JPH08326869A - Torque converter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To aim at versatility of a torque converter by changing only stator by reducing a torque ratio and torque volumetric coefficient simultaneously so as to change the general performance of the torque converter. CONSTITUTION: To provide a constitution in which a flow passage sectional area is throttled by decreasing with size H of the flow passage 3a of a torque converter, the engine output is input to a pump impeller 1, circular flow flowing in the pump impeller 1 again through a flow passage 3a provided in a stator 3 from a turbine runner 2 is generated to the turbine 2 from the pump impeller 1 and by only adjusting the blade angle of the stator 3, ready made torque converter can be adapted to V-belt type continuously variable transmission.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a torque converter having a pump impeller as an input element, a turbine runner as an output element, and a stator as a reaction element for increasing torque between input and output elements. The present invention relates to a technique for changing performance according to the application.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a torque converter, a pump impeller which is an input element and a turbine runner which is an output element are opposed to each other, the inside thereof is filled with a fluid such as oil, and a stator which is a reaction element is arranged. It consists of two impeller elements, and when the pump impeller that is connected to the output shaft of the engine rotates, the oil that fills the inside flows, and the flow path that is provided from the pump impeller to the turbine runner and from the turbine runner to the stator is created. A circulating flow is again circulated to the pump impeller, and the turbine runner coupled to the input shaft of the transmission is rotated to transmit the increased torque to the transmission.

The stator changes the flow of oil extruded from the turbine runner so that the oil impinges on the vane (vane) surface of the pump impeller along the flow path provided in the stator to assist the rotation of the pump impeller and increase the torque. Improve efficiency.

In the present automatic transmission, the torque converter can be said to be an essential element. Due to the diversification of vehicle types, it is necessary to adapt the existing torque converter to engines having different displacements, transmissions of different types and the like. There is. At this time, as a method of changing the general performance of the torque converter, a method of adjusting the blade angle of each impeller element of the torque converter is generally used. Particularly, when the versatility of the torque converter is considered by sharing the components. Adjustment of the stator is effective.

Therefore, when the blade angle of the stator is adjusted, the torque ratio and the torque capacity coefficient, which are the requirements for determining the general performance of the torque converter, become larger when the blade angle is adjusted to increase the torque ratio and the torque. The capacity coefficient becomes smaller, and conversely, when the blade angle of the stator is adjusted to be smaller, the torque ratio becomes smaller and the torque capacity coefficient becomes larger.

[0006]

However, for example, when an existing torque converter is to be adapted to a V-belt type continuously variable transmission, the V-belt should be used within a severe strength range during operation. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the torque ratio as compared with the stepped automatic transmission. In addition, it is desirable to set the torque capacity coefficient that affects the driving sensation at the time of starting to a value close to the current value.

That is, when it becomes necessary to independently set the torque ratio and the torque capacity coefficient as described above, both of them cannot be changed at the same time even if only the blade angle of the stator is adjusted. In addition to adjusting the blade angle of the stator, it is necessary to also adjust the blade angle of the pump impeller or turbine runner.

Then, although at least two impeller elements need to be adjusted in spite of the commonization of parts by using the existing torque converter, as a result, the pump impeller or the turbine runner is eventually adjusted. It takes an enormous amount of time to select the blade shape and to develop the assembling property of the pressed product, and the manufacturing work also increases due to an increase in the processing work for forming the complicated blade shape.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned fact, and has a structure in which a flow passage area of a stator is partially cut off to reduce a flow passage area and both a torque ratio and a torque capacity coefficient of a torque converter are reduced. By doing so, the general performance of the torque converter is changed only by the stator, and the general purpose is achieved.

[0010]

To this end, a torque converter according to claim 1 of the present invention has a pump impeller, which is an input element, and a turbine runner, which is an output element, face each other, and the inside thereof is Rotation of the pump impeller is achieved by arranging a stator, which is a reaction element, while being filled with fluid, generating a circulation flow in the internal fluid by rotation of the pump impeller, and the circulation flow flowing along a flow path provided in the stator. In the torque converter configured to increase the rotation of the turbine runner to increase the torque between the pump impeller and the turbine runner, the stator has a uniform flow passage cross section so as to reduce the flow rate of the circulation flow. It is characterized in that the flow path area is narrowed by blocking a part.

Further, in the torque converter according to a second aspect of the present invention, the flow path of the stator is formed on the shell side of the average circulation flow imaginary in the radial cross section of the torque converter. .

