Method for machining hydraulic torque converter for controlling internal axial clearance, and hydraulic torque converter

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for processing and testing a torque converter. To address the current lack of research on axial clearance during torque converter manufacturing, and the significant economic losses that can result from inability to promptly control axial clearance during the prototype stage or during processing, a method for processing a torque converter with controlled internal axial clearance and a torque converter are provided. The processing method includes first machining at least three spot-weld steps circumferentially along the outer periphery of the impeller. Then, through lathing, the distance between the spot-weld steps and the first end face of the impeller, the flatness of the spot-weld steps, and the perpendicularity of the plane of the end face of the spot-weld steps to the center hole of the impeller meet predetermined requirements. The impeller is then placed on a torque converter preparatory component, with each spot-weld step overlapping the second end face of the clutch assembly. Finally, the clutch assembly and impeller are circumferentially welded to produce a torque converter prototype. The torque converter is the product obtained by controlling the axial clearance using the aforementioned method during prototype machining.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to a method for machining and detecting a hydraulic torque converter, and in particular relates to a method for machining a hydraulic torque converter for controlling an internal axial clearance, and a hydraulic torque converter. Background Art

[0002] A torque converter is a component that transmits power via hydraulics. Due to its excellent adaptability, vibration reduction, low-speed stability, and comfort, it is widely used in passenger cars, construction machinery, and commercial vehicles. A torque converter primarily consists of an impeller, a turbine, and a stator. The impeller and turbine are constructed similarly to a hydraulic coupling. The stator is located between the impeller and turbine, maintaining a certain axial clearance between them. During operation, the internal components of a torque converter rotate at high speeds. Therefore, controlling the axial clearance within the torque converter has a crucial impact on its performance.

[0003] When the axial clearance is large, it affects the positioning of internal components and can easily generate abnormal vibration and noise, which can also affect the torque converter's locking process. When the axial clearance is small, the rotating components are prone to abnormal wear, which affects the durability of the components and may generate wear particles, affecting product cleanliness. In summary, the axial clearance inside the torque converter affects transmission efficiency, torque transmission stability, starting stability, and driving comfort.

[0004] In actual production, torque converters involve complex technologies, including stamping, welding, machining, and assembly, making them challenging to manufacture. During the R&D phase, torque converters require significant initial investment and low returns, leading to a lack of research into axial clearance issues. If axial clearance issues are not promptly identified and addressed during the prototype phase or during the manufacturing process, significant financial losses can result. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the technical problem that there is a lack of relevant research on axial clearance in the current manufacturing process of torque converters, and if the axial clearance cannot be controlled in time during the prototype stage or the processing process, large economic losses will occur, the present invention provides a torque converter processing method for controlling the internal axial clearance and a torque converter.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] A method for machining a hydraulic torque converter for controlling internal axial clearance, the hydraulic torque converter comprising a pump impeller, a clutch assembly, a turbine assembly, and a stator assembly; a first thrust bearing and a gasket are sequentially disposed between the clutch assembly and the turbine assembly, a second thrust bearing is disposed between the turbine assembly and the stator assembly, and a third thrust bearing is disposed between the stator assembly and the pump impeller;

[0008] The following steps are involved:

[0009] Step 1: Process at least three spot welding steps along the circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the impeller;

[0010] Step 2: Satisfy the following three conditions through turning:

[0011] Condition 1: The distance S9 meets the theoretical requirement; the distance S9 is the distance between the spot welding step and the first end face of the impeller; the first end face of the impeller is the end face where the impeller and the third thrust bearing meet;

[0012] Condition 2: The flatness of each of the spot welding steps meets the preset requirements;

[0013] Condition 3: The perpendicularity between the plane where the end surface of each spot welding step is located and the center hole of the pump wheel meets the preset requirements;

[0014] Step 3: Place the impeller on the torque converter preparatory component so that each spot weld step overlaps the second end face of the clutch assembly; the torque converter preparatory component is an assembled whole consisting of the clutch assembly, first thrust bearing, gasket, turbine assembly, second thrust bearing, guide wheel assembly, and third thrust bearing; the second end face of the clutch assembly is the end face to be welded between the clutch assembly and the impeller;

[0015] Step 4: perform girth welding on the clutch assembly and the pump wheel to obtain a torque converter sample.

