JP2010101380A - Damper device and fluid transmission device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a miniaturizable damper device and a fluid transmission device. <P>SOLUTION: The damper device includes a planetary gear mechanism 41 having rotating elements including a sun gear 43 as an external gear, a ring gear 44 as an internal gear arranged coaxially with the sun gear 43, and a carrier 45 for holding a pinion gear 46 engaging with the sun gear 43 and the ring gear 44 in a rotatable and revolvable manner, and an elastic body 42 for connecting two of the rotating elements of the planetary gear mechanism 41 to each other in a relatively rotatable manner. In the planetary gear mechanism 41, the driving force of a driving source is input to the ring gear 44, and the driving force input to the ring gear 44 can be transmitted to an output shaft 50. Thus, the device is miniaturizable. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a damper device and a fluid transmission device, and more particularly to a damper device and a fluid transmission device provided in a fluid transmission device capable of transmitting a driving force generated by a driving source via a working fluid.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, some automatic transmissions mounted on vehicles and the like use, for example, a torque converter as a fluid transmission device in order to smoothly shift a change in operating state such as start and stop. Such a torque converter includes, for example, a fluid transmission mechanism, a lockup clutch mechanism, and a damper device. The torque converter transmits the driving force transmitted from the driving source to the front cover when the lockup clutch is turned off to the output shaft (for example, the input shaft of the transmission) via the working oil as the working fluid in the fluid transmission mechanism. On the other hand, the driving force transmitted to the front cover when the lockup clutch is ON is transmitted directly to the output shaft via the engagement member of the lockup clutch mechanism and the damper device, without the working fluid in the fluid transmission mechanism. . At this time, the damper device performs vibration reduction when the driving force is transmitted when the lockup clutch is ON.

  As a conventional damper device provided in such a fluid transmission device, for example, a vehicle damper device described in Patent Document 1 includes a connecting member connected to an output shaft of an engine as a drive source, and a connecting member. A disk coupled to and disengageable via a clutch, a plate disposed so as to be rotatable relative to the disk, coupled to an input shaft of the transmission, and interposed between the disk and the plate; And a compression spring for elastically connecting the two. The vehicle damper device further includes a single pinion planetary gear having a sun gear, a ring gear, and a carrier having a pinion shaft that rotatably supports a pinion gear meshing with the ring gear and the sun gear. The carrier is integrated with the connecting member. The ring gear is provided on the plate, and the inertia member is provided on the sun gear. That is, in this vehicle damper device, the driving force transmitted from the engine to the connecting member is input to the carrier, and the driving force input to the carrier is output from the ring gear and transmitted to the input shaft of the transmission. At this time, when the driving force is transmitted from the engine to the connecting member, the vehicular damper device has an amplitude of the inertia member of (1 + λ), where the amplitude of the output shaft of the engine is 1 and the gear ratio of the single pinion planetary gear is λ. Therefore, even if the mass of the inertia member is small, the explosion vibration of the engine can be effectively reduced.

JP 2008-164013 A

  Incidentally, in the vehicle damper device described in Patent Document 1 as described above, for example, further downsizing of the device has been desired.

  Then, an object of this invention is to provide the damper apparatus and fluid transmission apparatus which can be reduced in size.

  To achieve the above object, a damper device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a sun gear that is an external gear, a ring gear that is an internal gear arranged coaxially with the sun gear, the sun gear, and the ring gear. A planetary gear mechanism in which a carrier that rotatably and revolveably holds a pinion gear that meshes with the planetary gear mechanism, and an elastic body that couples two of the rotating elements so as to be relatively rotatable, and the planetary gear mechanism. Is characterized in that a driving force from a driving source is inputted to the ring gear, and the driving force inputted to the ring gear can be transmitted to an output shaft.

  In the damper device according to a second aspect of the present invention, the planetary gear mechanism outputs the driving force input to the ring gear from the carrier.

  In the damper device according to a third aspect of the present invention, an extended mass provided on the sun gear and formed toward a side away from the rotation center along a direction orthogonal to the axial direction along the rotation center of the rotating element. It comprises a part.

  In a damper device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the planetary gear mechanism outputs the driving force input to the ring gear from the sun gear.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the damper device includes a thick mass portion that is provided on the carrier and is formed along an axial direction along a rotation axis center of the rotation element.

  In the damper device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the elastic body connects the ring gear and the carrier so as to be relatively rotatable.

  In the damper device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the elastic body connects the sun gear and the carrier so as to be relatively rotatable.

  In the damper device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the planetary gear mechanism is configured such that the ring gear transmits the driving force from the driving source to a fluid transmission means capable of transmitting the driving force to the output shaft via the working fluid. The ring gear is provided so as to be relatively movable along the axial direction of the output shaft with respect to the cover, and the ring gear approaches the front cover and frictionally engages, whereby the output shaft is connected from the front cover via the ring gear. It is possible to transmit a driving force to.

  In order to achieve the above object, a fluid transmission device according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is a fluid transmission device capable of transmitting a driving force transmitted from a driving source to a front cover to an output shaft via a working fluid; Lockup means capable of transmitting the driving force transmitted to the cover to the output shaft via an engaging member; a sun gear which is an external gear; and a ring gear which is an internal gear arranged coaxially with the sun gear. A planetary gear mechanism in which a pinion gear meshing with the sun gear and the ring gear is rotatable and revolved to form a rotating element; and an elastic body that couples two of the rotating elements to be relatively rotatable. The planetary gear mechanism is configured such that when the lock-up means transmits the driving force via the engaging member, the driving force transmitted to the front cover is Is inputted to the gear, characterized in that it comprises a damper means is the driving force input to the ring gear can be transferred to the output shaft.

  According to the damper device of the present invention, the planetary gear mechanism can reduce the size of the device because the driving force from the driving source is input to the ring gear and the driving force input to the ring gear can be transmitted to the output shaft. be able to.

  According to the fluid transmission device according to the present invention, the planetary gear mechanism of the damper means is configured such that the driving force from the driving source is input to the ring gear and the driving force input to the ring gear can be transmitted to the output shaft. Can be miniaturized.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a damper device and a fluid transmission device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this embodiment. In addition, constituent elements in the following embodiments include those that can be easily replaced by those skilled in the art or those that are substantially the same. In the following embodiment, an engine such as a gasoline engine, a diesel engine, or an LPG engine is used as a drive source for generating a driving force transmitted to the damper device and the fluid transmission device, but the present invention is not limited to this. An electric motor such as a motor may be used as a drive source or in combination with an electric motor such as a motor.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a torque converter according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a collinear diagram of a planetary gear mechanism provided in the torque converter according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the following description, the torque converter as the fluid transmission device is configured to be substantially symmetric with respect to the rotation axis X of the output shaft shown in FIG. 1 as the central axis. Therefore, in FIG. As a central axis, only one side is illustrated. Unless otherwise specified, only one side is described with the rotation axis X as the central axis, and the description on the other side is omitted as much as possible. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the direction along the rotation axis X is referred to as the axial direction, the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis X, that is, the direction orthogonal to the axial direction is referred to as the radial direction, and the rotation axis The direction around X is called the circumferential direction. Further, in the radial direction, the rotation axis X side is referred to as a radial inner side, and the opposite side is referred to as a radial outer side. Also, the side where the driving source is provided in the axial direction (the side where the driving force is input from the driving source) is referred to as the engine side, and the opposite side, that is, the side where the transmission is provided (the side where the driving force is output to the transmission). It is called the output shaft side.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the torque converter 1 as a fluid transmission device according to the first embodiment includes a front cover 10, a fluid transmission mechanism 20 as a fluid transmission means, a lock-up clutch mechanism 30 as a lock-up means, A damper mechanism 40 as a damper means and a damper device of the present invention and an output shaft 50 are provided. The torque converter 1 is arranged in the order of the front cover 10, the lock-up clutch mechanism 30, the damper mechanism 40, and the fluid transmission mechanism 20 from the engine side to the output shaft side with respect to the axial direction.

  The front cover 10 transmits a driving force of an engine (not shown) that is a driving source. The front cover 10 includes a main body portion 11, a flange portion 12, and a set block 13.

  The main body 11 is formed in a disk shape that is coaxial with the rotation axis X that is the central axis of the output shaft 50. The flange portion 12 is formed so as to protrude from the radially outer end portion of the main body portion 11 toward the output shaft. The flange portion 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape coaxial with the rotation axis X.

  The set block 13 is connected to a drive plate 100 which is an input member for driving force from the engine. A plurality of set blocks 13 are formed in the circumferential direction in the vicinity of the outer peripheral end of the engine-side surface of the main body 11. Each set block 13 is fastened to the drive plate 100 by screwing the bolts 14 inserted into the through holes of the drive plate 100.

  Here, the drive plate 100 is formed in a disk shape coaxial with the rotation axis X, and is fastened to an engine output shaft 110 of an engine (not shown) by a connecting member 120 (for example, a bolt). Therefore, the driving force of the engine is transmitted to the drive plate 100, and the driving force transmitted to the drive plate 100 is transmitted to the front cover 10. That is, the driving force of the engine is transmitted to the main body 11 through the set block 13 of the front cover 10.

  The fluid transmission mechanism 20 is a fluid transmission means, and transmits the driving force transmitted to the front cover 10 to the output shaft 50 via the working fluid (hydraulic oil). The fluid transmission mechanism 20 includes a pump impeller 21, a turbine liner 22, a stator 23, a one-way clutch 24, and hydraulic oil that is a working fluid interposed between the pump impeller 21 and the turbine liner 22. .

  The pump impeller 21 transmits the driving force from the engine transmitted to the front cover 10, and transmits the transmitted driving force to the turbine liner 22 via hydraulic oil. The pump impeller 21 is configured such that a radially outer end portion of a pump shell 21b to which a plurality of pump blades 21a are fixed is fixed to an output shaft side end portion of the flange portion 12 of the front cover 10 by, for example, welding. 10 is fixed. That is, the pump impeller 21 rotates integrally with the front cover 10, and the driving force from the engine transmitted to the front cover 10 is transmitted to each pump blade 21a via the pump shell 21b. In the pump impeller 21, the radially inner end of the pump shell 21b is fixed to the sleeve 51 by, for example, welding. The sleeve 51 is connected to a device that operates by rotational movement, such as an oil pump (not shown).

  The turbine liner 22 transmits the driving force from the engine transmitted from the pump impeller 21 via the hydraulic oil to the output shaft 50. Here, the output shaft 50 is, for example, an input shaft of a transmission (not shown) disposed on the output shaft side. In the turbine liner 22, a radially inner end portion of a turbine shell 22b to which a plurality of turbine blades 22a facing the pump blade 21a in the axial direction is fixed is fixed to the hub 52 by, for example, rivets 52a.

  Here, the hub 52 is fixed to the output shaft 50 by, for example, spline fitting of splines formed on the inner peripheral surface of the hub 52 and the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 50. That is, in the turbine liner 22, the turbine shell 22 b rotates integrally with the output shaft 50 via the hub 52, and the pump impeller 21 that configures the fluid transmission mechanism 20 by the turbine liner 22 rotating integrally with the output shaft 50. The driving force from the engine transmitted through the hydraulic oil and the turbine liner 22 is transmitted to the output shaft 50.

  The stator 23 has a plurality of stator blades 23 a formed in the circumferential direction, and is disposed between the pump impeller 21 and the turbine liner 22. The stator 23 is for changing the flow of hydraulic fluid circulating between the pump impeller 21 and the turbine liner 22 and obtaining a predetermined driving force characteristic based on the driving force transmitted from the engine.

  The one-way clutch 24 supports the stator 23 so as to be rotatable in only one direction with respect to the housing 53 that houses the torque converter 1. The one-way clutch 24 is rotatably supported by bearings 25 and 26 with respect to the sleeve 51 and the hub 52, respectively.

  The lockup clutch mechanism 30 is a lockup means, and transmits the driving force transmitted to the front cover 10 to the output shaft 50 via a lockup piston 31 as an engaging member. That is, the lockup clutch mechanism 30 transmits the driving force from the engine transmitted to the front cover 10 directly to the output shaft 50 without passing through the working fluid of the fluid transmission mechanism 20.

  The lockup clutch mechanism 30 includes a lockup piston 31 as an engagement member, a friction engagement surface 32, a working fluid flow path 33, and a piston hydraulic chamber 34. In the present embodiment, the friction engagement surface 32 of the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is constituted by the friction material 35 provided on the lockup piston 31 and the front cover inner wall surface 15 of the front cover 10.

  The lock-up clutch mechanism 30 includes a front cover inner wall surface 15 of the front cover 10 that forms one surface of the friction engagement surface 32 and the other of the friction engagement surfaces 32 from the engine side to the output shaft side with respect to the axial direction. The friction material 35 and the lockup piston 31 are arranged in this order.

  The lockup piston 31 is an engaging member and is provided on the fluid transmission mechanism 20 side of the front cover 10. That is, the lock-up piston 31 is provided in a space that is partitioned by the front cover 10 and the pump shell 21b of the fluid transmission mechanism 20 and is filled with the working fluid (working oil). Further, the lock-up piston 31 is provided on the fluid transmission mechanism 20 side of the front cover 10 so as to be movable relative to the front cover 10 in the axial direction.

