Torque converter and a method for cooling a clutch assembly of the torque converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9970523-B2
Application number	US-201514838448-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2015
Priority date	Aug 28, 2015
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A torque converter includes a housing, and an impeller shell disposed within the housing. The impeller shell has a back wall, and a plurality of fins radially arranged and extending outwardly from the back wall. The torque converter further includes a backing hub rigidly coupled to the back wall of the impeller shell. The backing hub has a barrier element extending therefrom. A free end of the barrier element is disposed proximal to the housing to restrict a flow of fluid therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A torque converter comprising:
a housing;
an impeller shell disposed within the housing, the impeller shell having an impeller core positioned inwardly from the impeller shell and a back wall positioned opposite the impeller core, and a plurality of fins radially arranged and extending outwardly from the back wall; and
a backing hub rigidly coupled to the back wall of the impeller shell, the backing hub having a barrier element extending therefrom, wherein a free end of the barrier element is disposed proximal to the housing to restrict a flow of fluid therebetween.

2. The torque converter of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises:
a first portion disposed adjacent to the impeller shell;
a second portion spaced apart from the first portion; and
a third portion disposed between and rigidly coupled to the first and second portions.

3. The torque converter of claim 2 , wherein the free end of the barrier element is disposed proximal to an inner surface of the third portion of the housing.

4. The torque converter of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of fins are configured to operably increase backpressure to the flow of fluid between the free end of the barrier element and the inner surface of the third portion of the housing.

5. The torque converter of claim 2 , wherein the backing hub further comprises a ledge member laterally extending partway towards the second portion of the housing.

6. The torque converter of claim 5 , wherein the barrier element, the ledge member, the second portion of housing, and the third portion of the housing are configured to mutually define a first outer pocket therebetween.

7. The torque converter of claim 6 further comprising a clutch assembly disposed in the first outer pocket.

8. The torque converter of claim 6 , wherein the ledge member and an inner portion of the second portion of the housing are configured to mutually define a second inner pocket disposed inwardly with respect to the first outer pocket.

9. The torque converter of claim 8 , wherein the first outer pocket is disposed in fluid communication with the second outer pocket.

10. The torque converter of claim 8 , wherein the second portion of the housing is configured to define a conduit therethrough, the conduit disposed in fluid communication with the first outer pocket and the second inner pocket respectively.

11. A torque converter comprising:
a housing comprising:
a first portion disposed adjacent to an impeller shell, the impeller shell being disposed at least in part within the first portion of the housing, wherein the impeller shell having an impeller core positioned inwardly from the impeller shell and has a back wall positioned opposite the impeller core, and a plurality of fins radially arranged and extending outwardly from the back wall;
a second portion spaced apart from the first portion; and
a third portion disposed between and rigidly coupled to the first and second portions; and
a backing hub rigidly coupled to the back wall of the impeller shell, the backing hub comprising:
a barrier element extending outwardly from the backing hub such that a free end of the barrier element is disposed proximal to an inner surface of the third portion of the housing; and
a ledge member laterally extending partway towards the second portion of the housing, wherein the ledge member, the second portion of the housing, and the third portion of the housing are configured to mutually define a first outer pocket; and

a clutch assembly disposed in the first outer pocket, wherein the barrier element is configured to maintain an increased mass flow rate of fluid to the clutch assembly.

12. The torque converter of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of fins are configured to operably increase a backpressure to the flow of fluid between the free end of the barrier element and the inner surface of the third portion of the housing.

13. The torque converter of claim 11 , wherein the ledge member and an inner portion of the second portion of the housing are configured to mutually define a second inner pocket that is disposed inwardly with respect to the first outer pocket.

14. The torque converter of claim 13 , wherein the first outer pocket is disposed in fluid communication with the second outer pocket.

15. The torque converter of claim 13 , wherein the second portion of the housing is configured to define a conduit therethrough, the conduit disposed in fluid communication with the first outer pocket and the second inner pocket respectively.

16. A method for cooling a clutch assembly of a torque converter having a housing and an impeller shell, the impeller shell having an impeller core positioned inwardly from the impeller shell and a back wall positioned opposite the impeller core, the impeller shell disposed within the housing, the method comprising:
defining a plurality of radially outward fins to extend from the back wall, opposite the impeller core, of the impeller shell;
coupling a backing hub to the back wall of the impeller shell; and
positioning a barrier element between the impeller shell, the housing, and the backing hub such that the barrier element is configured to restrict a flow of fluid therebetween.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising defining a first outer pocket between the backing hub and the housing.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising positioning the clutch assembly within the first outer pocket.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the barrier element is configured to maintain an increased mass flow rate of fluid to the clutch assembly disposed within the first outer pocket.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of radially outward fins are configured to operably increase a backpressure to the flow of fluid between the barrier element and an inner surface of the housing.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Ross Valerie Annette
• Lan Xuekui
• Wu Jim
• Rao Qinyang
• Waters Timothy M
• Tian Weixue

Classifications

• F16H41/04

  Combined pump-turbine units · CPC title

• F16D33/20

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

• F16H2045/0284

  Multiple disk type lock-up clutch · CPC title

• F16H41/30 Primary

  relating to venting, lubrication, cooling, circulation of the cooling medium · CPC title

• F16H2045/0215

  Details of oil circulation · CPC title