JP2004156692A - Lock-up device for fluid type torque transmission device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restrict stress of a torsion spring 23 in a lock-up device during use, improve its durability, and prevent impairing of a degree of freedom in designing damper twisting characteristics. <P>SOLUTION: This device is provided with a clutch mechanism 20, an input side drive plate 21, an output side driven plate 22, a torsion spring 23 to elastically connect both plates in a rotating direction, and a stopper mechanism. The stopper mechanism comprises a stopper claw 22a provided on the driven plate 22, and a hole 21a provided in the drive plate 21 in which the stopper claw 22a is inserted to be movable in a circular direction in a prescribed angular range. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lock-up device for a hydraulic torque transmission device, and more particularly to a lock-up device for directly transmitting torque between an engine-side member and a transmission-side member without passing through a fluid torque transmission device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The torque converter is a type of a fluid torque transmission device having three types of impellers (impeller, turbine, and stator) therein and transmitting torque via internal hydraulic oil. This torque converter is often provided with a lock-up device.
[0003]
The lockup device is a mechanism that is arranged in a space between the turbine and the front cover, and that transmits torque directly from the front cover to the turbine by mechanically connecting the front cover and the turbine.
Normally, this lockup device has a disk-shaped piston that can be pressed against a front cover, a retaining plate fixed to an outer peripheral portion of the piston, and a rotation direction and an outer peripheral side supported by the retaining plate. It has a torsion spring and a driven plate that supports both ends of the torsion spring in the rotation direction. The driven plate is fixed to a turbine shell or the like of the turbine.
[0004]
In such a lock-up device, a lock-up device having a plurality of friction surfaces to increase the torque transmission capacity has already been provided.
For example, a device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-106677 discloses a multi-plate clutch device having an input side connected to a front cover, an input side plate provided on an output side of the clutch device, and a turbine hub. An output side plate and a torsion spring provided between the input side plate and the output side plate. In this device, by turning on (connecting) the multi-plate clutch device, torque is directly transmitted from the front cover to the turbine hub on the output side without passing through the torque converter.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-10667
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When the lock-up device is operating, the torsion spring expands and contracts between the input side plate and the output side plate to absorb vibrations and minute torque fluctuations. Here, when an excessive torque is input, the apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned conventional publication is configured such that the torsion spring comes into close contact and torque transmission is performed.
[0007]
However, in such a conventional apparatus in which the torsion spring is used in close contact, the spring stress at the time of use increases, and the durability decreases. Further, it is necessary to set the specifications of the torsion spring so that the spring stress falls within the allowable stress range even in the close contact state so as not to impair the durability, so that the degree of freedom in designing the damper torsional characteristics is limited.
[0008]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to suppress stress during use of a torsion spring, improve durability, and not to impair the degree of freedom in designing damper torsional characteristics.
Another object of the present invention is to make it possible to avoid using a torsion spring in close contact with a simple configuration.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The lock-up device according to claim 1 is a device for directly transmitting torque between an engine-side member and a transmission-side member without passing through a fluid torque transmission device, and includes a clutch device, , An output side plate having a disc shape, a torsion spring, and a stopper mechanism. The clutch device is provided in a torque transmission path between a member on the engine side and a member on the transmission side. The input side plate is provided on the output side or the input side of the clutch device. The output side plate is connected to a transmission side member. The torsion spring elastically connects the input side plate and the output side plate in the rotation direction. The stopper mechanism includes a stopper claw provided on one of the input-side plate and the output-side plate, and a hole provided on the other of the two plates and into which the stopper claw is movably inserted in a circumferential direction within a predetermined angle range. Mechanism.
[0010]
In this lockup device, when the clutch device is turned on (connected), the torque is directly transmitted from the engine side to the transmission side without passing through the fluid torque transmission device. At this time, the torque transmitted to the input side plate is transmitted to the output side plate via the torsion spring.
Here, when the torsion spring is compressed, the input side plate and the output side plate rotate relative to each other by the amount corresponding to the compression. However, a stopper claw is provided on one of the two plates, and the stopper claw is movably inserted into a hole of the other plate within a predetermined angle range. Therefore, it is necessary to appropriately set the movement range of the stopper claw. Thereby, the degree of compression of the torsion spring can be limited. Therefore, the use of the torsion spring in close contact can be avoided, the stress of the torsion spring can be suppressed, and the durability can be improved. In addition, it is possible to prevent the degree of freedom in designing the torsional characteristics of the damper from being limited.
[0011]
A lock-up device according to a second aspect is the device according to the first aspect, wherein the stopper claw is formed by bending a part of the input side plate or the output side plate so as to protrude in the axial direction.
Here, since the stopper claw is formed by bending a part of the plate, the stopper mechanism can be realized with a simple configuration.