  The lock-up piston 31 is formed in an annular plate shape coaxial with the rotation axis X, and is disposed between the front cover 10 and the turbine liner 22 in the axial direction so as to face the front cover 10 in the axial direction. Has been. More specifically, the lockup piston 31 is disposed between the main body portion 11 of the front cover 10, the turbine shell 22 b of the turbine liner 22, and the hub 52 in the axial direction. The lock-up piston 31 has a radially outer protrusion 31a, a radially inner protrusion 31b, and a spline 31c.

  The radially outer protrusion 31a is formed such that the radially outer end of the lockup piston 31 is bent toward the turbine liner 22 side. That is, the radially outer protruding portion 31a is a portion that protrudes toward the turbine liner 22 and is formed in a cylindrical shape that is coaxial with the rotation axis X.

  The radially inner protrusion 31b is formed such that the radially inner end of the lockup piston 31 is bent toward the front cover 10 side. That is, the radially inner protruding portion 31b is a portion that protrudes toward the front cover 10 and is formed in a cylindrical shape coaxial with the rotation axis X.

  The spline 31c constitutes a part of the connecting portion 60, and is formed along the axial direction on the inner peripheral surface of the radially outer projecting portion 31a. The connecting portion 60 connects the lock-up piston 31 and a ring gear 44 of the damper mechanism 40 described later so as to be able to rotate integrally and relatively move in the axial direction. The lockup piston 31 is axially relative to the ring gear 44 by spline fitting the spline 31c and the spline 44b formed in the axial direction on the outer peripheral surface of the radially outer end 44c of the ring gear 44. The ring gear 44 is supported so as to be movable and integrally rotatable. That is, the lockup piston 31 is connected to the ring gear 44 so as to be integrally rotatable and relatively movable in the axial direction by the spline 31c and the spline 44b forming the connecting portion 60. Therefore, the lockup piston 31 is connected to the ring gear 44 so that the driving force transmitted to the lockup piston 31 can be transmitted to the ring gear 44, and can also move relative to the front cover 10 in the axial direction. The front cover 10 can be approached and separated in the axial direction.

  The lockup piston 31 is connected to the ring gear 44 via the spline 31c and the spline 44b so as to be integrally rotatable and relatively movable in the axial direction. Opposite with a predetermined interval. The lockup piston 31 is connected to the ring gear 44 via the spline 31c and the spline 44b so as to be integrally rotatable and relatively movable in the axial direction, and the radially inner protruding portion 31b is connected to the radially inner end of the hub 52. Is opposed to the outer peripheral surface (surface opposite to the surface in contact with the output shaft 50) and is slidably supported in the axial direction.

  The friction engagement surface 32 is constituted by the friction material 35 provided on the lockup piston 31 and the front cover inner wall surface 15 of the front cover 10 as described above. The front cover inner wall surface 15 is a wall surface facing the lock-up piston 31 in the axial direction in the main body 11 of the front cover 10. The friction material 35 is provided in the radially outer end of the wall surface facing the main body 11 in the lock-up piston 31 in the axial direction, that is, in the vicinity of the radially outer protruding portion 31a. The friction material 35 is formed in an annular plate shape coaxial with the rotation axis X. The friction engagement surface 32 is opposed to the main body 11 forming one surface of the friction engagement surface 32 and the friction material 35 provided on the lock-up piston 31 forming the other surface of the friction engagement surface 32. Friction engagement is possible by contacting, that is, the radially outer end of the lockup piston 31 and the front cover 10 can be frictionally engaged.

  Then, the lockup piston 31 moves relative to the ring gear 44 in the axial direction as described above, and approaches and separates from the main body 11 of the front cover 10, so that the main body 11 of the friction material 35. The relative distance to can be changed. Then, by sliding the lockup piston 31 in the axial direction, the friction material 35 can be brought into contact with the main body 11 to be in frictional engagement, and can be brought into non-contact with the main body 11 to release the frictional engagement. it can.

  In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the radially inner end of the hub 52 and the outer peripheral surface of the hub 52 slide between the outer peripheral surface of the radially inner end of the hub 52 and the outer peripheral surface of the hub 52. A seal member P that suppresses leakage of the working fluid (hydraulic oil) from between the radially inner projecting portion 31b is disposed. Therefore, the interior of the torque converter 1 partitioned by the front cover 10 and the pump shell 21b of the fluid transmission mechanism 20 is provided with a fluid transmission mechanism space A in which the fluid transmission mechanism 20 is located by the lockup piston 31, and a lockup clutch. It is partitioned into a clutch space B where the friction material 35 of the mechanism 30 is located. The fluid transmission mechanism space A is a space closer to the output shaft than the lockup piston 31 in the axial direction, that is, a space defined by the lockup piston 31 and the pump shell 21b in the axial direction, a clutch space B Is a space defined by the front cover 10 and the lockup piston 31 in the axial direction. The fluid transmission mechanism space A and the clutch space B can communicate with each other on the friction engagement surface 32 side via a communication portion between the radially outer projecting portion 31a and the flange portion 12.

  The working fluid flow path 33 is formed as a space through which the working fluid (working oil) can pass between the lockup piston 31 and the front cover 10 in the axial direction. Here, the clutch space B in which the friction material 35 is located inside the torque converter 1 functions as the working fluid flow path 33. The friction engagement surface 32 is provided at a radially outer portion in the clutch space B that functions as the working fluid flow path 33. The working fluid flow path 33 is formed in the fluid transmission mechanism 20 inside the fluid transmission mechanism 20 via the communicating portion between the radially outer protrusion 31a and the flange portion 12 on the friction engagement surface 32 side as described above. It is formed to be able to communicate with the space A.

  The piston hydraulic chamber 34 is for generating a hydraulic pressure for moving the lockup piston 31 in the axial direction. Here, the fluid transmission mechanism space A in which the fluid transmission mechanism 20 is located inside the torque converter 1 functions as the piston hydraulic chamber 34. As described above, the fluid transmission mechanism space A that functions as the piston hydraulic chamber 34 is formed as a space through which the working fluid (hydraulic oil) can pass between the lockup piston 31 and the pump shell 21b. . The fluid transmission mechanism space A functioning as the piston hydraulic chamber 34 applies a pressing force toward the front cover 10 to the lockup piston 31 by the internal hydraulic oil.

  In the lockup clutch mechanism 30 configured as described above, the lockup piston 31 is moved by the hydraulic pressure (hydraulic pressure) of the working fluid (hydraulic fluid) supplied to the fluid transmission mechanism space A that functions as the piston hydraulic chamber 34. The friction material 35 constituting the friction engagement surface 32 of the lockup clutch mechanism 30 and the front cover inner wall surface 15 of the main body 11 come into contact with each other and frictionally engage with each other by moving closer to the front cover 10 side along the axial direction. Thus, the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is turned on. When the lock-up clutch mechanism 30 is turned on, the front cover 10 and the lock-up piston 31 rotate together. Therefore, the lock-up clutch mechanism 30 uses the driving force transmitted from the engine transmitted to the front cover 10 to the front. The cover inner wall surface 15, the friction material 35, and the lockup piston 31 are sequentially transmitted to the ring gear 44 of the damper mechanism 40 described later.

  Here, the torque converter 1 is formed between the lockup piston 31 and the fluid transmission mechanism space A or the front cover 10 that is formed between the lockup piston 31 and the pump shell 21 b and functions as the piston hydraulic chamber 34. Then, hydraulic fluid as hydraulic fluid is supplied to one of the clutch spaces B functioning as the hydraulic fluid flow path 33 from hydraulic control means (not shown).

  The hydraulic control means is a pressure difference between the hydraulic pressure of the fluid transmission mechanism space A that functions as the piston hydraulic chamber 34 and the hydraulic pressure of the clutch space B that functions as the working fluid flow path 33, that is, the lock of the lockup clutch mechanism 30. The pressing force acting in the axial direction on the surface of the up piston 31 on the output shaft side can be controlled. The hydraulic control unit supplies hydraulic oil to the fluid transmission mechanism space A that functions as, for example, the piston hydraulic chamber 34 when the lock-up clutch mechanism 30 is ON-controlled, and this fluid transmission mechanism that is inside the fluid transmission mechanism 20. The clutch space that functions as the working fluid flow path 33 by flowing the hydraulic oil from the space A to the clutch space B and discharging it from the clutch space B that functions as the working fluid flow path 33 to the outside of the torque converter 1. The hydraulic pressure of B is lowered, and the hydraulic pressure of the fluid transmission mechanism space A that functions as the piston hydraulic chamber 34 is made larger than the hydraulic pressure of the clutch space B. As a result, the hydraulic control means moves the lock-up piston 31 to the side closer to the front cover 10 (engine side), brings the friction material 35 into contact with the inner wall surface 15 of the front cover, and through the friction engagement surface 32. The front cover 10 and the lockup piston 31 are frictionally engaged, and the front cover 10 and the lockup piston 31 are integrally rotated.

  Further, the hydraulic control means supplies hydraulic oil to the clutch space B that functions as, for example, the working fluid flow path 33 when the lock-up clutch mechanism 30 is turned off, and the fluid transmission mechanism space A from the clutch space B side. The hydraulic oil in the clutch space B that functions as the working fluid flow path 33 is discharged from the fluid transmission mechanism space A that functions as the piston hydraulic chamber 34 to the outside of the torque converter 1 by flowing hydraulic oil into the piston hydraulic chamber 34. It is greater than or equal to the hydraulic pressure of the fluid transmission mechanism space A that functions as the hydraulic chamber 34. Thereby, the hydraulic control means moves the lockup piston 31 to the side (output shaft side) away from the front cover 10, and causes the friction material 35 frictionally engaged with the front cover inner wall surface 15 to move to the front cover inner wall surface 15. The frictional engagement is released, and the integral rotation of the lockup piston 31 and the front cover 10 is released.

  The damper mechanism 40 is the damper means and the damper device of the present invention, and connects the front cover 10 and the output shaft 50 so as to be relatively rotatable. Here, the front cover 10 and the output shaft 50 are coupled so as to be relatively rotatable via the lock-up piston 31, the damper mechanism 40, and the hub 52 of the lock-up clutch mechanism 30 when the lock-up clutch mechanism 30 is ON-controlled. . The damper mechanism 40 is housed inside the front cover 10 and the pump shell 21b, and is provided between the turbine shell 22b and the lockup piston 31 in the axial direction.

  The damper mechanism 40 includes a planetary gear mechanism 41 and a plurality of damper springs 42 as a plurality of elastic bodies. The damper mechanism 40 according to the present embodiment receives the front cover 10, the front cover inner wall surface 15, the friction material 35, and the lockup piston 31 from the engine that is transmitted in order when the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is ON-controlled. The driving force is input to the ring gear 44 that forms the rotating element of the planetary gear mechanism 41, and the driving force input to the ring gear 44 can be transmitted to the output shaft 50. Furthermore, the damper mechanism 40 outputs the driving force from the engine input to the ring gear 44 of the planetary gear mechanism 41 from one of the sun gear 43 or the carrier 45 and transmits it to the output shaft 50, while the other is a damper mass (inertia). Acts as a mass). The damper mechanism 40 of the present embodiment outputs the driving force input to the ring gear 44 of the planetary gear mechanism 41 from the carrier 45 via a plurality of damper springs 42 and transmits it to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52. At this time, the sun gear 43 acts as a damper mass.

  Specifically, the planetary gear mechanism 41 is a so-called single pinion planetary gear mechanism, and includes a sun gear 43, a ring gear 44, a carrier 45, and a pinion gear 46. In the planetary gear mechanism 41, the sun gear 43, the ring gear 44, and the carrier 45 form rotating elements. Furthermore, the planetary gear mechanism 41 is a differential gear mechanism configured such that the sun gear 43, the ring gear 44, and the carrier 45 as these three rotating elements rotate in a differential manner.

  The sun gear 43 is an external gear, and acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) in the damper mechanism 40. The sun gear 43 is formed in an annular plate shape coaxial with the rotation axis X, and a gear is formed on the outer peripheral surface. The sun gear 43 is provided between the turbine shell 22b and the lockup piston 31 with respect to the axial direction. The sun gear 43 is provided such that the radially outer end of the hub 52 is inserted on the inner peripheral surface side.

  Here, the damper mechanism 40 of the present embodiment includes the extended mass portion 43 a in the sun gear 43.

  The extended mass portion 43a is formed in an annular plate shape coaxial with the rotational axis X, and is provided between the sun gear 43 and the lockup piston 31 in the axial direction. The extended mass portion 43 a is fixed to the end surface on the engine side of the sun gear 43 at the inner peripheral end portion (radially inner end portion). That is, the extended mass portion 43a is formed from the sun gear 43 toward the radially outer side along the radial direction. Here, the extended mass portion 43 a is formed integrally with the sun gear 43. Accordingly, when the sun gear 43 acts as a damper mass (inertial mass), the extended mass portion 43a acts as a damper mass (inertial mass) together with the sun gear 43 by rotating together with the sun gear 43.

  The ring gear 44 is an internal gear disposed coaxially with the sun gear 43, and as described above, supports the lockup piston 31 of the lockup clutch mechanism 30 so as to be integrally rotatable and relatively movable, and a plurality of damper springs. A part of 42 is held so that the driving force can be transmitted. The ring gear 44 is an input rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 41.

