JPH0532687Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a torque converter with a lock-up mechanism.

(Prior Art) A torque converter with a lock-up mechanism normally has a pump impeller 3 connected to a front cover 31 and to which engine power is input, as shown in FIG.
2, a stator impeller 33 adjacent to and facing the inner circumference of the pump impeller 32, and a turbine impeller 34 facing the pump impeller 32 with the stator impeller 33 in between. It also includes an annular lock-up clutch 36 disposed between the front cover 31 and the turbine impeller 34 and connected to the turbine impeller 34 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the pump impeller 32 of the torque converter 35 includes a pump shell 37, a pump core 38 facing the pump shell 37,
The stator impeller 33 includes a hub 40 and a stator core 4 facing the hub 40.
1, and a large number of stator blades 42 fixed between the hub 40 and the stator core 41. Further, the turbine impeller 34
is composed of a turbine shell 43, a turbine core 44 facing the turbine shell 43, and a large number of turbine blades 45 fixed between the turbine shell 43 and the turbine core 44, and the pump shell 37, The hub 40, the turbine shell 43, the pump core 38, the stator core 41, and the turbine core 44 are formed in an annular shape centered on the center line C. Further, the pump blade 39, stator blade 42, and turbine blade 45 are installed at an angle with respect to a plane including the center line C, so that a toroidal coil-shaped oil path is formed inside the torque converter 35. ing. As the pump impeller 32 rotates about the center line C, the turbine impeller 34 rotates about the center line C. Further, the lock-up clutch 36 is pressed against the front cover 31 and locked up by operating the switching valve (not shown) and changing the hydraulic circuit (not shown).

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, when the torque converter 35 is driven in the forward direction, the pump impeller 32→turbine impeller 34 moves as shown by the arrow in FIG. 4A.
→Since the hydraulic oil flows in the direction of the stator impeller 33, the oil pressure in the B part is relatively high and the lockup operates normally. However, when the torque converter 35 is reversely driven, the turbine Since the hydraulic oil flows in the direction of the impeller 34 → pump impeller 32 → stator impeller 33, the oil pressure in section B decreases, making it difficult for the lockup clutch 36 to operate, resulting in the inconvenience that the lockup does not operate normally. .

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, a through hole 47 is formed in the inner circumferential portion of the turbine shell 43 to allow a portion of the hydraulic oil from the stator impeller 33 side to flow through the through hole 47 when the torque converter 35 is reversely driven. A torque converter with a lock-up mechanism has been proposed in which the oil pressure in section B is increased by flowing out to the lock-up clutch 36 side. However, in such a configuration, the hydraulic oil flowing along the turbine impeller 34 does not penetrate It was difficult for the oil to flow out to the lock-up clutch 36 side through the hole 47, and the effect of increasing the oil pressure in the B section was insufficient. Furthermore, in order to sufficiently increase the oil pressure in the B portion, it is necessary to form a large area or a large number of through holes 47, which has the disadvantage of deteriorating the strength of the turbine shell 43 and the performance of the torque converter.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the torque converter with a lockup mechanism of the present invention has at least one through hole formed in the turbine shell, and
A guide protrusion is provided near the through hole to guide a portion of the hydraulic oil from the stator side through the through hole to the lockup clutch side when the torque converter is reversely driven.

(Function) When the torque converter is driven in reverse, a portion of the hydraulic oil from the stator side is guided by the guide protrusion to the lockup clutch side via the through hole. Therefore, sufficient hydraulic oil is supplied between the turbine shell and the lockup clutch, and the lockup operates reliably even when the torque converter is driven in reverse. Furthermore, the area or number of through holes can be reduced compared to the case where no guide protrusion is provided, and the strength of the turbine shell and the performance of the torque converter can be sufficiently ensured.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of a torque converter with a lock-up mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.
is a torque converter, and this torque converter 1 includes an annular pump impeller 2, an annular stator impeller 3 adjacent to and facing the inner circumference of the pump impeller 2, and a stator impeller 3 attached to the pump impeller 2. and an annular turbine impeller 4 that faces each other with the turbine impeller 4 in between. The pump impeller 2 is connected to a front cover 5, the turbine impeller 4 is connected to a turbine hub 6, and the pump impeller 2 is connected to a front cover 5.
The engine power is input to the turbine impeller 4.
The power of the torque converter 1 is outputted from the turbine hub 6 to an output shaft (not shown).

A lock-up clutch 8 is disposed between the turbine impeller 4 and the front cover 5, and the lock-up clutch 8 has an annular shape with an inner peripheral portion connected to the turbine hub 6 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. The piston 9 is composed of a piston 9 and an annular facing 10 fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the piston 9 facing the front cover 5.

The pump impeller 2 includes an annular pump shell 1
2, an annular pump core 13 facing the pump shell 12, and a large number of pump blades 14 fixed between the pump shell 12 and the pump core 13. A hub 15, an annular stator core 16 facing the hub 15, and these hubs 1
5 and a large number of stator blades 17 fixed between the stator core 16. The turbine impeller 4 has an annular turbine shell 1
8, an annular turbine core 19 facing this turbine shell 18, and these turbine shells 18.
and a large number of turbine blades 20 fixed between the turbine core 19 and the turbine core 19. The pump shell 12, the pump core 13, the hub 15,
The stator core 16, the turbine shell 18, and the turbine core 19 are arranged such that their centers are located on the axis O of the output shaft, and form a space having an approximately annular radial cross section and a donut-like appearance. In addition, the large number of pump blades 14, stator blades 17, and turbine blades 20 are arranged obliquely with respect to a plane containing the axis O, so that an approximately toroidal coil-shaped oil passage is formed inside the torque converter 1. It is formed.

