Patent ID: 9065307
Filing Date: 2015-06-23
Classification: F16D,F16F,H02K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. In an internal combustion engine, an apparatus for facilitating coupling of a fan and a flywheel, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of protrusions formed on the fan that protrude outward from a first side surface of a main body of the fan, wherein each of the protrusions defines a respective hole therewithin and the respective hole extends all of a respective distance from a respective tip of the respective protrusion protruding outward from the first side surface, through the respective protrusion and the main body, to a second side surface of the main body of the fan that is opposed to the first side surface; a plurality of receiving structures formed in the flywheel, wherein the receiving structures are positioned so that, when the fan is axially aligned with and adjacent to the flywheel, the protrusions are respectively received by the receiving structures; and a plurality of pins, wherein when the pins are inserted into the holes, portions of the protrusions expand outwardly so that interference is created between exterior surfaces of the protrusions and the receiving structures, wherein each of the pins includes a respective stem and a respective formation proximate a respective first end of the respective stem, and wherein the pins and protrusions are configured so that, when a respective one of the pins is fully inserted into a respective one of the holes associated with a respective one of the protrusions, the respective formation of the one pin is located beyond the respective tip of the respective protrusion, whereby the one pin is substantially locked in place relative to the one protrusion, and whereby due to the interference the fan and flywheel are rotationally coupled with one another.