  The ring gear 44 is formed in an annular plate shape coaxial with the rotation axis X, and a gear is formed on the inner peripheral surface. The ring gear 44 is disposed so as to cover the radially outer side of the sun gear 43 with a predetermined interval. Therefore, the gear formed on the inner peripheral surface of the ring gear 44 and the gear formed on the outer peripheral surface of the sun gear 43 are opposed to each other with a predetermined interval in the radial direction. The ring gear 44 has a center holding portion 44a and a spline 44b.

  The center holding portion 44 a holds a part of the plurality of damper springs 42 in the ring gear 44. The center holding portion 44 a is a slit formed in an arc shape along the circumferential direction of the ring gear 44. The center holding portion 44a holds the damper spring 42 with the damper spring 42 inserted therein. A plurality of center holding portions 44 a are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to the ring gear 44.

  Each center holding portion 44a is set to have a length in the circumferential direction that can hold the damper spring 42 in a biased state. Therefore, when the damper spring 42 is held by the center holding portion 44a, both end portions in the circumferential direction of the center holding portion 44a come into contact with both end portions of the damper spring 42, respectively. That is, the damper spring 42 contacts both ends of each center holding portion 44a in the circumferential direction and is held while being urged between the both ends.

  Therefore, the ring gear 44 can transmit a driving force to and from the damper springs 42 at the circumferential end portion contact portions between the center holding portions 44 a and the damper springs 42.

  As described above, the spline 44b constitutes the connecting portion 60 together with the spline 31c, and is formed in the axial direction on the outer peripheral surface of the radially outer end 44c of the ring gear 44. As described above, the connecting portion 60 connects the lockup piston 31 and the ring gear 44 so as to be integrally rotatable and relatively movable in the axial direction. The spline 31c and the spline 44b that form the connecting portion 60 are formed over the entire circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the radially outer protrusion 31a of the lockup piston 31 and the outer peripheral surface of the radially outer end 44c of the ring gear 44, respectively. Yes.

  The ring gear 44 is restricted from rotating relative to the lockup piston 31 when the spline 44b and the spline 31c are spline-fitted in a state where the ring gear 44 is inserted inside the radially outer protrusion 31a of the lockup piston 31. And relative movement of the lock-up piston 31 along the axial direction is allowed. That is, the ring gear 44 supports the lock-up piston 31 so as to be capable of relative movement in the axial direction and to be able to rotate integrally with the ring gear 44 by the spline engagement between the spline 44b and the spline 31c. Therefore, the ring gear 44 is connected to the lockup piston 31 by the connecting portion 60 so as to be able to transmit the driving force. When the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is ON-controlled, the ring gear 44 receives the driving force from the engine through the front cover 10, the front cover inner wall surface 15, the friction material 35, and the lockup piston 31 in order. That is, the driving force from the engine transmitted to the front cover 10 is transmitted from the lockup piston 31 to the ring gear 44 at the connecting portion 60 when the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is ON-controlled.

  In addition, this connection part 60 is not restricted to spline fitting, For example, the connection recessed part provided in the internal peripheral surface of the radial direction outer protrusion part 31a of the lockup piston 31, and the outer periphery of the radial direction outer end part 44c of the ring gear 44 As a result of the engagement of the connecting projections provided on the surface, the radially outer protruding portion 31a of the lockup piston 31 and the radially outer end portion 44c of the ring gear 44 are connected so as to be capable of rotating integrally and relatively movable in the axial direction. You may make it do. In this case, a plurality of connecting concave portions provided on the inner peripheral surface of the radially outer protruding portion 31a and a plurality of connecting convex portions provided on the outer peripheral surface of the radially outer end portion 44c may be provided in the circumferential direction. .

  The carrier 45 holds the pinion gear 46 so as to be capable of rotating and revolving, and holds a part of the plurality of damper springs 42 held at the center in the axial direction by the ring gear 44 so that the driving force can be transmitted. The carrier 45 is an output rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 41.

  The pinion gear 46 is an external gear and meshes with the gear of the sun gear 43 and the gear of the ring gear 44. The pinion gear 46 is provided between the sun gear 43 and the ring gear 44 with respect to the radial direction. A plurality of pinion gears 46 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the sun gear 43 and the ring gear 44.

  The carrier 45 includes a front carrier 47 and a rear carrier 48. The front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 support a plurality of pinion gears 46 so as to be rotatable and revolved so as to sandwich the pinion gear 46 in the axial direction.

  The front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 are formed in an annular plate shape coaxial with the rotation axis X, and are provided between the turbine shell 22b and the lockup piston 31 in the axial direction. The front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 are lateral to the axial direction of the planetary gear train composed of the sun gear 43, the ring gear 44, and the pinion gear 46. Here, the front carrier 47 is the lockup piston 31 side (engine side), and the rear carrier 48 Is provided on the turbine shell 22b side (output shaft side). Further, here, the front carrier 47 is provided between the extended mass portion 43a described above with respect to the axial direction and the planetary gear train (the sun gear 43, the ring gear 44, and the pinion gear 46). Accordingly, the damper mechanism 40 includes a planetary gear train and a rear carrier 48 including the extended mass portion 43a, the front carrier 47, the sun gear 43, the ring gear 44, and the pinion gear 46 from the engine side to the output shaft side with respect to the axial direction. Are arranged in order.

  The front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 are arranged in a space between the front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 in the axial direction with a plurality of damper springs 42 and a planetary gear train including a sun gear 43, a ring gear 44, and a pinion gear 46. These are sandwiched and held.

  The front carrier 47 has a front holding portion 47a, and the rear carrier 48 has a rear holding portion 48a. The front holding portion 47a is provided on the wall surface facing the ring gear 44 of the front carrier 47 in the axial direction, that is, the wall surface on the output shaft side. The rear holding portion 48a is provided on the wall surface of the rear carrier 48 that faces the ring gear 44, that is, the engine-side wall surface.

  The front holding portion 47 a and the rear holding portion 48 a are for receiving and holding a part of each damper spring 42 whose central portion in the axial direction is held by the center holding portion 44 a of the ring gear 44.

  The front holding portion 47a is formed by recessing the wall surface on the output shaft side of the front carrier 47 on the engine side (the side opposite to the ring gear 44 side). The front holding portion 47 a is formed in an arc shape along the circumferential direction of the front carrier 47. A plurality of front holding portions 47 a are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to the front carrier 47. The rear holding portion 48a is formed by recessing the engine-side wall surface of the rear carrier 48 toward the output shaft side (the side opposite to the ring gear 44 side). The rear holding portion 48 a is formed in an arc shape along the circumferential direction of the rear carrier 48. A plurality of rear holding portions 48 a are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to the rear carrier 48. Each front holding portion 47a and each rear holding portion 48a are formed at positions facing the center holding portion 44a of the ring gear 44 in the axial direction.

  Therefore, in the damper mechanism 40, the center holding portion 44a of the ring gear 44 holds the center portion (center portion in the axial direction) of each damper spring 42, and the front holding portion 47a of the front carrier 47 is the center holding portion of the damper spring 42. The portion on the engine side from 44a is accommodated and held, and the rear holding portion 48a of the rear carrier 48 accommodates and holds the portion on the output shaft side from the center holding portion 44a. Further, both end portions of each front holding portion 47a and each rear holding portion 48a in the circumferential direction are opposed to both end portions of the damper spring 42 in the circumferential direction in a state where each damper spring 42 is held by each center holding portion 44a. And can be contacted.

  That is, each damper spring 42 is held by the center holding portion 44 a of the ring gear 44, the front holding portion 47 a of the front carrier 47 and the rear holding portion 48 a of the rear carrier 48, and between the ring gear 44, the front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48. Thus, it is possible to transmit the driving force to each other.

  Here, the front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 are integrated with a planetary gear train composed of the sun gear 43, the ring gear 44, and the pinion gear 46, for example, by a rivet 61. A plurality of rivets 61 are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to the ring gear 44. The plurality of pinion gears 46 are rotatably supported so as to be inserted into the rivets 61, respectively. Accordingly, the plurality of pinion gears 46 are supported between the front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 via the rivets 61 so as to be able to rotate about the central axis of the rivet 61 and to revolve about the rotational axis X as the center of revolution. . The front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 have the pinion gear 46 acting as a spacer in the axial direction, so that the relative positional relationship between the front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 in the axial direction is properly fixed.

  The front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 are set such that the inner diameter of the rear carrier 48 is smaller than the inner diameter of the front carrier 47. The rear carrier 48 has a radially inner end 48b (that is, an end on the inner peripheral surface side) fixed to the hub 52 together with a radially inner end of the turbine shell 22b, for example, by a rivet 52a. Therefore, the front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 are fixed to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52 and can rotate together with the hub 52 and the output shaft 50.

  The plurality of damper springs 42 connect two of the sun gear 43, the ring gear 44, and the carrier 45, which are rotating elements of the planetary gear mechanism 41, so as to be relatively rotatable, and are, for example, a plurality of coil springs. As described above, the damper spring 42 of the present embodiment is held by the center holding portion 44a of the ring gear 44, the front holding portion 47a of the front carrier 47, and the rear holding portion 48a of the rear carrier 48, whereby the ring gear 44 and the carrier 45 are connected so as to be relatively rotatable. Here, the damper spring 42 transmits the driving force of the engine transmitted to the ring gear 44 to the rear carrier 48 and the front carrier 47, that is, provided in the driving force transmission path in the damper mechanism 40. .

  That is, the damper mechanism 40 of the present embodiment connects the lockup piston 31 of the lockup clutch mechanism 30 and the output shaft 50 via the plurality of damper springs 42. Here, the damper mechanism 40 can relatively rotate a ring gear 44 that can rotate integrally with the lockup piston 31, and a front carrier 47 and a rear carrier 48 that can rotate integrally with the output shaft 50 via a plurality of damper springs 42. Connect to The plurality of damper springs 42 can allow relative rotation until the ring gear 44, the front carrier 47, and the rear carrier 48 have a predetermined twist angle.

  The damper mechanism 40 configured as described above inputs the driving force from the engine transmitted from the front cover 10 to the lockup piston 31 to the ring gear 44 through the connecting portion 60 when the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is ON-controlled. . The damper mechanism 40 transmits the driving force input to the ring gear 44 to the damper spring 42 from the circumferential end of the center holding portion 44a. The damper mechanism 40 transmits the driving force transmitted to the damper spring 42 to the front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 through the circumferential end portions of the front holding portion 47a and the rear holding portion 48a. Therefore, the driving force from the engine transmitted to the front cover 10 is transmitted to the front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 via the lockup piston 31, the ring gear 44, and the damper spring 42, and rotates in a predetermined direction. The damper mechanism 40 transmits the driving force transmitted to the front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 from the rear carrier 48 to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52.

  During this time, each damper spring 42 is held between the circumferential end of the center holding portion 44a of the ring gear 44 and the front holding portion 47a of the front carrier 47, rear carrier 48, and circumferential end of the rear holding portion 48a. However, it is elastically deformed according to the magnitude of the transmitted driving force.

  In the damper mechanism 40, the sun gear 43, the ring gear 44, and the carrier 45, which are the rotating elements of the planetary gear mechanism 41, operate at a rotation speed (corresponding to the number of rotations) based on the alignment chart shown in FIG. The collinear diagram shown in FIG. 2 represents the relative relationship of the rotational speed (number of rotations) of each rotating element of the planetary gear mechanism 41 with a straight line. In the collinear chart shown in FIG. 2, the vertical axis represents the rotational speed ratio (corresponding to the rotational speed ratio) of each of the sun gear 43, the carrier 45, and the ring gear 44, which are the rotational elements of the planetary gear mechanism 41, and the horizontal axis represents FIG. 4 is a well-known speed diagram in which the speed ratios of the rotating elements are arranged so that the distance between them is a distance corresponding to the gear ratio between the ring gear 44 and the sun gear 43. Here, the carrier 45 that is the output rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 41 is used as a reference, and the rotation speed ratio of the carrier 45 is set to 1. 2 is a gear ratio of the planetary gear mechanism 41, and is calculated by dividing the number of teeth Rs of the sun gear 43 by the number of teeth Rr of the ring gear 44, that is, λ = Rs / Rr. It becomes.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the damper mechanism 40 of the present embodiment is responsive to the amplitude on the engine side of vibration due to engine rotation fluctuation, that is, the input amplitude a to the ring gear 44 that is the input rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 41. Thus, the damper mass amplitude b of the damper mass composed of the sun gear 43 and the extended mass portion 43a is amplified to an amplitude in the reverse direction of 1 / λ times the input amplitude a by the differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 41. That is, in the damper mechanism 40, the rotational speed of the damper mass composed of the sun gear 43 and the extended mass portion 43a is higher than the rotational speed of the ring gear 44 corresponding to the driving force to the ring gear 44 that is the input rotational element of the planetary gear mechanism 41. Due to the differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 41, the rotational speed is increased to a reverse rotational speed that is 1 / λ times the rotational speed of the ring gear 44.

