Patent ID: 6129287
Filing Date: 2000-10-10
Classification: F24V

Abstract:
A viscous fluid type heat generating apparatus comprising:a housing defining a heat-generating chamber having a wall surface thereof, and a heat receiving chamber arranged adjacent to said heat-generating chamber, and permitting a heat exchanging fluid to flow therethrough;a drive shaft rotatably supported by a bearing means housed in said housing and having an axis of rotation thereof;a rotor element arranged in said heat-generating chamber to be driven for rotation about an axis thereof by said drive shaft and having an outer face; anda viscous fluid held in at least a fluid-holding gap defined between said wall surface of said heat-generating chamber and said outer face of said rotor element to generate heat in response to an application of a shearing action thereto during the rotation of said rotor element;wherein said rotor element has a base portion mounted on said drive shaft and a tubular portion integral with said base portion and extending coaxially with the axis of rotation of said drive shaft, said tubular portion having a substantially cylindrical outer face constituting a main part of said outer face of said rotor element, which cooperates with said wall surface of said heat-generating chamber to define a primary part of said fluid-holding gap,wherein said tubular portion of said rotor-element provides therein a storing chamber for storing the viscous fluid while avoiding application of the shearing action from said rotor element to the viscous fluid, said storing chamber being axially defined by said base section of said rotor element and said wall surface of said heat-generating chamber,wherein said viscous fluid type heat generating apparatus further comprises:a fluid circulating means for permitting a circulatory movement of the viscous fluid through said storing chamber and said fluid-holding gap via an open end of said tubular portion of said rotor element during the rotation of said rotor element; anda flow rate controlling means arranged adjacent to said open end of said tubular portion of said rotor element for adjustably changing an amount of flow of the viscous fluid circulated by said fluid circulating means.