Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16H—GEARING
  • F16H45/00—Combinations of fluid gearings for conveying rotary motion with couplings or clutches 
  • F16H45/02—Combinations of fluid gearings for conveying rotary motion with couplings or clutches  with mechanical clutches for bridging a fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16H—GEARING
  • F16H45/00—Combinations of fluid gearings for conveying rotary motion with couplings or clutches 
  • F16H45/02—Combinations of fluid gearings for conveying rotary motion with couplings or clutches  with mechanical clutches for bridging a fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type
  • F16H2045/021—Combinations of fluid gearings for conveying rotary motion with couplings or clutches  with mechanical clutches for bridging a fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type three chamber system, i.e. comprising a separated, closed chamber specially adapted for actuating a lock-up clutch
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16H—GEARING
  • F16H45/00—Combinations of fluid gearings for conveying rotary motion with couplings or clutches 
  • F16H45/02—Combinations of fluid gearings for conveying rotary motion with couplings or clutches  with mechanical clutches for bridging a fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type
  • F16H2045/0273—Combinations of fluid gearings for conveying rotary motion with couplings or clutches  with mechanical clutches for bridging a fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type characterised by the type of the friction surface of the lock-up clutch
  • F16H2045/0284—Multiple disk type lock-up clutch

Definitions

• the invention broadly relates to torque converters, more specifically to flow separation hubs used in torque converters, and even more particularly to a two piece flow separation hub for use in a torque converter.
• Torque converters are well known in the art, and generally include a pump, turbine, and stator to regulate torque transferred from an engine of an automobile to a transmission of the automobile. Some torque converters require an independent fluid circuit for the control of a clutch, such as a lock-up clutch between a piston plate and a cover of the torque converter.
• This torque converter includes a hub having a plurality of fluid channels for directing the flow of fluid through the torque converter, particularly fluid contacting an actuating piston of the torque converter.
• Similar hubs are forged and then passages or channels are machined into the hubs, such as by drilling or milling. These machining processes require additional time, cost, material, and maintenance of cutting tools. Since a die is usually required for the forging process, it would be advantageous if a design for a hub could be developed where the passages are integrated into the design of the hub and die, so that additional machining is not required. Therefore, what is needed is a hub which can be formed without unnecessary machining operations.
• the present invention broadly comprises a flow separation hub including a first hub component, a second hub component affixed to the first hub component, a first passage arranged through the first and second hub components for enabling a first fluid to flow through the flow separation hub, and a second passage arranged through the first and second hub components for enabling a second fluid to flow through the hub, wherein the hub prohibits fluid communication between the first and second fluids when the first and second fluids flow through the hub.
• the flow separation hub further comprises a hollow protrusion affixed between opposing faces of the first and second hub components, wherein the opposing faces are spaced apart from each other for defining the second passage between the opposing faces, wherein the hollow protrusion is operatively affixed between the first and second hub components at a discrete location for enabling the second fluid to flow around the hollow protrusion when the second fluid is traversing the second passage, and wherein the first passage is defined within the hollow protrusion.
• the first and second hub components are each formed by a stamping process.
• the first hub component includes a first bore and a second bore
• the second hub component includes a third bore and a fourth bore
• the first and second hub components are matingly engaged at an interface
• the first bore is aligned with the third bore at the interface
• the second bore is aligned with the fourth bore at the interface
• the first and second hub components are affixed together at the interface
• the first passage comprises the first and third bores
• the second passage comprises the second and forth bores.
• the first hub component further comprises a first channel extending radially from an outer diameter of the first component to the first bore, and a second channel extending radially from an inner diameter of the first component to the second bore.
• the first and second hub components are each formed by a powder metal sintering process.
• the first hub component comprises a projection operatively arranged for affixing the flow separation hub to a cover of a torque converter, wherein the projection separates the first passage from the second passage.
• the flow separation hub comprises first and second opposite axial sides, an inner diameter, and an outer diameter, and wherein the first passage enables fluid communication between the first and second axial sides of the flow separation hub, and the second passage enables fluid communication between the inner and outer diameter of the hub.
• the current invention also broadly comprises a torque converter including a cover, a flow separation hub as described above, housed within the cover and affixed to the cover, a piston plate having first and second axial sides housed within the cover, a first fluid chamber bounded by the first axial side of the piston plate and the first axial side of the flow separation hub, a second fluid chamber defined between the second axial side of the piston plate and a backing plate, a third fluid chamber bounded by the second axial side of the flow separation hub, a hollow input shaft in driving connection with the cover, the hollow input shaft defining a fourth fluid chamber therein, and wherein the first fluid chamber is in fluid communication with the third fluid chamber via the first passage in the flow separation hub, and the second fluid chamber is in fluid communication with the fourth fluid chamber via the second passage in the flow separation hub.