  Next, the operation of the torque converter 1 according to this embodiment will be described. When the engine generates driving force and the engine output shaft 110 rotates, the driving force from the engine is transmitted to the front cover 10 via the drive plate 100. The driving force transmitted from the engine to the front cover 10 is transmitted to the pump shell 21b of the pump impeller 21 connected to the front cover 10, and the pump impeller 21 rotates. When the pump impeller 21 rotates, the hydraulic oil in the fluid transmission mechanism space A circulates between the pump blade 21a, the turbine blade 22a, and the stator blade 23a of the stator 23, and acts as a fluid coupling. Thus, the driving force transmitted from the engine to the front cover 10 is transmitted to the turbine liner 22 via the pump impeller 21 and the hydraulic oil, and the turbine liner 22 rotates in the same direction as the front cover 10. At this time, the stator 23 changes the flow of the working oil circulating between the pump blade 21a and the turbine blade 22a via the stator blade 23a, whereby the torque converter 1 obtains a predetermined torque characteristic. Can do.

  When the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is OFF, the frictional engagement between the front cover inner wall surface 15 of the front cover 10 and the friction material 35 provided on the lockup piston 31 is released. Therefore, the driving force from the engine transmitted to the turbine liner 22 via the hydraulic oil as described above is transmitted to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52. That is, when the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is OFF, the driving force from the engine transmitted to the front cover 10 is transmitted to the output shaft 50 via the fluid transmission mechanism 20.

  On the other hand, when the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is ON, the front cover 10 and the lockup piston 31 are frictionally engaged with the front cover inner wall surface 15 of the front cover 10 and the friction material 35 provided on the lockup piston 31. And rotate together. Therefore, the driving force transmitted to the front cover 10 is transmitted to the lockup piston 31 of the lockup clutch mechanism 30 via the friction engagement surface 32. The driving force transmitted to the lockup piston 31 is input to the ring gear 44 of the damper mechanism 40 from the lockup piston 31 via the connecting portion 60, and the driving force input to the ring gear 44 is transmitted via the damper spring 42. It is output from the rear carrier 48 of the carrier 45 and transmitted to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52. That is, when the lock-up clutch mechanism 30 is ON, the driving force transmitted from the engine transmitted to the front cover 10 is directly output via the lock-up clutch mechanism 30, the damper mechanism 40, and the hub 52 without using hydraulic oil. It is transmitted to the shaft 50.

  At this time, when the lock-up clutch mechanism 30 is switched from OFF to ON, or from ON to OFF, or when the driving force from the engine fluctuates, the resistance force from the road surface transmitted to the output shaft 50 fluctuates. In some cases, the force transmitted between the front cover 10 and the output shaft 50 (the driving force transmitted from the engine and the driven force transmitted from the road surface) fluctuates. The front cover 10 to be rotated and the output shaft 50 located on the driven side tend to rotate relatively. That is, the ring gear 44 that rotates integrally with the front cover 10 and the lockup piston 31, and the front carrier 47 and rear carrier 48 that rotate integrally with the hub 52 and the output shaft 50 tend to rotate relatively. Each damper spring 42 of the damper mechanism 40 is relative to the driving-side front cover 10, the lock-up piston 31, the ring gear 44, and the driven-side output shaft 50, hub 52, front carrier 47, and rear carrier 48. Accompanying the rotation, the ring gear 44, the front carrier 47, and the rear carrier 48 are elastically deformed in accordance with fluctuations in the force transmitted between the front cover 10 side and the output shaft 50 side, respectively. Thus, when the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is ON, the front cover 10 and the output shaft 50 are connected to each other by the damper mechanism 40 via the plurality of damper springs 42 so as to be relatively rotatable. Since each damper spring 42 absorbs the vibration which originates, vibrations, such as a booming noise at the time of the driving force transmission via the damper mechanism 40, can be reduced.

  In the damper mechanism 40 of the torque converter 1 according to the present embodiment, when the lock-up clutch mechanism 30 is ON, the driving force from the engine is input to the ring gear 44 of the planetary gear mechanism 41 disposed on the radially outer side. For example, as compared with the case where a driving force is input to the sun gear 43 or the carrier 45 of the planetary gear mechanism 41 positioned radially inward from the ring gear 44, the entire damper mechanism 40 can be moved from the rotation axis X without increasing the diameter. The driving force can be transmitted from the lock-up piston 31 to the damper mechanism 40 at a radially outer portion where the distance (that is, the radius) is relatively long. Accordingly, in the damper mechanism 40, the connecting portion 60 that connects the lockup piston 31 and the ring gear 44 so as to transmit the driving force is positioned relatively radially outward in the damper mechanism 40. Since the load (or stress) acting on the connecting portion 60 when transmitting the driving force to the ring gear 44 can be made relatively small, the ring gear 44 is secured after securing an appropriate strength in the ring gear 44 as the input rotation element. Can be made thinner in the axial direction. As a result, since the damper mechanism 40 can reduce the thickness of the ring gear 44 in the axial direction, the damper mechanism 40 and the torque converter 1 can be reduced in size, so that the vehicle of the damper mechanism 40 and the torque converter 1 can be reduced. As a result, the inertial mass of the entire vehicle can be reduced, and the power performance of the vehicle can be improved.

  Further, in the damper mechanism 40 of the torque converter 1 of the present embodiment, when the lock-up clutch mechanism 30 is ON, the driving force from the engine is input to the ring gear 44 of the planetary gear mechanism 41 disposed on the radially outer side. Is transmitted from the rear carrier 48 of the carrier 45 to the output shaft 50 and is transmitted to the output shaft 50, so that the damper mechanism 40 is transmitted. The transmission path of the driving force in can be simplified. Therefore, the damper mechanism 40 can simplify the transmission path of the driving force in the damper mechanism 40, and the damper mechanism 40 may be formed with a portion where the transmission path of the driving force is changed in the radial direction. Therefore, the configuration of the damper mechanism 40 can be simplified, and further the thickness can be reduced in the axial direction. Therefore, the damper mechanism 40 and the torque converter 1 can be further reduced in size. As a result, the torque converter 1 and the damper mechanism 40 can further improve the mountability to the vehicle and further improve the power performance of the vehicle.

  In addition, the damper mechanism 40 of the torque converter 1 has a sun gear 43 of the planetary gear mechanism 41 acting as a damper mass (inertial mass body), so that it is upstream of the damper spring 42 with respect to the transmission direction of the driving force from the engine. The balance between the inertial mass on the drive side (engine side) and the inertial mass on the driven side (output shaft (transmission) side) downstream from the damper spring 42 can be optimized. That is, in the conventional torque converter, the inertial mass on the driving side tends to be larger than the inertial mass on the driven side. However, in this torque converter 1, the sun gear 43 of the planetary gear mechanism 41 constituting the damper mechanism 40 is covered. Since the inertial mass on the driven side can be increased by acting as a damper mass (inertial mass body) on the driving side, the resonance frequency ω (ω = √ (k / I), k: spring on the driven side Constant, I: inertial mass) can be reduced, and therefore damper performance such as prevention of the booming noise of the damper mechanism 40 can be further improved. In other words, the torque converter 1 can improve the performance of the damper while reducing the size by inputting the driving force from the engine to the ring gear 44 in the damper mechanism 40 as described above, thereby reducing vibration. Since the performance can be further improved and the occurrence of a booming noise can be further suppressed, the rotation speed range in which the lockup clutch mechanism 30 can be turned on can be expanded, and the rotation speed is relatively low. Since the lock-up clutch mechanism 30 can be turned on in several areas, fuel efficiency can be improved.

  Here, in the damper mechanism 40 of the torque converter 1, the extended mass portion 43 a provided in the sun gear 43 rotates integrally with the sun gear 43, so that the extended mass portion 43 a also rotates together with the sun gear 43 on the driven-side damper mass ( Acting as an inertial mass). Therefore, this torque converter 1 can further increase the inertial mass on the driven side by the extended mass portion 43a of the damper mechanism 40 acting as the driven-side damper mass (inertial mass body) together with the sun gear 43. Therefore, the resonance frequency ω on the driven side can be further reduced. Therefore, the torque converter 1 can further improve the damper performance such as the prevention of the generation of the booming noise of the damper mechanism 40, and can further reduce the vibration and improve the fuel consumption.

  Further, in the damper mechanism 40 of the torque converter 1, due to the differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 41, the rotational speeds of the sun gear 43 and the extended mass portion 43 a as the driven-side damper mass are increased with respect to the rotational speed of the ring gear 44. Speeded. Therefore, this damper mechanism 40 has the same effect as the case where the inertial mass on the driven side is increased by increasing the rotational speeds of the sun gear 43 and the extended mass portion 43a which are the driven side damper masses. Therefore, the resonance frequency ω on the driven side can be further reduced. In other words, the damper mechanism 40 is configured to increase the rotational speeds of the sun gear 43 and the extended mass portion 43a, which are driven-side damper masses, without increasing the size of the sun gear 43 and the extended mass portion 43a. The resonance frequency ω on the driven side can be further reduced while suppressing the increase in size.

  The damper mechanism 40 of the torque converter 1 is provided with a plurality of damper springs 42 held by the ring gear 44 and the carrier 45 so as to connect the ring gear 44 and the carrier 45 so as to be relatively rotatable. Compared with the case where the plurality of damper springs 42 are held and provided by the sun gear 43 and the carrier 45 so as to connect the sun gear 43 and the carrier 45 so as to be relatively rotatable, the plurality of damper springs 42 have a relative diameter. It will be arranged outside in the direction. Accordingly, since the damper mechanism 40 can relatively increase the circumferential length of the region where the damper spring 42 is disposed, the damper spring 42 can be provided in a relatively large amount. Thus, the spring constant can be reduced, whereby the resonance frequency ω on the driven side can be further reduced while suppressing an increase in the size of the apparatus.

  According to the damper mechanism 40 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the sun gear 43 that is an external gear, the ring gear 44 that is an internal gear disposed coaxially with the sun gear 43, the sun gear 43, and the ring gear 44. A planetary gear mechanism 41 in which the carrier 45 that holds the pinion gear 46 that can be rotated and revolved is a rotating element, and a damper spring that connects the two rotating elements of the planetary gear mechanism 41 so as to be relatively rotatable. 42, the planetary gear mechanism 41 is capable of transmitting a driving force from the engine to the ring gear 44 and transmitting the driving force input to the ring gear 44 to the output shaft 50.

  According to the torque converter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the fluid transmission means 20 capable of transmitting the driving force transmitted from the engine to the front cover 10 to the output shaft 50 via the hydraulic oil, and the front cover 10, a lockup clutch mechanism 30 that can transmit the driving force transmitted to the output shaft 50 via the lockup piston 31, a sun gear 43 that is an external gear, and an internal gear that is disposed coaxially with the sun gear 43. A planetary gear mechanism 41 in which the ring gear 44 and the carrier 45 that holds the pinion gear 46 meshing with the sun gear 43 and the ring gear 44 so as to be capable of rotating and revolving are rotating elements, and among the rotating elements of the planetary gear mechanism 41 The planetary gear mechanism 41 includes a lock-up clutch mechanism 3. When the driving force is transmitted through the lockup piston 31, the driving force transmitted to the front cover 10 is input to the ring gear 44, and the driving force input to the ring gear 44 can be transmitted to the output shaft 50. And a damper mechanism 40.

  Therefore, in the torque converter 1 and the damper mechanism 40, since the driving force from the engine is input to the ring gear 44 of the planetary gear mechanism 41 disposed on the radially outer side, for example, the sun gear positioned on the radially inner side of the ring gear 44 Compared with the case where the driving force is input to 43 or the carrier 45, the load (or stress) acting on the ring gear 44 when the driving force is transmitted to the ring gear 44 can be relatively reduced. As a result, the torque converter 1 and the damper mechanism 40 can reduce the thickness of the ring gear 44 in the axial direction while ensuring the appropriate strength of the ring gear 44 that is the input rotation element. The torque converter 1 can be reduced in size.

  Furthermore, according to the damper mechanism 40 and the torque converter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the planetary gear mechanism 41 outputs the driving force input to the ring gear 44 from the rear carrier 48 of the carrier 45. Therefore, the torque converter 1 and the damper mechanism 40 can be further miniaturized because the transmission path of the driving force in the damper mechanism 40 can be simplified and the configuration of the damper mechanism 40 can be simplified.

  Furthermore, according to the damper mechanism 40 and the torque converter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the damper spring 42 connects the ring gear 44 and the carrier 45 so as to be relatively rotatable. Therefore, in the torque converter 1 and the damper mechanism 40, the sun gear 43 of the planetary gear mechanism 41 acts as a driven-side damper mass (inertial mass body), and the rotational speed of the ring gear 44 is increased by the differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 41. On the other hand, since the rotational speed of the sun gear 43 is increased, the resonance frequency on the driven side can be lowered. Therefore, the driving force from the engine is input to the ring gear 44 in the damper mechanism 40 as described above. In addition, it is possible to improve the damper performance, such as preventing the generation of a booming noise in the damper mechanism 40, and to reduce vibrations and improve fuel efficiency.

