Method of controlling clutches in a multi-function torque converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9285030-B2
Application number	US-201414334220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2014
Priority date	Sep 11, 2013
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A method of controlling a multi-function torque converter including a cover, an impeller shell, a turbine shell, a first pressure chamber at least partially formed by the turbine shell and the cover; a second pressure chamber at least partially formed by the impeller and turbine shells, and a third pressure chamber at least partially formed by the impeller shell and the cover, an impeller clutch including a portion of the impeller shell, and a turbine clutch including a portion of the turbine shell, the method including: pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially a first fluid pressure level or to a second fluid pressure level greater than the first level; pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a third fluid pressure level greater than the first and second levels; passively draining the third pressure chamber to be substantially at the first level; and connecting the impeller shell to the cover.

First claim

What I claim is:

1. A method of controlling a multi-function torque converter including a cover arranged to receive torque, an impeller including an impeller shell and at least one impeller blade connected to the impeller shell, a turbine including a turbine shell and at least one turbine blade connected to the turbine shell, a first pressure chamber at least partially formed by the turbine shell and the cover; a second pressure chamber at least partially formed by the impeller and turbine shells, and a third pressure chamber at least partially formed by the impeller shell and the cover, an impeller clutch including a portion of the impeller shell, and a turbine clutch including a portion of the turbine shell, the method comprising:
pressurizing the first, second, and third pressure chambers, respectively, to substantially a first fluid pressure level;
disconnecting the impeller and turbine clutches from the cover;
pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level or to a second fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level;
pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a third fluid pressure level greater than the first or second fluid pressure levels;
passively draining the third pressure chamber to be substantially at the first fluid pressure level;
connecting the impeller shell to the cover for a torque converter mode;
pressurizing the first pressure chamber to a fourth fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level;
pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a fifth fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level and less than the fourth fluid pressure level;
pressurizing the third pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level;
connecting the impeller shell to the cover; and,
connecting the turbine shell to the impeller shell for a lockup mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level or to a second fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level includes pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level;
connecting the impeller clutch to the cover for the torque converter mode includes enabling a first torque-carrying capacity for the impeller clutch;
pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level or to a second fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level includes pressurizing the first pressure chamber to the second fluid pressure level; and,
connecting the impeller clutch to the cover for a torque converter mode includes enabling a second torque-carrying capacity, greater than the first torque-carrying capacity, for the impeller clutch.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a fifth fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level and less than the fourth fluid pressure level includes pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a sixth fluid pressure level;
connecting the turbine shell to the cover for the lockup mode includes enabling a first torque-carrying capacity for the torque clutch;
pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a fifth fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level and less than the fourth fluid pressure level includes pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a seventh fluid pressure level, greater than the sixth fluid pressure level; and,
connecting the turbine clutch to the cover for the lockup mode includes enabling a second torque-carrying capacity, greater than the first torque-carrying capacity, for the torque converter clutch.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level or to a second fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level includes pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level or to a second fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level includes pressurizing the first pressure chamber to the second fluid pressure level.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level or to a second fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level includes pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level; and,
pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a third fluid pressure level greater than the first or second fluid pressure levels includes pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a third fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level and less than the second fluid pressure level.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level or to a second fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level includes pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the second fluid pressure level; and,
pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a third fluid pressure level greater than the first or second fluid pressure levels includes pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a third fluid pressure level greater than the second fluid pressure level.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
pressurizing the first pressure chamber to substantially the first fluid pressure level or to a second fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level includes maintaining substantially a same fluid pressure in the first pressure chamber or increasing fluid pressure in the first pressure chamber; and,
pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a third fluid pressure level greater than the first or second fluid pressure levels includes increasing fluid pressure in the second chamber, the method further comprising:
while passively draining the third pressure chamber to be substantially at the first fluid pressure level, maintaining substantially a same fluid pressure in the first pressure chamber.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
pressurizing the first pressure chamber to a fourth fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level includes increasing fluid pressure in the first pressure chamber; and,
pressurizing the second pressure chamber to a fifth fluid pressure level greater than the first fluid pressure level and less than the fourth fluid pressure level includes decreasing fluid pressure in the second pressure chamber, the method further comprising:
while passively draining the third pressure chamber to be substantially at the first fluid pressure level, maintaining substantially a same fluid pressure in the first pressure chamber.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the torque converter includes a resilient element urging the impeller shell in a first axial direction, with a first force, to open the impeller clutch; and,
a second force, applied to the impeller shell in the first axial direction by pressure in the third pressure chamber is less than the first force.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
exerting, with the third fluid pressure level, a third force on the impeller shell in a second axial direction, opposite the first axial direction, greater than the first force.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
exerting, with the fourth fluid pressure level, a third force on the turbine shell in a second axial direction, opposite the first axial direction, greater tha

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Gmbh
• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Lindemann Patrick M

Classifications

• F16H61/58

  by change of the mechanical connection of, or between, the runners · 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

• F16H2045/021

  three chamber system, i.e. comprising a separated, closed chamber specially adapted for actuating a lock-up clutch · CPC title

• F16H2045/0215

  Details of oil circulation · CPC title

• F16H2045/007

  comprising a damper between turbine of the fluid gearing and the mechanical gearing unit · CPC title