Stator for torque converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9540937-B2
Application number	US-201414171887-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2014
Priority date	Feb 4, 2014
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A stator for use with a torque converter includes an inner annular shell, outer annular core, a plurality of stator blades and pressure-side fluid directing projections. The plurality stator blades are disposed around the inner shell in a spaced apart configuration and radially extend to the outer core. Each stator blade includes an inlet-side edge, an opposed outlet-side edge and opposed pressure-side and suction-side surfaces extending between the inlet-side and outlet-side edges. The pressure-side fluid directing projections outwardly project from the pressure-side surface in spaced relation to each other and each extend between the inlet-side and outlet-side edges. The fluid directing projections are configured to aid in redirecting torque converter fluid returning from a turbine and reducing fluid separation as the fluid interacts with the stator blades and associated fluid directing projections thereby increasing efficiency and performance of the torque converter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stator for use with a torque converter, the stator comprising:
an inner annular shell and an outer annular core spaced apart from the inner annular shell;
a plurality of stator blades disposed around the inner annular shell in a spaced part configuration and radially extending to the outer annular core, each stator blade including an inlet-side edge, an opposed outlet-side edge, a pressure-side surface extending between the inlet-side and outlet-side edges and an opposed suction-side surface extending between the inlet-side and outlet-side edges; and
pressure-side and suction-side fluid directing projections outwardly projecting from the pressure-side and suction-side surfaces, respectively, in spaced relation to each other and each extending between the inlet-side and outlet-side edges;
wherein the fluid directing projections are adapted to aid in redirecting torque converter fluid returning from a turbine and reducing fluid separation as the fluid interacts with the stator blades and associated fluid directing projections thereby increasing efficiency and improving performance of the torque converter; and
wherein the pressure-side fluid directing projections comprise a pressure-side pattern of three projections grouped together, wherein the suction-side fluid directing projections comprise a suction-side pattern of three projections grouped together, and wherein the pressure-side and suction-side patterns of three projections are each positioned as a group closer to the outer annular core than the inner annular shell.

2. The stator of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-side and suction-side fluid directing projections extend substantially linearly between the inlet-side and outlet-side edges.

3. That stator of claim 2 , wherein the pressure-side and suction-side fluid directing projections are inclined relative to a central axis of rotation of the stator such that an inlet-side end of each of the projections is positioned closer to the inner annular shell than an opposed outlet-side end.

4. The stator of claim 2 , wherein each of the pressure-side and suction-side fluid directing projections comprise a rib having a substantially square shape in cross-section and extending across the respective surfaces from the inlet-side edge to the outlet-side edge.

5. The stator of claim 2 , wherein the pressure-side projections are substantially parallel to each other and the suction-side fluid directing projections are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein each of the pressure-side projections are substantially aligned with a corresponding suction-side projection.

6. The stator of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-side pattern of three projections is substantially aligned with the suction-side pattern of three projections.

7. The stator of claim 1 , wherein the suction-side projections each include a decreasing outwardly extending height relative to the suction-side surface from the inlet-side edge to the outlet-side edge such that each suction-side projection includes a maximum height at the inlet-side edge and a minimum height at the outlet-side edge substantially aligned with a surface of the outlet-side edge.

8. The stator of claim 1 , wherein the inlet-side and outlet-side edges and a remaining portion of the pressure-side and suction-side surfaces that include an absence of the pressure-side and suction-side patterns of projections comprise substantially smooth surfaces.

9. The stator of claim 1 , wherein each projection of the pressure-side and suction-side patterns of projections includes a thickness of between 1.5 mm and 2.2 mm and a relative spacing between adjacent projections in the patterns of projections of between 2.5 mm and 3.2 mm.

10. The stator of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-side and suction-side patterns of fluid directing projections are configured to aid in redirecting torque converter fluid returning from the turbine and reducing fluid separation relative to the suction-side surfaces of the blades as the fluid travels relative to the projections around a profile of the blades from the pressure-side to the suction-side thereby increasing the torque converter efficiency, reducing the torque converter K-factor at stall and low speed ratio operating conditions, and increasing the torque converter torque ratio at stall and low speed ratio operating conditions.

11. A centrifugal torque converter for a transmission, comprising:
a turbine;
an impeller;
a stator positioned between the turbine and the impeller;
a plurality of blades extending within the stator between an inner annular shell and an outer annular core, each blade including an inlet-side edge, an opposed outlet-side edge, a pressure-side surface extending between the inlet-side and outlet-side edges and an opposed suction-side surface extending between the inlet-side and outlet-side edges; and
a pressure-side fluid directing rib and a suction-side fluid directing rib, each rib outwardly projecting from the respective pressure-side and suction-side surfaces and extending between the inlet-side and outlet-side edges;
wherein the fluid directing ribs are configured to aid in redirecting torque converter fluid returning from the turbine to the impeller and reducing fluid separation as the returning fluid interacts with the stator blades and associated fluid directing ribs thereby increasing efficiency and improving performance of the torque converter; and
wherein the pressure-side fluid directing rib and the suction-side fluid directing rib each comprise a pattern of three ribs grouped together and positioned in spaced relation to each other the pattern of suction-side ribs and the pattern of pressure-side ribs each positioned adjacent to the outer annular core and closer to the outer annular core than the inner annular shell.

12. The torque converter of claim 11 , wherein the ribs of the pressure-side and suction-side patterns of ribs are substantially parallel to each other and inclined relative to a central axis of rotation of the stator such that an inlet-side end of each of the ribs is positioned closer to the inner annular shell than an opposed outlet-side end, and wherein each rib of the pressure-side pattern is substantially aligned with each corresponding rib of the suction-side pattern.

13. The torque converter of claim 11 , wherein the pressure-side and suction-side fluid directing ribs each include a substantially square shape in cross-section and extend across the associated blade surface from the inlet-side edge to the outlet-side edge.

14. The torque converter of claim 11 , wherein the suction-side ribs each include a decreasing outwardly projecting height relative to the suction-side surface from the inlet-side edge to the outlet-side edge such that each suction-side rib includes a maximum height at the inlet-side edge and a minimum height at the outlet-side edge substantially aligned with a surface of the outlet-side edge.

15. The torque converter of claim 11 , wherein the inlet-side and outlet-side edges and a remaining portion of the pressure-side and suction-side surfaces that include an absence of the pressure-side and suction-side patterns of ribs comprise substantially smooth surfaces.

16. The torque converter of claim 11 , wherein the pressure-side and suction-side patterns of fluid directing ribs are configured to aid in redirecting torque converter fluid returning from the turbine and reducing fluid separation relative to the suction-side surface as the fluid travels relative to the ribs around a profile of the blades from the pressure-side to the suction-side thereby increasing th

Assignees

• Fingerman Michael
• Raley Darrin C
• Modi Prashant
• Schiemann Marvin G
• Fca Us Llc

Inventors

• Fingerman Michael
• Raley Darrin C
• Modi Prashant
• Schiemann Marvin G

Classifications

• F16H2041/285

  of stator blades · CPC title

• F16H41/26 Primary

  Shape of runner blades or channels with respect to function · CPC title

• F16H41/24

  Details · CPC title

• F01D9/02 Primary

  Nozzles; Nozzle boxes; Stator blades; Guide conduits {, e.g. individual nozzles (nozzle boxes F01D9/047)} · CPC title