[0012]
The lock-up device according to claim 3 is the device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the input-side plate has an input-side locking portion that can be locked at both circumferential ends of the torsion spring, and the output-side plate is torsioned. The spring has output side locking portions that can be locked at both ends in the circumferential direction of the spring.
Here, when the input side plate rotates, the input side locking portion pushes one circumferential end of the torsion spring, and the other circumferential end of the torsion spring pushes the output side locking portion of the output plate. . In this way, the rotation of the input side plate is transmitted to the output side plate.
[0013]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the lockup device according to the first to third aspects, the input side plate has a spring storage portion for storing a torsion spring, and the spring storage portion substantially covers an outer peripheral portion of the input side plate. It is formed in a U-shape to support the outer peripheral side and one axial side of the torsion spring, and further, the open side edge on the outer peripheral side is bent inward to support the other axial side of the torsion spring.
[0014]
Here, since the spring storage portion is formed by bending the outer peripheral portion of the input side plate, the configuration of the spring storage portion is simplified.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Basic structure of torque converter]
FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a torque converter 1 to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The torque converter 1 is a device for transmitting torque from a crankshaft 2 of an engine to an input shaft 3 of a transmission. An engine (not shown) is arranged on the left side of FIG. 1, and a transmission (not shown) is arranged on the right side of FIG. OO shown in FIG. 1 is a rotation shaft of the torque converter 1.
[0016]
The torque converter 1 includes a front cover 5, a torus-shaped fluid working chamber 8 including three types of impellers (not shown, an impeller, a turbine 6, and a stator 7), and a lockup device 9.
The front cover 5 is a disk-shaped member, and has an inner peripheral portion fixed to the crankshaft 2. On the outer peripheral portion of the front cover 5, an outer peripheral cylindrical portion 5a extending toward the transmission is formed. The outer peripheral edge of the impeller shell 11 of the impeller is fixed to the tip of the outer peripheral side cylindrical portion 5a by welding. As a result, a fluid chamber filled with hydraulic oil is formed by the front cover 5 and the impeller. The impeller has a known structure, and mainly includes an impeller shell, a plurality of impeller blades fixed inside the impeller shell, and an impeller hub fixed to an inner peripheral portion of the impeller shell.
[0017]
The turbine 6 is disposed in the fluid chamber so as to face the impeller in the axial direction. The turbine 6 mainly includes a turbine shell 15, a plurality of turbine blades 16 fixed to a surface on the impeller side thereof, and a turbine hub 17 fixed to an inner peripheral edge of the turbine shell 15. The turbine hub 17 includes a flange portion 17a and a boss portion 17b. The turbine shell 15 and the turbine hub 17 are fixed by a plurality of rivets 18 at the flange portion 17a of the turbine hub 17.
[0018]
A spline that engages with the input shaft 3 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the boss portion 17b of the turbine hub 17. As a result, the turbine hub 17 rotates integrally with the input shaft 3.
[Structure of lock-up device]
The lock-up device 9 is arranged in a space between the turbine 6 and the front cover 5, and is a mechanism for mechanically connecting the two as necessary. The lock-up device 9 has functions of a clutch and an elastic coupling mechanism, and mainly includes a clutch mechanism 20 disposed on a side of the front cover 5 and a drive disposed between the clutch mechanism 20 and the turbine 6. It comprises a plate 21, a driven plate 22 disposed between the drive plate 21 and the turbine 6, and a plurality of torsion springs 23 for elastically connecting the drive plate 21 and the driven plate 22 in the circumferential direction. I have.
[0019]
The clutch mechanism 20 is a mechanism for transmitting and interrupting torque between the front cover 5 and the drive plate 21, and has a clutch unit 25 and a piston 26.
The clutch portion 25 has a case 30 having one end welded and fixed to the side surface of the front cover 5, a plurality of input clutch plates 31 and output clutch plates 32 alternately arranged in the axial direction, and a clutch output member 33. ing.
[0020]
The case 30 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and has a plurality of grooves at equal intervals in a circumferential direction. This groove is formed with a predetermined length from the transmission side. Each of the clutch plates 31 and 32 is formed in an annular shape. A lug is formed on the outer periphery of the input clutch plate 31 so as to engage with the groove of the case 30, and a plurality of spline teeth or the like is formed on the inner periphery of the output clutch plate 32. Internal teeth are formed. These clutch plates 31 and 32 are movable in the axial direction in the case 30, and the movement is restricted by a back plate 34 and a retaining ring 35 provided in the case 30. Further, friction facings are attached to both side surfaces of the output clutch plate 32. The clutch output member 33 is provided so as to extend toward the engine at an inner peripheral end of the outer cylindrical portion 33a, a disk-shaped side portion 33b extending from one end of the outer cylindrical portion 33a to the inner periphery, and an inner peripheral end of the side portion 33b. And an inner peripheral cylindrical portion 33c. External teeth such as a spline shaft are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion 33a, and the internal teeth of the output clutch plate 32 mesh with these external teeth. A cylindrical portion 17c extending toward the engine is formed at the outer peripheral end of the flange portion 17a of the hub flange 17, and an annular stopper portion 17d extending toward the outer peripheral side is formed at the end of the cylindrical portion 17c. I have. The inner peripheral cylindrical portion 33c of the clutch output member 33 is slidably supported by the cylindrical portion 17c of the hub flange 17, and its axial movement is restricted by the stopper 17d.