  Further, in the torque converter 1 and the damper mechanism 40, the plurality of damper springs 42 are held by the ring gear 44 and the carrier 45 and are disposed relatively radially outward. The circumferential length can be made relatively long, and a relatively large number of damper springs 42 can be provided. As a result, the torque converter 1 and the damper mechanism 40 can lower the damper spring 42 to reduce the spring constant, and can further reduce the resonance frequency ω on the driven side while suppressing the increase in size of the device. Therefore, it is possible to further improve the damper performance such as the prevention of the generation of the booming noise of the damper mechanism 40, and to further reduce the vibration and improve the fuel consumption.

  Furthermore, according to the damper mechanism 40 and the torque converter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the sun gear 43 is provided toward the side away from the rotation center along the radial direction orthogonal to the axial direction. The extended mass part 43a is provided. Therefore, in the torque converter 1 and the damper mechanism 40, the extended mass portion 43 a provided in the sun gear 43 rotates integrally with the sun gear 43, so that the extended mass portion 43 a and the sun gear 43 together with the driven mass (inertial mass). The resonance frequency on the driven side can be further reduced. Therefore, the torque converter 1 and the damper mechanism 40 can further improve the damper performance such as the prevention of the generation of the booming noise of the damper mechanism 40, and can further reduce the vibration and improve the fuel consumption.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the torque converter according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a collinear diagram of the planetary gear mechanism provided in the torque converter according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The damper device and the fluid transmission device according to the second embodiment have substantially the same configuration as the damper device and the fluid transmission device according to the first embodiment, but the first embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the output rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism is a sun gear. This is different from the damper device and the fluid transmission device. In addition, about the structure, effect | action, and effect which are common in embodiment mentioned above, while overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted as much as possible, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the torque converter 201 as the fluid transmission device according to the second embodiment includes the damper unit and the damper mechanism 240 as the damper device of the present invention.

  The damper mechanism 240 includes a planetary gear mechanism 241 and a plurality of damper springs 42 as a plurality of elastic bodies. The damper mechanism 240 according to the present embodiment receives the front cover 10, the front cover inner wall surface 15, the friction material 35, and the lockup piston 31 from the engine that is sequentially transmitted when the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is ON-controlled. The driving force is input to the ring gear 44 that forms the rotating element of the planetary gear mechanism 241, and the driving force input to the ring gear 44 can be transmitted to the output shaft 50. Furthermore, the damper mechanism 240 outputs the driving force input to the ring gear 44 of the planetary gear mechanism 241 from the sun gear 243 via the pinion gear 46 and transmits it to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52. The carrier 245 acts as a damper mass.

  Here, the damper mechanism 240 of the present embodiment functions as a so-called dynamic damper (dynamic absorption vibrator), and here, the carrier 245 acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper. That is, the damper mechanism 240 functioning as a dynamic damper suppresses the vibration (absorbing vibration) by causing the carrier 245 as the damper mass to vibrate in an opposite phase with respect to the vibration of a specific frequency acting on the damper mechanism 240. ) And suppress. That is, in the damper mechanism 240, the carrier 245 as the damper mass resonates and absorbs vibration energy instead of the vibration of a specific frequency acting on the damper mechanism 240, and the carrier 245 is absorbed by the damper mechanism 240. By resonating with the acting vibration and absorbing this vibration, a high damping effect (dynamic damper effect) can be achieved. The damper mechanism 240 of the present embodiment is configured such that the carrier 245 that does not contribute to the transmission of the driving force in the planetary gear mechanism 241 is connected to the ring gear 44 that contributes to the transmission of the driving force via the damper spring 42 and elastically supported. The carrier 245 which is a member that does not contribute to transmission of the driving force acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper, that is, a member for generating an inertia moment in the dynamic damper, and the damper spring 42 twists the dynamic damper. Acts as a member for adjusting the rigidity.

  Specifically, the planetary gear mechanism 241 includes a sun gear 243, a ring gear 44, a carrier 245, and a pinion gear 46.

  The sun gear 243 is an output rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 241. The sun gear 243 has a spline 243b.

  The spline 243b constitutes the connecting portion 262 together with the spline 52b of the hub 52, and is formed in the axial direction on the inner peripheral surface of the radially inner end portion of the sun gear 243. The spline 52 b is formed in the axial direction on the outer peripheral surface of the radially outer end of the hub 52. The connecting portion 262 connects the hub 52 and the sun gear 243 so as to be integrally rotatable. The spline 243b and the spline 52b forming the connecting portion 262 are formed over the entire circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the radially inner end of the sun gear 243 and the outer peripheral surface of the radially outer end of the hub 52, respectively.

  The sun gear 243 is restricted from rotating relative to the hub 52 when the spline 243b and the spline 52b are spline-fitted with the hub 52 inserted inside the sun gear 243. That is, the sun gear 243 is supported by the hub 52 so as to be integrally rotatable by the spline fitting between the spline 243b and the spline 52b. Therefore, the sun gear 243 is connected to the hub 52 by the connecting portion 262 so that the driving force can be transmitted. Note that the sun gear 243 of the present embodiment does not have the extended mass portion 43a (see FIG. 1) described in the first embodiment.

  The ring gear 44 is an input rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 241. The ring gear 44 has a center holding part 44a and a spline 44b. The center holding portion 44 a holds a part of the plurality of damper springs 42 in the ring gear 44. The spline 44b constitutes a connecting portion 60 together with the spline 31c. As described above, the connecting portion 60 connects the lockup piston 31 and the ring gear 44 so as to be integrally rotatable and relatively movable in the axial direction. Is.

  The carrier 245 holds the pinion gear 46 so as to be capable of rotating and revolving, and holds a part of the plurality of damper springs 42 held at the center portion in the axial direction by the ring gear 44. The carrier 245 acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper in the damper mechanism 240.

  The carrier 245 includes a front carrier 247 and a rear carrier 248, and the front carrier 247 and the rear carrier 248 support the plurality of pinion gears 46 so as to be rotatable and revolved so as to be sandwiched in the axial direction. The damper mechanism 240 is arranged in the order of a front carrier 247, a planetary gear train composed of a sun gear 243, a ring gear 44, and a pinion gear 46, and a rear carrier 248 from the engine side to the output shaft side with respect to the axial direction. . The front carrier 47 and the rear carrier 48 are integrated with a planetary gear train composed of a sun gear 243, a ring gear 44, and a pinion gear 46, for example, by a rivet 61. The front carrier 247 and the rear carrier 248 have substantially the same inner diameter, and are not connected to the hub 52, unlike the damper mechanism 40 (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment.

  The front carrier 247 has a front holding portion 47a, and the rear carrier 248 has a rear holding portion 48a. The front holding portion 47 a and the rear holding portion 48 a are for receiving and holding a part of the damper spring 42 in which the center portion in the axial direction is held by the center holding portion 44 a of the ring gear 44. Both the front holding portion 47a and the rear holding portion 48a are formed at positions that face the center holding portion 44a of the ring gear 44 in the axial direction.

  Therefore, in the damper mechanism 240, the center holding portion 44a of the ring gear 44 holds the center portion (the center portion in the axial direction) of the damper spring 42, and the front holding portion 47a of the front carrier 247 is the center holding portion 44a of the damper spring 42. The engine-side portion is housed and held, and the rear holding portion 48a of the rear carrier 248 houses and holds the portion on the output shaft side from the center holding portion 44a. Then, both end portions in the circumferential direction of the front holding portion 47a and the rear holding portion 48a are opposed to and can contact with both end portions of the damper spring 42 in the circumferential direction in a state where the damper spring 42 is held by the center holding portion 44a. It becomes.

  That is, the damper spring 42 is held by the center holding portion 44 a of the ring gear 44, the front holding portion 47 a of the front carrier 247 and the rear holding portion 48 a of the rear carrier 248. However, here, the damper spring 42 does not transmit the driving force between the ring gear 44 and the front carrier 247 and the rear carrier 248.

  Here, the damper mechanism 240 of the present embodiment includes a thick mass portion 247a in the carrier 245.

  The thick mass portion 247 a is provided on the front carrier 247 of the carrier 245. The thick mass portion 247 a is a thick portion formed along the axial direction in the front carrier 247. This front carrier 247 is a part that increases the mass as a damper mass of the front carrier 247, and in addition to the thickness according to the strength required to support the pinion gear 46, an extra thickness is added, The surplus wall thickness forms the thick mass portion 247a. Here, the thickness (length along the axial direction) of the front carrier 247 is set to be thicker than the thickness of the rear carrier 248, and this portion forms the thick mass portion 247a.

  In the damper mechanism 40 (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment described above, the extended mass portion 43a (see FIG. 1) is provided in the region between the lock-up piston 31 and the planetary gear train in the axial direction. The damper mechanism 240 of the embodiment is formed such that the front carrier 247 bulges toward the lockup piston 31 side (engine side) along the axial direction, so that the lockup piston 31 and the planetary gear train are A thick mass portion 247a is formed integrally with the front carrier 247 in the area between them. That is, here, the thick mass portion 247a forms a part of the front carrier 247. Thereby, when the carrier 245 acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper, the thick mass portion 247a rotates together with the carrier 245 so that the damper mass (inertial mass body) together with the carrier 245 is obtained. Acts as That is, in the damper mechanism 240 of this embodiment, the carrier 245 and the thick mass portion 247a act as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper, that is, act as a member for generating an inertia moment.

  As described above, the damper spring 42 is held by the center holding portion 44a of the ring gear 44, the front holding portion 47a of the front carrier 247, and the rear holding portion 48a of the rear carrier 248, so that the ring gear 44 and the carrier 245 are relatively moved. Connect to be rotatable. As described above, the damper spring 42 of the present embodiment is not disposed in the driving force transmission path in the damper mechanism 240, that is, does not contribute to the transmission of the driving force. The damper spring 42 of the present embodiment elastically supports the carrier 245 that does not contribute to the transmission of the driving force as a damper mass (inertial mass body) to the ring gear 44 that contributes to the transmission of the driving force in the planetary gear mechanism 241.

  The damper mechanism 240 configured as described above inputs the driving force from the engine transmitted from the front cover 10 to the lockup piston 31 to the ring gear 44 at the connecting portion 60 when the lockup clutch mechanism 30 is ON-controlled. . The damper mechanism 240 transmits the driving force input to the ring gear 44 to the sun gear 243 via the pinion gear 46. Therefore, the driving force from the engine transmitted to the front cover 10 is transmitted to the sun gear 243 via the lockup piston 31, the ring gear 44, and the pinion gear 46, and rotates in a predetermined direction. The damper mechanism 240 transmits the driving force transmitted to the sun gear 243 from the connecting portion 262 to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52.

  In the damper mechanism 240, the sun gear 243, the ring gear 44, and the carrier 245, which are rotational elements of the planetary gear mechanism 241, operate at a rotational speed (corresponding to the rotational speed) based on the alignment chart shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the damper mechanism 240 has a carrier with respect to the amplitude on the engine side of vibration caused by fluctuations in the rotation of the engine, that is, the input amplitude a to the ring gear 44 that is an input rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 241. 245, the damper mass amplitude b of the damper mass composed of the thick mass portion 247a is attenuated to 1 / (1 + λ) times the input amplitude a by the differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 241. That is, the damper mechanism 240 has a rotational speed of the damper mass composed of the carrier 245 and the thick mass portion 247a with respect to the rotational speed of the ring gear 44 corresponding to the driving force to the ring gear 44 that is the input rotational element of the planetary gear mechanism 241. Is reduced to a rotational speed 1 / (1 + λ) times the rotational speed of the ring gear 44 by the differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 241.

  During this time, in the damper mechanism 240, the carrier 245 elastically supported by the ring gear 44 by the damper spring 42 and the thick mass portion 247a act as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper. In other words, the damper mechanism 240 causes this vibration by causing the carrier 245 and the thick mass portion 247a as the damper mass (inertial mass body) to vibrate in opposite phases with respect to the vibration of a specific frequency acting on the damper mechanism 240. Vibration suppression (vibration) can be suppressed, and a high vibration suppression effect can be achieved. Thereby, for example, the damper mechanism 240 suppresses (absorbs) the vibration caused by the explosion of the engine by causing the carrier 245 and the thick mass portion 247a to vibrate in the opposite phase. It is possible to improve damper performance such as prevention of sound generation, and to reduce vibration and improve fuel consumption.

  The damper mechanism 240 of the torque converter 201 of the present embodiment does not have the effect of increasing the damper mass as described in the first embodiment, but the thick mass portion 247a provided in the carrier 245 is integrated with the carrier 245. By rotating, this thick mass portion 247a also acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper together with the carrier 245. In other words, the damper mechanism 240 has a relatively simple structure in which the thickness of the front carrier 247 constituting the carrier 245 is increased and the thick mass portion 247a is formed in the axial gap. Can be further increased.

  The torque converter 201 can further increase the inertial mass I of the dynamic damper by the thick mass portion 247a of the damper mechanism 240 acting as a damper mass (inertial mass body) together with the carrier 245. The spring constant k when setting a specific resonance frequency ω in the dynamic damper can be set to a relatively large value. In other words, the damper mechanism 240 can further increase the inertial mass I of the dynamic damper because the thick mass portion 247a of the damper mechanism 240 acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) together with the carrier 245. Even if the constant k is set to a relatively large value, a desired resonance frequency ω can be realized in the dynamic damper. As a result, since the damper mechanism 240 can set the spring constant k to a relatively large value, for example, the damper spring 42 can be reduced in diameter, so that the damper mechanism 240 and the torque converter 201 can be further downsized. can do. Therefore, the mountability of the damper mechanism 240 and the torque converter 201 on the vehicle can be further improved, and the inertial mass of the entire vehicle can be reduced, so that the power performance of the vehicle can be further improved. .

