Torque converter with a center ring

Abstract

Torque converter (10) which includes: an impeller (18) comprising an impeller housing, a central ring (46) for the impeller (18) and impeller blades (68) attached to the impeller housing and the central ring (46) for the impeller (18); and a turbine (20) comprising a turbine housing (60), a central ring (44) for the turbine (20) and turbine blades (58) attached to the turbine housing (60) and the central ring (44) for the turbine (20), the central ring (46) comprising the impeller (18) and / or the central ring (44) for the turbine (20): an inner diameter; an outer diameter; radially outer slots (44a, 46a) projecting radially inwards from the outer circumference (48, 52); and radially inner slots (44b, 46b) extending radially outwards from the inner circumference (50, 54), wherein the impeller blades (68) and the turbine blades (58) each comprise radially inner tongues (64b, 70b) and radially outer tongues (64a, 70a) which connect the impeller blades (68) and the turbine blades (58) to the corresponding central ring (46) for the impeller (18) or the central ring (44) of the turbine (20), wherein the radially outer slots (44a, 46a) of the central ring (46) for the impeller (18) and / or of the central ring (44) for the turbine (20) accommodate the radially outer tongues (64a, 70a) and the radially inner slots (44b, 46b) of the central ring (46) for the impeller (18) and / or of the central ring (44) for the turbine (20) accommodate the radially inner tongues (64b, 70b), wherein the central ring (46) for the impeller (18) and / or the central ring (44) for the turbine (20) contains a radially extending surface (66, 72) and the radially inner tongues (64b, 70b) and the radially outer tongues (64a, 70a) are bent so that they abut the radially extending surface (66, 72).

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to torque converter impellers and / or turbines, and more particularly to center rings for torque converter impellers and / or turbines. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] US Patent 5,065,509 discloses a torque converter including a conventional center ring having slots formed inside the center ring between an inner periphery and an outer periphery thereof.

[0003] Further prior art relating to torque converters having at least one center ring is disclosed in the publications DE 197 54 650 A1, DE 195 39 814 A1, US 2 952 976 A and DE 101 56 041 A1.

[0004] It is the object of the invention to provide an improved torque converter with at least one center ring. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A center ring for a torque converter is provided. The center ring for the torque converter includes an inner circumference, an outer circumference, radially outer slots projecting radially inward from the outer circumference, and radially inner slots projecting radially outward from the inner circumference.

[0006] Also provided is a torque converter including: an impeller including an impeller shell, an impeller shell center ring, and impeller blades attached to the impeller shell and the impeller center ring; and a turbine including a turbine shell, a turbine center ring, and turbine blades attached to the turbine shell and the turbine center ring. The impeller center ring and / or the turbine center ring include radially outer slots extending radially inward from the outer periphery and radially inner slots extending radially outward from the inner periphery.

[0007] A method of forming a torus component for a torque converter is also provided. The method includes: attaching a plurality of vanes to a housing, each of the vanes including radially inner tabs and radially outer tabs; forming a center ring including an inner periphery, an outer periphery, radially outer slots extending radially inward from the outer periphery, and radially inner slots extending radially outward from the inner periphery; and connecting the center ring and the vanes together by inserting each of the radially inner tabs into one of the radially inner slots and each of the radially outer tabs into one of the radially outer slots. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The present invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which: Fig. 1 schematically shows a side cross-sectional view of the center ring of a torque converter according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 2 a plan view of a section of one of the center rings of the Fig. 1 shown torque converter; Fig. 3 a perspective view of the impeller of the Fig. 1 shown torque converter; and Fig. 4 a plan view of the Fig. 3 shows the impeller. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] The disclosure provides a non-brazing design of a center ring having double slots, one on the inner diameter and the other on the outer diameter of the center ring, to allow two blade tongues on the center ring to be rolled to connect the center ring to the blades.

[0010] Fig. 1 shows a side cross-sectional view of a torque converter 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The torque converter 10 is rotatable about a central axis 11 and includes a front cover 12 for connection to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine and a rear cover 14 forming a housing 16 of an impeller or pump 18. The terms axial, radial, and circumferential as used herein refer to the central axis 11. The torque converter 10 also includes a turbine 20 formed according to an embodiment of the present invention and disposed opposite the impeller 18, and a damper assembly 22 connected to the turbine 20. The torque converter 10 further includes a stator 24 axially between the impeller 18 and the turbine 20. The impeller 18, the turbine 20, and the stator 24 together form a torus for the torque converter 10.

