Having Core Or Ring Member At Interface Patents (Class 60/367)
  • Patent number: 11085497
    Abstract: The fluid coupling of the present disclosure transmits torque by a fluid in a variable speed transmission. The fluid coupling comprises a front cover and a back cover, and the front cover and the back cover forming a chamber. The fluid coupling includes a plurality of impeller vanes are located on the back cover and the back cover is configured to rotate in a first direction. The fluid coupling also includes a turbine having a plurality of turbine vanes located within the chamber. The ends of each of the plurality of impeller vanes are curved in the first direction to direct flow of the fluid into the plurality of turbine vanes at a sharper angle thereby increasing torque applied to the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Inventor: David Johnson
  • Patent number: 9695921
    Abstract: A torque converter including an axis of rotation; a cover arranged to receive torque; an impeller including an impeller shell non-rotatably connected to the cover; a turbine in fluid communication with the impeller, the turbine having a turbine shell; a core ring; and, at least one blade connected to the impeller shell or the turbine shell, each blade including: a respective first edge; a respective tab: extending from the respective first edge and through the core ring; and, fixing each blade to the core ring; and, a respective first extension: extending from the respective first edge in a first circumferential direction; and, in contact with the core ring. A method of fabricating an impeller or a turbine for a torque converter using a fixture and the at least one blade described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Scott Schrader
  • Patent number: 9476490
    Abstract: A torque converter, including: an impeller and a turbine with: a shell; and at least one blade including: a blade body with a first edge connected to the shell; and a portion extending from the blade body. The torque converter includes a stator including: a stator body, and at least one stator blade axially disposed between the impeller and the turbine and connected to the stator body. A circumferential space is formed between the turbine shell and the stator body. At least a portion of the circumferential space is radially aligned with the portion of the at least one blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Cem Ersahin, Todd J. Sturgin
  • Patent number: 9243702
    Abstract: A blade for a torque converter, including: a body with first and second blade side surfaces and a blade edge surface connecting the first and second blade side surfaces; and a tab extending from the blade edge surface and arranged for insertion through an opening in a core ring for the torque converter. The tab includes: a distal end furthest from the blade edge surface; first and second tab edge surfaces in communication with the distal end; and first and second indentations in the first and second tab edge surfaces, respectively, between the distal end and the blade edge surface. The core ring forms at least respective portions of respective inner circumferences for a turbine and pump for the torque converter. After insertion through the opening, the tab is arranged to be bent along a line connecting the indentations so that a portion of the tab engages the core ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael L. Resh, Randy L. Keller
  • Patent number: 8820062
    Abstract: A hydraulic torque converter for a vehicle, that comprises an impeller (I), a turbine (T) and a reactor (R) with a coaxial axis (A), and respectively fitted with impeller (1), turbine (2) and reactor (3) vanes, each defined by an inner side edge (11;21;31), an outer side edge (12;22;32), a trailing edge (13;23;33) and a leading edge (14;24;34), wherein the trailing edge (13) of the impeller is separated by an axial distance d1 from the leading edge of the turbine, and the trailing edge of the turbine is separated by an axial distance d2 from the leading edge of the reactor, the d2/d1 ration being equal to or lower than 1.4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Valeo Embrayages
    Inventor: Emmanuel Lecocq
  • Patent number: 8596053
    Abstract: A fluidic torque transfer device is configured such that the attachment angle of a turbine blade at a fluid outlet of a turbine runner is smaller than the attachment angle of the turbine blade at a fluid inlet of the turbine runner. Furthermore, the turbine runner is structured so that a cross-sectional area St of a turbine flow path defined by the turbine shell, adjacent turbine blades, and the turbine core, which is perpendicular to a centerline of the turbine flow path, satisfies |St?Sref|/Sref?0.2, where a reference area Sref is an average of maximum and minimum values of a cross-sectional area of a pump flow path defined by the pump shell, adjacent pump blades, and the pump core of the pump impeller, which is perpendicular to a centerline of the pump flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Maeda, Kazuyoshi Ito, Akihiro Nagae, Yoshihide Mori, Junya Kashimura
  • Patent number: 8572955
    Abstract: A fluidic torque transfer device configured with a pump impeller that includes a pump shell, a pump blade attached to the pump shell, and a pump core attached to the pump blade; a turbine runner that includes a turbine shell, a turbine blade attached to the turbine shell, and a turbine core attached to the turbine blade; and a stator that includes a stator blade, and rectifies a flow of a hydraulic fluid from the turbine runner to the pump impeller. The outer contour line of the turbine blade extends outward in an extending direction of a rotation center axis of the pump impeller and the turbine runner on the fluid outlet side of the turbine runner more than an outer contour line of the pump blade on the pump shell side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Maeda, Kazuyoshi Ito, Akihiro Nagae, Yoshihide Mori, Junya Kashimura