  Further, the damper mechanism 240 of the torque converter 201 is provided by the plurality of damper springs 42 held by the ring gear 44 and the carrier 45 so as to connect the ring gear 44 and the carrier 245 so as to be relatively rotatable. The damper spring 42 is disposed relatively radially outward. Therefore, the damper mechanism 240 can relatively increase the circumferential length of the region where the damper springs 42 are disposed, so that a relatively large number of damper springs 42 can be provided. As a result, since the damper mechanism 240 can be provided with a relatively large number of damper springs 42, for example, each damper spring 42 itself can be further reduced in diameter.

  According to the damper mechanism 240 and the torque converter 201 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the torque converter 201 and the damper mechanism 240 are the planetary gear mechanism 241 in which the driving force from the engine is arranged radially outward. Since it is input to the ring gear 44, the load (or stress) acting on the ring gear 44 when transmitting the driving force to the ring gear 44 can be made relatively small. As a result, the torque converter 201 and the damper mechanism 240 can reduce the thickness of the ring gear 44 in the axial direction while ensuring the appropriate strength of the ring gear 44 that is the input rotation element. The converter 201 can be reduced in size.

  Furthermore, according to the damper mechanism 240 and the torque converter 201 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the planetary gear mechanism 241 outputs the driving force input to the ring gear 44 from the sun gear 243. Therefore, the damper mechanism 240 transmits the driving force input to the ring gear 44 in one direction with respect to the radial direction from the radial outer side to the radial inner side, and outputs from the sun gear 243 to the output shaft 50. Therefore, the transmission path of the driving force in the damper mechanism 240 can be simplified, and the configuration of the damper mechanism 240 can be simplified, so that the size can be further reduced.

  Furthermore, according to the damper mechanism 240 and the torque converter 201 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the damper spring 42 connects the ring gear 44 and the carrier 245 so as to be relatively rotatable. Therefore, since the torque converter 201 and the damper mechanism 240 act as the damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper, the carrier 245 of the planetary gear mechanism 241 acts on the vibration of a specific frequency acting on the damper mechanism 240. Since the carrier 245 as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper vibrates in an opposite phase, the vibration can be suppressed (absorbed) and suppressed, and a high damping effect can be achieved. As a result, the torque converter 201 and the damper mechanism 240 reduce the size of the damper mechanism 240 by inputting the driving force from the engine to the ring gear 44 in the damper mechanism 240 as described above. Damper performance can be improved, vibration can be reduced, and fuel consumption can be improved.

  Furthermore, according to the damper mechanism 240 and the torque converter 201 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the thick mass portion 247a provided on the carrier 245 and formed along the axial direction is provided. Therefore, in the torque converter 201 and the damper mechanism 240, when the thick mass portion 247a provided on the carrier 245 rotates together with the carrier 245, the thick mass portion 247a also moves together with the carrier 245 to the damper mass (inertia) of the dynamic damper. For example, the diameter of the damper spring 42 can be reduced, and the damper mechanism 240 and the torque converter 201 can be further reduced in size.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the torque converter according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a collinear diagram of the planetary gear mechanism provided in the torque converter according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The damper device and the fluid transmission device according to the third embodiment have substantially the same configuration as the damper device and the fluid transmission device according to the first embodiment, except that the ring gear of the planetary gear mechanism also serves as an engagement member of the lockup means. The damper device and the fluid transmission device according to the first embodiment are different. In addition, about the structure, effect | action, and effect which are common in embodiment mentioned above, while overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted as much as possible, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a torque converter 301 as a fluid transmission device according to the third embodiment includes a lock-up clutch mechanism 330 as a lock-up means, and a damper mechanism 340 as a damper means and a damper device of the present invention. . In the torque converter 301 of the present embodiment, a lockup piston 331 as an engaging member of the lockup clutch mechanism 330 and a ring gear 344 of the planetary gear mechanism 341 provided in the damper mechanism 340 are combined. That is, the ring gear 344 of the planetary gear mechanism 341 constitutes a part of the damper mechanism 340 and is also a lockup piston 331 that constitutes a part of the lockup clutch mechanism 330.

  Specifically, the planetary gear mechanism 341 is provided with a ring gear 344 that also serves as a lock-up piston 331 so as to be relatively movable along the axial direction with respect to the front cover 10.

  The ring gear 344 that is also used as the lock-up piston 331 is formed in an annular plate shape that is coaxial with the rotation axis X, and is axially disposed between the front cover 10 and the front carrier 347 of the planetary gear mechanism 341 with respect to the axial direction. Are disposed so as to face the front cover 10.

  The ring gear 344 (lock-up piston 331) has a radially outer protrusion 331a and a radially inner protrusion 331b. The radially outer protrusion 331a is formed such that the radially outer end of the ring gear 344 is bent toward the turbine liner 22 side. The radially inner protruding portion 331b is formed such that the radially inner end of the ring gear 344 is bent toward the front cover 10 side. The friction material 35 forming one surface of the friction engagement surface 32 of the lock-up clutch mechanism 330 is a radially outer end of the wall surface of the ring gear 344 facing the main body 11 of the front cover 10 in the axial direction, that is, the radial direction. Provided in the vicinity of the outer protrusion 331a.

  The ring gear 344 also used as the lock-up piston 331 has a gear formed on the inner peripheral surface of the radially outer protruding portion 331a. The pinion gear 46 is supported by the gear 345 so that it can rotate and revolve. The gears mesh. Therefore, the ring gear 344 that is also used as the lock-up piston 331 has a driving force between the pinion gear 46 and the gear formed on the inner peripheral surface of the radially outer protrusion 331a and the gear of the pinion gear 46. It can transmit and can move relative to the pinion gear 46 along the axial direction. As a result, the ring gear 344 that is also used as the lock-up piston 331 has a configuration that can move relative to the front cover 10 in the axial direction, that is, a configuration that can approach and separate in the axial direction with respect to the front cover 10. .

  The ring gear 344 that is also used as the lock-up piston 331 moves in the axial direction relative to the pinion gear 46 and approaches and separates from the main body 11 of the front cover 10, thereby allowing the main body of the friction material 35 to be separated. The relative distance with respect to the part 11 can be changed. The friction gear 35 can be brought into contact with the main body 11 and frictionally engaged with the main body 11 by sliding in the axial direction of the ring gear 344 also used as the lock-up piston 331. Can be canceled.

  The ring gear 344 that is also used as the lock-up piston 331 is connected to the pinion gear 46 when the gear formed on the inner peripheral surface of the radially outer protrusion 331a and the gear of the pinion gear 46 are engaged with each other. The direction outer side protruding portion 331a faces the flange portion 12 with a predetermined distance in the radial direction. The ring gear 344 also used as the lock-up piston 331 is connected to the pinion gear 46 when the gear formed on the inner peripheral surface of the radially outer protrusion 331a and the gear of the pinion gear 46 are engaged with each other. The inner side protruding portion 331b is opposed to and contacted with the outer peripheral surface (the surface opposite to the surface in contact with the output shaft 50) of the radially inner end portion of the hub 52, and is supported so as to be slidable in the axial direction.

  Further, between the radially inner protruding portion 331b of the ring gear 344 also used as the lockup piston 331 and the outer circumferential surface of the radially inner end of the hub 52, the outer circumferential surface of the radially inner end of the hub 52 and this A seal member P that suppresses leakage of working fluid (hydraulic oil) from between the radially inner projecting portion 331b that slides on the outer peripheral surface is disposed. The clutch space B that functions as the working fluid flow path 33 is a space through which the working fluid (working oil) can pass between the ring gear 344 that also serves as the lockup piston 331 in the axial direction and the front cover 10. Formed as part. The fluid transmission mechanism space A that functions as the piston hydraulic chamber 34 is a space through which the working fluid (hydraulic oil) can pass between the ring gear 344 that also serves as the lock-up piston 331 in the axial direction and the pump shell 21b. Formed as.

  The lockup clutch mechanism 330 configured as described above serves as a lockup piston 331 by the hydraulic pressure (hydraulic pressure) of the working fluid (hydraulic fluid) supplied to the fluid transmission mechanism space A that functions as the piston hydraulic chamber 34. The ring gear 344 that is also used moves closer to the front cover 10 side along the axial direction, and the friction material 35 constituting the friction engagement surface 32 of the lockup clutch mechanism 330 and the front cover inner wall surface 15 of the main body 11 contact each other. The lock-up clutch mechanism 330 is turned on by frictional engagement. When the lock-up clutch mechanism 330 is turned on, the front cover 10 and the ring gear 344 that is also used as the lock-up piston 331 rotate integrally. Therefore, the lock-up clutch mechanism 330 is transmitted to the front cover 10. Is transmitted to the ring gear 344 that also serves as the lock-up piston 331 via the front cover inner wall surface 15 and the friction material 35 in this order. In other words, in the torque converter 301, when the lock-up clutch mechanism 330 is turned on, the driving force from the engine is input to the ring gear 344 that forms part of the damper mechanism 340 and also serves as the lock-up piston 331.

  The damper mechanism 340 includes a planetary gear mechanism 341 and a plurality of damper springs 42 as a plurality of elastic bodies. The planetary gear mechanism 341 includes a sun gear 343, a ring gear 344 that is also used as the above-described lockup piston 331, a carrier 345, and a pinion gear 46.

  The damper mechanism 340 of the present embodiment locks up the driving force from the engine that is transmitted through the front cover 10, the front cover inner wall surface 15, and the friction material 35 in order during the ON control of the lockup clutch mechanism 330. The driving force input to the ring gear 344 that is also used as the piston 331 can be transmitted to the output shaft 50. Furthermore, the damper mechanism 340 outputs the driving force input to the ring gear 344 (lock-up piston 331) of the planetary gear mechanism 341 from the carrier 345 via the pinion gear 46 and transmits it to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52. At this time, the sun gear 343 acts as a damper mass of the dynamic damper.

  That is, in the damper mechanism 340 of the present embodiment, the sun gear 343 that does not contribute to the transmission of the driving force in the planetary gear mechanism 341 is connected to the carrier 345 that contributes to the transmission of the driving force via the damper spring 42 and elastically supported. The sun gear 243 that does not contribute to the transmission of the driving force acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper, that is, a member for generating an inertia moment in the dynamic damper. Acts as a member for adjusting torsional rigidity. Note that the damper spring 42 of the present embodiment is held by a sun gear 343 and a carrier 345 as will be described later, and connects the sun gear 343 and the carrier 345 so as to be relatively rotatable.

  The sun gear 343 acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper in the damper mechanism 340. The sun gear 343 has a center holding portion 343a. Note that the sun gear 343 of the present embodiment does not have the extended mass portion 43a (see FIG. 1) described in the first embodiment.

  The center holding portion 343a holds a part of the plurality of damper springs 42 in the sun gear 343. The center holding portion 343 a is a slit formed in an arc shape along the circumferential direction of the sun gear 343. The center holding portion 343a holds the damper spring 42 with the damper spring 42 inserted therein. A plurality of center holding portions 343 a are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to the ring gear 44.

  The ring gear 344 is an input rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 341, and is also used as the lockup piston 331 of the lockup clutch mechanism 330 as described above.

  The carrier 345 is an output rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 341, and holds the pinion gear 46 so that it can rotate and revolve.

  The carrier 345 includes a front carrier 347 and a rear carrier 348, and the front carrier 347 and the rear carrier 348 support the plurality of pinion gears 46 so as to be rotatable and revolved so as to sandwich the plurality of pinion gears 46 in the axial direction. The front carrier 347 and the rear carrier 348 are integrated with the sun gear 343 and the pinion gear 46 sandwiched by, for example, rivets 61. The front carrier 347 and the rear carrier 348 are set so that the inner diameter of the rear carrier 348 is smaller than the inner diameter of the front carrier 347. The rear carrier 348 has a radially inner end 348b (that is, an end on the inner peripheral surface side) fixed to the hub 52 together with a radially inner end of the turbine shell 22b, for example, by a rivet 52a. Therefore, the front carrier 347 and the rear carrier 348 are fixed to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52 and can rotate together with the hub 52 and the output shaft 50.

  The front carrier 347 has a front holding portion 347a, and the rear carrier 348 has a rear holding portion 348a. The front holding portion 347a and the rear holding portion 348a receive and hold a part of the damper spring 42 in which the central portion in the axial direction is held by the center holding portion 343a of the sun gear 343. Both the front holding portion 347a and the rear holding portion 348a are formed at positions facing the center holding portion 343a of the sun gear 343 in the axial direction.

  Therefore, in the damper mechanism 340, the center holding portion 343a of the sun gear 343 holds the center portion (the center portion in the axial direction) of the damper spring 42, and the front holding portion 347a of the front carrier 347 is the center holding portion 343a of the damper spring 42. The engine-side portion is accommodated and held, and the rear holding portion 348a of the rear carrier 348 accommodates and holds the output shaft-side portion from the center holding portion 343a.