A plurality of through holes 22 are formed by cutting and raising at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner circumference of the turbine shell 18, and each cutting and raising piece is formed by cutting and raising a guide protrusion 2.
3. These guide protrusions 23 are cut and raised on the outside of the turbine shell 18, that is, on the lock-up clutch 8 side, with the side on the inner peripheral side of the turbine shell 18 left uncut among the four sides of the through hole 22.

Next, the effect will be explained. When the torque converter 1 is driven in the forward direction, the hydraulic oil flows in the direction of the arrow shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. By operating the external switching valve and changing the hydraulic circuit (not shown), the lockup clutch 8 is pressed against the front cover 5, and the lockup is operated. When the torque converter 1 is driven in reverse, the hydraulic oil flows in the direction of the arrow shown by the solid line in FIG. It flows out to the lockup clutch 8 side. At this time, the hydraulic oil is guided by the guide protrusion 23 and passes through the through hole 22 smoothly, so the flow rate of the hydraulic oil passing through the through hole 22 is large compared to the case without the guide protrusion 23, and the front cover 5 and the turbine shell 18 becomes sufficiently high. Therefore, the switching valve (not shown) operates and the hydraulic circuit (not shown) is changed, so that the lock-up clutch 8 is moved to the front cover 5.
The lockup is firmly pressed and the lockup operates reliably. Note that the operation of the torque converter 1 itself is similar to that of a conventional device, so a description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, since the guide protrusion 23 is provided, the effect of supplying hydraulic oil from the through hole 22 to the lock-up clutch 8 side and increasing the oil pressure of the part A is improved.
Therefore, lock-up operation can be performed reliably when the torque converter 1 is driven in reverse, and at the same time, the area or number of the through holes 22 can be reduced, which improves the strength of the turbine shell 18 and the torque converter 1. can ensure sufficient performance. In particular, since the lock-up operating range is expanded when the torque converter 1 is driven in reverse, the effect becomes noticeable when, for example, an exhaust brake is used in a commercial vehicle. Furthermore, it is very preferable to construct the guiding protrusion 23 by a cut-and-raised piece as in this embodiment, since this eliminates the need for a separate work of fixing it by welding or the like.

(Another Embodiment) FIG. 2 shows another embodiment, in which the side on the outer peripheral side of the turbine shell 18 out of the four sides of the through hole 22 is left uncut, and the guiding protrusion 25 is attached to the turbine shell 18. It may be cut and raised inside the shell 18, that is, on the side of the stator impeller 3.

FIG. 3 shows yet another embodiment, in which a guide protrusion 27 extends from the inner circumferential side to the outer side of the turbine shell 18, that is, the lockup clutch 8 side, and a guide protrusion 27 extends from the outer circumferential side to the inner side of the turbine shell 18, that is, the stator side. Both guide protrusions 28 extending toward the impeller 3 may be provided. In this way, the hydraulic oil can be guided more efficiently, and the flow rate of the hydraulic oil passing through the through hole 22 can be further increased. can.

In each of the above-described embodiments, a plurality of through holes 22 are provided at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner circumference of the turbine shell 18, but the present invention is not limited to such a structure. not,
The number of through holes 22 provided is arbitrary, including one.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the guide protrusion 2
Although an example in which the guide protrusions 23, 25, 27, and 28 are constructed by cut and raised pieces has been described, the present invention is not limited to such a construction.
25, 27, and 28 may be constructed by fixing other members to the turbine shell 18, for example, by welding or the like.

(Effects of the invention) As explained above, according to the invention, at least one through hole is formed in the turbine shell, and in the vicinity of this through hole, hydraulic oil is supplied from the stator side when the torque converter is reversely driven. Since a guiding protrusion is provided to guide a part of the hydraulic oil through the through hole to the lock up clutch side, the hydraulic oil passing through the through hole is smoothly guided by the guiding protrusion, and is guided from the through hole to the lock up clutch side. This improves the effect of supplying hydraulic oil to the turbine shell and increasing the hydraulic pressure between the turbine shell and the lockup clutch, thereby ensuring reliable operation of the lockup when the torque converter is reversely driven. Since the area or number of holes can be reduced, the strength of the turbine shell and the performance of the torque converter can be sufficiently ensured. especially,
Since the lock-up operating range is expanded when the torque converter is reversely driven, the effect becomes noticeable when an exhaust brake is used in a commercial vehicle, for example.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the main parts of a torque converter with a lock-up mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;
The figure is a cross-sectional view of a turbine shell portion of a torque converter with a lock-up mechanism in another embodiment, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a turbine shell portion of a torque converter with a lock-up mechanism in yet another embodiment, and FIGS. 4A and B are FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a conventional torque converter with a lock-up mechanism, in which A is a normal drive and B is a reverse drive.
The figure is a sectional view of the main parts of another conventional torque converter with a lockup mechanism. 1...torque converter, 3...stator impeller (stator), 8...lock up clutch,
18...Turbine shell, 22...Through hole, 2
3, 25, 27, 28...Guiding projections.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] At least one through hole is formed in the turbine shell, and a part of the hydraulic oil from the stator side is guided to the lockup clutch side through the through hole when the torque converter is reversely driven. A torque converter with a lock-up mechanism, characterized in that it is provided with a guiding protrusion.