Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6790006
-
Patent Number
6,790,006
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, June 25, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 14, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Look; Edward K.
- White; Dwayne
Agents
- Dziegielewski; Greg
- Artz & Artz, P.C.
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CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 416 133
- 416 169 H
- 416 204 R
- 416 244
- 416 500
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A flexible metal disk used to mount the fan to the fan drive. The metal disk is a resilient mounting, and as such reduces vibration levels between the fan and fan drive, thereby preventing damage to various components within the cooling system. The flexible metal disk also functions to self align the fan and the fan drive. The flexible metal disk is also durable, and therefore offers improved creep and deterioration resistance as compared with typical elastomeric mountings. In another preferred embodiment, multiple flexible metal disks may be coupled together and used to mount the fan to the fan drive to provide additional damping as compared with single disk systems.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates generally to cooling systems and more specifically to a flexible metal element fan isolation mount.
BACKGROUND ART
Cooling systems are used on vehicles today to provide cooling to an engine during operation. A typical cooling system comprises a combination water pump and fan drive. Fan drives are typically driven by the engine crankshaft at a fixed ratio to cool engine coolant as it flows through a radiator. More specifically, a fan that is rigidly mounted to the fan drive generates the airflow as a function of engine crankshaft rotational speed for cooling the radiator.
One problem that is common in these types of cooling systems is vibration caused by the mounting of the fan to the fan drive. This vibration can be detrimental to various components in the cooling system, including the fan hub or water pump.
It has been shown that if the fan is resiliently mounted to the fan drive (for example, using rubber grommets under the bolt heads and between the fan and fan drive), substantial reduction in cooling system vibration levels can be achieved. However, rubber or other elastomeric mounts can change properties over time with temperature, thereby affecting vibration levels. Further, elastomeric materials are also subject to creep and deterioration over time.
It is thus highly desirable to introduce a flexible, durable mounting apparatus to mount the fan to the fan drive to decrease vibration levels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other objects of the invention are met by the present invention that is an improvement over known cooling systems.
The present invention includes the use of a flexible metal disk, or elements, to mount the fan to the fan drive. The metal disk is a resilient mounting, and as such reduces vibration levels between the fan and fan drive, thereby preventing damage to various components within the cooling system. The flexible metal disk also functions to self align the fan and the fan drive. The flexible metal disk is also durable, and therefore offers improved creep and deterioration resistance as compared with typical elastomeric mountings.
In another preferred embodiment, multiple flexible metal disks may be coupled together to provide additional damping as compared with single disk systems.
Other features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention, when viewed in accordance with the attached drawings and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a combination fan drive and water pump according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a rear view of the fan drive of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a partial side view of
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 4
is a side view of
FIG. 2
having multiple flexible metal elements;
FIG. 5
is a front view of a flexible metal element used to mount the fan to the fan drive as shown in
FIGS. 2-4
; and
FIG. 6
is a front view of a flexible metal element used to mount the fan to the fan drive according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
BEST MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Referring now to
FIG. 1
, a cooling system
20
for an engine
22
is shown as having a coupled water pump
24
and fan drive
26
. A fan
32
having a series of fan blades
34
is rigidly mounted to the fan drive
26
. A series of belts
28
convert torque from an engine crankshaft
30
to drive the water pump
24
and fan drive
26
in a manner well known in the art. As the fan drive
26
rotates, the blades
34
of the coupled fan
32
provide cooling airflow to a radiator (not shown) of the engine
22
.
As best seen in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, a flexible metal disk
36
is used to mount the hub
38
of the fan
32
to the fan drive
26
. To accomplish this, a back side
40
of the disk
36
is closely coupled to a corresponding flat side region
42
on the hub
38
. A plurality of rivets
44
are inserted through a corresponding rivet hole
46
(as shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
) extending through the disk
36
and riveted to the flat side region
42
to secure the disk
36
to the hub
38
. Of course, as is appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other types of mounting devices other than rivets
44
may be used to secure the flexible disk
36
to the hub
38
.