• the piston plate is dynamically sealed on an outer diameter of the first hub component
• the backing plate is sealed on an outer diameter of the second hub component
• the input shaft is sealed directly or indirectly on an inner diameter of the first hub component
• the current invention also broadly comprises a hub assembly for a torque converter including a first component, a second component fixedly connected to the first component, and at least one fluid passage extending through the first component and the second component.
• the first component is arranged to be sealed to a piston plate for the torque converter and the second component is arranged to be sealed to an input shaft for a transmission.
• at least one of the first component or the second component includes a spline or tab for driving engagement with a piston plate for the torque converter.
• the first and second components are connected by brazing or projection welding.
• the at least one fluid passage comprises a first fluid passage and a second fluid passage, and projection welding the first and second components separates the first fluid passage from the second fluid passage.
• the hub assembly further includes a cover, wherein at least one of the first and second components is fixed to the cover by projection welding when the first component is projection welded to the second component.
• the hub assembly further includes a cover, wherein the at least one fluid passage comprises a first fluid passage connected to a first fluid chamber and a second fluid passage connected to a second fluid chamber, at least one of the first and second components comprises a protrusion, at least one of the first or second components is fixed to the cover by projection welding at the protrusion, and the protrusion separates the first and second fluid chambers.
• the protrusion is angled with respect to the cover.
• the hub assembly further comprises a hollow rivet, wherein the first and second components are connected by the hollow rivet.
• the at least one fluid passage extends through the hollow rivet.
• Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a torque converter according to the current invention including a two piece flow separation hub;
• Figure 2 is a cross-section of a current invention two piece flow separation hub
• Figure 3 is a cross-section of a current invention two piece flow separation hub
• Figure 4 is an elevation of a first axial side of a flow separation hub
• Figure 5 is an elevation of a second axial side of a flow separation hub
• Figure 6 is a cross-section of the hub generally taken along line A-A in Figure 4
• Figure 7 is a cross-section of the hub generally taken along line A-A in Figure 4, but with the hub installed on an input shaft of a torque converter;
• Figure 8 is a perspective view of the hub shown in Figure 4.
• Figure 9 is a perspective view of the hub, with a cutaway generally along line A-
• Figure 10 is a perspective view of a first component of the hub shown in Figure 8;
• Figure 11 is a perspective view of a second component of the hub;
• Figure 12 is an elevation of the mating surface of the first hub component shown in Figure 10;
• Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the first hub component taken generally along line 13-13 in Figure 12;
• Figure 14 is an elevation of the mating surface of the second hub component shown in Figure 11 ;
• Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the first hub component taken generally along line 15-15 in Figure 14;
• Figure 16 illustrates alternate embodiments of a first axial surface of a flow separation hub according to the current invention.
• Figure 17 illustrates alternate embodiments of a flow separation hub having different interfaces of separation.
• diameter may be used interchangeably with “surface” as appearing in the specification and claims to refer generally to the surface defined by the diameter of a component, typically the surfaces defined by the inner and outer diameters.
• Torque converter 100 includes a pump, turbine, stator, and other elements housed within a cover, specifically, cover 102.
• the torque converter transmits torque from an engine to an input shaft for a transmission of a vehicle.
• Torque converter 100 also includes piston plate 104 which engages clutch 106 against cover 102.
• Chamber 108 is defined between cover 102 and a first axial side of piston plate
• chamber 110 is defined between a second axial side of the piston plate, opposite from the first side, and backing plate 112.
• Chamber 114 is defined by second axial side 161 of hub 150, which is directed in the opposite axial direction than the first axial side of the piston plate.
• Chambers 108 and 114 enable cooling of the torque converter, specifically to cool friction components, such as clutch 106.
• Chamber 110 may be referred to as the apply chamber, and it is used to control the axial movement of the piston plate, and therefore the opening and closing of the clutch.
• axial direction it is meant in a direction generally along the axis of rotation R.
• the clutch is controllable by pressurizing and depressurizing fluid in at least chamber 110, which creates a pressure difference on the axially opposite sides of piston plate 104 and causes the piston plate to move axially in accordance with this pressure difference.
