JP2008115928A - Viscose fluid coupling device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a viscous fluid coupling device capable of surely operating a valve, though using a lightweight and small actuator in a reduced space. <P>SOLUTION: This viscous fluid coupling device has a flowing hole 25 formed at a partition member 24 for making a viscous fluid flow to an operation chamber 23 from a storage chamber 22, and the valve 26 displaceable along the opening surface of the flowing hole 25 for opening and closing the flowing hole 25 by the operation of the actuator 30 and applying an external force in the opposite direction of the partition member 24 when performing operation for opening the flowing hole 25 by being brought into an abutting state of abutting on the partition member 24 in a position for closing the flowing hole 25. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a viscous fluid coupling device including a driving rotator to which a driving force from an engine is input and a driven rotator that rotates together with the driving rotator via a viscous fluid.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a viscous fluid coupling device is known that detects the temperature of cooling air heat exchanged with a cooling medium circulating in an engine and adjusts the flow rate of the cooling air by switching the flow state of the viscous fluid. The viscous fluid coupling device basically includes a drive rotator that rotates in response to the driving force of the engine and a driven rotator that rotates with the drive rotator. The drive rotator includes a drive shaft and a rotor that rotates integrally with the drive shaft. A rotor is arrange | positioned inside the housing which comprises a driven rotary body. The interior of the housing is filled with silicone oil, and the rotational force of the rotor is transmitted to the housing. Thereby, the cooling fan provided in the outer periphery of the housing rotates and the engine is cooled.

  The interior of the housing is divided by a partition plate into a storage chamber for storing silicone oil and a working chamber having the rotor. A flow hole is provided in the partition plate, and silicone oil is supplied from the storage chamber to the working chamber through the flow hole. The silicone oil supplied to the working chamber is given a centrifugal force by the rotation of the rotor, passes through the labyrinth formed in the rotor, and is returned again to the storage chamber through the passage in the outer peripheral portion of the working chamber. As the amount of silicone oil circulating in the housing increases, the shear resistance of the silicone oil passing through the labyrinth increases and the housing rotates with the rotor.

  The opening degree of the flow hole is adjusted using a valve. As a valve drive means, a viscous fluid coupling device using an actuator is known. For example, in the viscous fluid coupling device of Patent Document 1, a valve is arranged with a slight gap with respect to a plate-like member provided with a flow hole through which a viscous fluid flows, and an armature and an electromagnetic actuator are arranged with respect to the valve. It is arranged. When the electromagnetic actuator is operated, rotational torque is generated in the armature, whereby the valve rotates together with the armature with respect to the plate-like member to adjust the opening degree of the flow hole.

  On the other hand, in the viscous fluid coupling device, in order to reduce noise generated by the operation of the cooling fan, it is required to reduce excessive activation of the cooling fan. Therefore, for example, in the viscous fluid coupling device of Patent Document 2, the shape of the valve is changed in order to improve the certainty of the opening / closing operation of the valve. The viscous fluid coupling device of Patent Document 2 operates the valve by an actuator, similarly to the viscous fluid coupling device of Patent Document 1, but has a protrusion that slightly fits in the flow hole on the surface of the valve. . By this protrusion, when the cooling fan is not in operation, the valve is not easily displaced from the position of the flow hole, and the viscous fluid is prevented from inadvertently flowing from the storage chamber side to the working chamber side.

JP-A-6-42558 US Pat. No. 6,560,098

  A valve used in a viscous fluid coupling device is required to have a sealing property that reliably closes a flow hole through which a viscous fluid flows during non-operation, and good operability and responsiveness during operation. In this regard, the viscous fluid coupling device of Patent Document 1 is a type that uses an actuator, and the valve can be moved immediately if the actuator is operated. However, in this viscous fluid coupling device, since there is always a gap between the valve and the plate-like member provided with the flow hole, even if the valve is in the closed position of the flow hole, oil slightly flows out from this gap, Good sealability cannot be obtained. Note that even if the gap between the plate-like member and the valve is simply eliminated, the sliding resistance of the valve is increased, which causes another problem of increasing the burden on the actuator.