[0016] Furthermore, the method further includes step 5 of measuring the internal axial clearance of the torque converter sample. If the preset requirements are met, the torque converter enters the subsequent processing flow; otherwise, the torque converter is reprocessed.

[0017] Furthermore, the measurement is specifically:

[0018] Step 5-1: Lay the torque converter sample flat and measure the distance between the second end face of the pump impeller and the third end face of the stator assembly with the pump impeller facing up and down.

[0019] The direction close to the impeller is defined as right, the second end face of the impeller is the right end face of the impeller opposite to the first end face of the impeller, a third thrust bearing mounting step for accommodating a third thrust bearing is provided below the right end face of the guide wheel assembly, and the third end face of the guide wheel assembly is the right end face of the guide wheel assembly located below the third thrust bearing mounting step;

[0020] Step 5-2: Obtain the internal axial clearance Y of the torque converter using the following formula:

[0021] Y=L1-L2

[0022] Among them, L1 is the distance between the second end face of the impeller and the third end face of the guide wheel assembly when the impeller is facing upward, and L2 is the distance between the second end face of the impeller and the third end face of the guide wheel assembly when the impeller is facing downward.

[0023] Furthermore, in step 2, the theoretical demand value is determined by the following formula:

[0024] S91=H+Y1+X

[0025] Among them, S91 is the theoretical required value, H is the distance between the second end face of the clutch assembly and the right end face of the third thrust bearing, Y1 is the theoretical value of the internal axial clearance of the torque converter, and X is the welding deformation of the pump impeller and the clutch assembly.

[0026] Furthermore, the distance H between the second end face of the clutch assembly and the right end face of the third thrust bearing is obtained by the following formula:

[0027] H=S3+S4+S5+S6+S7+S8-S2

[0028] Wherein, S3 is the axial width of the first thrust bearing, S4 is the axial width of the gasket, S5 is the axial distance between the first end face of the turbine assembly and the second end face of the turbine assembly, S6 is the axial width of the second thrust bearing, S7 is the axial distance between the first end face of the guide wheel assembly and the second end face of the guide wheel assembly, S8 is the axial width of the third thrust bearing, and S2 is the axial distance between the first end face of the clutch assembly and the second end face of the clutch assembly;

[0029] The first end face of the turbine assembly is the end face where the turbine assembly cooperates with the gasket, the second end face of the turbine assembly is the end face where the turbine assembly cooperates with the second thrust bearing, the first end face of the guide wheel assembly is the end face where the guide wheel assembly cooperates with the second thrust bearing, the second end face of the guide wheel assembly is the end face where the guide wheel assembly cooperates with the third thrust bearing, and the first end face of the clutch assembly is the end face where the clutch assembly cooperates with the first thrust bearing.

[0030] Furthermore, the theoretical value Y1 of the internal axial clearance of the torque converter is 0.3 mm.

[0031] Furthermore, in step 5, the preset requirement is 0.3±0.2 mm.

[0032] The present invention also provides a hydraulic torque converter, comprising a pump impeller, a clutch assembly, a turbine assembly, and a stator assembly; a first thrust bearing and a gasket are sequentially provided between the clutch assembly and the turbine assembly, a second thrust bearing is provided between the turbine assembly and the stator assembly, and a third thrust bearing is provided between the stator assembly and the pump impeller;

[0033] During the processing of the torque converter, the internal axial clearance of the torque converter sample is controlled by the following method:

[0034] Step 1: Process at least three spot welding steps along the circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the impeller;

[0035] Step 2: Satisfy the following three conditions through turning:

[0036] Condition 1: The distance S9 meets the theoretical requirement; the distance S9 is the distance between the spot welding step and the first end face of the impeller; the first end face of the impeller is the end face where the impeller and the third thrust bearing meet;

[0037] Condition 2: The flatness of each of the spot welding steps meets the preset requirements;

[0038] Condition 3: The perpendicularity between the plane where the end surface of each spot welding step is located and the center hole of the pump wheel meets the preset requirements;

[0039] Step 3: Place the impeller on the torque converter preparatory component so that each spot weld step overlaps the second end face of the clutch assembly; the torque converter preparatory component is an assembled whole consisting of the clutch assembly, first thrust bearing, gasket, turbine assembly, second thrust bearing, guide wheel assembly, and third thrust bearing; the second end face of the clutch assembly is the end face to be welded between the clutch assembly and the impeller;

[0040] Step 4: perform girth welding on the clutch assembly and the pump wheel to obtain a torque converter sample.