• the cooling and apply chambers should be fluidly sealed from each other to maintain a pressure difference between them for axially actuating the piston plate.
• the fluid in chamber 108 will be referred to as the first or cooling fluid
• the fluid in chamber 110 will be referred to as the second, or apply fluid.
• the first fluid in chamber 108 is in fluid communication with chamber 114 of the torque converter, located generally on the axially opposite side of hub 150.
• Chamber 110 is generally located axially between chambers 108 and
• chamber 110 is in fluid communication with an interior cavity of a hollow input shaft (not shown) of the torque converter, which is arranged along axis of rotation R and in driving connection with a transmission of an automobile which includes torque converter 100. That is, the first and second fluids will cross paths as the fluids travel through hub 150. The first fluid is supplied to and from chamber 114 via channel
• the second fluid is supplied to and from the hollow input shaft via an orifice in the input shaft generally near area 116 between interior flange 162 of flow separation hub 150 and cover 102. Since the first fluid is contained outside the input shaft, namely between a stator shaft and the input shaft, and the second fluid contained inside the input shaft, the fluid separation between the two fluids is maintained.
• hub 150 is included to enable the first and second fluids to be fluidly sealed from each other, while maintaining fluid communication between chambers 108 and 114, and also between chamber 110 and the hollow input shaft.
• flow separation hub 150 is made from two separate plates or components, 152 and 154, respectively. Each component is generally an annular plate which is installed in the torque converter concentrically with axis of rotation R. First hub component 152 is affixed to second hub component 154 via hollow protrusion 155. First hub component 152 is also affixed to cover 102 via projection 153. In one embodiment, a plurality of hollow protrusions 155 is included at discrete locations about one or both of the first and second hub components. By discrete locations, it is meant that the hollow protrusions do not form a continuous closed loop about the hub components, so that the second fluid can flow around the hollow protrusions and traverse the second passage.
• hollow protrusion 155 is formed by raised pads 157 and 159 on the first and second hub components, respectively.
• hollow protrusion 155 could be formed by a protrusion or raised pad on only a single hub component, or a separate component affixed between the first and second hub components.
• the hollow protrusion could be a blind extruded hollow rivet, or the like.
• Passage 156 is defined by the hollow protrusion, and is arranged to enable the first fluid to run through the first and second hub components, particularly so that chambers 108 and 114 are in fluid communication. Accordingly, to create passage 156, each hub component 152 and 154, and hollow protrusion 155 has an aperture through which the fluid can pass. Hollow protrusion 155 could be made, for example, most advantageously by simultaneously stamping the protrusion and the aperture into one or both hub components, although other methods could be utilized. For example, a hollow rivet could be used to affix the first and second hub components.
• Passage 160 is defined between the opposing faces 151A and 151B of the first and second hub components, respectively. Since hollow protrusion 155 are only at discrete locations about the first or second hub component, the second fluid can flow about and around hollow protrusions 155 to enable fluid communication between the input shaft and chamber 110. Doubled-headed arrow 178 is included to show the general flow direction of the first fluid through hub 150 via passage 156, while double-headed arrow 180 is included to show the general flow direction of the second fluid through hub 150 via passage 160.
• first passage 156 enables the first fluid to flow in a substantially axial direction between first and second axial sides
• second passage 160 enables the second fluid to flow in a substantially radial direction between an inner and an outer diameter.
• first hub component 152 includes projection 153 which protrudes axially from the component 152.
• first hub component is welded to the cover by projection welding, so projection 153 should be angled with respect to cover 102, so only a tip or point of the hub component contacts cover 102.
• Interior flange 162 of hub component 154 is generally arranged in the axial direction. Inner diameter 163 of the flange is arranged so that it seals against the outer surface of the input shaft of torque converter 100, thus maintaining separation of the second fluid in passage 160 from the first fluid located on the opposite side of second hub component, namely the side defined by surface 161. In one embodiment diameter 163 may be sealed against a sealing bushing, with the bushing sealed against the input shaft.
• flange 169 of second hub component 154 includes surface 170 against which backing plate 112 is press fit, to fluidly seal chamber 110 from a working chamber of the torque converter on the opposite axial side of backing plate 112.
• snap ring 166 may be included in groove 172 for preventing axial displacement of the backing plate when pressure is applied to engage the piston plate.