  The viscous fluid coupling device of Patent Document 2 is also a type that uses an actuator. In this viscous fluid coupling device, a protrusion is provided on the valve, and the protrusion protrudes into the flow hole when the valve is closed. However, in such a configuration, when the valve is opened, the protrusion is caught by the inner edge portion of the flow hole to become a resistance, and good operability cannot be obtained. For this reason, a larger rotational torque must be applied to operate the valve. Note that it is desirable that the actuator that operates the valve be as light and compact as possible in order to reduce the weight of the apparatus and the installation space. However, when a large rotational torque is required as in Patent Document 2, it is difficult to reduce the weight and size of the actuator.

  As described above, it has been difficult in the past to realize both reliable operability and responsiveness of the valve and lightening and downsizing of the actuator.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a viscous fluid coupling device capable of reliably operating a valve while using a space-saving, lightweight and small actuator in view of the above-described problems of the prior art.

  The viscous fluid coupling device according to the present invention is characterized in that the viscous fluid coupling device includes a drive rotator to which a driving force from an engine is input and a driven rotator that rotates together with the drive rotator via the viscous fluid. The driven rotator includes a housing that surrounds at least a part of the drive rotator, and stores a storage chamber for storing the viscous fluid and at least a part of the drive rotator inside the housing. A partition member divided into a working chamber and a flow hole provided in the partition member to flow the viscous fluid from the storage chamber to the working chamber, and the flow to open and close the flow hole by the operation of the actuator. The partition portion is displaceable along the opening surface of the hole and is in contact with the partition member at a position where the flow hole is closed, and when the flow hole is opened. Lies in that a valve which external force is applied in the direction opposite to the.

  In the viscous fluid coupling device of this configuration, a valve that can be displaced along the opening surface of the flow hole provided in the partition member is provided by the operation of the actuator. This valve is in contact with the partition member at a position where the flow hole is closed, and external force is applied in the direction opposite to the partition member when the flow hole is opened. Therefore, when the valve is stopped at the position where the flow hole is closed, the valve comes into contact with the partition member to improve the sealing performance with respect to the flow hole. If the sealing property is improved, the inadvertent inflow of viscous fluid from the storage chamber to the working chamber is prevented, so that excessive cooling fan activation does not occur, and noise can be reduced as a result. On the other hand, when the valve is displaced so as to change the flow hole from the closed state to the open state, an external force is applied to the valve in the direction opposite to the partition member, thereby reducing the sliding resistance of the valve. When the sliding resistance is reduced, the operability and responsiveness of the valve are improved, and a low-power actuator (that is, a lightweight and small actuator) can be used, thus reducing the weight and size of the viscous fluid coupling device. And space saving.

  In the viscous fluid coupling device according to the present invention, the valve is made of a magnetic material, the actuator is an electromagnetic solenoid, and the valve is magnetically attracted in the direction of the electromagnetic solenoid by the operation of the electromagnetic solenoid. It is also possible to do.

  In the viscous fluid coupling device of this configuration, a magnetic field is formed when an electromagnetic solenoid that is an actuator is operated. At this time, since the valve is made of a magnetic material, the valve receives magnetism from the electromagnetic solenoid and is magnetically attracted in the direction of the electromagnetic solenoid. As a result, the pressing force for the valve to contact the partition member is reduced. Alternatively, the valve is separated from the partition member. Therefore, if the electromagnetic solenoid is operated, the sliding resistance of the valve with respect to the partition member can be reduced accordingly. Further, if the electromagnetic solenoid is stopped, the magnetism disappears, so that the magnetic attractive force is lost and the valve immediately returns to the original contact state.

  In the viscous fluid coupling device according to the present invention, a valve operating member that rotates relative to the partition member may be provided, and one end side of the valve configured by a plate member may be attached to the valve operating member.

  In the viscous fluid coupling device of this configuration, a valve operating member that rotates relative to the partition member is provided, and one end side of a valve configured by a plate-like member is attached to the valve operating member. For this reason, when the electromagnetic solenoid rotates the valve operating member, the opening degree of the valve can be easily adjusted. Further, since the amount of displacement of the valve matches the amount of rotation of the valve operating member, the valve can be opened and closed accurately and reliably.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited to the structure described in the following embodiment and drawing, The structure equivalent to these can also be included.