[0041] Furthermore, after obtaining the torque converter sample in step 4, the process further includes step 5 of measuring the internal axial clearance of the torque converter sample. If the clearance meets the preset requirements, the torque converter enters the subsequent processing flow; otherwise, the torque converter is reprocessed.

[0042] The measurement is specifically:

[0043] Step 5-1: Lay the torque converter sample flat and measure the distance between the second end face of the pump impeller and the third end face of the stator assembly with the pump impeller facing up and down.

[0044] The direction close to the impeller is defined as right, the second end face of the impeller is the right end face of the impeller opposite to the first end face of the impeller, a third thrust bearing mounting step for accommodating a third thrust bearing is provided below the right end face of the guide wheel assembly, and the third end face of the guide wheel assembly is the right end face of the guide wheel assembly located below the third thrust bearing mounting step;

[0045] Step 5-2: Obtain the internal axial clearance Y of the torque converter using the following formula:

[0046] Y=L1-L2

[0047] Among them, L1 is the distance between the second end face of the impeller and the third end face of the guide wheel assembly when the impeller is facing upward, and L2 is the distance between the second end face of the impeller and the third end face of the guide wheel assembly when the impeller is facing downward.

[0048] Furthermore, in step 2, the theoretical demand value is determined by the following formula:

[0049] S91=H+Y1+X

[0050] Among them, S91 is the theoretical required value, H is the distance between the second end face of the clutch assembly and the right end face of the third thrust bearing, Y1 is the theoretical value of the internal axial clearance of the torque converter, and X is the welding deformation of the pump impeller and the clutch assembly.

[0051] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0052] 1. The present invention proposes a method for processing a torque converter that controls the internal axial clearance. During the processing of the torque converter, it is only necessary to process at least three spot-welding steps on the impeller to preliminarily locate the relative position between the impeller and the clutch assembly. Then, through turning, the spot-welding steps and the impeller in the torque converter are made to meet certain requirements, thereby ensuring the axial clearance inside the torque converter during the processing. The processing method of the present invention is also implemented at the prototype stage. Once the processing fails to meet the requirements, it can be handled in a timely manner to avoid greater economic losses. In addition, the processing method of the present invention only requires spot-welding steps and turning, and is highly feasible. It does not require the investment of special lifting tooling and corresponding displacement monitoring equipment. The processing cycle is short, and the required resources are small, which greatly reduces the cost of prototype processing.

[0053] 2. The present invention also measures the internal axial clearance of the torque converter after processing. The internal axial clearance of the torque converter is determined based on the distance difference between the second end face of the pump wheel and the third end face of the guide wheel assembly when the pump wheel of the torque converter is facing upward and downward. The operation is convenient and no special detection tools are required. The internal axial clearance can be effectively controlled in quality during the processing process. The problem of axial clearance can be discovered in advance and in time at the torque converter sample stage. There is no need to determine the axial clearance through offline detection, which improves the offline pass rate and effectively reduces production costs.

[0054] 3. The processing method of the present invention takes the theoretical value of the axial clearance as the basis when controlling the axial clearance by turning, takes the welding deformation into consideration, and further improves the reliability of the axial clearance.