  • Patent number: 8291700
    Abstract: A drive train, including a hydrodynamic torque converter with a housing arranged to be rotationally driven by a drive unit for a motor vehicle and an output part. The drive train includes an input shaft for a transmission. The output part is non-rotatably connected to the input shaft. An internal circumference of the transmission input shaft is supported by the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Eugen Kombowski, Stephan Maienschein
  • Patent number: 8172537
    Abstract: The present invention broadly comprises a stator blade assembly for a torque converter stator including an inner ring having first openings; an outer ring having second openings; and extruded blades with first and second ends. The first end is disposed in a respective first opening and arranged to radially fix each blade with respect to the inner ring and the second end is disposed in a respective second opening and arranged to radially fix each blade with respect to the outer ring. In some aspects, the inner ring includes an inner circumferential surface and a portion of the first end extends radially inward past the inner surface and is in contact with the inner surface. In some aspects, the outer ring includes an outer circumferential surface and a portion of the second end extends radially outward past the outer surface and is in contact with the outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: William Brees, Christopher Shamie
  • Patent number: 8056330
    Abstract: A torque converter includes a plurality of blades and a core ring supporting the plurality of blades. The core ring includes at least two segments, each segment having two circumferential ends. A core ring and method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventors: Kevin Parks, Michael Vansickle
  • Patent number: 8042330
    Abstract: A torque converter structure having a plurality of high efficiency secure weld free connections between blades and the shells of the pump and turbine that reduces flow between the blades and the shells. At least one blade within the torque converter is securely mechanically attached to the shell of the pump or turbine in the absence of welding by providing a tab on the blade that is bent on a portion that passes through a slit in the shell to secure the blade to the shell and by inserting a major part (greater than 50%) of a portion of an edge of the blade, that runs coextensively with a surface of the shell into a depression in that shell until the edge of the blade diverges from the shell. The invention also includes the unique blade and shell and a method for using them to make a torque converter of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benedikt Wiegert, Patanjali Peri
  • Patent number: 7673450
    Abstract: More efficient, economic vehicular torque converters comprising novel integrated one-piece turbine/impeller blade-core assemblies with innovative fluid coupling means for greater torque capacities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Betilingungs
    Inventors: Wei Wang, Philip George, Christopher Shamie, Bhaskar Marathe
  • Patent number: 7444807
    Abstract: A torque converter includes: a impeller having an outer shell, an inner core, and at least one pump blade provided between the outer shell and the inner core; a turbine having at least one turbine blade; and a stator capable of establishing a fluid circulation between the impeller and the turbine. An exit angle of the at least one pump blade is greater than ?90 degrees up to ?68 degrees at the most, beginning from a first point, at which the at least one pump blade is in contact with the outer shell, to a second point, at which the at least one pump blade is in contact with the inner core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, EXEDY Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihisa Tsuzuki, Takao Fukunaga, Tomohiro Tasaka
  • Patent number: 7152400
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic torque converter which has at least a hydrodynamic circuit including at least one pump wheel and one turbine wheel, wherein each of these wheels is provided with an outer shell to accept a set of vanes which form flow chambers, the inner edges of the vanes away from the outer shell being connected to an inner shell, which acts as part of an internal torus. At least the vanes of the turbine wheel have connecting elements both on the inner edges and on the outer edges, which connecting elements pass through openings in the shells to fasten the vanes to the shells, being provided for this purpose with a predetermined minimum overhang with respect to the edge of the associated vane, this minimum overhang making it possible for the connecting elements to be plastically deformed in such a way that they can grip the rear surfaces of the shells, i.e., the surfaces facing away from the vanes, and thus fasten the vanes to the shells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Hermann Schleicher, Jürgen Ackermann
  • Patent number: 7082755
    Abstract: A torque converter includes an impeller and a turbine. The impeller has a substantially constant flow area from a radially inward inlet to a radially outward outlet through a toroidal path. The torque converter turbine has an inlet flow area substantially equal to the impeller outlet flow area and an outlet flow area substantially equal to the impeller inlet flow area. The flow area of the turbine along a toroidal path decreases in size from the turbine inlet to a point substantially midway through the flow path from which point the flow area increases so that the outlet flow area is substantially equal to the inlet flow area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jean M. Schweitzer, Jeya Gandham