[Overall configuration of viscous fluid coupling device]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the viscous fluid coupling device 100 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of the viscous fluid coupling device 100. FIG. 3 is a front view showing a main part of the viscous fluid coupling device 100. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part of the viscous fluid device 100.

  The viscous fluid coupling device 100 includes a drive rotator 10 to which a driving force from an engine (not shown) is input, and a driven rotator 20 that rotates together with the drive rotator 10 via a viscous fluid. The drive body 10 includes a drive shaft 11 connected to the crankshaft of the engine, and a rotor 12 fixed to the end of the drive shaft 11. The driven rotor 20 includes a housing 21. The housing 21 surrounds at least a part of the drive rotating body 10.

  In the present embodiment, the housing 21 surrounds the entire rotor 12 and a part of the drive shaft 11. For example, silicone oil is sealed in the housing 21 as a viscous fluid. Furthermore, the housing 21 is provided with a partition member 24 that divides the interior of the housing 21 into a storage chamber 22 that stores silicone oil and an operation chamber 23 that houses a part of the rotor 12 and the drive shaft 11. The partition member 24 has a disk shape as shown in FIG.

  The partition member 24 is formed with a flow hole 25 for allowing the viscous fluid to flow from the storage chamber 22 to the working chamber 23. As shown in FIG. 2, the circulation holes 25 are provided at two positions that are point-symmetric with respect to the center of the partition member 24, and are opened and closed by a valve 26 provided on the storage chamber 22 side. In addition, the position which provides the circulation hole 25 may be one place, or three or more places.

  A valve operating member 27 that rotates relative to the partition member 24 is further provided on the storage chamber 22 side. As shown in FIG. 2, the valve operating member 27 has six wing-shaped portions 27a to 27f that spread radially, and in the present embodiment, the center of the valve operating member 27 among these wing-shaped portions 27a to 27f. A valve 26 is attached to the two wings 27a and 27d that are in a point-symmetrical positional relationship with respect to the line. Depending on the position and number of the flow holes 25, the valves 26 can be provided on other wing-shaped portions.

  The valve 26 is configured by a plate-like member as shown in FIG. 2, and one end side is fixed to the center side of the valve operating member 27 by adhesion, spot welding, or the like, and the other end side is appropriately folded to surface the valve operating member 27. It is in the state slightly separated from. In this configuration, when the valve operating member 27 is rotated, the valve 26 is displaced along the rotation direction. Thereby, the opening degree adjustment of the valve 26 can be easily performed. Further, since the displacement amount of the valve 26 coincides with the rotation amount of the valve operating member 27, the opening and closing operation of the valve 26 can be performed accurately and reliably.

  The valve operating member 27 is operated by an actuator 30 provided outside the housing 21. Actuator 30 is connected to an engine ECU (not shown) via harness 50. For example, when the engine ECU determines that the temperature of the engine coolant is high, an activation command is transmitted to the actuator 30, and electric power is supplied to the actuator 30 to start driving. As a result, the valve operating member 27 is operated, and at the same time, the valve 26 attached to the wings 27a and 27d of the valve operating member 27 is displaced along the opening surface of the flow hole 25, whereby the flow hole 25 is opened. In addition to the engine cooling water temperature, the engine speed, an air conditioner operation signal, and the like can be used as a determination material of the engine ECU for starting the actuator 30.

  In this embodiment, an electromagnetic solenoid 30 is employed as the actuator 30 that operates the valve operating member 27. The electromagnetic solenoid 30 generates a magnetic force and rotationally drives the valve operating member 27. Specifically, the valve operating member 27 is made of a magnetizable metal such as iron, and as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of magnetically attractable stators 31 corresponding to the wings 27a to 27f are provided. The valve actuating member 27 is arranged so as to be displaced by a predetermined angle from the position of the flow hole 25 along the rotation direction of the valve operating member 27. The valve actuating member 27 is biased by a spring 28 so that the valve 26 attached to the wings 27a and 27d is in a position to close the flow hole 25 when the electromagnetic solenoid 30 is not actuated (FIG. 3). (A)). Next, when the electromagnetic solenoid 30 is operated in this state, a magnetic circuit is formed from the electromagnetic solenoid 30 to the valve operating member 27 and the stator 31. At this time, the valve operating member 27 is magnetized and rotates so as to be attracted to the stator 31. As a result, the valve 26 is displaced with respect to the flow hole 25, and the flow hole 25 is opened (FIG. 3B).

