JP3299077B2 - Lockup clutch for torque converter - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lockup clutch for a torque converter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A torque converter is a device for transmitting torque through an internal hydraulic oil, and includes an impeller connected to an input-side front cover, a turbine disposed opposite to the impeller, and an impeller. A stator disposed between the inner peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion of the turbine. Hydraulic oil flowing from the impeller rotates the turbine, the flow direction is changed by the stator, and returns to the impeller again.

Some of such torque converters are provided with a lock-up clutch for mechanically outputting torque from an input side front cover to a turbine or a turbine hub. The lock-up clutch
For example, a piston member that can be connected to the friction surface of the front cover, a retaining member fixed to the piston member, a plurality of coil springs both ends of which are supported by the retaining member, And an engaging member to be engaged.

There is also a lock-up clutch using an arc spring that extends long in an arc in a free state instead of a coil spring. The arc spring provides characteristics of low rigidity and a wide torsion angle, and absorbs a small torsional vibration. When the arc spring is compressed, the central portion tends to protrude radially outward. At this time, in order to prevent the arc spring from sliding on the piston member or the front cover and the like and being worn, an outer peripheral support member extending in the circumferential direction is arranged on the outer periphery of the arc spring.

[0005]

In the conventional lock-up clutch, a member for supporting the arc spring in the circumferential direction and an outer peripheral supporting member for supporting the outer side in the radial direction are arranged. Becomes complicated. Also,
When the number of parts increases and the mass of the lock-up clutch increases, the responsiveness of the piston member decreases.

An object of the present invention is to reduce the number of parts in a lockup clutch of a torque converter and to simplify the structure.

[0007]

[0008]

Torque converter lockup clutch according to 請 Motomeko 1 Means for Solving the Problems] is it clutch der for transmitting mechanically torque from the input-side front cover of the torque converter output member , A piston member, a plurality of elastic members, an outer peripheral support member, and an output member. The piston member can be connected to and separated from the front cover. The plurality of elastic members are disposed proximate to the piston member and extend circumferentially. The outer peripheral support member integrally has an outer peripheral support portion that covers the outer periphery of the elastic member, a circumferential support portion that supports both ends of the elastic member in the circumferential direction, and a fixed portion that is fixed to the piston member. Output member, the transmitter
The outer peripheral part has a bent support part extending from the engine side to the engine side and supporting both ends in the circumferential direction of the elastic member . The inner peripheral end is fixed to the output side member and can be assembled and removed in the axial direction.
Noh.

[0009] Torque converter lock-up clutch according to claim 2, the lock-up clutch according to claim 1
, The elastic member has a coil shape.

[0010]

[0011]

[Action] In the lock-up clutch according to 請 Motomeko 1,
When the piston member is connected to the front cover, the torque of the front cover is transmitted to the output side member via the piston member, the outer peripheral support member, the elastic member, and the output member. Shock and torsional vibration at the time of lock-up connection are absorbed by the plurality of elastic members.

In this case, since the outer peripheral support member integrally has the outer peripheral support portion and the circumferential support portion, the number of parts is smaller than in the conventional case. Also, if the output member is
Because it is detachable, assembly is easy. The lock-up clutch according to claim 2, the elastic member is a coil.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A torque converter 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a front cover 3, a torque converter main body comprising an impeller 4, a turbine 5 and a stator (not shown), and a lock-up clutch 8. The front cover 3 and the shell of the impeller 4 form a hydraulic oil chamber filled with hydraulic oil. Here, the impeller 4, the turbine 5, and the stator (not shown) have the same structure as in the related art, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The shell of the turbine 5 has an inner peripheral portion fixed to the turbine hub 6 by rivets 24. The turbine hub 6 is spline-engaged with a shaft (not shown) extending from the transmission side.

The lock-up clutch 8 mainly includes a piston member 9, an output disk member 10, three arc springs 13 including a large coil spring 11 and a small coil spring 12, and a support member 14. ing.
The piston member 9 is a disk-shaped member and has an outer cylindrical portion 9a and an inner cylindrical portion 9b. Outer cylinder 9a and inner cylinder 9
b extends to the transmission side (the right side in FIG. 1). The inner peripheral cylindrical portion 9b is supported on the outer peripheral surface of the turbine hub 6 so as to be relatively rotatable and movable in the axial direction toward the front cover 3. Further, a disc-shaped friction facing 20 is fixed to the outer peripheral side surface of the piston member 9 at a position facing the friction surface of the front cover 3.