An outer end
48
of the fan drive
26
is then inserted through a hollow center region
37
of the hub
38
and reversibly coupled to the fan drive
26
using the flexible metal disk
36
. This is accomplished by inserting a bolt
50
through each of a plurality of bolt holes
52
on the disk
36
and securing them within a corresponding mounting hole
54
. When properly mounted, the head
56
of each bolt
50
is closely coupled to the front side
58
of the disk
36
opposite the mounting holes
54
. Of course, as is well known in the art, other types of coupling devices other than bolts
50
secured within a corresponding mounting hole
54
may be used.
The disk
36
retains torsional rigidity while allowing angular misalignment between the fan
32
and fan drive
26
. This prevents the fan
32
from transmitting vibration to the fan drive
26
or vice versa to damage cooling system components such as the water pump
24
or hub
38
. The disk
36
also prevents the fan
32
and fan drive
26
from cooperating at a resonant condition.
As seen in
FIG. 4
, multiple disks
36
can be laminated together or otherwise coupled such that the back side
40
of one disk
36
is closely coupled to the front side
58
of the next respective disk
36
and such that the corresponding bolt holes
52
and rivet holes
46
match up to form a multiple disk layer
36
A. These multiple disk layers
36
A may then used to mount the fan
32
to the fan drive
26
in a manner similar to that described above with respect to FIG.
3
. As the number of disks
36
in the disk layer
36
A increases, the amount of damping achieved between the fan
32
and fan drive
26
correspondingly increases. Preferably, approximately 1-4 disks
36
are used in the disk layer
36
A for optimal damping characteristics and cost savings.
FIGS. 3 and 4
, as illustrated, are not intended to represent a completely accurate side view of
FIG. 2
having one or multiple disks
36
,
36
A, instead these Figures are drawn to more clearly illustrate how the rivets
44
and bolts
50
are used to couple the disks
36
,
36
A to the fan
32
and fan drive
26
.
FIGS. 5 and 6
illustrate a plan view of the front side
58
of the flexible disk
36
according to two possible preferred embodiments. The embodiment according to
FIG. 5
, as shown above in
FIGS. 2-4
, is substantially square shaped and continuous (i.e. not segmented), while the embodiment in
FIG. 6
is substantially circular shaped and continuous. The disk
36
preferably comprises a flexible material that has sufficient strength and flexibility at all possible engine operating conditions. The material must resist deterioration and creep throughout the life of the engine
22
. Flexible disks
36
made from metals such as aluminum or steel are preferred for these reasons.
As shown in
FIG. 5
, each of the plurality of rivet holes
46
and bolt holes
52
are located symmetrically about the disk
36
such that each rivet hole
46
is located at a corner region
60
of the square shaped front side
58
and such that each bolt hole is located equally between each rivet hole
46
on a side region
62
of the front side
58
. As is understood by persons of skill in the art, during operation of the engine
22
to drive the fan drive
26
and water pump
24
, any flexing that takes place in the disk
36
will occur along each side region
62
between each rivet hole
46
and bolt holt
52
and will therefore not be transmitted as vibration through the cooling system
20
.
Of course, in alternative embodiments, the positioning of the rivet holes
46
and bolt holes
52
could be switched and still fall within the spirit of the present invention. Further, the number of rivet holes
46
and/or bolt holes
52
could be increased or decreased and still fall within the spirit of the present invention.
In addition, the shape of the disk
36
could be altered in a wide variety of different manners and still fall within the spirit of the present invention. This is illustrated in
FIG. 6
, in which the disk
36
is substantially circular in shape and comprises a series of rivet holes
46
and bolt holes spaced circumferentially around the disk
36
.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, these holes
46
,
52
are evenly spaced and alternating around the circumference of the disk
36
. However, it should be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the holes
46
,
52
may be placed in a non-alternating fashion or that the spacing between each respective rivet hole
46
and bolt hole
52
may vary in a symmetrical manner around the circumference of the disk and still fall within the spirit of the present invention. As is understood by persons of skill in the art, during operation of the engine
22
to drive the fan drive
26
and water pump
24
, any flexing that takes place in the disk
36
will occur between each rivet hole
46
and bolt holt
52
and will therefore not be transmitted as vibration through the cooling system
20
.
