Torque converter bushing for aligning bearing between turbine and stator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10344843-B2
Application number	US-201615343637-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2016
Priority date	Nov 4, 2016
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A torque converter is provided. The torque converter includes a stator, a turbine, a bushing provided at an inner circumferential surface of the turbine and a thrust bearing provided axially between the turbine and the stator. The bushing contacts an inner circumferential surface of the thrust bearing for piloting the turbine bearing. A method of forming a torque converter is also provided. The method includes providing a bushing at an inner circumferential surface of a turbine; and providing a thrust bearing axially between the turbine and a stator such that the bushing contacts an inner circumferential surface of the thrust bearing to pilot the turbine bearing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A torque converter comprising:
a stator;
a turbine;
a bushing provided at an inner circumferential surface of the turbine; and
a thrust bearing provided axially between the turbine and the stator, the bushing contacting an inner circumferential surface of the thrust bearing for piloting the thrust bearing, the bushing including an inner axially extending section having an outer circumferential surface contacting the inner circumferential surface of the turbine,
wherein the inner axially extending section has an inner circumferential surface configured for contacting an outer circumferential surface of a stator shaft.

2. The torque converter as recited in claim 1 wherein the bushing further includes an outer axially extending section contacting the inner circumferential surface of the thrust bearing and a radially extending section extending from the inner axially extending section to the outer axially extending section, the radially extending section contacting a radially extending surface of the turbine.

3. The torque converter as recited in claim 1 wherein the thrust bearing includes a first race ring having a first radially extending section that contacts the turbine, the thrust bearing including a second race ring having a second radially extending section that contacts the stator.

4. The torque converter as recited in claim 3 wherein the thrust bearing includes rollers axially between the first and second radially extending sections.

5. The torque converter as recited in claim 3 wherein one of the first race ring and the second race ring includes an axially extending collar contacting an outer circumferential surface of the bushing.

6. The torque converter as recited in claim 1 wherein the stator includes a side plate contacting the thrust bearing, a stator casting and a one-way clutch, the side plate aligning the one-way clutch in the stator casting.

7. A method of forming a torque converter comprising:
providing a bushing at an inner circumferential surface of a turbine; and
providing a thrust bearing axially between the turbine and a stator such that the bushing contacts an inner circumferential surface of the thrust bearing to pilot the thrust bearing, the bushing including an inner axially extending section having an inner circumferential surface configured for contacting an outer circumferential surface of a stator shaft.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the inner axially extending section has an outer circumferential surface contacting the inner circumferential surface of the turbine.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the bushing further includes an outer axially extending section contacting the inner circumferential surface of the thrust bearing and a radially extending section extending from the inner axially extending section to the outer axially extending section, the radially extending section contacting a radially extending surface of the turbine.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the stator includes a side plate contacting the thrust bearing, a stator casting and a one-way clutch, the side plate aligning the one-way clutch in the stator casting.

11. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the thrust bearing includes a first race ring having a first radially extending section that contacts the turbine, the thrust bearing including a second race ring having a second radially extending section that contacts the turbine.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the thrust bearing includes rollers axially between the first and second radially extending sections.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein one of the first race ring and the second race ring includes an axially extending collar contacting an outer circumferential surface of the bushing.

14. A torque converter comprising:
a stator;
a turbine;
a bushing provided at an inner circumferential surface of the turbine; and
a thrust bearing provided axially between the turbine and the stator, the bushing contacting an inner circumferential surface of the thrust bearing for piloting the thrust bearing, the turbine including a turbine shell including an annular inner radial extension joined to a support ring of the turbine, the support ring being thicker than the turbine shell and being axially between the annular inner radial extension and the thrust bearing,
wherein the bushing includes an inner axially extending section having an inner circumferential surface configured for contacting an outer circumferential surface of a stator shaft.

15. The torque converter as recited in claim 14 wherein the bushing contacts an inner circumferential surface of the support ring.

16. The torque converter as recited in claim 14 wherein the thrust bearing contacts a radially extending surface of the support ring.

17. The torque converter as recited in claim 14 wherein the support ring and the annular inner radial extension are fixed to a damper assembly cover plate.

18. The torque converter as recited in claim 17 wherein the annular inner radial extension is axially between the support ring and the damper assembly cover plate.

19. The torque converter as recited in claim 18 wherein the annular inner radial extension, the support ring and the damper assembly cover plate are fixed together by a rivet extending through the annular inner radial extension, the support ring and the damper assembly cover plate.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Hess Timothy

Classifications

• F16H41/28

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

• F16C33/545

  rolled from a band · CPC title

• F16C19/463

  consisting of needle rollers held in a cage, i.e. subunit without race rings · CPC title

• F16H2041/246

  relating to one way clutch of the stator · CPC title

• F16C2360/24

  Turbochargers · CPC title