The support member 14 is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the outer cylindrical portion 9a of the piston member 9. The support member 14
It mainly comprises an outer peripheral support 16 having an arc-shaped cross section. Peripheral support 1
The outer peripheral side of 6 is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion 9a. A circumferential support 17 is formed at a position where the outer support 16 is divided into three parts at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Further, a fixing portion 18 extends from the circumferential support portion 17 to the inner peripheral side. 2, the fixing portion 18 extends in the circumferential direction at a predetermined angle, and is
It is fixed to.

Each of the arc springs 13 extends in a circumferential direction of about 100 degrees. Spring seats 23 are disposed at both ends of the arc spring 13. The spring seat 23 is provided on the circumferential support portion 1 of the outer circumferential support member 14.
7 is in contact. The output side disk member 10 has an inner peripheral end fixed to the turbine hub 6 by the rivet 24 described above. On the outer peripheral portion of the output side disk member 10, bending support portions 10a are formed at three locations at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.
The bending support portion 10a extends toward the engine (the left side in FIG. 1) and is inserted between the spring seats 23 of the adjacent arc spring 13. Thus, the output disk member 10
Is detachable in the axial direction with respect to the arc spring 13 and the support member 14. Therefore, the assembling is easy.

When the hydraulic oil between the front cover 3 and the piston member 9 is drained, the piston member 9 moves toward the front cover 3 and the friction facing 20 comes into close contact with the friction surface of the front cover 3. Thereby, the torque of the front cover 3 is transmitted to the piston member 9, and further, the support member 14, the arc spring 13, and the output disc member 1
0 to the turbine hub 6. Torque is output from turbine hub 6 to a shaft (not shown) extending from the transmission side.

When torsional vibration is input to the front cover 3, the piston member 9 and the output disk member 10 rotate relative to each other. At this time, the arc spring 13 repeats expansion and contraction in the circumferential direction. Here, since the arc spring 13 has a wide torsion angle, the small torsional vibration is effectively absorbed by the characteristics of low rigidity and wide torsion angle. At the time of compression, the arc spring 13 tries to protrude radially outward and moves radially outward due to centrifugal force, but is supported by the outer peripheral support 16 of the support member 14.

In this embodiment, since the supporting member 14 has the outer peripheral supporting portion 16 and the circumferential supporting portion 17 integrally, the number of parts is reduced. As a result, the overall structure is simplified and the mass is further reduced. [Modification] The number of arc springs may be two or four or more.

The outer peripheral supporting portion of the supporting member does not support the entire outer periphery of the arc spring, but may support only a part such as an intermediate portion in the circumferential direction. The support portion of the output disk member may be non-detachably engaged with the arc spring, the support member, or the like in the axial direction. In that case, the inner peripheral portion of the output disk member is spline-engaged with the turbine hub.

[0021]

In the lock-up clutch according to the present invention, the outer peripheral supporting portion and the circumferential supporting portion are integrally formed to constitute the outer peripheral supporting portion. . As a result, the structure is simplified and the mass is reduced. Also, if the output member is
Since it is detachable, assembly is easy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a part of a torque converter in which an embodiment of the present invention is employed.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of a lockup clutch as one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Torque converter 3 Front cover 8 Lock-up clutch 9 Piston member 10 Output disk member 13 Arc spring 14 Support member 16 Outer peripheral support part 17 Circumferential support part

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A lock-up clutch for mechanically transmitting torque from an input-side front cover of a torque converter to an output-side member, comprising: a piston member connectable to and releasable from the front cover; A plurality of elastic members disposed in proximity to each other and extending in the circumferential direction; an outer peripheral support portion covering the outer periphery of the elastic member; a circumferential support portion supporting both ends of the elastic member in the circumferential direction; and the piston An outer peripheral support member integrally having a fixing portion fixed to the member, and a bent support portion extending from the transmission side to the engine side and supporting both ends in the circumferential direction of the elastic member are provided on the outer peripheral portion.
The inner peripheral end is fixed to the output side member and assembled in the axial direction.
A lockup clutch for a torque converter, comprising: an output member that can be attached and detached ; 2. The elastic member according to claim 1, wherein said elastic member has a coil shape.
A lock-up clutch for a torque converter according to claim 1.