[0011] On a side of the turbine 20 facing the front cover, the turbine is connected to a damper assembly 22. The damper assembly 22 contains two cover plates 25, 26, which axially hold an inner set of springs 28 between the two, with the cover plate 25 facing the turbine being riveted to the turbine 20. The damper assembly 22 also contains a drive flange 30, which is arranged axially between the cover plates 25, 26 and is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the drive shaft of a gearbox. The cover plates 25, 26 transmit torque from the turbine 20 via springs 28 to the drive flange 30, which in turn drives the drive shaft of the gearbox. A radially outer end of the cover plate 26 forms a receptacle 32 for holding a set of the radially outer springs.

[0012] The torque converter 10 also includes a lock-up clutch 34, which, according to this embodiment, is formed by a radially extending inner surface 36 of the front cover 12, a clutch disc 38, and a piston 40. The clutch disc 38 includes friction material 42a, 42b on both of its axially facing and radially extending surfaces. When the lock-up clutch is in an unlocked state, torque from the engine is transmitted via fluid flow from the impeller 18 to the turbine 20, and the turbine 20 drives the transmission input shaft via the damper assembly 22. When the lock-up clutch 34 is in a locked state, torque from the engine is transmitted via the clutch 34 from the cover 12 to the damper assembly 22, and the damper assembly 22, in turn, drives the transmission input shaft.

[0013] The turbine 20 and impeller 18 are formed according to one embodiment of the invention, wherein the turbine 20 includes a center ring 44 and the impeller 18 includes a center ring 46. Unlike conventional center rings, the center ring 44 includes radially outer slots 44a extending radially inward from the outer peripheral surface 48 and radially inner slots 44b extending radially outward from the inner peripheral surface 50. Likewise, the center ring 46 includes radially outer slots 46a extending radially inward from the outer peripheral surface 52 and radially inner slots 46b extending radially outward from the inner peripheral surface 54.

[0014] The turbine 20 further includes a turbine housing 60 and turbine blades 58 attached to the turbine housing 60 and to the center ring 44. The blades 58 are attached to the turbine housing 60 by tabs 62 on an engine-facing side thereof and to the center ring 44 by tabs 64a, 64b on a transmission-facing side thereof. Each of the tabs 64a extends through one of the slots 44a and is bent to bear against a radially extending, transmission-facing surface 66 of the center ring 44, and each of the tabs 64b extends through one of the slots 44b and is bent to bear against the radially extending, transmission-facing surface 66.

[0015] The impeller 18 further includes impeller blades 68, which are attached to the housing 16 and the center ring 46. The blades 68 are attached to the center ring 46 by tabs 70a, 70b on one side thereof facing the transmission and on the other side thereof facing the motor. Each of the tabs 70a extends through one of the slots 46a and is bent over to engage the radially extending surface 72 facing the motor.

[0016] Fig. 2 shows a plan view of a section of the center ring 44. The center ring 46 is designed in the same way as the center ring 44. Fig. 2 shows that the slots 44a extend radially inward from the outer circumference 48 to a center circle 74 thereof, the distance of the center circle 74 from the outer circumference 48 and from the inner circumference 50 being the same. Each of the slots 44a is defined by edges 76a, 76b, each of which extends radially inward from the outer circumference 48 to the center circle 74 and meets at a radially innermost tip 76c of the slot 44a. The slots 44b extend radially outward from the inner circumference 50 to the center circle 74. Each of the slots 44b is defined by edges 78a, 78b, each of which extends radially outward from the inner circumference 50 to the center circle 74 and meets at a radially innermost tip 78c of the slot 44b.

[0017] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the impeller 18, and Fig.Figure 4 shows a plan view of the impeller 18. The turbine blades 58 are attached to the center ring 44 in the same manner as the impeller blades 68 are attached to the center ring 46. The slots 46a extend radially inward from the outer circumference 52 and are each defined by edges 80a, 80b, each extending radially inward from the outer circumference 52 to and meeting at a radially innermost tip 80c of the slot 46a. The slots 46b extend radially outward from the inner circumference 54 and are each defined by edges 82a, 82b, each extending radially outward from the inner circumference 54 to and meeting at a radially innermost tip 82c of the slot 46b. Each of the tongues 70a extends axially through one of the slots 46a and is bent over to extend circumferentially over the corresponding edge 80a and to bear against the radially extending surface 72 of the center ring 46 facing the engine.Likewise, each of the tongues 70b extends axially through one of the slots 46b and is bent over to extend circumferentially over the corresponding edge 82a and to bear against the radially extending, engine-facing surface 72 of the center ring 46.