Further, in the torque converter according to the third aspect of the present invention, the output shaft from the engine is connected to the pump impeller side and the input shaft of the V-belt type continuously variable transmission is connected to the turbine runner side. It is characterized in that it is a torque converter for a transmission.

[0013]

According to the present invention, the present invention has the above-mentioned structure.
In the torque converter according to the present invention, a circulation flow is generated in the internal fluid due to the rotation of the pump impeller, and the circulation flow flows along the flow path provided in the stator to assist the rotation of the pump impeller and Rotation is increased to increase torque between the pump impeller and turbine runner. At this time, the flow rate of the circulating flow is reduced in the flow path of the stator in which the flow path cross section is partially blocked and the flow path area is narrowed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the torque converter, the flow path of the stator is formed on the shell side of the average circulation flow imaginary in the radial cross section of the torque converter, and the flow path is provided between the pump impeller and the turbine runner. Increase the torque.

According to a third aspect of the torque converter, the output shaft of the engine is connected to the pump impeller side, and the input shaft of the V-belt type continuously variable transmission is connected to the turbine runner side of the engine and the V-belt type. Increases torque with the continuously variable transmission.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a radial cross section of a torque converter with a lock-up mechanism, which is a first embodiment of a torque converter according to the present invention and which includes a wet type single plate clutch.

Reference numeral 1 is a pump impeller of an input element connected to the engine, 2 is a turbine runner of an output element connected to a V-belt type continuously variable transmission, and 3 is a stator of a reaction element fixed to a housing. The elements make up the torque converter.

Here, the stator 3 arranged between the pump impeller 1 and the turbine runner 2 is provided with a flow path 3a through which the oil filling the torque converter flows.
The flow passage 3a has a structure in which the cross-sectional area of the flow passage is narrowed by reducing the width dimension H in the radial direction perpendicular to the oil flow direction.

Reference numeral 4 is a converter cover connected to the crankshaft of the engine, and 5 is a pump shaft connected to the oil pump. The converter cover 4 and the pump shaft 5 are connected to each other.
Are connected to respective ends of the pump impeller 1.
Reference numeral 6 denotes a turbine hub that is spline-fitted with a torque converter shaft (transmission shaft), to which the turbine runner 2 is tacked. 7 is a stator ring,
A one-way clutch 8 is connected to the pump cover of the oil pump and fixes the stator 3 to the housing.

Further, 9 is a lock-up piston with a clutch facing 10 which is connected to the turbine hub 6,
Reference numeral 11 is a torsion damper that absorbs an impact generated when the clutch facing 10 and the converter cover 4 are directly connected, and the lock-up mechanism is composed of these elements.

Next, the operation of the torque converter will be described.

First, the output of the engine is input to the pump impeller 1 via the converter cover 4 to rotate the pump impeller 1. The internal oil pushed outward by the rotation of the pump impeller 1 flows into the turbine runner 2 and further generates a circulating flow from the turbine runner 2 to the pump impeller 1 along the flow path 3a of the stator 3 again. Let The alternate long and short dash line in the figure shows the average circulating flow imaginary in the radial cross section of the torque converter, and the inside is the core and the outside is the shell.

At this time, the flow passage 3a of the stator 3 changes the circulating oil so as to hit the vane (vane) surface of the pump impeller 1 to assist the rotation of the pump impeller 1 for efficiency improvement. It should be noted that when the circulation flow flowing along the flow path 3a starts to act to hinder the rotation of the pump impeller 1 as the rotation speed of the turbine runner 2 increases,
The one-way clutch 8 idles the stator 3 in the same direction as the turbine runner 2 to reduce the decrease in transmission efficiency.

That is, the output of the engine is measured by the pump impeller 1
To the turbine runner 2 from the pump impeller 1 to the turbine runner 2 through the flow passage 3a provided in the stator 3 by rotating the pump impeller 1.
By generating the circulating flow that flows into the pump impeller 1 again, the torque converter shaft coupled to the turbine runner 2 is rotated to transmit the torque to the transmission.

Here, by decreasing the flow passage cross-sectional area of the flow passage 3a of the stator 3, both the torque ratio and the torque capacity coefficient decrease, and the general performance of the torque converter is changed. Just adjust
It transmits torque that is adapted to the strength of the belt and does not affect the driving sensation when starting. Therefore, the existing torque converter can be adapted to the V-belt type continuously variable transmission only by changing the stator 3.