In the preferred embodiments of
FIGS. 5 and 6
, the flexible metal disk
36
offers many improvements to other types of mounts that have been used in cooling systems
20
. First, the metallic disk
36
retains torsional rigidity but allows angular misalignment of the fan
32
and fan drive
26
, thus preventing the fan
32
from transmitting vibration through the fan drive
26
and also preventing the fan drive
26
from transmitting vibration to the fan
32
. The disk
36
also prevents the fan
32
and fan drive
26
from cooperating in resonant condition, a condition that is potentially detrimental to components of the cooling system
20
, including but not limited to the fan hub
38
and the water pump
24
. Further, because the disk
36
is made of flexible metal, it resists deterioration and creep over time as compared with elastomeric mounts. Also, the strength and flexible mechanical properties of the flexible metal disk
36
remain relatively constant throughout the variation engine operating temperatures as compared with elastomeric mounts, and as such system reaction to various engine operating temperatures can be more closely controlled.
While the best modes for carrying out the present invention have been described in detail herein, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternate designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims. All of these embodiments and variations that come within the scope and meaning of the present claims are included within the scope of the present invention. For example, the same technique is also used to make flexible disk shaft couplings.
Claims
- 1. A method for improving damping characteristics between a fan and a fan drive a cooling system comprising:forming at least two flexible metal disks, wherein each of said at least two flexible metal disks has a plurality of bolt holes and a plurality of rivet holes; coupling a front side of one of said at least two flexible metal disks to a back side of the next respective one of said at least two flexible disks to form a multiple disk layer, said formed multiple disk layer having a first outer side and a second outer side; coupling said first outer side of said multiple disk layer to the fan; and coupling said second outer side of said multiple disk layer to the fan drive.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling said first outer side comprises:closely coupling a first outer side of said multiple disk layer to a flat side region of a hub of the fan; inserting a rivet through each of a respective one of a plurality of rivet holes on each of said at least to flexible metal disks; and securing said rivet to said flat side region.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling said second outer side comprises:closely coupling said second outer side of said multiple disk layer to said fan drive; inserting a bolt within each of a respective one of a plurality of bolt holes of each of said at least two flexible disks of said multiple disk layer such that a head of said bolt is closely coupled said first outer side of said multiple disk layer; securing said bolt within a corresponding one of a plurality of mounting holes on the fan drive such that said head remains closely coupled to said first outer side.
- 4. A fan mounting system comprising:a fan having a hub and a plurality of blades, said hub having a flat side region and a hollow center region; a fan drive having an outer end, said first end coupled within said hollow center region, said outer end having a plurality of mounting holes; and at least two flexible metal disks for coupling said hub to said fan drive, said at least two flexible metal disk used to decrease vibration between said fan and said fan drive and to self center said fan on said fan drive.
- 5. The fan mounting system of claim 4, wherein said at least two flexible metal disks are coupled to said hub by inserting a rivet through each respective one of a plurality of rivet holes of each of said at least two flexible metal disks and securing said rivet to said flat side region of said hub.
- 6. The fan mounting system of claim 5, wherein said at least two flexible metal disks are reversibly coupled to said outer end by:coupling a back side of an outer one of said at least two flexible disks to said flat side region of said hub; inserting a bolt having a head within each respective one of a plurality of bolt holes of each of said at least two flexible disks; reversibly securing said bolt within a corresponding one of said plurality of mounting holes.
- 7. The fan mounting system of claim 5, wherein said at least two flexible metal disks comprises at least two flexible aluminum disks.
- 8. The fan mounting system of claim 5, wherein said at least two flexible metal disks comprises at least two flexible steel disks.
- 9. The fan mounting system of claim 5, wherein said at least two metal disks comprises at least two continuous flexible metal disks.
- 10. A method for improving damping characteristics between fan and a fan drive in a cooling system comprising:coupling at least two flexible metal disks to the fan; and coupling said at least two flexible metal disks to the fan drive.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein coupling at least two flexible metal disks to the fan comprises;inserting a rivet through each respective one of a plurality of rivet holes of each of said at least two flexible metal disks; and securing said rivet to a flat side region of a hub of the fan.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein coupling said at least two flexible metal disk to the fan drive comprises:inserting a bolt having a head within each respective one of a plurality of bolt holes of each of said at least two flexible disks; coupling said fan drive to said at least two flexible metal disks by securing said bolt within a corresponding one of a plurality of mounting holes on the fan drive.
US Referenced Citations (10)