[0055] 4. The present invention also proposes a hydraulic torque converter, wherein the hydraulic torque converter sample adopts the above-mentioned processing method to control the internal axial clearance, has all the advantages of the above-mentioned processing method, and can effectively improve the processing quality of the hydraulic torque converter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0057] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the main structure of the torque converter;

[0058] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the internal axial clearance of the torque converter;

[0059] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the end face and axial dimensions of each component in the torque converter;

[0060] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the end faces and axial dimensions of the pump impeller in the torque converter;

[0061] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the torque converter preparation parts obtained during torque converter processing;

[0062] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of measuring the internal axial clearance of a torque converter sample with the pump impeller facing upwards in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of measuring the internal axial clearance of a torque converter sample with the pump impeller facing downward in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] Among them: 1-pump wheel, 1a-pump wheel first end face, 1b-pump wheel second end face, 2-clutch assembly, 2a-clutch assembly first end face, 2b-clutch assembly second end face, 2c-clutch assembly friction plate spline, 3-first thrust bearing, 4-gasket, 5-turbine assembly, 5a-turbine assembly first end face, 5b-turbine assembly second end face, 5c-turbine assembly spline, 6-second thrust bearing, 7-guide wheel assembly, 7a-guide wheel assembly first end face, 7b-guide wheel assembly second end face, 7c-guide wheel assembly third end face, 8-third thrust bearing, 9-circumferential welding area, 10-spot welding step, 11-third thrust bearing installation step. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the drawings herein can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0066] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed, but rather merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0067] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined or explained in subsequent drawings.

[0068] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that if the terms "upper," "lower," "horizontal," "inner," etc. appear, the orientation or positional relationship indicated is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the inventive product is typically placed when in use. These terms are merely for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," etc. are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0069] In addition, if the term "horizontal" appears, it does not mean that the component must be absolutely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0070] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "disposed," "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0071] like Figure 1The figure shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a torque converter. The torque converter mainly includes an impeller 1, a clutch assembly 2, a first thrust bearing 3, a gasket 4, a turbine assembly 5, a second thrust bearing 6, a guide wheel assembly 7 and a third thrust bearing 8. The first thrust bearing 3 and the gasket 4 are both mounted on the clutch assembly 2, and the assembly position is between the clutch assembly 2 and the turbine assembly 5, for axial positioning and controlling the free rotation of the turbine assembly 5. The second thrust bearing 6 is assembled between the turbine assembly 5 and the guide wheel assembly 7, for axial positioning and controlling their free rotation. The third thrust bearing 8 is assembled between the impeller 1 and the guide wheel assembly 7, for axial positioning and controlling their free rotation. The internal axial clearance of the torque converter can be considered as the amount of free axial movement of the guide wheel assembly 7 to the left and right in the finished torque converter. When the torque converter is assembled, the internal parts are in contact with each other, and finally the interface between the impeller 1 and the clutch assembly 2 is girth-welded. The girth-welded area 9 is shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown, the welding process can control the size of the axial space inside the torque converter by controlling the distance between the pump wheel 1 and the clutch assembly 2. Figure 2 As shown, the pump wheel 1 and the clutch assembly 2 are connected together by welding. This welding process generally needs to control the internal axial clearance Y of the torque converter to meet the requirement of 0.3±0.2mm, that is, to control the axial clearance between the second thrust bearing 6 and the guide wheel assembly 7. Figure 3 The figure below shows the end faces and axial dimensions of various components in the torque converter. The direction toward the clutch assembly 2 is defined as left, and the direction toward the impeller 1 is defined as right. The clutch assembly's first end face 2a mates with the left end face of the first thrust bearing 3. The clutch assembly's second end face 2b is the end face of the clutch assembly 2 for girth welding. The axial distance between the clutch assembly's first and second end faces 2a and 2b is denoted as S2. The axial width of the first thrust bearing 3 is denoted as S3, and the axial width of the gasket 4 is denoted as S4. The turbine assembly's first end face 5a mates with the right end face of the gasket 4. The turbine assembly's second end face 5b mates with the left end face of the second thrust bearing 6. The axial distance between the turbine assembly's first and second end faces 5a and 5b is denoted as S5. The turbine assembly's spline 5c mates with the clutch assembly's friction plate spline 2c to transmit torque. The axial width of the second thrust bearing 6 is denoted as S6. The first end face 7a of the guide wheel assembly cooperates with the right end face of the second thrust bearing 6, and the second end face 7b of the guide wheel assembly cooperates with the left end face of the third thrust bearing 8. The third end face 7c of the guide wheel assembly is the end face on the right side of the guide wheel assembly 7, which is located below the third thrust bearing installation step. The third thrust bearing 8 is installed between the guide wheel assembly 7 and the pump wheel 1. A step is provided below the right end face of the guide wheel assembly 7 for accommodating the third thrust bearing 8. The step is the third thrust bearing installation step. The axial distance between the first end face 7a of the guide wheel assembly and the second end face 7b of the guide wheel assembly is recorded as S7. The axial width of the third thrust bearing 8 is recorded as S8. Figure 4As shown, the first end face 1a of the pump wheel is matched with the right end face of the third thrust bearing 8, the right end face of the pump wheel 1 below the third thrust bearing 8 is recorded as the second end face 1b of the pump wheel, and the axial distance between the first end face 1a of the pump wheel and the second transverse end face 2b of the clutch is recorded as S1, and S1 is the finished size of the torque converter.