  That is, the damper spring 42 is held by the center holding portion 343a of the sun gear 343, the front holding portion 347a of the front carrier 347, and the rear holding portion 348a of the rear carrier 348. However, here, the damper spring 42 does not transmit driving force between the sun gear 343, the front carrier 347, and the rear carrier 348.

  The damper spring 42 is held by the center holding portion 343a of the sun gear 343, the front holding portion 347a of the front carrier 347, and the rear holding portion 348a of the rear carrier 348, thereby connecting the sun gear 343 and the carrier 345 so as to be relatively rotatable. . The damper spring 42 of the present embodiment is not disposed in the driving force transmission path in the damper mechanism 340, that is, does not contribute to the transmission of the driving force. The damper spring 42 of the present embodiment elastically supports the sun gear 343 that does not contribute to the transmission of the driving force as a damper mass (inertial mass body) to the carrier 345 that contributes to the transmission of the driving force in the planetary gear mechanism 341.

  The damper mechanism 340 configured as described above inputs driving force from the engine from the front cover 10 to the ring gear 344 that is also used as the lockup piston 331 when the lockup clutch mechanism 330 is ON-controlled. The damper mechanism 340 transmits the driving force input to the ring gear 344 that is also used as the lockup piston 331 to the front carrier 347 and the rear carrier 348 via the pinion gear 46. Therefore, the driving force from the engine transmitted to the front cover 10 is transmitted to the front carrier 347 and the rear carrier 348 via the ring gear 344 and the pinion gear 46 that are also used as the lockup piston 331, and rotates in a predetermined direction. The damper mechanism 340 transmits the driving force transmitted to the front carrier 347 and the rear carrier 348 from the rear carrier 348 to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52.

  The damper mechanism 340 includes a sun gear 343 that is a rotating element of the planetary gear mechanism 341, a ring gear 344 that is also used as a lock-up piston 331, and a carrier 345 based on the rotational speed (the number of revolutions) based on the alignment chart shown in FIG. Equivalent). As shown in FIG. 6, the damper mechanism 340 has an amplitude on the engine side of vibration due to fluctuations in the rotation of the engine, that is, an input amplitude to the ring gear 344 (lock-up piston 331) that is an input rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 341. With respect to a, the damper mass amplitude b of the damper mass composed of the sun gear 343 is amplified to an amplitude in the reverse direction of 1 / λ times the input amplitude a by the differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 341. In other words, the damper mechanism 340 is driven from the sun gear 343 with respect to the rotational speed of the ring gear 344 (lock-up piston 331) corresponding to the driving force to the ring gear 344 (lock-up piston 331) that is an input rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 341. The rotational speed of the damper mass is increased to a rotational speed in the reverse direction that is 1 / λ times the rotational speed of the ring gear 344 by the differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 341.

  During this time, in the damper mechanism 340, the sun gear 343 elastically supported by the carrier 345 by the damper spring 42 acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper. That is, the damper mechanism 340 dampens this vibration by causing the sun gear 343 as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper to vibrate in an opposite phase with respect to vibration of a specific frequency acting on the damper mechanism 340 ( Vibration absorption) and suppression, and a high damping effect can be achieved. As a result, the damper mechanism 340 dampens (absorbs) the vibration caused by the explosion of the engine by causing the sun gear 343 to vibrate in the opposite phase. Damper performance can be improved, vibration can be reduced, and fuel consumption can be improved.

  The damper mechanism 340 of the torque converter 301 according to the present embodiment reduces the number of parts constituting the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 because the ring gear 344 is also used as the lockup piston 331 of the lockup clutch mechanism 330. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and further reduction in size and weight of the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 can be realized.

  Further, the damper mechanism 340 of the torque converter 301 has the ring gear 344 also used as the lock-up piston 331 of the lock-up clutch mechanism 330. Accordingly, the damper mechanism 340 does not increase the diameter of the entire damper mechanism 340. Since the outer diameter can be made relatively large, the load (or stress) acting on the ring gear 344 when the driving force is transmitted from the ring gear 344 to the pinion gear 46 can be made relatively small. For this reason, the damper mechanism 340 can further reduce the thickness of the ring gear 344 in the axial direction while ensuring an appropriate strength in the ring gear 344, and further reduce the size of the damper mechanism 340 and the torque converter 301. Can do.

  Further, the damper mechanism 340 of the torque converter 301 can relatively increase the outer diameter of the ring gear 344 by using the ring gear 344 also as the lock-up piston 331 of the lock-up clutch mechanism 330. For example, as compared with the outer diameter of the sun gear 43 described in the first embodiment, the outer diameter of the sun gear 343 can be relatively increased. For this reason, since the damper mechanism 340 can relatively increase the outer diameter of the sun gear 343, for example, even if the extended mass portion 43a (see FIG. 1) described in the first embodiment is not provided, Sufficient inertia mass I of sun gear 343 acting as a damper mass can be secured. As a result, the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 include, for example, an extended mass portion 43a (see FIG. 1) compared to the torque converter 1 (see FIG. 1) and the damper mechanism 40 (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment. Therefore, the number of parts constituting the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 can be further reduced, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced and the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 can be further reduced in size and weight. be able to.

  Since the damper mechanism 340 of the torque converter 301 can relatively increase the outer diameter of the sun gear 343 and can sufficiently secure the inertial mass I of the sun gear 343 that acts as a damper mass of the dynamic damper. Accordingly, the spring constant k when setting the specific resonance frequency ω in the dynamic damper can be set to a relatively large value. As a result, since the damper mechanism 340 can set the spring constant k to a relatively large value, for example, the damper spring 42 can be reduced in diameter, so that the damper mechanism 340 and the torque converter 301 can be further downsized. can do.

  Further, the damper mechanism 340 of the torque converter 301 has a differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 341 so that the rotational speed of the sun gear 343 as the damper mass of the dynamic damper is increased with respect to the rotational speed of the ring gear 344 (lock-up piston 331). Speeded. Therefore, the damper mechanism 340 can obtain the same effect as the case where the inertial mass of the dynamic damper is relatively increased by increasing the rotational speed of the sun gear 343 that is the damper mass of the dynamic damper. Accordingly, the spring constant k when setting the specific resonance frequency ω in the dynamic damper can be set to a larger value. As a result, the damper mechanism 340 can further reduce the diameter of the damper spring 42, for example, so that the damper mechanism 340 and the torque converter 301 can be further downsized.

  According to the damper mechanism 340 and the torque converter 301 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 have the planetary gear mechanism 341 in which the driving force from the engine is arranged radially outward. Since it is input to the ring gear 344, the load (or stress) acting on the ring gear 344 when transmitting the driving force can be relatively reduced. As a result, the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 can reduce the thickness of the ring gear 344 in the axial direction while ensuring the appropriate strength of the ring gear 344 that is the input rotation element. The converter 301 can be reduced in size.

  Further, according to the damper mechanism 340 and the torque converter 301 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the planetary gear mechanism 341 outputs the driving force input to the ring gear 344 from the rear carrier 348 of the carrier 345. Therefore, the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 can be further miniaturized because the transmission path of the driving force in the damper mechanism 340 can be simplified and the configuration of the damper mechanism 340 can be simplified.

  Furthermore, according to the damper mechanism 340 and the torque converter 301 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the damper spring 42 connects the sun gear 343 and the carrier 345 so as to be relatively rotatable. Therefore, since the sun gear 343 of the planetary gear mechanism 341 acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper, the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 are adapted to the vibration of a specific frequency acting on the damper mechanism 340. Since the sun gear 343 as the damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper vibrates in the opposite phase, this vibration can be suppressed (vibrated) and suppressed, and a high vibration damping effect can be achieved. As a result, the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 reduce the size of the damper mechanism 340 by inputting the driving force from the engine to the ring gear 344 as described above, and prevent the damper mechanism 340 from generating a booming sound. Damper performance can be improved, vibration can be reduced, and fuel consumption can be improved. Further, the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 increase the rotational speed of the sun gear 343, which is the damper mass of the dynamic damper, by the differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 341. Therefore, the diameter of the damper spring 42 is reduced accordingly. Therefore, the damper mechanism 340 and the torque converter 301 can be further downsized.

  Furthermore, according to the damper mechanism 340 and the torque converter 301 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the planetary gear mechanism 341 transmits the driving force to the output shaft 50 via the working fluid (hydraulic fluid). The fluid transmission mechanism 20 is provided so as to be relatively movable along the axial direction of the output shaft 50 with respect to the front cover 10 that transmits the driving force from the engine, and the ring gear 344 approaches the front cover 10 to cause friction. By engaging, the driving force can be transmitted from the front cover 10 to the output shaft 50 via the ring gear 344.

  Therefore, the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 can reduce the number of parts constituting the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 because the ring gear 344 is also used as an engaging member of the lockup clutch mechanism 330. Accordingly, the outer diameter of the sun gear 343 acting as a damper mass and the ring gear 344 as an input rotation element can be relatively increased without increasing the diameter of the entire damper mechanism 340, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost. In addition, the torque converter 301 and the damper mechanism 340 can be further reduced in size and weight.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a torque converter according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a collinear diagram of a planetary gear mechanism provided in the torque converter according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. The damper device and fluid transmission device according to the fourth embodiment have substantially the same configuration as the damper device and fluid transmission device according to the third embodiment, but the third embodiment is different from the third embodiment in that the output rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism is a sun gear. This is different from the damper device and the fluid transmission device. In addition, about the structure, effect | action, and effect which are common in embodiment mentioned above, while overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted as much as possible, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a torque converter 401 as a fluid transmission device according to the fourth embodiment includes a lockup clutch mechanism 330 as a lockup means, and a damper mechanism 440 as a damper means and a damper device of the present invention. . In this torque converter 401, a lockup piston 331 as an engaging member of the lockup clutch mechanism 330 and a ring gear 344 of the planetary gear mechanism 441 provided in the damper mechanism 440 are also used.

  The damper mechanism 440 includes a planetary gear mechanism 441 and a plurality of damper springs 42 as a plurality of elastic bodies. The planetary gear mechanism 441 includes a sun gear 443, a ring gear 344 that is also used as the lock-up piston 331, a carrier 445, and a pinion gear 46.

  The damper mechanism 440 of the present embodiment locks up the driving force from the engine that is transmitted through the front cover 10, the front cover inner wall surface 15, and the friction material 35 in order during the ON control of the lockup clutch mechanism 330. The driving force input to the ring gear 344 that is also used as the piston 331 can be transmitted to the output shaft 50. Furthermore, the damper mechanism 440 outputs the driving force input to the ring gear 344 (lock-up piston 331) of the planetary gear mechanism 441 from the sun gear 443 via the pinion gear 46 and transmits it to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52. At this time, the carrier 445 acts as a damper mass of the dynamic damper.

  The sun gear 443 is an output rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 441. The sun gear 443 has a center holding portion 343a and a spline 443b. The center holding portion 343 a holds a part of the plurality of damper springs 42 in the sun gear 443.

  The spline 443b constitutes a connecting portion 462 together with the spline 52b of the hub 52, and is formed in the axial direction on the inner peripheral surface of the radially inner end portion of the sun gear 443. The connecting portion 462 connects the hub 52 and the sun gear 443 so as to be integrally rotatable. The sun gear 443 is supported by the hub 52 such that the spline 443b and the spline 52b are spline-fitted so as to be integrally rotatable. Therefore, the sun gear 443 is connected to the hub 52 by the connecting portion 462 so that the driving force can be transmitted.

  The ring gear 344 is an input rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 441, and is also used as the lockup piston 331 of the lockup clutch mechanism 330 as described above.

  The carrier 445 holds the pinion gear 46 so that it can rotate and revolve, and also holds a part of the plurality of damper springs 42 that are held at the center in the axial direction by the sun gear 443. The carrier 445 acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper in the damper mechanism 440.

  The carrier 445 includes a front carrier 447 and a rear carrier 448. The front carrier 447 and the rear carrier 448 support the plurality of pinion gears 46 so as to be rotatable and revolved so as to sandwich the plurality of pinion gears 46 in the axial direction. The front carrier 447 and the rear carrier 448 are integrated with the sun gear 443 and the pinion gear 46 sandwiched by, for example, rivets 61. The front carrier 447 and the rear carrier 448 have substantially the same inner diameter, and are not connected to the hub 52, unlike the damper mechanism 340 (see FIG. 5) of the third embodiment.

  The front carrier 447 has a front holding part 347a, and the rear carrier 448 has a rear holding part 348a. The front holding part 347a and the rear holding part 348a receive and hold a part of the damper spring 42 whose central part in the axial direction is held by the center holding part 343a of the sun gear 443.

  The damper spring 42 is held by the center holding portion 343a of the sun gear 443, the front holding portion 347a of the front carrier 447, and the rear holding portion 348a of the rear carrier 448, thereby connecting the sun gear 443 and the carrier 445 so as to be relatively rotatable. . The damper spring 42 of the present embodiment is not disposed in the driving force transmission path in the damper mechanism 440, that is, does not contribute to the transmission of the driving force. The damper spring 42 of the present embodiment elastically supports the carrier 445 that does not contribute to the transmission of the driving force to the sun gear 443 that contributes to the transmission of the driving force in the planetary gear mechanism 441 as a damper mass (inertial mass body). It acts as a member that adjusts the torsional rigidity of the dynamic damper in the mechanism 440.

