Stator assembly of hydraukinetic torque converter with pivotable stator blades, and method for making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10274081-B2
Application number	US-201715476378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

A stator assembly of a hydrokinetic torque converter includes a stator rotatable about an axis and having a radially outer stator belt, an annular stator hub disposed radially within the radially outer stator belt, at least one fixed post extending radially outwardly between the stator hub and the stator belt and fixed thereto so as to non-moveably secure the stator belt to the stator hub, and a plurality of pivotable stator blades extending radially outwardly between the stator hub and the stator belt and configured to pivot relative to both the stator hub and the stator belt in the direction orthogonal to the rotational axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stator assembly of a hydrokinetic torque converter, the stator assembly comprising a stator rotatable about a rotational axis, the stator comprising:
a radially outer stator belt;
an annular stator hub disposed radially within the radially outer stator belt;
at least one fixed post extending radially outwardly between the stator hub and the stator belt, the at least one fixed post fixed to the stator hub and the stator belt so as to non-moveably secure the stator belt to the stator hub; and
a plurality of pivotable stator blades extending radially outwardly between the stator hub and the stator belt and configured to pivot relative to both the stator hub and the stator belt;
the radially outer stator belt including a radially outer rim portion integral with the at least one fixed post and at least one outer rim part non-moveably secured to the outer rim portion;
each of the pivotable stator blades including a pivot shaft rotatably mounted between the outer rim portion and the at least one outer rim part.

2. The stator assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least one fixed post of the stator is a fixed stator blade.

3. The stator assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of the pivotable stator blades has a planar radially outer surface and a planar radially inner surface; and wherein the radially outer stator belt, the annular stator hub and the at least one fixed post define a unitary stator member having a plurality of planar radially outer surfaces each adjacent and facing the planar radially inner surface of one of the pivotable stator blades, and a plurality of planar radially inner surfaces each adjacent and facing the planar radially outer surface of one of the pivotable stator blades.

4. The stator assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of the pivotable stator blades has a planar radially outer surface, and wherein the radially outer stator belt has a plurality of planar radially inner surfaces each adjacent and facing the planar radially outer surface of one of the pivotable stator blades.

5. The stator assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of the pivotable stator blades has a planar radially inner surface, and wherein the annular stator hub has a plurality of planar radially outer surfaces each adjacent and facing the planar radially inner surface of one of the pivotable stator blades.

6. The stator assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of the pivotable stator blades includes a rotatable blade body non-rotatably secured to a pivot shaft rotatably supported by the stator hub and the stator belt of the stator.

7. The stator assembly as defined in claim 6 , wherein the pivot shaft of each of the pivotable stator blades has a crank pin at a radially inner end of the pivot shaft.

8. The stator assembly as defined in claim 7 , wherein the annular stator hub defines an annular actuator bore coaxial to the rotational axis.

9. The stator assembly as defined in claim 8 , further comprising an actuating piston axially slidably disposed in the actuator bore of the stator hub, and at least one resilient spring member disposed in the actuator bore so as to bias the actuating piston axially.

10. The stator assembly as defined in claim 9 , wherein the crank pin of the pivot shaft of each of the pivotable stator blades is engaged in a groove formed in the actuating piston so that axial movement of the actuating piston in the actuator bore causes pivotal movement of each of the pivotable stator blades.

11. The stator assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the stator hub includes an annular stator hub portion integral with the at least one fixed post and a stator hub cover non-moveably secured to the stator hub portion; and wherein each of the pivotable stator blades includes a pivot shaft rotatably mounted between the stator hub portion and the stator hub cover.

12. The stator assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the annular stator hub defines a central stator hub bore coaxial to the rotational axis, and wherein the stator assembly further comprises a one-way clutch mounted to the stator in the central stator hub bore coaxially to the rotational axis.

13. A hydrokinetic torque converter, comprising:
an impeller wheel rotatable about a rotational axis;
a turbine wheel coaxially aligned with and hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller wheel; and
a stator assembly situated between the impeller wheel and the turbine wheel, the stator assembly comprising a stator rotatable about the rotational axis, the stator comprising:
a radially outer stator belt;
an annular stator hub disposed radially within the radially outer stator belt;
at least one fixed post extending radially outwardly between the stator hub and the stator belt, the at least one fixed post fixed to the stator hub and the stator belt so as to non-moveably secure the stator belt to the stator hub; and
a plurality of pivotable stator blades extending radially outwardly between the stator hub and the stator belt and configured to pivot relative to both the stator hub and the stator belt;
the radially outer stator belt including a radially outer rim portion integral with the at least one fixed post and at least one outer rim part non-moveably secured to the outer rim portion;
each of the pivotable stator blades including a pivot shaft rotatably mounted between the outer rim portion and the at least one outer rim part.

14. The stator assembly as defined in claim 13 , wherein the at least one fixed post of the stator is a fixed stator blade.

15. The stator assembly as defined in claim 13 , wherein each of the pivotable stator blades has a planar radially outer surface and a planar radially inner surface; and wherein the radially outer stator belt, the annular stator hub and the at least one fixed post define a unitary stator member having a plurality of planar radially outer surfaces each adjacent and facing the planar radially inner surface of one of the pivotable stator blades, and a plurality of planar radially inner surfaces each adjacent and facing the planar radially outer surface of one of the pivotable stator blades.

16. The stator assembly as defined in claim 13 , wherein the stator hub includes an annular stator hub portion integral with the at least one fixed post and a stator hub cover non-moveably secured to the stator hub portion; and wherein each of the pivotable stator blades includes a pivot shaft rotatably mounted between the stator hub portion and the stator hub cover.

17. The stator assembly as defined in claim 13 , wherein the annular stator hub defines a central stator hub bore coaxial to the rotational axis, and wherein the stator assembly further comprises a one-way clutch mounted to the stator in the central stator hub bore coaxially to the rotational axis.

18. A method for making a stator assembly of a hydrokinetic torque converter, the method comprising the steps of:
manufacturing a stator member including an annular stator hub, a radially outer stator belt, and at least one fixed post extending radially outwardly between the stator hub and the stator belt, the at least one fixed post being integral with the stator hub or the stator belt so as to non-moveably secure the stator belt to the stator hub, the radially outer stator belt including a radially outer rim portion integral with the at least one fixed post and at least one outer rim part;
providing a plurality of pivotable stator blades, each of the pivotable stator blades including a pivot shaft; and
rotatably mounting the pivotable stator blades to the stat

Assignees

• Valeo Embrayages

Inventors

• Depraete Alexandre

Classifications

• F16H2041/285

  of stator blades · CPC title

• F16H2041/246

  relating to one way clutch of the stator · CPC title

• F16H41/28

  with respect to manufacture, e.g. blade attachment · CPC title

• F16H61/56 Primary

  to change the blade angle · CPC title

• F16H45/02

  with mechanical clutches for bridging a fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type (control of torque converter lock-up clutches F16H61/14) · CPC title