[0021]
The piston 26 is a ring-shaped member provided between the front cover 5 and the clutch unit 25, and is slidably supported by an outer peripheral portion of a support member 36 welded and fixed to a side surface of the front cover 5. . The piston 26 presses the clutch plates 31 and 32 of the clutch unit 25 by the hydraulic pressure supplied to the gap between the piston 26 and the front cover 5. The inner peripheral portion of the piston 26 and the outer peripheral portion of the support member 36 are spline-coupled so that the piston 26 and the front cover 5 rotate synchronously, and are not rotatable relative to each other and are freely movable in the axial direction.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 which shows a part of FIG. 1, the drive plate 21 is a disk-shaped plate having an opening in the center, and has a plurality of spring storage portions 40 on the outer periphery. The inner peripheral portion is fixed to the side surface portion 33b of the clutch output member 33 by a rivet 41. A substantially intermediate portion in the radial direction of the drive plate 21 is circumferentially long to regulate the relative angle range between the drive plate 21 and the driven plate 22 (the lock-up device in FIG. 1 is viewed from the turbine side). FIG. 3) A plurality of holes 21a are formed.
[0023]
The plurality of spring storage portions 40 are formed by forming the outer peripheral portion of the drive plate 21 into a substantially U-shape, and are arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. Each spring accommodating portion 40 has an inner peripheral wall portion 40a, a side wall portion 40b, and an outer peripheral wall portion 40c, and a distal end portion (opening edge) of the outer peripheral wall portion 40c is bent inward. It is a bent portion 40d. The torsion spring 23 accommodated in the spring accommodating portion 40 has an engine side portion supported by the side wall portion 40b, an outer peripheral portion supported by the outer peripheral wall portion 40c, and a transmission side side portion supported by the bent portion 40d. Have been.
[0024]
The drive plate 21 has a first locking portion 41 and a second locking portion 42 on the input side adjacent to the spring storage portion 40 in the circumferential direction. The first locking portion 41 is formed by bending the outer peripheral end of the driven plate 21 in the inner circumferential direction, and can be locked to both end surfaces of the torsion spring 23 stored in the spring storing portion 40. The second locking portion 42 is formed by processing a part of the drive plate 21 so as to be able to lock to both inner end surfaces of the torsion spring 23 stored in the spring storage portion 40. is there.
[0025]
The driven plate 22 is a disk-shaped plate having an opening at the center similarly to the drive plate 21. A plurality of spring opposing portions 45 and output side locking portions 46 are formed alternately in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral portion of the driven plate 22. Further, the inner peripheral portion is fixed to the flange portion 17a of the hub flange 17 together with the turbine shell 15 by rivets 18. Further, a stopper claw 22a cut and raised toward the engine so as to protrude in the axial direction is provided at a substantially intermediate portion in the radial direction of the driven plate 22, and the stopper claw 22a is provided on the drive plate 21. Is inserted into the hole 21a.
[0026]
In this way, a stopper mechanism for regulating the angle range in which the drive plate 21 and the driven plate 22 can rotate relative to each other is constituted by the stopper claws 22a and the holes 21a. The circumferential length of the hole 21a is set such that the torsion spring 23 does not adhere when the stopper claw 22a abuts on the end face of the hole 21a due to the relative rotation of the plates 21 and 22. I have.
[0027]
The spring facing portion 45 is formed so as to face the torsion spring 23 stored in the spring storage portion 40 of the drive plate 41 in the axial direction, and is not in contact with the torsion spring 23. Further, the output side locking portion 46 is formed by bending the outer peripheral portion of the driven plate 22 toward the engine, and can be locked to both circumferential end surfaces of the torsion spring 23.
[0028]
[motion]
Immediately after the start of the engine, hydraulic oil is supplied into the torque converter main body, and no hydraulic oil is supplied between the piston 26 and the front cover 5. Therefore, torque is transmitted by the torque converter, and the lock-up device does not operate.
