Torque Converter Core Ring Assembly With Nested Blade Tip Recesses

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Solution Overview

Problem

The connection between core rings and other components in torque converter assemblies is complicated due to incorrect positioning of blade tips, leading to a larger axial footprint, making assembly challenging and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A core ring design with through openings and recesses that receive blade tips, allowing for precise alignment and reduced axial footprint, where the recesses are dimensioned to accommodate blade tips with a complementary profile, enabling easy assembly by bending the blade tips to engage with the recesses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If blade tips are bent over the core ring surface to secure the connection, then the connection between core ring and turbine is retained, but the axial footprint or envelope increases due to the stacking of the blade tip onto the core ring surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidaxial footprint

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The blade tip is inserted through a through-opening in the core ring and bent into a recess on the opposite side, nesting the blade tip portion within the core ring structure. This eliminates the need for blade tips to stack onto the core ring surface, thereby reducing the axial footprint while maintaining a secure connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If blade tips are bent to secure with the core ring, then the connection is retained, but the assembly process becomes complicated due to incorrect positioning of the blade tips

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidassembly ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The core ring is pre-formed with through-openings and recesses at precise locations before assembly. The recesses are positioned to guide the blade tips during insertion and bending, ensuring correct positioning is achieved automatically as part of the assembly process rather than requiring complex positioning steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The recess acts as an intermediary structure that facilitates the connection between the blade tip and core ring. It provides a designated path and final position for the bent blade tip, making the assembly process simpler and more reliable by eliminating the need for complex positioning mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If through openings and recesses are added to the core ring, then blade tip positioning is improved and assembly is simplified, but the core ring structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly easeVSAvoidcore ring structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The core ring is segmented with discrete through-openings and recesses at specific locations rather than being a solid structure. This segmentation approach allows for precise positioning features while maintaining the overall simplicity of the core ring as a single piece component, avoiding the need for additional separate positioning elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11852225B2Core ring for torque converter

Publication Date: 2023.12.26 SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO KG

AI summary

A core ring for a torque converter is disclosed herein. The core ring includes a plurality of through openings and a plurality of recesses each connected to a respective through opening of the plurality of through openings. The recesses are each dimensioned to receive a portion of a blade, and specifically a blade tip formed on an adjacent torque converter component.