• Seal 168 is included in seal gland 174 of flange 176 of the first hub component to dynamically seal the first hub component and piston plate together. Specifically, this maintains the separation between the first fluid in chamber 108 which is on a first axial side of the piston plate, and the second fluid in chamber 110, which is on a second axial side of the piston plate, opposite from the first side.
• Thrust bearing or washer 117 may be included to engage against surface 161 for supporting axial movement of hub 150.
• hub 150 also includes a means for transmitting torque between the hub and the piston plate, generally designated reference number 164.
• the torque transmitting means comprises splines 164 A in flange 176 of first hub component 152.
• the piston plate extends past flange 176, and engages with splines 164B in flange 169 of second hub component 154.
• Figure 3 shows carrier tabs 164C, which are included at the end of flange 176 of hub component 152, which are arranged to drivingly engage with the piston plate in a torque transmitting manner. It should be appreciated that the shown embodiments should not be considered limiting, but that additional embodiments or variations on these embodiments may be utilized to properly seal and engage hub 150 in a torque converter, and these additional embodiments are within the scope of the current invention.
• hub 150 there are numerous ways to manufacture hub 150, although the design shown in Figures 1-3 is particularly arranged for being most advantageously manufactured by stamping, since this process can make all of the necessary features of each the first and second hub components simultaneously.
• other processes could be used to make a two part hub which enables a similar separation of fluid flow through the hub.
• a second embodiment two piece flow separation hub, designated hub 200 is shown in Figures 4-17.
• Hub 200 is arranged to be most advantageously manufactured by a powder metal sintering process, although other processes could be used. Unless the power metal parts are machined (e.g., drilled) after sintering, holes or bores arranged radially in the middle of the part are not feasible.
• hub 200 includes first and second hub components
• First hub component 202 includes projection 203, which forms a closed pattern that generally divides axial side 234 into radially inner and outer areas 238 and 239, respectively.
• Projection 203 is arranged to be affixed to a cover of the torque converter, such as by projection welding. Specifically, if projection welding is utilized, one electrode would be engaged against welding surface 236 of second hub component 204 and the other electrode against cover 102, and an electric current passed through hub 200 to weld projection 203 to cover 102. Since projection 203 is arranged to be welded to the cover, it may flatten against the cover during the welding process. For this reason, surface 234 will act as a stop, so that the hub at most lies flush against the cover.
• channels 207 and 209 are included to ensure sufficient fluid can flow between surface 234 and the cover of the torque converter.
• Channels 207 are arranged radially outside of projection 203 in outer area 239, and channels 209 are arranged radially inside of projection 203 in inner area 238.
• Channels 207 run radially from outer diameter 220 of component 202 to bores 206.
• Channels 209 run radially from inner diameter 213 of hub component 202 to bores 210.
• Bores 206 are formed by bores 206A and 206B in the first and second hub components, respectively, while bores 210 are formed by bores 210A and 210B in the first and second hub components, respectively. That is, once bores 210A and 210B and bores 206A and 206B are aligned, the first and second hub components are matingly engaged and affixed together along interface 205.
• bores 206B and 210B resemble notches or channels, so it should be understood that any such element providing for the absence of material is included in the meaning of the term "bore" used throughout the description of the current invention.
• the first and second hub components are affixed by brazing.
• hub component 202 includes bores 226 for the addition of braze pellets. After the first and second hub components are aligned and matingly engaged at interface 205, bores 226 may be filled with braze pellets to assist in the brazing process. Alternatively or additionally, braze paste could be applied at interface 205 between the hub components before the hub components are matingly engaged together, or the hub components could be affixed in some other suitable manner.
• First hub component 202 of hub 200 is sealed against a piston plate of a torque converter by a seal (not shown) installed into groove 224 (similar to seal 174 of hub 150).
• Second hub component 204 of hub 200 is sealed against a backing plate of a torque converter by the backing plate being press fit against surface 223 of the second hub component (similar to surface 170 of hub 150), and a snap ring may be include to prevent axial movement of the backing plate, which snap ring is retained in groove 222 (similar to groove 172 of hub 150).
• the piston plate is engaged with splines 214 for enabling the transmission of torque from of the first hub component to the piston plate (similar to spines 164 of hub 150).
• Surface 225 is arranged to be engageable with a thrust washer or bearing, such as thrust washer or bearing 117, to support axial movement of hub 200.
• Surface 213 is arranged to be sealed against the input shaft of the torque converter, or against a bushing seal that is sealed against the input shaft of the torque converter (similar to surface 163 of flange 162 of hub 150).
