Torque converter and hydrokinetic torque coupling device having core lockup clutch, and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9523420-B2
Application number	US-201414562253-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2014
Priority date	Dec 5, 2014
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

A hydrokinetic torque converter includes an impeller, an axially displaceable turbine piston, and impeller and turbine-piston lockup clutch core plates. The impeller lockup clutch core plate is situated between the impeller shell and the turbine-piston shell, is connected to an impeller core ring, and has a first surface. The turbine-piston lockup clutch core plate is situated between the impeller shell and the turbine-piston shell, is connected to a turbine-piston core ring, and is axially displaceable with the turbine-piston to move a second surface of the turbine-piston lockup clutch core plate axially towards and away from the first surface for positioning the torque converter respectively into and out of a lockup mode in which the turbine-piston is mechanically interlocked to the impeller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A torque converter, comprising:
an impeller comprising an impeller core ring, an impeller shell, and a plurality of impeller blades extending between the impeller core ring and the impeller shell;
a turbine-piston axially displaceable relative to, coaxially aligned with, and hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller, the turbine-piston comprising a turbine-piston core ring, a turbine-piston shell, and a plurality of turbine blades extending between the turbine-piston core ring and the turbine-piston shell;
an impeller lockup clutch core plate situated between the impeller shell and the turbine-piston shell, connected to and non-rotatable relative to the impeller core ring, and having a first surface;
a turbine-piston lockup clutch core plate situated between the impeller shell and the turbine-piston shell, connected to and non-rotatable relative to the turbine-piston core ring, and axially displaceable with the turbine-piston to move a second surface of the turbine-piston lockup clutch core plate axially towards and away from the first surface for positioning the torque converter respectively into and out of a lockup mode in which the impeller is mechanically interlocked with the turbine-piston so as to be non-rotatable relative to the turbine-piston; and
a sealing member operatively connected to a radially outer distal end of the turbine-piston shell to move into and out of sealing engagement with the impeller shell as the torque converter is positioned into and out of the lockup mode, respectively.

2. The torque converter of claim 1 , wherein the first surface or the second surface comprises a frictional lining that frictionally engages the other of the first surface or the second surface in the lockup mode.

3. The torque converter of claim 1 , wherein the impeller lockup clutch core plate is integrally formed as a single piece with the impeller core ring, and wherein the turbine-piston lockup clutch core plate is integrally formed as a single piece with the turbine-piston core ring.

4. The torque converter of claim 1 , wherein the impeller lockup clutch core plate and the impeller core ring are separate pieces connected to one another, and wherein the turbine-piston lockup clutch core plate and the turbine-piston core ring are separate pieces connected to one another.

5. The torque converter of claim 1 , further comprising:
an intermediate lockup clutch core plate having opposing third and fourth surfaces interposed between and axially displaceable relative to at least one of the first and second surfaces,
wherein in the lockup mode the first, second, third, and fourth surfaces are frictionally engaged with one another to mechanically interlock the impeller and the turbine-piston.

6. The torque converter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of intermediate lockup clutch core plates each having opposing clutch plate surfaces interposed between and axially displaceable relative to at least one of the first and second surfaces,
wherein in the lockup mode the first and second surfaces and the clutch plate surfaces of the plurality of intermediate lockup clutch plates are frictionally engaged with one another to mechanically interlock the impeller and the turbine-piston.

7. The torque converter of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member comprises frictional material bonded to the radially outer distal end of the turbine-piston shell.

8. The torque converter of claim 7 , further comprising a compressible elastomeric layer between the frictional material and the radially outer distal end of the turbine-piston shell.

9. The torque converter of claim 1 , wherein the impeller shell includes an annular impeller shell recess having a recessed surface facing the radially outer distal end of the turbine-piston shell.

10. The torque converter of claim 9 , further comprising a retainer ring and an O-ring in the impeller shell recess and operatively connected to the sealing member to provide the sealing engagement in the lockup mode.

11. The torque converter of claim 9 , further comprising an annular spring plate arranged in the impeller shell recess and, in the lockup mode, operatively connected to the sealing member to provide the sealing engagement.

12. The torque converter of claim 1 , further comprising a stator between the impeller and the turbine-piston.

13. A torque converter, comprising:
an impeller comprising an impeller core ring, an impeller shell, and a plurality of impeller blades extending between the impeller core ring and the impeller shell;
a turbine-piston axially displaceable relative to, coaxially aligned with, and hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller, the turbine-piston comprising a turbine-piston core ring, a turbine-piston shell, and a plurality of turbine blades extending between the turbine-piston core ring and the turbine-piston shell;
an impeller lockup clutch core plate situated between the impeller shell and the turbine-piston shell, connected to and non-rotatable relative to the impeller core ring, and having a first surface; and
a turbine-piston lockup clutch core plate situated between the impeller shell and the turbine-piston shell, connected to and non-rotatable relative to the turbine-piston core ring, and axially displaceable with the turbine-piston to move a second surface of the turbine-piston lockup clutch core plate axially towards and away from the first surface for positioning the torque converter respectively into and out of a lockup mode in which the impeller is mechanically interlocked with the turbine-piston so as to be non-rotatable relative to the turbine-piston,
wherein the turbine-piston core ring and the impeller core ring collectively establish a core chamber therebetween, and wherein the impeller lockup clutch core plate and the turbine-piston lockup clutch core plate are situated in the core chamber and frictionally engage one another in the lockup mode.

14. The torque converter of claim 13 , further comprising a stator between the impeller and the turbine-piston.

15. A hydrokinetic torque coupling device for coupling a driving shaft and a driven shaft together, comprising:
an impeller comprising an impeller core ring, an impeller shell, and a plurality of impeller blades extending between the impeller core ring and the impeller shell;
a turbine-piston axially displaceable relative to, coaxially aligned with, and hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller, the turbine-piston comprising a turbine-piston core ring, a turbine-piston shell, and a plurality of turbine blades extending between the turbine-piston core ring and the turbine-piston shell;
a casing comprising a casing shell connected to the impeller shell;
a damper assembly comprising an input part operatively connected to the turbine-piston and an output part operatively connectable to an output hub;
an impeller lockup clutch core plate situated between the impeller shell and the turbine-piston shell, connected to and non-rotatable relative to the impeller core ring, and having a first surface;
a turbine-piston lockup clutch core plate situated between the impeller shell and the turbine-piston shell, connected to and non-rotatable relative to the turbine-piston core ring, and axially displaceable with the turbine-piston to move a second surface of the turbine-piston lockup clutch core plate axially towards and away from the first surface for positioning the hydrokinetic torque coupling device respectively into and out of a lockup mode in which the turbine-piston is mechanically interlocked with the casing so as to be non-rotatable relative to the casing.

1

Assignees

• Valeo Embrayages

Inventors

• Depraete Alexandre

Classifications

• F16H45/02 Primary

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

• F16H41/24

  Details · CPC title

• F16H2045/0205

  two chamber system, i.e. without a separated, closed chamber specially adapted for actuating a lock-up clutch · CPC title

• F16H2045/0263

  the damper comprising a pendulum · CPC title

• F16H2045/0294

  Single disk type lock-up clutch, i.e. using a single disc engaged between friction members · CPC title