  When the circulation hole 25 is opened, the silicone oil inside the storage chamber 22 flows into the working chamber 23 through the circulation hole 25. The silicone oil that has flowed in passes through the labyrinth 13 formed at the peripheral edge of the rotor 12 inside the working chamber 23. In the labyrinth 13, shear resistance is generated due to the viscosity of the silicone oil, and the rotational torque of the drive rotator 10 is transmitted to the driven rotator 20. Thereby, the driven rotator 20 rotates with the drive rotator 10, and the cooling fan operates. The silicone oil that has passed through the labyrinth 13 is returned to the storage chamber 22 through a passage formed in the outer peripheral portion of the working chamber 23 by the action of centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the driven rotor 20.

  When the electromagnetic solenoid 30 is stopped, the magnetic circuit disappears, and the valve operating member 27 is returned to the original position by the action of the spring 28 (FIG. 3A). At this time, since the valve 26 is closed, the flow of silicone oil from the storage chamber 22 to the working chamber 23 is blocked. Eventually, the silicone oil is no longer supplied to the labyrinth 13 inside the working chamber 23 and the shear resistance is lost. As a result, the drive rotator 10 idles with respect to the driven rotator 20, and the cooling fan stops.

  Incidentally, as described above, the viscous fluid coupling device 100 of the present invention opens and closes the flow hole 25 when the valve 26 attached to the valve operating member 27 is displaced by the operation of the electromagnetic solenoid 30. If the contact member 26 and the partition member 24 are in contact with each other, as explained in the above-mentioned “Problem to be Solved by the Invention”, the sliding resistance of the valve 26 is increased, and the operability / responsiveness is lowered. The solenoid 30 will be increased in size. Therefore, the viscous fluid coupling device 100 of the present invention employs the configuration described below for the valve 26.

[Valve configuration]
Conventionally, a valve used in a viscous fluid coupling device is made of a nonmagnetic material such as stainless steel (for example, SUS304, SUS316). On the other hand, the valve | bulb 26 of the viscous fluid coupling apparatus 100 of this invention is comprised with magnetic materials, such as steel (for example, SPCC, SPH, SPS).

  As described above, when the electromagnetic solenoid 30 is not in operation (when the power is turned off), the plate-like member valve 26 attached to the wing-like portions 27a and 27d of the valve actuating member 27 opens the flow hole 25 by the spring 28. It is biased to the closed position (FIG. 3 (a)). In this state, the valve 26 abuts against the partition member 24 with a certain amount of pressing force by its own plate spring action, and seals the flow hole 25 well (FIG. 4A). Therefore, in this contact state, the viscous fluid is prevented from flowing from the storage chamber 22 into the working chamber 23, and the cooling fan does not start excessively. As a result, noise accompanying the operation of the cooling fan can be reduced.

  When the electromagnetic solenoid 30 is actuated (when the power is turned on), a magnetic circuit is formed from the electromagnetic solenoid 30 to the valve actuating member 27 and the stator 31 as shown by arrows in FIG. 4B, and the valve actuating member 27 is magnetized. Then, the rotation operation is started in the direction where the stator 31 exists. At this time, the valve 26 made of a magnetic material is attracted in the direction of the electromagnetic solenoid 30 opposite to the partition member 24 due to the influence of the magnetic circuit generated from the electromagnetic solenoid 30. Thereby, since the pressing force of the valve 26 contacting the partition member 24 is reduced, the sliding resistance of the valve 26 is also reduced. When the magnetic force of the electromagnetic solenoid 30 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the pressing force of the valve 26 becomes zero, the opposite side (the other end side) of the attachment portion (one end side) of the valve 26 is lifted from the partition member 24, and the end portion is It contacts the valve operating member 27 (FIG. 4B). That is, the valve 26 is separated from the partition member 24. In this separated state, the sliding resistance of the valve 26 is substantially zero. Thus, when the sliding resistance of the valve 26 is reduced or substantially zero, the operability and responsiveness of the valve 26 are improved. Further, in this case, since a large rotational torque is not required for displacing the valve 26, a low-power actuator (that is, a light and small actuator) can be employed. For this reason, the viscous fluid coupling device 100 can be reduced in weight, size, and space.