  • Patent number: 6957530
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic torque converter which has at least a hydrodynamic circuit including at least one pump wheel and one turbine wheel, wherein each of these wheels is provided with an outer shell to accept a set of vanes which form flow chambers, the inner edges of the vanes away from the outer shell being connected to an inner shell, which acts as part of an internal torus. At least the vanes of the turbine wheel have connecting elements both on the inner edges and on the outer edges, which connecting elements pass through openings in the shells to fasten the vanes to the shells, being provided for this purpose with a predetermined minimum overhang with respect to the edge of the associated vane, this minimum overhang making it possible for the connecting elements to be plastically deformed in such a way that they can grip the rear surfaces of the shells, i.e., the surfaces facing away from the vanes, and thus fasten the vanes to the shells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Hermann Schleicher, Jürgen Ackermann
  • Patent number: 6898931
    Abstract: A fluid coupling comprising: a pump having a pump shell and a plurality of impellers arranged in the pump shell; and a turbine disposed opposite said pump and having a turbine shell and a plurality of runners arranged in said turbine shell; wherein provision is made of a baffle mechanism which retractably protrudes into a fluid circulatory passage formed by the pump shell and the turbine shell, the baffle mechanism greatly protruding into the fluid circulatory passage in a state where the rotational speed is low and protruding little into the fluid circulatory passage in a state where the rotational speed is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Iwao, Yasushi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6880330
    Abstract: A torque converter defines an ellipticity lower than or equal to 0.23 which is an outermost length of the torque converter in an axial direction, divided by an outermost diameter of the torque converter in a radial direction. The torque converter includes: a pump impeller connecting to an input shaft; a turbine runner opposed to the pump impeller and connecting to an output shaft; and a stator disposed between an inlet of the pump impeller and an outlet of the turbine runner, by way of a one way clutch which allows a one way rotation. The torque converter transmits a power by circulating a fluid through the pump impeller, the turbine runner and the stator. A first area ratio A is: 0.23?A?0.45, A second area ratio B is: 0.23?B?0.45, and A third area ratio C is: 0.15?C<0.23.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Okada, Toshiaki Noda, Keichi Tatewaki
  • Patent number: 6745563
    Abstract: A torque converter for a vehicle having a substantially reduced axial length relative to a conventional circular-shaped torus cross section. The torque converter includes a turbine and an impeller, with a stator mounted generally therebetween. The stator is one piece and formed with axial pull shaped blades that have a reactor blade base axial length that extends for the majority of the radial length, a reactor shroud axial length that is less than the reactor blade base axial length, and a taper in the blade between the two axial lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: John Shue
  • Patent number: 6487855
    Abstract: A torque converter includes a pump impeller, a turbine impeller, a stator impeller disposed between the pump impeller and the turbine impeller, and a free wheel which is interposed between the stator impeller and a stationary case and operable to lock the stator impeller in order to allow the stator impeller to bear a reaction force generated with the amplification of torque between the pump and turbine impellers. In this torque converter, a stator shaft connected to the stator impeller is disposed with its tip end being passed through a turbine shaft to protrude outside the turbine shaft. The free wheel is interposed between the tip end of the stator shaft and the stationary case. Thus, it is possible to reduce the diameter of the stator impeller and thus, the diameter of the entire torque converter, irrespective of the presence of the free wheel inhibiting the rotation of the stator impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Yutaka Giken Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokuji Yoshimoto, Seiji Makita
  • Patent number: 6334307
    Abstract: A fluid coupling comprising a pump including a pump shell having an annular core ring, and a plurality of impellers disposed in the pump shell; and a turbine including a turbine shell disposed opposite the pump and having an annular core ring, and a plurality of runners disposed in the turbine shell, wherein an annular baffle plate is mounted on an inner or outer periphery of the core ring of the pump shell or the core ring of the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Iwao, Yasushi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6226985
    Abstract: A turbine wheel arrangement for a hydrodynamic torque converter comprises an outer shell connected with a turbine wheel hub for common rotation and a plurality of blades arranged successively along the circumferential direction at the outer shell. A side of the blades remote from the outer shell is connected to an inner shell so that fluid flow channels are formed between adjacent ones of the blades together with the outer shell and the inner shell. At least one of the blades has an outer blade area lying closer to the outer shell that has a blade contour adapted to a first operating state, especially a starting operation, of a torque converter and an inner blade area lying closer to the inner shell that has a blade contour adapted to a second operating state, especially a driving state, of the torque converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Christoph Sasse, Hans-Wilhelm Wienholt