[0072] Based on the above definitions of each end face and each axial distance, the axial clearance Y inside the torque converter is:

[0073] Y=S1+S2-S3-S4-S5-S6-S7-S8

[0074] The present invention provides a method for machining a torque converter for controlling internal axial clearance. The following is a specific embodiment of the machining method of the present invention, and the specific steps are as follows:

[0075] (1) When machining a torque converter, Figure 5 As shown, first, the clutch assembly 2, the first thrust bearing 3, the gasket 4, the turbine assembly 5, the second thrust bearing 6, the guide wheel assembly 7 and the third thrust bearing 8 are assembled in sequence, and the relevant end faces of each part are controlled to be in full contact and without gaps, so as to obtain a torque converter preparation part. The relevant end faces of each part here include between the first end face 2a of the clutch assembly and the first thrust bearing 3, between the first thrust bearing 3 and the gasket 4, between the gasket 4 and the first end face 5a of the turbine assembly, between the turbine assembly spline 5c and the clutch assembly friction plate spline 2c, between the second end face 5b of the turbine assembly and the second thrust bearing 6, between the second thrust bearing 6 and the first end face 7a of the guide wheel assembly, and between the third end face 7c of the guide wheel assembly and the third thrust bearing 8.

[0076] (2) Measure the distance H from the second end face 2b of the clutch assembly to the right end face of the third thrust bearing 8:

[0077] H=S3+S4+S5+S6+S7+S8-S2

[0078] (3) Substituting H = S3 + S4 + S5 + S6 + S7 + S8 - S2 into Y = S1 + S2 - S3 - S4 - S5 - S6 - S7 - S8, we get:

[0079] Y=S1–H

[0080] S1=H+Y

[0081] (4) S1 can be controlled during ring welding. In the prototype stage, in order to control the product production cycle and save costs, the present invention provides the following processing method, which can still control the distance S1 without the need for special tooling, as follows:

[0082] 4.1) If Figure 6As shown, three spot-welded steps 10 are evenly welded around the outer periphery of the impeller. The distance between the spot-welded step 10 and the first end face 1a of the impeller is denoted as S9, and the size of S9 can be controlled by turning. In other embodiments of the present invention, the number of spot-welded steps 10 can be adjusted according to actual needs. Three is the preferred solution, and as long as there are at least three spot-welded steps 10, the purpose of the present invention can be achieved by processing more spot-welded steps 10.

[0083] 4.2) Measure the distance H from the second end face 2b of the clutch assembly to the right end face of the third thrust bearing 8;

[0084] 4.3) The theoretical value of the internal axial clearance Y of the torque converter can be set based on past machining and measurement experience. In this embodiment, the theoretical value Y1 of the internal axial clearance Y of the torque converter is set to 0.3 mm, then:

[0085] S1=H+0.3

[0086] 4.4) Considering the impact of welding on the internal axial dimensions of the torque converter, based on experience, the welding deformation is set to X. This welding deformation X can be set according to the welding conditions;

[0087] 4.5) Considering the welding deformation, the theoretical required value S91 of the distance S9 between the spot welding step 10 and the first end face 1a of the impeller is: S91 = H + 0.3 + X;

[0088] 4.6) Control the distance S9 between the spot weld step 10 and the first end face 1a of the impeller by turning to meet the theoretical requirement. Also, control the flatness of the three spot weld steps 10 and the perpendicularity of the plane of the end face of the spot weld step 10 to the center hole of the impeller 1.

