Torque Converter Front Cover Assembly Without Internal Welds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing torque converter designs face quality risks due to contamination from internal welds and require additional components like holes and caps to prevent oil leakage, which complicate the connection between the front cover and piston.

Innovation Solution

A novel torque converter design that eliminates internal welds and holes by using a shell with a front cover assembly, leaf springs connected via rivets, and a front boss integrated with the front cover, allowing for secure torque transfer without internal welds and oil leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a ring plate is used to connect the piston to the front cover with internal welds, then the connection strength is improved, but contamination risk increases due to welds inside the torque converter

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the welding operation from the internal space of the torque converter. By positioning the front boss and performing welding on the exterior surface only, the harmful welding process is taken out of the contamination-prone internal environment, eliminating the risk of weld contamination while preserving connection strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Device complexity

If the ring plate is omitted and leaf springs are riveted directly to the front cover, then the number of components is reduced, but oil leakage risk increases requiring holes and caps in the piston

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of componentsVSAvoidoil leakage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The front boss serves as an intermediary component between the leaf springs and the front cover. By providing a dedicated mounting structure on the front boss, the invention enables secure riveting of leaf springs without requiring holes through the piston, thus eliminating oil leakage risk while maintaining component simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the front boss is welded to the front cover on the exterior surface, then the connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention inverts the conventional welding approach by welding from the exterior surface inward rather than from the interior outward. This reversal allows welding to be performed on accessible exterior surfaces, improving connection reliability through proper weld penetration while actually simplifying manufacturing by eliminating the need for internal welding access and contamination control measures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS11754160B2Torque converter

Publication Date: 2023.09.12 EXEDY GLOBALPARTS CORP

AI summary

A torque converter having a shell formed by a front cover assembly and a rear cover. The front cover assembly further includes a front cover and a front boss, with the front boss being fixedly mounted to the front cover. The torque converter further including an impeller, a turbine located within the shell, a lock-up clutch and a piston. The piston being axially moveable relative to the front cover assembly along a central axis of the torque converter. A leaf spring, positioned between the piston and the front cover assembly, connects the piston to the front cover assembly.