Torque Converter Blades With Shell Protrusions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional torque converter designs face challenges in securely attaching impeller or turbine blades due to limitations in embossing slots on the interior surface of the shell, particularly with smaller torus sizes, leading to potential blade dislodgment during assembly and rolling processes.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of shell protrusions on the interior surface of the torque converter shell, which contact radially extending circumferentially facing surfaces of the blades, providing additional support and stability without the need for conventional embossments on the interior surface, and ensuring no protrusions on the exterior base of the shell.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional embossing slots are used on the interior surface of the shell, then blade support is provided, but blade dislodgment occurs during assembly and rolling processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade retentionVSAvoidassembly process stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of creating recesses (slots) in the shell to hold blades, the patent uses protrusions extending from the interior surface to contact and support the blades. This inversion from negative space (slots) to positive space (protrusions) prevents blade dislodgment while simplifying the assembly process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The shell protrusions are pre-formed on the interior surface of the shell before blade assembly. These protrusions are positioned to contact specific surfaces of the blades, providing preliminary support and alignment that prevents dislodgment during subsequent assembly and rolling operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Stability of the object's composition

If shell protrusions are added to support blades, then blade stability is improved, but shell complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade position stabilityVSAvoidshell structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shell protrusions are localized to specific positions on the interior surface where blade contact is needed. Rather than modifying the entire shell structure, only discrete local areas are protruded to contact specific surfaces of the blades, providing stability without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10663049B2Torque converter impeller or turbine including rear side embossment

Publication Date: 2020.05.26 SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO KG

AI summary

A torque converter impeller or turbine is provided. The torque converter impeller or turbine includes a plurality of blades and a shell including a rounded portion defining an annular bowl for receiving the blades on an interior surface of the shell. The interior surface of the shell is provided with at least one shell protrusion for each of the blades protruding away from the rounded portion. Each of the at least one shell protrusion contacts a radially extending circumferentially facing surface of the respective blade.