• the first fluid flows from a cooling chamber on a first axial side of the piston plate (e.g., chamber 108) down channels 207 and through bores 206, into a chamber on the opposite axial side of the hub (e.g., chamber 114). It should be appreciated that the fluid can freely flow in both directions (between chambers 108 and 114) as indicated by double headed arrow 240.
• the second fluid flow generally flows from chamber 122 in hollow input shaft 118 of the torque converter, such as torque converter 100, out orifice 120, down channels 209 and through bores 210, into the apply chamber defined between the piston plate and backing plate (e.g., chamber 110). Again, the second fluid can freely flow in both directions (between chambers 110 and 122), as indicated by double headed arrow 242.
• the second fluid is sealed between the hub and the cover of the torque converter by projection 203, which is affixed to the cover. Accordingly, the first fluid is fluidly sealed and kept separated from the second fluid.
• FIG. 10-15 more clearly describe interface 205 and the mating surfaces of the two hub components, which are hidden when hub 200 is fully assembled.
• Surface 228 on first hub component 202 and surface 229 on second hub component 204 are arranged to be matingly engaged and affixed together. That is, surfaces 228 and 229 generally define interface 205.
• tabs 230 are included in the first hub component.
• Complimentary shaped recesses 231 are included on the second hub component to receive tabs 230. It should be appreciated that the tabs and recesses could be switched between the first and second components, and that these elements could take any size, shape, or arrangement suitable for alignment purposes.
• Thrust surface 225 is shown slightly recessed from mating surface 228 to create a small lip for better engagement with a thrust bearing or washer.
• bores 206A and 210 align with corresponding bores 206B and 210B, in the shown embodiment, bores 226 do not align with bores in the second hub component, but instead terminate against mating surface 229.
• braze pellets are placed in bores 226 if the first and second hub components are brazed together. During brazing, the pellets will melt, affixing the hub components together at interface 205.
• projection 203 can take a variety of different shapes.
• projection 203 A variety of alternate embodiments for projection 203 are shown in Figure 16, namely, included on hubs 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, and 800.
• the projection should define radially inner and radially outer areas, which separate the first fluid passage from the second fluid passage.
• Projections 302, 402, 502, 602, 702, and 802 are each arranged as a closed loop to separate the first passage from the second passage, namely first passage bores 304, 404, 504, 604, 704, and 804 from second passage bores 306, 406, 506, 606, 706, and 806, respectively.
• additional weld features are included to increase the welded surface area between the cover and the hub, to ensure a more durable weld.
• weld features 308, 408, 508, 608, 708, and 808 are included to increase the welded surface area and generally provide welding and support between the inner and outer diameters of the hub.
• first and second hub components can be arranged along a differently defined line of separation. That is, interface 205 can be differently defined if the shapes of the first and second hub component are chosen differently.
• Figure 17 is included to illustrate some of the other possible arrangements of a hub suitable to be manufactured by sintering powder metal according to the current invention.
• Hub 900 substantially resembles hub 200, having first and second hub components 902 and 904 affixed at interface 905, with bores 906A and 908A in the first hub component and bores 906B and 908B in the second hub component.
• hubs 1000 and 1100 include first hub components 1002 and 1102, respectively, which include bores 1006A and 1008A, and 1106A and 1108A, respectively, affixed at interfaces 1005 and 1105 with second hub components 1004 and 1104, respectively, which include bores 1006B and 1008B, and 1106B and 1108B, respectively.
• first hub components 1002 and 1102 respectively, which include bores 1006A and 1008A, and 1106A and 1108A, respectively, affixed at interfaces 1005 and 1105 with second hub components 1004 and 1104, respectively, which include bores 1006B and 1008B, and 1106B and 1108B, respectively.
• a hub according to the current invention could be divided into more than two components.
• two components advantageously enables the current invention flow separation hub to be manufactured including all necessary elements in the fewest number of parts, without cross-drilling or other time intensive machining processes.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Hydraulic Clutches, Magnetic Clutches, Fluid Clutches, And Fluid Joints (AREA)
• Mechanical Operated Clutches (AREA)

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• 2010
  • 2010-11-08 JP JP2012539217A patent/JP5661789B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2010-11-08 DE DE112010004496.1T patent/DE112010004496B4/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2010-11-08 WO PCT/EP2010/006793 patent/WO2011060891A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2010-11-17 US US12/948,505 patent/US9188212B2/en active Active

Patent Citations (7)

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