HUMAN-HYBRID POWERTRAIN FOR A VEHICLE OR MOVING EQUIPMENT USING MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FLUID CLUTCH APPARATUS

• Main Authors: DENNINGER, Marc, PLANTE, Jean-Sebastien, JULIO, Guifre, LAROSE, Pascal
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.12.2020
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS INVEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OFTRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GASEXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS, IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; BLASTING; BRAKES; CHECKS FOR WINGS; CLUTCHES; COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CYCLES; DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; GEARING; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS, PERAMBULATORS; HEATING; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; KEYS; LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS; LIGHTING; LOCKS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR; RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; SAFES; SLEDGES; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; WEAPONS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THEFUNCTIONING OF THE WING

A system for assisting a user in moving a device relative to a structure comprises a magnetorheological (MR) fluid actuator unit including at least one torque source and at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus having an input coupled to the at least one torque source to receive torque from the at least one torque source, the MR fluid clutch apparatus controllable to transmit a variable amount of assistance force via an output thereof. An interface is configured for coupling the output of the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus to the device or surrounding structure. At least one sensor provides information about a movement of the device. A processor unit for controlling the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus in exerting the variable amount of assistance force as a function of said information, wherein the system is configured for one of the MR fluid actuator unit and the interface to be coupled to the structure, and for the other of the MR fluid actuator unit and the interface to be coupled to the device for the assistance force from the MR fluid actuator unit to assist in moving the device.