Claims

[1] Torque converter (10) comprising: an impeller (18) including an impeller shell, a center ring (46) for the impeller (18), and impeller blades (68) attached to the impeller shell and the center ring (46) for the impeller (18); and a turbine (20) including a turbine housing (60), a center ring (44) for the turbine (20), and turbine blades (58) attached to the turbine housing (60) and the center ring (44) for the turbine (20), wherein the center ring (46) for the impeller (18) and / or the center ring (44) for the turbine (20) comprises: an inner diameter; an outer diameter; radially outer slots (44a, 46a) projecting radially inward from the outer periphery (48, 52); and radially inner slots (44b, 46b) projecting radially outward from the inner circumference (50, 54), wherein the impeller blades (68) and the turbine blades (58) each include radially inner tongues (64b, 70b) and radially outer tongues (64a, 70a) connecting the impeller blades (68) and the turbine blades (58) to the corresponding center ring (46) for the impeller (18) or the center ring (44) of the turbine (20), wherein the radially outer slots (44a, 46a) of the center ring (46) for the impeller (18) and / or the center ring (44) for the turbine (20) receive the radially outer tongues (64a, 70a) and the radially inner slots (44b, 46b) of the center ring (46) for the impeller (18) and / or the center ring (44) for the turbine (20) receive the radially inner tongues (64b, 70b), wherein the center ring (46) for the impeller (18) and / or the center ring (44) for the turbine (20) includes a radially extending surface (66, 72) and the radially inner tongues (64b, 70b) and the radially outer tongues (64a, 70a) are bent so that they bear against the radially extending surface (66, 72). [2] The torque converter (10) of claim 1, wherein each of said radially outer slots (44a, 46a) is defined by edges (76a, 76b; 80a, 80b) projecting radially inwardly from said outer periphery (48, 52) and meeting at a radially innermost tip (76c; 80c). [3] The torque converter (10) of claim 1, wherein each of said radially inner slots (44b, 46b) is defined by edges (78a, 78b; 82a, 82b) projecting radially outwardly from said inner periphery (50, 54) and meeting at a radially outermost tip (78c; 82c). [4] A method of forming a torus component for a torque converter (10), the method comprising: Attaching a plurality of blades to a housing, each of the blades including radially inner tongues (64b, 70b) and radially outer tongues (64a, 70a); Forming a center ring (44, 46) such that it includes an inner circumference (50, 54), an outer circumference (48, 52), radially outer slots (44a, 46a) projecting radially inward from the outer circumference (48, 52), and radially inner slots (44b, 46b) projecting radially outward from the inner circumference (50, 54); and Connecting the center ring (44, 46) and the blades to one another by inserting each of the radially inner tongues (64b, 70b) into one of the radially inner slots (44b, 46b) and inserting each of the radially outer tongues (64a, 70a) into one of the radially outer slots (44a, 46a), wherein connecting the center ring (44, 46) and the blades to one another includes bending each of the radially inner tongues (64b, 70b) and the radially outer tongues (64a, 70a) to bear against a radially extending surface (66, 72) of the center ring (44, 46). [5] The method of claim 4, wherein each of the radially outer slots (44a, 46a) is defined by edges (76a, 76b; 80a, 80b) projecting radially inwardly from the outer periphery (48, 52) and meeting at a radially innermost tip (76c; 80c), wherein bending the radially outer tabs (64a, 70a) into abutment with the radially extending surface (66, 72) includes bending them to extend circumferentially over a respective one of the edges (76a, 76b; 80a, 80b). [6] The method of claim 4, wherein the radially inner slots (44b, 46b) are each defined by edges (78a, 78b; 82a, 82b) extending radially outward from the inner periphery (50, 54) and meeting at a radially outermost tip (78c; 82c), and wherein bending the radially inner tabs (64b, 70b) into abutment against the radially extending surface (66, 72) includes bending them to extend circumferentially over one of the corresponding edges (78a, 78b; 82a, 82b).

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