Including Drive-lockup Clutch Patents (Class 192/3.28)
  • Patent number: 6290626
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling an automatic transmission which is provided with a torque converter having a fluid coupling unit for coupling driving force to a transmission through fluid coupling and a direct coupling unit for coupling the driving force to the transmission through mechanical coupling and being operative to take a fluid coupling state, a direct coupling state or an intermediate state between the fluid and direct coupling states in accordance with a working pressure applied to the direct coupling unit, a control signal is generated for changing the initial value of the working pressure in accordance with the driving force during the period of transition between the fluid coupling state and the direct coupling state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Noda, Hiroshi Kuroiwa
  • Publication number: 20010020563
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic coupling device comprises a casing arrangement and a turbine rotor which can be rotated about an axis of rotation (A) in the casing arrangement. The turbine rotor has a turbine rotor shell which supports a plurality of turbine rotor blades, and a turbine rotor hub which is coupled or can be coupled to a drive element for joint rotation. A lock-up clutch arrangement is provided for the optional production of a torque transmission connection between the turbine rotor and the casing arrangement, and a torsional vibration damper arrangement couples the turbine rotor for torque transmission to a coupling element of the lock-up clutch arrangement. A positive drive arrangement is provided on the torsional vibration damper arrangement, which positive drive arrangement is in drive engagement for torque transmission with a mating positive drive arrangement on the turbine rotor. The mating positive drive arrangement is formed integrally on the turbine rotor shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Publication date: September 13, 2001
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Christoph Sasse, Erwin Wack
  • Patent number: 6277027
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic torque converter is embodied with a converter housing that, on its side facing a drive, has a substantially radially-running primary flange. Attached to the primary flange are a central pin for mounting and a holder for holding the converter housing on the drive, as well as a housing hub for mounting a transmission shaft of an output. At least one of the connecting elements on the primary flange (i.e., the holder, the housing hub and the central pin) is connected to the primary flange by an outward pressing. The holder, housing hub and central pin respectively establish a connection between the primary flange and the drive or output. This connection to the primary flange is created by material displacement into an opening in the connecting element in question, which opening is located on the side facing away from the connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Bernd Schöder, Ruthard Schneider
  • Publication number: 20010011489
    Abstract: A torque converter 1 equipped with a lockup device 8 is provided to secure sufficient space in the axial direction for the damper in a hydraulic torque transmitting device provided with a lockup device having a damper. Lockup device 8 is disposed between a front cover 4 and a turbine 6. Lockup device 8 has a clutch mechanism 31 for mechanically coupling front cover 4 and turbine 6 and a damper mechanism 32 for absorbing and attenuating torsional vibrations. In the vicinity of its outlet, turbine 6 has a linearly shaped part 62 that is aligned with damper mechanism 32. As a result, the axial dimensions of torsion springs 52 can be enlarged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Inventors: Takao Fukunaga, Kozo Mori
  • Patent number: 6258001
    Abstract: The present invention improves mountability of a drive train in a hybrid vehicle by minimizing axial and radial dimensions while providing for adequate output torque of the motor/generator of the drive train. A center portion of a front cover of a torque converter extends axially and a multiple disc lock-up clutch is arranged at the inner circumferential surface of the center portion while the motor/generator is arranged at the outer circumferential surface of the center portion. A spring damper is provided at the radially inner side of a circumferential surface defined by friction plates of the lock-up clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignees: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Wakuta, Keiichi Shinohara, Masahiro Hasebe, Shigeo Tsuzuki, Kenji Omote, Atsushi Tabata, Yutaka Taga, Seiji Nakamura, Masaya Amano
  • Patent number: 6231472
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for a lockup clutch of a hydrodynamic clutch device has a drive-side damper element which is in an operative connection with a turbine shell and a driven-side damper element which is connected with the drive-side damper element via a damping device having at least one energy accumulator acting in the circumferential direction and is in a working connection with a turbine hub. The drive-side damper element is constructed as a planetary carrier for at least one gear unit element of a planetary gear set, while the driven-side damper element acts as another gear unit element of the planetary gear set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Jörg Sudau, Erwin Wack, Christoph Sasse
  • Patent number: 6179106
    Abstract: In a damper device in a lock-up clutch for a torque converter device, a projection is integrally formed at either the driving or driven plates and an arc-shaped expanded part is integrally formed at the other of the driving and driven plates. The arc-shaped expanded part is provided with a concave portion which has a circumferential end. The integral projection is fitted in the concave portion in such a manner that the maximum relative rotation between the driving and driven plates is attained when the integral projection is engaged with the circumferential end of the concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuzo Masuda
  • Patent number: 6176362
    Abstract: The invention concerns a torsional damper (23) comprising an input element and an output element coaxial and movable in rotation relative to each other counter at least to an compression spring (300), wherein the two adjacent transverse parts, with radial orientation, associated with the input and output elements each comprise a housing (306-308, 302) receiving the spring (300) whereof the opposite ends are capable of co-operating with the supporting end surfaces (316-318, 304) which define the two housings to operate between the two elements; the length (LF) of each of the two associated housings (306-308, 302), separating the opposite supporting end surfaces, being greater than the length (LR) of the spring (300) at rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventor: Rabah Arhab