Variable pitch stator structure with all blades free to rotate and torque converter with variable pitch stator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10830349-B2
Application number	US-201816106896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2018
Priority date	Aug 21, 2018
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

A torque converter stator includes a hub, an outer ring, a plurality of blades, and a plurality of spokes. The hub is disposed about an axis. The blades are disposed radially between the outer ring and the hub. All of the blades are pivotable relative to the hub and outer ring. The spokes are spaced apart from the blades and fixed to the hub and the outer ring to support the outer ring relative to the hub.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A torque converter stator comprising:
a hub disposed about an axis;
an outer ring;
a plurality of blades disposed radially between the outer ring and the hub, all blades of the plurality of blades being pivotable relative to the hub and outer ring, wherein the plurality of blades includes all blades of the torque converter stator that are disposed radially between the outer ring and the hub, wherein each blade of the plurality of blades is immediately adjacent to a corresponding pair of blades of the plurality of blades; and
a plurality of spokes spaced apart from the plurality of blades and fixed to the hub and the outer ring to support the outer ring relative to the hub.

2. The torque converter stator of claim 1 , wherein the torque converter stator has a different number of spokes than blades.

3. The torque converter stator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of pivot members, each pivot member extending from a first side of a corresponding one of the plurality of blades;
a plurality of actuation members, each actuation member extending from a second side of a corresponding one of the plurality of blades, the second side being opposite the first side, the plurality of pivot members and the plurality of actuation members supporting the blades for rotation relative to the hub and the outer ring;
an actuator coupled to the plurality of actuation members and configured to move the plurality of actuation members to pivot the plurality of blades.

4. The torque converter stator of claim 3 , wherein each spoke of the plurality of spokes is thinner than each pivot member of the plurality of pivot members and each spoke of the plurality of spokes is thinner than each actuation member of the plurality of actuation members.

5. The torque converter stator of claim 3 , wherein the first side is radially outward of the second side.

6. The torque converter stator of claim 5 , wherein the actuator is disposed within the hub.

7. The torque converter stator of claim 6 , further comprising a one-way clutch disposed within the hub.

8. The torque converter stator of claim 6 , wherein the outer ring includes a first housing ring and a second housing ring, the first and second housing rings having opposing surfaces that cooperate to form radially extending outer pivot grooves, each of the plurality of pivot members being rotatably received in a corresponding one of the outer pivot grooves.

9. The torque converter stator of claim 8 , wherein the hub includes a housing body and a housing cover, the housing body and housing cover having opposing surfaces that cooperate to form radially extending inner pivot grooves, each of the plurality of actuator members being rotatably received in a corresponding one of the inner pivot grooves.

10. The torque converter stator of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of spokes include a first set of spokes that extend from the housing body to the first housing ring, and a second set of spokes that extend from the housing cap to the second housing ring.

11. The torque converter stator of claim 3 , wherein the actuator includes an annular piston slidably disposed within a cylinder defined by the hub.

12. The torque converter stator of claim 11 , wherein the actuator includes a spring configured to bias the piston in one axial direction.

13. The torque converter stator of claim 11 , wherein each actuator member of the plurality of actuator members forms a crank coupled to the piston.

14. The torque converter stator of claim 3 , wherein each pivot member of the plurality of pivot members is unitarily formed with a corresponding one of the plurality of actuator members to define a shaft that extends through the corresponding blade.

15. The torque converter stator of claim 3 , wherein each pivot member of the plurality of pivot members is unitarily formed with a corresponding one of the plurality of actuator members and the corresponding blade.

16. The torque converter stator of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spokes extend at an angle from the hub to the outer ring.

17. A torque converter stator comprising:
first and second bodies coupled together to form a hub;
first and second rings coupled together to form an outer ring;
a plurality of blades disposed radially between the hub and outer ring, all blades of the plurality of blades being pivotable relative to the hub and the outer ring; and
a plurality of spokes, each spoke of the plurality of spokes having a first end and a second end and extending longitudinally therebetween, each first end being axially offset from the plurality of blades and fixed to the hub, each second end fixed to the outer ring.

18. The torque converter stator of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of spokes includes a first set of spokes and a second set of spokes, the first end of each spoke of the first set of spokes being fixedly attached to the first body, the second end of each spoke of the first set of spokes being fixedly attached to the first ring, the first end of each spoke of the second set of spokes being fixedly attached to the second body, and the second end of each spoke of the second set of spokes being fixedly attached to the second ring.

19. The torque converter stator of claim 17 , further comprising an actuator disposed within the hub and coupled to the plurality of blades, the actuator being configured to rotate the plurality of blades relative to the hub and outer ring.

20. The torque converter stator of claim 17 , wherein the actuator includes a piston and a plurality of crank members, the piston being slidably disposed within the hub, each crank member having a first end non-rotatably coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of blades and a second end rotatably coupled to the piston, the plurality of crank members being configured to rotate the plurality of blades when the piston moves axially relative to the hub.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Brevick John Edward
• Devereaux Keith A

Classifications

• F16H41/28 Primary

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

• F04D13/022

  a coupling allowing slip, e.g. torque converter · CPC title

• F16H2041/285

  of stator blades · 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

• F16H2041/246

  relating to one way clutch of the stator · CPC title