  • Patent number: 6223528
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic torque converter is constructed with a converter circuit which comprises at least an impeller wheel, a turbine wheel and a stator wheel. An inner wall connecting the individual blades is provided at both the impeller wheel and at the turbine wheel. The inner walls form an inner torus. The radially inner ends or the radially outer ends of the inner walls have extensions axially toward the other wheel. The extension of the front one of these walls, considered in the direction of flow, has a lengthening extending toward the other wheel, by which lengthening the extension overlaps the extension at the other wheel by a predetermined axial length with a predetermined radial offset in the direction of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Detlev Weichel, Christoph Sasse
  • Patent number: 5813227
    Abstract: Hydrodynamic torque converter which comprises blade wheels in the form of a reactor, a pump wheel and a turbine wheel with individual blades which are connected to an outer wall, whereby a torque can be transmitted from the pump wheel to the turbine wheel by means of pressure medium which flows along a flow path from the pump wheel to the turbine wheel, and is transported via the reactor back to the pump wheel, whereby at least one blade wheel comprises at least one stabilizer ring which creates a connection of the individual blades on their exposed sides, and by means of which stabilizer ring the flow path of the pressure medium can be influenced to reduce the flow losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Uwe Dehrmann, Wilfried Glock, Rudiger Hinkel, Ruthard Schneider, Peter Volland, Reinhold Weckesser, Hans-Wilhelm Wienholt
  • Patent number: 5794436
    Abstract: A hydraulic power transmission, such as a torque converter, has a pump impeller and a turbine runner with inclined blades having edge portions bent to form right angle connections to shells and cores of the pump impeller and the turbine runner. The inclination of the blades relative to the shells and cores provide improved transmission performance while the bent connecting edges forming right angles with the shells and cores eliminate gaps and secondary flows from acute angles between between the blades and the shells and cores to reduce oil leakage and the occurrence of secondary flows caused by such gaps. These blades have ample strength without central strengthening ribs to eliminate secondary flows caused by such ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Maeda
  • Patent number: 5660242
    Abstract: A fluid coupling is combined with a one way clutch for the direct drive of a wheel from a small engine. The fluid coupling is mounted in cantilevered support or two ended bearing support from a small engine and has a small diameter inner driven shaft and a larger diameter out wheel driving shaft for contacting and directly driving a wheel. The inner driven shaft connects to a pump having a relatively larger outer diameter than either the driven or driving shaft. This pump is mounted on the opposite side of the driven wheel from the engine. The one way clutch is mounted between the inner and outer driven shafts and engages with only one direction of relative rotation between the wheel and engine. At any time that the speed of the engine is less than the current rotating speed of the wheel, the clutch engages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Patmont Motor Werks
    Inventor: Charles Allison Witthaus
  • Patent number: 5494128
    Abstract: A fluid coupling directly-drive a wheel from a small engine. The fluid coupling is mounted in cantilevered support or two ended bearing support from a small engine and has a small diameter inner driven shaft and a larger diameter out wheel driving shaft for contacting and directly driving a wheel. The inner driven shaft connects to a pump having a relatively larger outer diameter than either the driven or driving shaft. This pump is mounted on the opposite side of the driven wheel from the engine and preferably includes rotating vanes within one half a toroidal path having an attached eccentrically mounted toroidal plug for causing helical rotation of fluid about the plug. A turbine mates to the pump and includes rotating vanes within the other half of the toroidal path, these vanes being shaped around the toroidal plug of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Patmont Motor Werks
    Inventor: Charles A. Witthaus
  • Patent number: 5487003
    Abstract: A method and device for simulating properties of a fluid torque converter such as torque ratio, capacity factor and efficiency includes involving the execution of the steps of finding a plurality of parameters including a fluid passage angle and a fluid passage resistance from a vane profile of a vane wheel of a fluid torque converter, and simulating the properties of the fluid torque converter according to the parameters and an input and output torque relationship based on an angular momentum theory. The fluid passage angle is corrected according to a slip ratio between rotational speeds of input and output ends of the fluid torque converter for the purpose of accounting for the influences of the occurrence of flow separation. Good results can be obtained by correcting the outflow angle of a stator vane array by using a correction value given as a mathematical function of the slip ratio. Thus, the accuracy of simulation can be substantially improved with a minimum increase in the computer time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenjiroh Iwasawa, Hiroya Abe