Further, by forming the flow passage 3a on the shell side of the average circulation flow imaginary in the radial cross section of the torque converter having a relatively low flow velocity, the fluid noise is generated due to the reduction of the flow passage cross sectional area. It can be reduced in number, and the stator 3 can be easily processed.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the flow path 3b of the stator 3 is formed on the core side of the average circulation flow which is virtual on the radial cross section of the torque converter.

Also in the second embodiment, since the general performance of the torque converter is changed by the flow passage 3b, only the change of the stator 3 such as adjusting the blade angle of the stator 3 can be performed.
When the engine output is input to the pump impeller 1 and the pump impeller 1 is rotated, the pump impeller 1 flows into the turbine runner 2 again, and from the turbine runner 2 through the flow passage 3b provided in the stator 3 into the pump impeller 1 again. A circulating flow is generated, and torque is transmitted by an appropriate torque ratio and torque capacity coefficient, so that the existing torque converter can be adapted to the V-belt type continuously variable transmission as in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which the flow passage 3c is formed by blocking the core side and the shell side of the average circulation flow imaginary in the radial cross section of the torque converter. is there.

Also in the third embodiment, since the general performance of the torque converter is changed by the flow passage 3c, only by changing the stator 3 such as adjusting the blade angle of the stator 3, it is possible to obtain an appropriate torque ratio and torque capacity. Since the torque according to the coefficient is transmitted to the transmission, the existing torque converter can be adapted to the V-belt type continuously variable transmission as in the first embodiment.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the stator of the existing torque converter is changed to adapt it to the V-belt type continuously variable transmission. In addition to adapting, the general performance of the torque converter can be freely changed to adapt the existing torque converter to engines having different displacements, transmissions of different types, and the like.

[0033]

As described above, according to the torque converter of the present invention, the flow passage cross section of the stator disposed between the pump impeller and the turbine runner is partially blocked, and the circulation generated by the rotation of the pump impeller. Since the flow passage area is reduced so as to reduce the flow rate of the flow, it is possible to reduce the torque ratio and the torque capacity coefficient of the existing torque converter together and change the general performance of the torque converter. By adjusting the blade angle,
The torque ratio and the torque capacity coefficient can be freely set only by changing the stator, and the general performance and design of the torque converter can be made more flexible.

Further, since only the stator is changed, the enormous time required for the selection of the blade shape of the pump impeller or the turbine runner, the assembling property of the press product, and the like can be shortened, and the complicated blade can be used. The work for forming the shape is reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

In the torque converter according to the second aspect of the present invention, since the flow path of the stator is formed on the shell side of the average circulation flow imaginary in the radial cross section of the torque converter, the flow velocity is relatively slow. It is possible to reduce the generation of fluid noise due to the reduction of the flow passage cross-sectional area, and also to easily perform the processing for forming the flow passage of the stator.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a torque converter for a V-belt type continuously variable transmission in which an output shaft of an engine is connected to a pump impeller side and an input shaft of a V-belt type continuously variable transmission is connected to a turbine runner side. Because it was a converter,
In addition to the above effects, the torque transmitted between the torque converters can be adapted to the strength of the V-belt and can be configured so as not to affect the driving sensation at the time of starting.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of a torque converter according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the torque converter according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the torque converter according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Pump Impeller 2 Turbine Runner 3 Stator 3a, 3b, 3c Flow Path 4 Converter Cover 5 Pump Shaft 6 Turbine Hub 7 Stator Ring 8 One Way Clutch 9 Lockup Piston 10 Clutch Facing 11 Torsion Damper

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pump impeller, which is an input element, and a turbine runner, which is an output element, are opposed to each other, the interior thereof is filled with fluid, and a stator, which is a reaction element, is arranged.
A circulation flow is generated in the internal fluid by the rotation of the pump impeller, and the circulation flow flows along a flow path provided in the stator to assist the rotation of the pump impeller and increase the rotation of the turbine runner. In a torque converter configured to increase torque between a pump impeller and a turbine runner, the stator is configured to partially cut off a flow passage cross section so as to reduce a flow amount of a circulation flow and reduce a flow passage area. A torque converter characterized in that 2. The torque converter according to claim 1, wherein the flow path of the stator is formed on a shell side of an average circulation flow that is virtual on a radial cross section of the torque converter. 3. The torque converter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the torque converter has an engine output shaft connected to the pump impeller side and a V-belt continuously variable transmission input shaft connected to the turbine runner side. A torque converter for a V-belt type continuously variable transmission characterized by: