member, and allows magnetic force applied to the hysteresis layer by a permanent magnet element of the clutch to shift the drive gear into its unmeshed position when the electromagnet is deenergized and does not apply force to the magnetic member.
