US PATENT SUBCLASS 60 / 330
.~ Coaxial impeller and turbine unit

Current as of: June, 1999
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60 /   HD   POWER PLANTS

325  DF  PRESSURE FLUID SOURCE AND MOTOR {47}
330.~ Coaxial impeller and turbine unit {11}
331  DF  .~.~> Reversible turbine or turbine system {4}
336  DF  .~.~> Having filtering, de-aerating, cleaning or bleeding structure
337  DF  .~.~> Having heating or cooling means
338  DF  .~.~> Having shock, vibration or surge control structure
339  DF  .~.~> Having lubricating means
340  DF  .~.~> Plural turbines drive relatively movable output members
341  DF  .~.~> Having brake or clutch controlling movement of a flow guide located in the impeller-turbine flow path {4}
347  DF  .~.~> Having condition responsive or manually settable control means to regulate unit output {5}
361  DF  .~.~> Having separate guide or reaction means in circuit including impeller and turbine {1}
363  DF  .~.~> Plural impeller-turbine units
364  DF  .~.~> Impeller or turbine integral with unit housing {2}

DEFINITION

Classification: 60/330

(under subclass 325) Apparatus comprising means for transmitting torque from a first rotating shaft to a second coaxial rotatable shaft, to which shafts are secured shroud elements, each of which is generally concave (e.g., hemispherical or hemitoroidal) and provided with generally radial vanes secured within the concavity, the elements being capable of forming a spheroidal toroidal enclosure for a mass of liquid material, in which device rotation of the first shaft (and of the vanes carried thereby, i.e., impeller) causes particles of the liquid mass or working fluid to circulate in a small circle that lies in a plane coincident with (or parallel to) the axis of rotation of the shafts and simultaneously circulate in a larger circle that lies in a plane at right angles to said axis, which circulation of the mass causes rotation of the second shaft and the vanes i.e., turbine carried thereby are moved by the fluid.

(1) Note. The devices herein provided for are known in the art under various names including "vortex flow drive", "fluid drive", "fluid coupling", "fly wheel", "torque convertor", "hydrokinetic torque transformer". Such devices generally fall into one of two categories. In one of these (e.g.,

"fluid coupling") the angular velocity of the driven shroud element referred to in the definition for this subclass cannot be greater than that of the driving element (and is usually less due to slippage); thus the torque is not increased. In the other category (e.g., "torque converter") an additional radially vaned element is interposed in the flow of fluid to modify, direction of movement and velocity in the fluid and thereby change the torque transmitted from the first shaft to the second shaft.

(2) Note. Frequently the devices classified in this and indented subclasses (e.g., fluid couplings, torque converters, etc.) are combined with clutches and/or gearing and/or brakes among other mechanisms.

(A)

The line between Class 192, Clutches and Power-Stop Controls, and this class (Class 60) is not intended to be changed as a result of the establishment of this subclasses (330+). Class 60 (subclasses 330+) is intended to be the locus of patents to a vortex-flow drive, per se, and may include a brake means which may be applied to an element interposed in the path of fluid in the vortex flow to prevent rotation of said element relative to the input member, output member or a stationary member. The brake means in this situation is of the type found, per se, in Class 188, Brakes. For the combination of a vortex-flow drive and a clutch to connect either element to its associated input or output shaft see Class 192, subclasses 3.21+. Where the clutch is used to connect one of the elements to a stationary member to prevent rotation of said element see Class 192 subclasses 3.34+, but see (B) below.

(B) Class 188, Brakes, (particularly subclass 296) is the locus of patents to a "fluid brake", wherein the structure is superficially similar to a vortex flow drive as described in the definition of this subclass above. However, in the disclosures found in Class 188 subclass 296, one of the elements is fixed to its supporting structure to retard rotation of the other element. But see (A) above.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:

327, for methods of operating fluid couplings of the type which are classified in this subclass.

329, for coaxial impeller and turbine units having means to control the unit or the motive fluid in response to changes in compressibility, temperature or viscosity of the motive fluid.

435+, and notes therewith for nonvortex flow transmission units having associated brakes or clutches.

645, prime mover and control for driving fluid drive and gearing.

655, fluid drive is included as part of internal mechanism of a single gearing unit.

677, where the fluid drive either divides or combines the plural power paths to or from a planetary gearing system.

687+, for devices in which a fluid coupling is included in one of plural power paths to or from a planetary gearing.

710, for fluid drives which either divide or combine alternate plural paths to or from a nonplanetary gearing.

720, where a fluid coupling is included in one of plural power paths to or from a nonplanetary gearing. 730+, fluid drive combined with gearing.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

74, Machine Element or Mechanism, for the locus of patents claiming a fluid drive in combination with nonplanetary gearing.

475, Planetary Gear Transmission Systems or Components, for the locus of patents claiming a fluid drive in combination with planetary gearing.