[0089] 4.7) Place the pump impeller 1 on the torque converter assembly, ensuring that all three spot-welded steps 10 overlap the second end surface 2b of the clutch assembly. This step 4.7) is equivalent to controlling the distance between the pump impeller 1 and the clutch assembly 2.

[0090] 4.8) Ring weld the pump wheel 1 and the clutch assembly 2 to obtain Figure 6 The torque converter structure sample is shown.

[0091] 4.9) After the ring welding is completed, place the torque converter aside and let it cool to room temperature. Measure the axial clearance Y to confirm whether it meets 0.3±0.2mm. Cooling it to room temperature before measuring can improve the measurement accuracy.

[0092] In other embodiments of the present invention, if the setting of the theoretical value Y1 changes, or the axial clearance accuracy requirement changes, the actual measurement requirement may be adjusted accordingly.

[0093] To further improve the internal axial clearance of a torque converter after machining, it is particularly important to measure the internal axial clearance and verify the accuracy of the aforementioned machining method. Therefore, the present invention also proposes a method for measuring the internal axial clearance of a torque converter sample. This method does not require dedicated testing tooling, is simple and convenient, requires minimal investment, and is highly feasible. The following is a specific embodiment of the measurement method of the present invention, and the steps are as follows:

[0094] (1) Figure 6 As shown, the torque converter sample is placed flat with the pump impeller 1 facing upward. At this time, the internal parts of the torque converter sample fall onto the clutch assembly 2 in sequence due to gravity. Use a vernier caliper to measure the distance L1 from the second end face 1b of the pump impeller to the third end face 7c of the guide wheel assembly from top to bottom.

[0095] (2) Figure 7 As shown, the impeller 1 of the torque converter prototype is placed upside down, facing downward. Ensure that the impeller's second end surface 1b is not obstructed. At this point, the internal components of the torque converter prototype fall onto the impeller 1 due to gravity. Use a vernier caliper to measure the distance L2 from the impeller's second end surface 1b to the third end surface 7c of the guide pulley assembly from bottom to top.

[0096] (3) Subtract the distance L1 from the distance L2 to obtain the internal axial clearance Y of the torque converter:

[0097] Y = L1 - L2;

[0098] This will determine the torque converter's internal axial clearance Y. This measurement can be used to confirm the machining effect.

[0099] The above-mentioned processing method embodiment is proposed for the torque converter structure shown in the embodiment of the present invention. If the structure of the torque converter is optimized and adjusted, as long as it is the same as the processing concept of the present invention, it falls within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0100] The processing method of the present invention does not require dedicated lifting tooling and the required displacement monitoring equipment; it can be achieved simply by spot welding steps and machining on a conventional lathe. It can be widely applied to the research and development phase of torque converter prototypes, with a short product processing cycle, minimal resource investment, low cost, simple method, and high feasibility. When performing measurement verification, there is no need for dedicated testing tools; measurements can be completed using only a vernier caliper. Effective quality control of the internal axial clearance of the torque converter can be performed during the processing process, allowing problems to be discovered in advance without requiring offline testing, thereby improving the offline pass rate and reducing production costs.