  The damper mechanism 440 configured as described above inputs driving force from the engine from the front cover 10 to the ring gear 344 that is also used as the lockup piston 331 when the lockup clutch mechanism 330 is ON-controlled. The damper mechanism 440 transmits the driving force input to the ring gear 344 that is also used as the lockup piston 331 to the sun gear 443 via the pinion gear 46. Therefore, the sun gear 443 is rotated in a predetermined direction when the driving force transmitted from the engine transmitted to the front cover 10 is transmitted via the ring gear 344 and the pinion gear 46 that are also used as the lockup piston 331. The damper mechanism 440 transmits the driving force transmitted to the sun gear 443 from the connecting portion 462 to the output shaft 50 via the hub 52.

  The damper mechanism 440 includes a sun gear 443 that is a rotating element of the planetary gear mechanism 441, a ring gear 344 that is also used as a lock-up piston 331, and a carrier 445 based on the rotational speed (the number of revolutions) based on the alignment chart shown in FIG. Equivalent). As shown in FIG. 8, the damper mechanism 440 has an engine-side amplitude of vibration due to engine rotation fluctuation, that is, an input amplitude to the ring gear 344 (lock-up piston 331) that is an input rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 441. With respect to a, the damper mass amplitude b of the damper mass composed of the carrier 445 is attenuated to 1 / (1 + λ) times the input amplitude a by the differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 441. In other words, the damper mechanism 440 is driven from the carrier 445 with respect to the rotational speed of the ring gear 344 (lock-up piston 331) corresponding to the driving force to the ring gear 344 (lock-up piston 331) that is an input rotation element of the planetary gear mechanism 441. The rotational speed of the damper mass is reduced to 1 / (1 + λ) times the rotational speed of the ring gear 344 by the differential action of the planetary gear mechanism 441.

  During this time, in the damper mechanism 440, the carrier 445 elastically supported by the sun gear 443 by the damper spring 42 acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper. That is, the damper mechanism 440 suppresses this vibration by causing the carrier 445 as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper to vibrate in an opposite phase with respect to vibration of a specific frequency acting on the damper mechanism 440 ( Vibration absorption) and suppression, and a high damping effect can be achieved. As a result, the damper mechanism 440 suppresses (absorbs) the vibration caused by the explosion of the engine by causing the carrier 445 to vibrate in the opposite phase. Damper performance can be improved, vibration can be reduced, and fuel consumption can be improved.

  The damper mechanism 440 of the torque converter 401 according to the present embodiment does not have the effect of increasing the damper mass as described in the third embodiment, but the ring gear 344 is also used as the lockup piston 331 of the lockup clutch mechanism 330. As a result, the outer diameter of the ring gear 344 can be relatively increased. Therefore, for example, the outer diameter of the carrier 445 is also relatively increased as compared with the outer diameter of the carrier 245 described in the second embodiment. be able to. For this reason, since the damper mechanism 440 can relatively increase the outer diameter of the carrier 445, for example, even if the thick mass portion 247a (see FIG. 3) described in the second embodiment is not provided, the dynamic damper is provided. The inertial mass I of the carrier 445 acting as the damper mass can be sufficiently secured. As a result, the torque converter 401 and the damper mechanism 440 include, for example, a thick mass part 247a (see FIG. 3) compared to the torque converter 201 (see FIG. 3) and the damper mechanism 240 (see FIG. 3) of the second embodiment. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the torque converter 401 and the damper mechanism 440 can be reduced, and the torque converter 401 and the damper mechanism 440 can be further reduced in size and weight.

  Since the damper mechanism 440 of the torque converter 401 can relatively increase the outer diameter of the carrier 445 and can sufficiently secure the inertial mass I of the carrier 445 acting as a damper mass of the dynamic damper. Accordingly, the spring constant k when setting the specific resonance frequency ω in the dynamic damper can be set to a relatively large value. As a result, since the damper mechanism 440 can set the spring constant k to a relatively large value, for example, the damper spring 42 can be reduced in diameter, so that the damper mechanism 440 and the torque converter 401 can be further downsized. can do. Therefore, the mountability of the damper mechanism 440 and the torque converter 401 on the vehicle can be further improved, and the inertial mass of the entire vehicle can be reduced, so that the power performance of the vehicle can be further improved. .

  According to the damper mechanism 440 and the torque converter 401 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the torque converter 401 and the damper mechanism 440 include the planetary gear mechanism 441 in which the driving force from the engine is arranged radially outward. Since it is input to the ring gear 344, the load (or stress) acting on the ring gear 344 when transmitting the driving force can be relatively reduced. As a result, the torque converter 401 and the damper mechanism 440 can reduce the thickness of the ring gear 344 in the axial direction while securing an appropriate strength of the ring gear 344 as an input rotation element. The converter 401 can be reduced in size.

  Furthermore, according to the damper mechanism 440 and the torque converter 401 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the planetary gear mechanism 441 outputs the driving force input to the ring gear 344 from the sun gear 443. Therefore, the torque converter 401 and the damper mechanism 440 can be further miniaturized because the transmission path of the driving force in the damper mechanism 440 can be simplified and the configuration of the damper mechanism 440 can be simplified.

  Furthermore, according to the damper mechanism 440 and the torque converter 401 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the damper spring 42 connects the sun gear 443 and the carrier 445 so as to be relatively rotatable. Accordingly, since the carrier 445 of the planetary gear mechanism 441 acts as a damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper, the torque converter 401 and the damper mechanism 440 are capable of responding to vibrations of a specific frequency acting on the damper mechanism 440. Since the carrier 445 as the damper mass (inertial mass body) of the dynamic damper vibrates in the opposite phase, the vibration can be suppressed (absorbed) and suppressed, and a high damping effect can be achieved. As a result, the torque converter 401 and the damper mechanism 440 reduce the size of the damper mechanism 440 by inputting the driving force from the engine to the ring gear 344 as described above, and prevent the damper mechanism 440 from generating a booming sound. Damper performance can be improved, vibration can be reduced, and fuel consumption can be improved.

  Furthermore, according to the damper mechanism 440 and the torque converter 401 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the planetary gear mechanism 441 transmits the driving force to the output shaft 50 via the working fluid (hydraulic fluid). The fluid transmission mechanism 20 is provided so as to be relatively movable along the axial direction of the output shaft 50 with respect to the front cover 10 that transmits the driving force from the engine, and the ring gear 344 approaches the front cover 10 to cause friction. By engaging, the driving force can be transmitted from the front cover 10 to the output shaft 50 via the ring gear 344.

  Therefore, the torque converter 401 and the damper mechanism 440 can reduce the number of parts constituting the torque converter 401 and the damper mechanism 440 because the ring gear 344 is also used as an engaging member of the lockup clutch mechanism 330. Therefore, the outer diameter of the carrier 445 acting as a damper mass and the ring gear 344 as the input rotation element can be relatively increased without increasing the diameter of the entire damper mechanism 440, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost. In addition, the torque converter 401 and the damper mechanism 440 can be further reduced in size and weight.

  The damper device and the fluid transmission device according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope described in the claims.

  In the above description, the damper mechanism 40 of the first embodiment has been described as including the extended mass portion 43a, and the damper mechanism 240 of the second embodiment has been described as including the thick mass portion 247a, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The damper means and the damper device may be configured not to include the extended mass portion 43a and the thick mass portion 247a.

  In the above description, the engaging members (lock-up pistons 31, 331) of the lock-up means (lock-up clutch mechanisms 30, 330) of the present invention are the damper device and damper means (damper mechanisms 40, 240, 340) of the present invention. 440) is supported so as to be relatively movable along the axial direction so that the front cover can be moved closer to and away from the front cover and can be frictionally engaged via the frictional engagement surface. Not exclusively. For example, the engagement member of the lock-up means of the present invention is such that the entire damper device (damper means) is supported so as to be movable relative to the hub 52 along the axial direction, so that the entire damper device (damper means) is supported. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the frictional engagement can be achieved via the frictional engagement surface as a unit with the front cover.

  In the above description, the lock-up means (lock-up clutch mechanisms 30, 330) of the present invention is between the front cover, the damper device, and the damper means (damper mechanisms 40, 240, 340, 440) in the axial direction. Although described as being provided, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the lockup means of the present invention may be provided between the damper device (damper means) and the turbine shell of the fluid transmission means (fluid transmission mechanism 20) in the axial direction. That is, the fluid transmission device of the present invention may be arranged in the order of the front cover, the damper device (damper means), the lockup means, and the fluid transmission means from the engine side to the output shaft side with respect to the axial direction. . In this case, the lock-up means includes, for example, a first engagement member fixed to the hub 52 so as to be integrally rotatable, and a second engagement member connected to the output rotation element of the damper device (damper means). Any structure may be used as long as the first engagement member and the second engagement member are frictionally engaged with each other via the friction engagement surface.

  As described above, the damper device and the fluid transmission device according to the present invention can reduce the size of the device, and are suitable for application to various damper devices and fluid transmission devices provided with a planetary gear mechanism. .

It is principal part sectional drawing of the torque converter which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an alignment chart of the planetary gear mechanism with which the torque converter which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention is provided. It is principal part sectional drawing of the torque converter which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is an alignment chart of the planetary gear mechanism with which the torque converter which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention is provided. It is principal part sectional drawing of the torque converter which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is an alignment chart of the planetary gear mechanism with which the torque converter which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention is provided. It is principal part sectional drawing of the torque converter which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is an alignment chart of the planetary gear mechanism with which the torque converter which concerns on Embodiment 4 of this invention is provided.

Explanation of symbols

1, 201, 301, 401 Torque converter (fluid transmission device)
10 Front cover 15 Front cover inner wall surface 20 Fluid transmission mechanism (fluid transmission means)
21 Pump impeller 22 Turbine liner 23 Stator 24 One-way clutch 30, 330 Lock-up clutch mechanism (lock-up means)
31, 331 Lock-up piston (engaging member)
32 Friction engagement surface 33 Working fluid flow path 34 Piston hydraulic chamber 35 Friction material 40, 240, 340, 440 Damper mechanism (damper device, damper means)
41, 241, 341, 441 Planetary gear mechanism 42 Damper spring (elastic body)
43, 243, 343, 443 Sun gear 43a Extended mass 44, 344 Ring gear 45, 245, 345, 445 Carrier 46 Pinion gear 47, 247, 347, 447 Front carrier 48, 248, 348, 448 Rear carrier 50 Output shaft 52 Hub 247a Thick mass part A Fluid transmission mechanism space B Clutch space X Rotation axis

Claims (9)

The rotating element includes a sun gear that is an external gear, a ring gear that is an internal gear that is coaxially arranged with the sun gear, and a carrier that holds the pinion gear that meshes with the sun gear and the ring gear so as to rotate and revolve. A planetary gear mechanism,
An elastic body connecting two of the rotating elements so as to be relatively rotatable,
The planetary gear mechanism is characterized in that a driving force from a driving source is input to the ring gear, and the driving force input to the ring gear can be transmitted to an output shaft.
Damper device. The planetary gear mechanism outputs the driving force input to the ring gear from the carrier,
The damper device according to claim 1. It is provided in the sun gear, and includes an extended mass portion formed toward a side away from the rotation center along a direction orthogonal to the axial direction along the rotation center of the rotation element.
The damper device according to claim 2. The planetary gear mechanism outputs the driving force input to the ring gear from the sun gear,
The damper device according to claim 1. It is provided in the carrier, and comprises a thick mass part formed along the axial direction along the rotation axis center of the rotation element,
The damper device according to claim 4. The elastic body is characterized in that the ring gear and the carrier are connected so as to be relatively rotatable.
The damper device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The elastic body is characterized in that the sun gear and the carrier are connected so as to be relatively rotatable.
The damper device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The planetary gear mechanism is arranged in the axial direction of the output shaft with respect to a front cover that transmits the driving force from the driving source to a fluid transmission means in which the ring gear can transmit the driving force to the output shaft via a working fluid. And the ring gear is capable of transmitting a driving force from the front cover to the output shaft via the ring gear when the ring gear approaches and frictionally engages the front cover. And
The damper device according to any one of claims 1 to 7. Fluid transmission means capable of transmitting the driving force transmitted from the driving source to the front cover to the output shaft via the working fluid;
Lockup means capable of transmitting the driving force transmitted to the front cover to the output shaft via an engaging member;
The rotating element includes a sun gear that is an external gear, a ring gear that is an internal gear that is coaxially arranged with the sun gear, and a carrier that holds the pinion gear that meshes with the sun gear and the ring gear so as to rotate and revolve. A planetary gear mechanism and an elastic body that couples two of the rotating elements so as to be relatively rotatable. The planetary gear mechanism is configured such that the lockup means transmits a driving force via the engagement member. In this case, the driving force transmitted to the front cover is input to the ring gear, and damper means capable of transmitting the driving force input to the ring gear to the output shaft is provided.
Fluid transmission device.

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