US 12,259,014 B2
Shear thickening fluid based rotary power coupler mechanism
Timothy John Boundy, Deer Park, IL (US); Steven Michael Barger, Bartlett, IL (US); Terence Michael Lydon, Westmont, IL (US); Richard Michael Lang, Howey In The Hills, FL (US); Wilfredo Gonzalez, Jr., Plainfield, IL (US); Darren Michael Boundy, Long Grove, IL (US); Eric McHugh, Naperville, IL (US); David Schuda, Wheaton, IL (US); George L. Wilson, IV, Kalamazoo, MI (US); Gary W. Grube, Barrington Hills, IL (US); Jason K. Resch, Warwick, RI (US); Mario F. DeRango, Cary, IL (US); John Edward Buchalo, South Barrington, IL (US); Richard A. Herbst, Clarendon Hills, IL (US); Kurt Estes, Lake Zurich, IL (US); and Evan Anderson, Naples, FL (US)
Assigned to Moshun, LLC, Oak Brook, IL (US)
Filed by Moshun, LLC, Oak Brook, IL (US)
Filed on Mar. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/703,224.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/321,871, filed on Mar. 21, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0296142 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F16D 33/02 (2006.01); F16D 3/80 (2006.01); F16D 33/20 (2006.01); F16D 57/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16D 33/02 (2013.01) [F16D 3/80 (2013.01); F16D 33/20 (2013.01); F16D 57/005 (2013.01); F16D 2300/08 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power coupler for transferring rotary power from a rotary power device to a load device, the power coupler comprising:
a shear thickening fluid (STF), wherein the STF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to a second range of shear rates, wherein the second range of shear rates are greater than the first range of shear rates;
a chamber, the chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF, wherein the chamber includes a cylindrical interior channel, wherein the cylindrical interior channel includes a drive side section and a load side section;
a drive shaft, the drive shaft housed at least partially radially within the drive side section and protruding outward from a drive side section end of the chamber for coupling to the rotary power device;
a load shaft, the load shaft housed at least partially radially within the load side section and protruding outward from a load side section end of the chamber for coupling to the load device;
a drive turbine, the drive turbine housed at least partially radially within the drive side section and coupled to the drive shaft, the drive turbine configured to exert pressure against the shear thickening fluid in response to rotary movement of the drive shaft from a rotary force applied to the drive shaft from the rotary power device, wherein the drive turbine includes a rotary array of drive teeth arranged in a gear pattern of the drive teeth; and
a load turbine, the load turbine housed at least partially radially within the load side section at a fixed operational distance from the drive turbine and coupled to the load shaft, the load turbine configured to apply a secondary rotary force to the load drive shaft in response to the pressure exerted against the shear thickening fluid from the drive turbine, wherein the fixed operational distance between the drive turbine and the load turbine enables both the first range of shear rates and the second range of shear rates, wherein the load turbine includes a rotary array of load teeth arranged in a gear pattern of the load teeth, wherein the gear pattern of the load teeth complements the gear pattern of the drive teeth such that the pressure exerted against the shear thickening fluid from the rotary array of drive teeth causes the rotary array of load teeth to apply the secondary rotary force to the load shaft such that revolutions per unit of time of the load shaft are greater than revolutions per the unit of time of the drive shaft.