[0101] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for machining a hydraulic torque converter for controlling internal axial clearance, the hydraulic torque converter comprising a pump wheel (1), a clutch assembly (2), a turbine assembly (5), and a guide wheel assembly (7); a first thrust bearing (3) and a gasket (4) are sequentially provided between the clutch assembly (2) and the turbine assembly (5); a second thrust bearing (6) is provided between the turbine assembly (5) and the guide wheel assembly (7); and a third thrust bearing (8) is provided between the guide wheel assembly (7) and the pump wheel (1); It is characterized by: The following steps are involved: Step 1, processing at least three spot welding steps (10) along the circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the pump impeller (1); Step 2: Satisfy the following three conditions through turning: Condition 1: The distance S9 meets the theoretical requirement value; the distance S9 is the distance between the spot welding step (10) and the first end face (1a) of the pump wheel; the first end face (1a) of the pump wheel is the end face where the pump wheel (1) and the third thrust bearing (8) meet; Condition 2: The flatness of each of the spot welding steps (10) meets the preset requirements; Condition 3: The verticality between the plane where the end surface of each spot welding step (10) is located and the center hole of the pump wheel (1) meets the preset requirements; Step 3, placing the pump wheel (1) on the torque converter preparatory part, so that each spot welding step (10) overlaps the second end face (2b) of the clutch assembly; the torque converter preparatory part is a whole obtained by assembling the clutch assembly (2), the first thrust bearing (3), the gasket (4), the turbine assembly (5), the second thrust bearing (6), the guide wheel assembly (7) and the third thrust bearing (8); the second end face (2b) of the clutch assembly is the end face to be welded between the clutch assembly (2) and the pump wheel (1); Step 4: perform girth welding on the clutch assembly (2) and the pump wheel (1) to obtain a torque converter sample.

2. The method for machining a torque converter for controlling internal axial clearance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further includes step 5 of measuring the internal axial clearance of the torque converter sample. If the internal axial clearance meets the preset requirements, the torque converter enters the subsequent processing flow; otherwise, the torque converter is reprocessed.

3. The method for machining a torque converter for controlling internal axial clearance according to claim 2, characterized in that: The measurements are specifically: Step 5-1: Place the torque converter sample flat, and measure the distance between the second end surface (1b) of the pump wheel and the third end surface (7c) of the guide wheel assembly when the pump wheel (1) is facing upward and downward respectively; The direction close to the impeller (1) is defined as right, the second end face (1b) of the impeller is the right end face of the impeller (1) opposite to the first end face (1a) of the impeller, a third thrust bearing mounting step (11) for accommodating the third thrust bearing (8) is provided below the right end face of the guide wheel assembly (7), and the third end face (7c) of the guide wheel assembly is the end face of the right side of the guide wheel assembly (7) located below the third thrust bearing mounting step; Step 5-2: Obtain the internal axial clearance Y of the torque converter using the following formula: Y=L1-L2 Wherein, L1 is the distance between the second end face (1b) of the pump wheel and the third end face (7c) of the guide wheel assembly when the pump wheel (1) is facing upward, and L2 is the distance between the second end face (1b) of the pump wheel and the third end face (7c) of the guide wheel assembly when the pump wheel (1) is facing downward.

4. The method for machining a torque converter for controlling internal axial clearance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: In step 2, the theoretical demand value is determined by the following formula: S91=H+Y1+X Wherein, S91 is the theoretical required value, H is the distance between the second end face (2b) of the clutch assembly and the right end face of the third thrust bearing (8), Y1 is the theoretical value of the internal axial clearance of the torque converter, and X is the welding deformation of the pump wheel (1) and the clutch assembly (2).

5. The method for machining a torque converter for controlling internal axial clearance according to claim 4, characterized in that: The distance H between the second end face (2b) of the clutch assembly and the right end face of the third thrust bearing (8) is obtained by the following formula: H=S3+S4+S5+S6+S7+S8-S2 Wherein, S3 is the axial width of the first thrust bearing (3), S4 is the axial width of the gasket (4), S5 is the axial distance between the first end face (5a) of the turbine assembly and the second end face (5b) of the turbine assembly, S6 is the axial width of the second thrust bearing (6), S7 is the axial distance between the first end face (7a) of the guide wheel assembly and the second end face (7b) of the guide wheel assembly, S8 is the axial width of the third thrust bearing (8), and S2 is the axial distance between the first end face (2a) of the clutch assembly and the second end face (2b) of the clutch assembly; The first end face (5a) of the turbine assembly is the end face of the turbine assembly (5) and the gasket (4), the second end face (5b) of the turbine assembly is the end face of the turbine assembly (5) and the second thrust bearing (6), the first end face (7a) of the guide wheel assembly is the end face of the guide wheel assembly (7) and the second thrust bearing (6), the second end face (7b) of the guide wheel assembly is the end face of the guide wheel assembly (7) and the third thrust bearing (8), and the first end face (2a) of the clutch assembly is the end face of the clutch assembly (2) and the first thrust bearing (3).

