A torque converter, including: a cover arranged to receive torque; an impeller including an impeller shell fixedly connected to the cover and including a first surface; a first plurality of blades fixedly connected to the impeller shell; a turbine including a turbine shell with a second surface; a second plurality of blades fixedly connected to the turbine shell; friction material bonded, with an adhesive, to one of the first surface or the second surface; and a stator connected to the turbine and the impeller and including a third plurality of blades. The one of the first surface or the second surface includes a periodic pattern etched into the one of the first surface or the second surface.

The present invention provides a lock-up clutch for a torque converter. The lock-up clutch includes an outer carrier, an inner carrier, a first friction plate, a rotation of which is restricted by the outer carrier, and a second friction plate, a rotation of which is restricted by the inner carrier. All key grooves of the outer and inner carriers are opened in two radial opposite directions, and flow path grooves defined between friction members attached to the friction plate are aligned with circumferential positions of keys of the friction plate. Therefore, oil for cooling a clutch pack may smoothly flow through the inner carrier, the flow path grooves, and the outer carrier.

A clutch assembly and a torque converter assembly having a clutch assembly, for an automotive transmission, are provided. The clutch assembly includes a clutch plate and a piston or pressure plate configured to selectively engage the clutch plate, the piston being movable between an applied position and a released position. An annular seal is disposed adjacent to the piston, wherein movement of the piston and hydraulic pressure causes the annular seal to move between a sealed position and an open position.

A clutch assembly comprising: an axis of rotation; first and second spherical centers positioned along the axis of rotation; a first member having a first spherical surface including: a radius defining a first curvature; the first spherical center; and a first frictional surface; a second member having a second spherical surface including: said radius defining a second curvature about same or equal to the first curvature; the second spherical center; and a second frictional surface. A torque converter comprising a spherical clutch assembly is also disclosed.

A method of fabricating a torque converter, including: forming a turbine shell including a first annular portion with a first surface having a first roughness and forming a radially outermost portion of the turbine shell; fixing a first plurality of blades to the turbine shell; forming an impeller shell including a second annular portion with a second surface having a second roughness; fixing a second plurality of blades to the impeller shell; removing at least a portion the first or second surface without the use of particulate matter or a liquid; increasing the first or second roughness of the first or second surface from which the at least a portion is removed; applying an adhesive to the first or second surface from which the at least a portion is removed; and bonding, with the adhesive, friction material to the first or second surface.

A friction material for a clutch pad, including a fiber material and a filler material. The fiber material includes a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface and a thickness between the first and second surfaces. The filler material includes tung oil and phenolic resin. The tung oil is saturated within the fiber material from the first surface through a first portion of the thickness, while the phenolic resin is saturated within the fiber material from the second surface through a second portion of the thickness.

A friction material for a clutch pad comprising: a plurality of fibers; and, a filler material including at least 0.1% and at most 100% silica rich carrier particles by weight based on total weight of the filler; the silica rich carrier particles having: a median particle size of at least 0.1 m and at most 50 m; and, a median pore diameter of at least 0.1 and at most 10 m.

A friction material for a clutch pad, including a fiber material and a filler material. The fiber material includes a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface and a thickness between the first and second surfaces. The filler material includes tung oil and phenolic resin. The Lung oil is saturated within the fiber material from the first surface through a first portion of the thickness, while the phenolic resin is saturated within the fiber material from the second surface through a second portion of the thickness.

An oil-flooded single-plate or multi-plate lockup clutch is provided in a torque transfer device. The torque transfer device may, for example, be a converter, a dual clutch, a starting clutch, a manual shifter, or power shifting clutch, having a piston to engage the clutch and a damper. In accordance with the present disclosure, the piston together with a housing of the torque transfer device forms a closed pressure chamber when the clutch is engaged and at least one oil flow opening is provided in the piston in an area outside of the pressure chamber. The torque transfer device preferably has a damper and the piston of the clutch forms a part of the damper and may be designed as a retainer for springs of the damper.

Friction material for a clutch pad, including fiber material and filler material including aluminum silicate. Friction material for a clutch pad, including fiber material and filler material including calcined clay. Friction material for a clutch pad, including fiber material and filler material including aluminum silicate. At least a portion of the aluminum silicate is in the form of a plurality of flakes. Each flake in the plurality of flakes is planar with an irregular boundary.