  • Patent number: 4866935
    Abstract: In a hydraulic torque converter having a torus of flatness ratio (L/H) within the range 0.82-0.9, the outer and inner contours of the turbine in a meridional plane through the axis of the turbine each comprises a combination of a plurality of circular arcs, wherein the ratios between the radii of the circular arcs constituting said outer contour is substantially less than 2, and the ratios between the radii of the circular arcs constituting said inner contour is substantially less than 2.As a result, fluid flows through the turbine stably without being biased, increasing the velocity of relative flow along the turbine blade, and raising the normal speed ratio at which the absolute flow is in the direction of no impact, enabling a higher stall torque ratio without reduction in efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignees: Aisin-Warner Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayabuchi, Kazumasa Tsukamoto, Tokuyuki Takahashi, Seitoku Kubo, Koujiro Kuramochi
  • Patent number: 4671061
    Abstract: A scoop controlled fluid coupling has a toroidal working circuit W defined by vaned impeller and runner elements 11,12. Working liquid is supplied to the working circuit W from a rotating reservoir 9 by an adjustable scoop tube 15 having a scooping orifice 16, the radial position of which is to determine the degree of filling of the circuit W. To counteract unintentional changes in the filling due to thermal expansion of the liquid, the runner diameter is about 10% smaller than that of the impeller, and the runner has two sets of holes 54,55 which permit liquid to escape from the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Assignee: Fluidrive Engineering Company Limited
    Inventor: John Elderton
  • Patent number: 4665693
    Abstract: A hydraulic torque converter comprising an impeller integral with an input shaft and a rotor which is integral with an output shaft and opposed to said impeller so that a given clearance is formed therebetween, notches which are formed at one circumferential end of the inner periphery of vanes defining outlets of oil passages of the impeller, and notches at circumferential ends of the inner and outer peripheries of the rotor vanes defining inlets of oil passages of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1987
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Misu, Fumio Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 4376370
    Abstract: A power transmission for an automobile, which is provided with an oil circulation type fluid coupling and a clutch mechanism so that power may be transmitted from an output shaft of an engine to an input shaft of a gear transmission. The output and input shafts support an intermediate shaft to which a pump at the fluid coupling is rotatably supported, so that a partition for supporting the intermediate shaft is eliminated. At the fluid coupling are provided an oil-charge passageway for charging to the fluid coupling a part of lubricating oil for the engine and an oil-return passageway for collecting into an engine oil pan the oil flowing out of the fluid coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1983
    Assignees: Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd., Daikin Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruo Kinugasa, Koujirou Hase, Shigeru Takeshita, Masao Mizue
  • Patent number: 4324387
    Abstract: A pressure modulated hydrodynamic retarder is provided for a power delivery system and speed sensing means is provided for sensing the rotational speed of the output of the retarder for producing a corresponding pressure fluid flow which acts to vary the fluid relief pressure of a pressure control valve for the retarder and consequently varies the torque of the retarder in accordance with its rotor speed. In this manner the retarder is modulated as determined by its output speed and when the invention is used in a hoisting operation, as the lowering speed increases due to the falling load the retarding action of the retarder also increases. A particularly desirable form of sensing means includes a variable flow fluid pump which is driven at a speed proportional to the lowering speed of the load to proportionately vary the retarding ability of the retarder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1982
    Assignee: Twin Disc, Incorporated
    Inventor: Horst G. Steinhagen
  • Patent number: 4203288
    Abstract: A hydrokinetic torque converter transmission for multiplying torque delivered from a driving member to a driven member comprising a bladed impeller connected to the driving member, a bladed turbine connected to the driven member and a stator located between the flow exit section of the turbine and the flow entrance section of the impeller, said impeller comprising a main impeller blade section and an auxiliary impeller blade section, the latter being located radially outward with respect to the former, and a centrifugally operated clutch structure for connecting together for rotation in unison the auxiliary impeller blade section and the main impeller blade section at high impeller speeds and for disengaging them when the impeller speed is less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Robert W. Nichols
  • Patent number: 4191015