6. The method for machining a torque converter for controlling internal axial clearance according to claim 4, characterized in that: The theoretical value Y1 of the internal axial clearance of the torque converter is 0.3 mm.

7. The method for machining a torque converter for controlling internal axial clearance according to claim 5, characterized in that: In step 5, the preset requirement is 0.3±0.2 mm.

8. A hydraulic torque converter, comprising a pump wheel (1), a clutch assembly (2), a turbine assembly (5) and a guide wheel assembly (7); a first thrust bearing (3) and a gasket (4) are sequentially arranged between the clutch assembly (2) and the turbine assembly (5); a second thrust bearing (6) is arranged between the turbine assembly (5) and the guide wheel assembly (7); and a third thrust bearing (8) is arranged between the guide wheel assembly (7) and the pump wheel (1); Its characteristics are: During the processing of the torque converter, the internal axial clearance of the torque converter sample is controlled by the following method: Step 1, forming at least three spot welding steps (10) on the outer surface of the pump wheel (1); Step 2: Control the following three conditions through turning: Condition 1: The distance S9 meets the theoretical requirement value; the distance S9 is the distance between the spot welding step (10) and the first end face (1a) of the pump wheel; the first end face (1a) of the pump wheel is the end face where the pump wheel (1) and the third thrust bearing (8) meet; Condition 2: The flatness of each of the spot welding steps (10) meets the preset requirements; Condition 3: The verticality between the plane where the end surface of each spot welding step (10) is located and the center hole of the pump wheel (1) meets the preset requirements; Step 3, placing the pump wheel (1) on the torque converter preparatory part, so that each spot welding step (10) overlaps the second end face (2b) of the clutch assembly; the torque converter preparatory part is a whole obtained by assembling the clutch assembly (2), the first thrust bearing (3), the gasket (4), the turbine assembly (5), the second thrust bearing (6), the guide wheel assembly (7) and the third thrust bearing (8); the second end face (2b) of the clutch assembly is the end face to be welded between the clutch assembly (2) and the pump wheel (1); Step 4: perform girth welding on the clutch assembly (2) and the pump wheel (1) to obtain a torque converter sample.

9. The torque converter according to claim 8, characterized in that: After obtaining the torque converter sample in step 4, the method further includes step 5 of measuring the internal axial clearance of the torque converter sample. If the clearance meets the preset requirements, the torque converter enters the subsequent processing flow; otherwise, the torque converter is reprocessed. The measurement is specifically: Step 5-1: Place the torque converter sample flat, and measure the distance between the second end surface (1b) of the pump wheel and the third end surface (7c) of the guide wheel assembly when the pump wheel (1) is facing upward and downward respectively; The direction close to the impeller (1) is defined as right, the second end face (1b) of the impeller is the right end face of the impeller (1) opposite to the first end face (1a) of the impeller, a third thrust bearing mounting step (11) for accommodating the third thrust bearing (8) is provided below the right end face of the guide wheel assembly (7), and the third end face (7c) of the guide wheel assembly is the end face of the right side of the guide wheel assembly (7) located below the third thrust bearing mounting step; Step 5-2: Obtain the internal axial clearance Y of the torque converter using the following formula: Y=L1-L2 Wherein, L1 is the distance between the second end face (1b) of the pump wheel and the third end face (7c) of the guide wheel assembly when the pump wheel (1) is facing upward, and L2 is the distance between the second end face (1b) of the pump wheel and the third end face (7c) of the guide wheel assembly when the pump wheel (1) is facing downward.

10. The torque converter according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: In step 2, the theoretical demand value is determined by the following formula: S91=H+Y1+X Wherein, S91 is the theoretical required value, H is the distance between the second end face (2b) of the clutch assembly and the right end face of the third thrust bearing (8), Y1 is the theoretical value of the internal axial clearance of the torque converter, and X is the welding deformation of the pump wheel (1) and the clutch assembly (2).

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