  When the electromagnetic solenoid 30 is stopped again (power is turned off) from the separated state of FIG. 4B, the magnetic circuit disappears and the magnetic attractive force of the electromagnetic solenoid 30 disappears. While being in the contact state of (a), it is returned to the original biased position (the state of FIG. 3 (a)) by the action of the spring.

[Another embodiment]
<1> In the above embodiment, the magnetic force of the electromagnetic solenoid 30 is used as a means for reducing the pressing force of the valve 26 contacting the partition member 24 or separating the valve 26, but the pressing of the valve 26 by other means is used. It is also possible to reduce the pressure or move the valve 26 apart. For example, when a thread groove is formed around the rotation axis of the valve operating member 27 and the valve operating member 27 rotates in the direction in which the valve 26 opens, the valve operating member 27 moves in a direction away from the partition member 24 along the thread groove. To be configured. In this case, the valve 26 moves in a direction away from the partition member 24 as the valve operating member 27 rotates, so that the pressing force of the valve 26 can be reduced or the valve 26 can be separated. In the case of adopting the another embodiment 1, the valve 26 need not be made of a magnetic material. As an alternative to the magnetic material, for example, the valve 26 can be made of a fluororesin, fluororubber or the like having excellent sealing properties and corrosion resistance.

<2> In the above embodiment, the valve actuating member 27 is attached by the spring 28 so that the valve 26 attached to the wings 27a and 27d closes the flow hole 25 when the electromagnetic solenoid 30 is not actuated. When the electromagnetic solenoid 30 is actuated and activated, the valve 26 starts to be displaced. However, a configuration that performs a different operation may be used. For example, the opening degree adjustment of the valve 26 with respect to the flow hole 25 may be performed not only by the displacement in the rotation direction of the valve 26 but also by the variation in the separation distance from the partition member 24. In this case, another actuator for moving the valve in the direction perpendicular to the opening surface of the flow hole 25 is provided.

<3> In the above embodiment, the valve 26 is a plate-like member with one end attached to the valve operating member 27. However, as long as the flow hole 24 can be opened and closed without increasing the sliding resistance with the partition member. It is also possible to employ valves having other shapes. In order to further improve the sealing performance of the valve 26 or reduce friction, the surface of the valve 26 may be subjected to secondary processing such as fluororesin coating.

Cross section of viscous fluid coupling device Exploded perspective view showing the main part of the viscous fluid coupling device Front view showing main parts of viscous fluid coupling device Expanded sectional view showing the main part of the viscous fluid device

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Drive rotary body 20 Followed rotary body 21 Housing 22 Storage chamber 23 Actuation chamber 24 Partition member 25 Flow hole 26 Valve 30 Electromagnetic solenoid (actuator)
100 Viscous fluid coupling device

Claims (3)

A viscous fluid coupling device comprising: a drive rotator to which a driving force from an engine is input; and a driven rotator that rotates together with the drive rotator via a viscous fluid,
The driven rotator includes a housing that surrounds at least a part of the drive rotator, a storage chamber that stores the viscous fluid inside the housing, and an operation chamber that houses at least a part of the drive rotator. Divided into partition members,
A flow hole provided in the partition member to flow the viscous fluid from the storage chamber to the working chamber;
The actuator can be displaced along the opening surface of the flow hole to open and close the flow hole by the operation of the actuator, and is brought into contact with the partition member at a position where the flow hole is closed to open the flow hole. A valve to which an external force is applied in a direction opposite to the partition member when performing the operation;
Viscous fluid coupling device.   The viscous fluid coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the valve is made of a magnetic material, the actuator is an electromagnetic solenoid, and the valve is magnetically attracted in the direction of the electromagnetic solenoid by the operation of the electromagnetic solenoid.   The viscous fluid coupling device according to claim 2, wherein a valve operating member that rotates relative to the partition member is provided, and one end side of the valve configured by a plate member is attached to the valve operating member.

Images