    Abstract: The improved design of a closed toroidal circuit enabling various arrangements of bladed converter members or elements, with many of them standardized for the economical manufacture of various types of converters. The shapes of the outer and inner walls of the toroidal circuit in a radial converter plane are determined by a construction trapezoid and construction rectangle, respectively, that are specified by a system of rectangular coordinates and which have their corners rounded by arcs of specified radii. The outer and inner walls are tangent to an infinite number of circles the diameter of each of which is formulated in relation to the distance of the circle center from the converter axis and the maximum radius of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1980
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Komatsu, Akinori Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 4186557
    Abstract: A torque converter is proposed where the height of the vanes on at least the turbine wheel is reduced somewhat compared with conventional designs at their middle portions, so that the generation of eddies and turbulence in the flow of transmission fluid past those portions which are the most sharply curved portions of the vanes is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1980
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Arai, Kiyoshi Oonuma
  • Patent number: 4180977
    Abstract: Torque converter with a stator whose blades are selectively set at open and closed position to tailor converter operation for optimized vehicle performance and fuel economy. Turbine discharge pressure is routed to impeller side of stator control piston to move stator blades to low angle position for improved engine economy during vehicle coast down operation. Low angle stator is also used for economical anti-creep idle and for higher stall speeds and acceleration when needed. For economical cruising and other operation, the stator blades are set at their high angle or open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: John M. Beardmore
  • Patent number: 4155222
    Abstract: This invention relates to hydrodynamic torque converters and in particular to improvements therein relating to the blade system and to the shape of the toroidal working chamber. For situations wherein a more or less distinct top speed is required, even when direct drive is not used, and where it is important to avoid the simultaneous existence of high torque absorption and low efficiency at high speed ratios, the blade system according to the present invention is advantageous, said system being characterized by a range of ratios for the radii of the outlet and inlet edges of the pump, turbine and guide blades as well as a range of angles .alpha., .beta., .gamma. and .delta. as herein defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1979
    Assignee: S.R.M. Hydromekanik AB
    Inventor: Karl G. Ahlen
  • Patent number: 4129000
    Abstract: A hydraulic torque converter having a torus provided with a bladed impeller, a bladed turbine and a bladed stator, the portions of the torus between the impeller, the turbine and the stator each being unbladed wherein the turbine is bulged towards a flywheel of a power supply and the impeller generally stands upright relative to an output axis of the converter thereby decreasing the distance between the drive ring gear and the power take off gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1978
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
    Inventors: Haruhiko Umeda, Ryuji Ito, Akinori Yokoyama, Mitsuaki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 4098080
    Abstract: A hydraulic torque converter comprises vaned members, viz. an impeller, a turbine, and a stator designed to take up reactive torque. Each vaned member consists of a casing and an inner ring to which are fixed vanes which form a closed fluid circuit enclosed on the outside by the vaned-member casings which jointly form an outer toroidal surface, the inside enclosure being made up of the inner rings which jointly form an inner toroidal surface. The vanes of at least one of the vaned members are secured to the casing and inner ring by means of tongues fitted into slots provided in said casing and inner ring. Said vanes have a hydrodynamic profile of varying thickness and the body of each vane contains a plate whose projecting elements form said tongues.The torque converter constituting the present invention, when used in a passenger car, increases the efficiency of the transmission by 1-3 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1978
    Inventors: Valery Viktorovich Pogorelov, Sergei Mikhailovich Trusov, Nikolai Petrovich Kolbin, Lev Nikolaevich Chistyakov
  • Patent number: 4080786
    Abstract: This invention relates to hydrodynamic torque converters and to torque converter blade systems. A torque converter in accordance with the invention is particularly suitable for transmissions for vehicles where a more or less distinct top speed is required even when direct drive is not used and where it is important to avoid the simultaneous existence of high torque absorption and low efficiency at high speed ratios. The blade system is characterized by a range of ratios for the radii of the outlet and inlet edges of pump, turbine and guide blades as well as a range of angles .alpha., .beta., .gamma. and .delta. as herein defined and set out in a tabular form in the Specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1978
    Assignee: S.R.M. Hydromekanik
    Inventor: Karl Gustav Ahlen
  • Patent number: 4043434
    Abstract: A hydrokinetic action brake for particular use in controlling the speed of a hoisting drum used in the drilling of oil and gas wells. The brake includes dual pocketed stator and rotor assemblies with a cylindrical member movable within the pockets to adjust the flow of the fluid within either the outer and/or inner pockets for varying load and speed conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1977
    Assignee: Parmac, Inc.
