Patent ID: 6039264
Filing Date: 2000-03-21
Classification: F24V

Abstract:
A viscous fluid type heat generator comprising:a housing assembly defining therein a heat generating chamber in which heat is generated, said heat generating chamber having inner wall surfaces thereof, and a heat receiving chamber arranged adjacent to said heat generating chamber, said heat receiving chamber permitting a heat exchanging fluid to circulate through said heat receiving chamber to thereby receive heat transferred from said heat generating chamber;a drive shaft supported by said housing assembly to be rotatable about an axis of rotation of said drive shaft, said drive shaft being operationally connected to an external rotation-drive source;a rotor element mounted to be rotationally driven by said drive shaft for rotation within said heat generating chamber, said rotor element having outer surfaces confronting said inner wall surfaces of said heat generating chamber via a gap defined therebetween; anda viscous fluid, held in said gap defined between said inner wall surfaces of said heat generating chamber and said outer surfaces of said rotor element, for heat generation when a shearing stress is applied by the rotation of said rotor element;wherein at least a part of said housing assembly, which defines said heat generating chamber, is made of a material of which a linear expansion coefficient is larger than that of a material of said rotor element.