[0029]
On the other hand, when the speed ratio of the torque converter rises and the input shaft 3 reaches a certain number of revolutions, hydraulic oil is supplied between the piston 26 and the front cover 5, and the piston 26 becomes the clutch plates 31, 32 of the clutch unit 25. Press. As a result, the torque of the front cover 5 is transmitted to the drive plate 21 via the clutch portion 25 and the clutch output member 33, and further transmitted to the driven plate 22 via the torsion spring 23. That is, the front cover 5 is mechanically connected to the hub flange 17 of the turbine 6, and the torque of the front cover 5 is directly output to the input shaft 3 via the hub flange 17.
[0030]
In such an operation, the torsion spring 23 repeatedly expands and contracts, but the torsion spring 23 is securely supported in the radial direction and the axial direction by the spring accommodating portion 40 of the drive plate 21. That is, since the torsion spring 23 is not sandwiched and supported by two members but is supported by one member (drive plate 21), it is possible to suppress the torsion spring 23 from rattling in the axial direction. Also, the configuration is simplified. Furthermore, even if the bent portion 40d of the spring storage portion 40 wears out and the torsion spring 23 cannot be supported in the axial direction, the spring facing portion 45 of the driven plate 22 is provided. Jumping out of the storage section 40 can be prevented.
[0031]
Further, since the spring facing portion 45 of the driven plate 22 faces the torsion spring 23 in a non-contact manner, the spring facing portion 45 does not wear.
Further, when an excessive torque is input and the compression amount of the torsion spring 23 exceeds a predetermined value, the stopper claw 22a of the driven plate 22 comes into contact with the end face of the hole 21a of the drive plate 21, and the two plates 21, 22 is prohibited. That is, further compression of the torsion spring 23 is restricted. Since the length of the hole 21a in the circumferential direction is set to such a length that the torsion spring 23 does not adhere even if it is compressed as described above, the torsion spring 23 does not adhere even if an excessive torque is input. I will not. For this reason, the operating stress of the spring is limited, and the durability of the spring is improved. Further, the torsional characteristics of the damper can be set without being affected by the spring stress when the torsion spring 23 is in close contact with the torsion spring 23, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in design.
[0032]
[Other embodiments]
(A) In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to the lockup device having the multi-plate type clutch mechanism, but the configuration of the clutch mechanism is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be similarly applied to a lockup device having a single-plate type clutch mechanism.
[0033]
(B) The arrangement of the clutch mechanism is not limited to the above embodiment. That is, a clutch mechanism may be arranged on the output side of the driven plate.
(C) The configuration for supporting the piston and the drive rate is not limited to the above embodiment.
(D) In the above embodiment, the holes 21a are formed in the drive plate 21 and the stopper claws 22a are formed in the driven plate 22, but they may be formed in reverse.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
In the lockup device according to the present invention, the input side plate and the output side plate are provided with a hole and a stopper claw to constitute a stopper mechanism so as to avoid the close use of the torsion spring, so that the working stress of the spring is limited. Thus, the durability of the spring can be improved. Also, the degree of freedom in designing the torsional characteristics of the damper increases.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a torque converter to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a diagram extracting and showing a drive plate and a driven plate of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partial side view of FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Torque converter 2 Crankshaft 3 Input shaft 5 Front cover 9 Lockup device 17 Hub flange 20 Clutch mechanism 21 Drive plate 21a Hole 22 Driven plate 22a Stopper claw 23 Torsion spring 25 Clutch part 40 Spring storage part 40b Side wall part 40c Outer wall part 40d bending part 41 input side first locking part 42 input side second locking part 45 spring facing part 46 output side locking part

Claims (4)

A lock-up device for directly transmitting torque between a member on the engine side and a member on the transmission side without passing through a fluid torque transmission device,
A clutch device provided in a torque transmission path between the engine-side member and the transmission-side member,
A disk-shaped input-side plate provided on the output side or the input side of the clutch device,
A disk-shaped output-side plate connected to the transmission-side member,
A torsion spring that elastically connects the input side plate and the output side plate in a rotational direction,
A stopper comprising a stopper claw provided on one of the input side plate and the output side plate, and a hole provided on the other of the two plates and into which the stopper claw is inserted so as to be movable in a circumferential direction within a predetermined angle range. Mechanism and
A lock-up device for a hydraulic torque transmission device comprising: The lock-up device for a hydraulic torque transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper claw is formed by bending a part of the input side plate or the output side plate so as to protrude in an axial direction. The input side plate has an input side locking portion that can be locked to both circumferential ends of the torsion spring,
The output-side plate has output-side locking portions that can be locked to both circumferential ends of the torsion spring,
A lock-up device for a hydraulic torque transmission device according to claim 1. The input side plate has a spring storage portion for storing the torsion spring,
The spring accommodating portion forms an outer peripheral portion of the input side plate in a substantially U-shape to support an outer peripheral side and an axial direction one side of the torsion spring, and further opens an outer peripheral side open side edge on an inner peripheral side. The lock-up device for a hydraulic torque transmission device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the torsion spring is bent so as to support the other side in the axial direction.

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