    Inventor: Steve A. Braschler
  • Patent number: 4041701
    Abstract: A hydraulically actuated lockup clutch is arranged between the cores of the pump and turbine elements of a torque converter for directly coupling them together for operation above the clutch point. For engagement and disengagement of the lockup clutch, which can be of the multiplate type, the turbine element is moved toward and away from the pump element under the control of a control valve which selectively communicates a clutch actuating chamber within the converter with an external pump assembly and with a fluid drain. Alternatively, a clutch actuating chamber can be formed between the core of the pump or turbine element and a movable pressure plate, so that the latter may travel toward and away from the former for engagement and disengagement of the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1977
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isamu Goto, Sadanori Nishimura, Eiichiro Kawahara
  • Patent number: 4009570
    Abstract: A torque converter comprises a vaned rotary impeller shell secured to the flywheel of a motor for driving the same, a vaned rotary turbine component secured to a turbine shaft which constitutes the output of the converter as a result of the torque conversion which takes place between the impeller and turbine vanes, and a vaned stator component located between the impeller and turbine vanes and which is coupled to a stator shaft surrounding the turbine shaft by means of a one-way clutch. In order to permit the one-way clutch to be easily removed, the impeller shell includes a removable hub portion secured by means of a ring of bolts to a flange on the impeller shell and this flange is dimensioned in such manner that its internal diameter is greater than the external diameter of the one-way clutch. Thus when the impeller hub is removed, the one-way clutch can be slid axially from its operating position and removed through the opening created by removal of the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1977
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Daikin Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masahiro Ohkuoo, Heiji Fukutake
  • Patent number: 3965680
    Abstract: A hydrokinetic device comprising a fluid containing housing and unique relatively rotatable wheel means, including an impeller wheel connected to an input shaft and a turbine wheel connected to an output shaft. With the addition of a stator wheel the device may provide torque multiplication between the shafts, or without the stator may be used to couple the shafts together. The wheel means is sized and arranged so that in one sequential pair of wheels the entrance edge of one of the wheels is spaced apart from the exit edge of the adjacent wheel a distance generally equal to or greater than the smallest maximum width of one of the wheels, and so that the heads generated by rotation of the wheels are predominantly additive and do not cause potentially destructive negative counter heads opposing the impeller flow. The conical configuration of wheel means with parallel edges especially lends itself to achieving such desired arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1976
    Assignee: Power Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold L. Cottrell, Anthony C. Mamo
  • Patent number: 3940929
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrodynamic transmission system comprising at least one pump and a bladed turbine arranged to form a toroidal fluid circuit.The leading edges of the blades of the pump and turbine are inclined relative to the corresponding radial plane, and the blades are designed in such a way as to extend the path followed by the streams of fluid nearest the centre relative to the path followed by the streams of fluid furthest away from the centre. There is thus obtained a reduction in the shock and friction losses to improve performance and increase the starting torque.Disclosed application is to automobile vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1974
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1976
    Inventor: Alexandre Bezimensky