Intermediate plate apparatus and related damper assemblies for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed vehicle torque converter includes a clutch and a torsional vibration damper configured to receive a torque from the clutch when the clutch is engaged and dampen a torsional vibration in the torque. The torsional vibration damper includes a driven plate, a retainer plate, a first spring member, a second spring member, and an intermediate plate positioned radially outward relative to the driven plate and the retainer plate. The intermediate plate includes a body that defines an annular cavity though which the first and second spring members extend. The body is configured to engage inner and outer radial portions of the respective first and second spring members to maintain bend radii of the respective first and second spring members.

A hybrid drive module is disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a hybrid drive module that selectively transmits torque transmitted from an engine and a motor to a transmission including a housing disposed between the engine and the transmission, a drive shaft rotatably mounted inside the housing in a radial direction with its one end portion toward the engine based on an axial direction protruding from the housing and to which torque of the engine is inputted, a rotor hub provided within the housing and mounted with a rotor of the motor on its radially outer side, and in which a hub plate part integrally extending toward the drive shaft and rotatably connected to the other end portion of the drive shaft toward the transmission based on the axial direction is formed on its radially inner side, a rotor hub ridge, an inner circumferential surface of which is rotatably supported by the housing based on the radial direction and an external circumferential surface of which is fixed to the rotor hub based on the axial direction at the side of the engine, an engine clutch disposed at the engine side in the axial direction with the hub plate part interposed therebetween, and configured to directly connect the drive shaft and the rotor hub to selectively transmit the torque of the engine to the rotor hub, and a torque converter disposed at the side of the transmission in the axial direction with the hub plate part interposed therebetween to be connected to the rotor hub, and configured to multiply the torque of the engine, torque of the motor, or the torque of the engine and the motor when a vehicle is initially driven, or to transmit it to the transmission in a ratio of 1:1, wherein at least one fluid groove for supplying an operating fluid to the rotor to cool the rotor between the rotor hub and the engine clutch is formed on a surface of the hub plate part toward the engine clutch based on the axial direction.

A hybrid drive module is disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a hybrid drive module that selectively transmits torque transmitted from an engine and a motor to a transmission including a housing disposed between the engine and the transmission, a drive shaft rotatably mounted inside the housing in a radial direction with its one end portion toward the engine based on an axial direction protruding from the housing and to which torque of the engine is inputted, a rotor hub provided within the housing and mounted with a rotor of the motor on its radially outer side, and in which a hub plate part integrally extending toward the drive shaft and rotatably connected to the other end portion of the drive shaft toward the transmission based on the axial direction is formed on its radially inner side, a rotor hub ridge, an inner circumferential surface of which is rotatably supported by the housing based on the radial direction and an external circumferential surface of which is fixed to the rotor hub based on the axial direction at the side of the engine, an engine clutch disposed at the engine side in the axial direction with the hub plate part interposed therebetween, and configured to directly connect the drive shaft and the rotor hub to selectively transmit the torque of the engine to the rotor hub, and a torque converter disposed at the side of the transmission in the axial direction with the hub plate part interposed therebetween to be connected to the rotor hub, and configured to multiply the torque of the engine, torque of the motor, or the torque of the engine and the motor when a vehicle is initially driven, or to transmit it to the transmission in a ratio of 1:1, wherein at least one fluid groove for supplying an operating fluid to the rotor to cool the rotor between the rotor hub and the engine clutch is formed on a surface of the hub plate part toward the engine clutch based on the axial direction.

A lock-up device for a torque converter is provided with a simple structure which reduces manufacturing costs, and which may reduce a size of the entire torque converter by minimizing an installation space of a dynamic damper.

A lock-up device for a torque converter is provided with a simple structure which reduces manufacturing costs, and which may reduce a size of the entire torque converter by minimizing an installation space of a dynamic damper.

A torque converter, including: a cover arranged to receive torque and supported for rotation around an axis of rotation; an impeller; a turbine in fluid communication with the impeller; a stator including a stator blade axially disposed between the turbine and the impeller; a vibration damper including a cover plate, an output flange arranged to non-rotatably connect to an input shaft of a transmission, and a spring engaged with the cover plate and the output flange; a hub non-rotatably connected to the cover; a lock-up clutch including a piston plate; and a first washer directly connected to the output flange, axially disposed between the hub and the output flange, and separated, in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation, from the hub by a first gap. A straight line, parallel to the axis of rotation, passes through, in sequence, the output flange, the first washer, and the hub.

A torque converter, including: a cover arranged to receive torque and supported for rotation around an axis of rotation; an impeller; a turbine in fluid communication with the impeller; a stator including a stator blade axially disposed between the turbine and the impeller; a vibration damper including a cover plate, an output flange arranged to non-rotatably connect to an input shaft of a transmission, and a spring engaged with the cover plate and the output flange; a hub non-rotatably connected to the cover; a lock-up clutch including a piston plate; and a first washer directly connected to the output flange, axially disposed between the hub and the output flange, and separated, in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation, from the hub by a first gap. A straight line, parallel to the axis of rotation, passes through, in sequence, the output flange, the first washer, and the hub.

A torque converter assembly is disclosed herein. The torque converter assembly includes a thrust washer having a radially inner surface configured to engage against a drive shaft. A first axial surface of the thrust washer is configured to contact a cover. A second axial surface of the thrust washer is configured to contact a damper flange. The second axial surface of the thrust washer partially defines a first flow path. The thrust washer further comprises a second flow path configured to direct fluid in a first direction and a third flow path configured to direct fluid in a second direction. The thrust washer disclosed herein both provides an axial thrust bearing feature, and also provides three distinct flow paths or passages.

A damper for a torque converter is disclosed. The damper includes an outer spring and an inner spring coaxial with the outer spring; and a retaining plate to retain the outer spring and the inner spring. The retaining plate includes an upper spring guide, a lower spring guide, an outer spring support, and an inner spring support, wherein the upper spring guide extends substantially around an outer periphery of the retaining plate, the lower spring guide extends around an inner periphery of the retaining plate, the outer spring support directly contacts axial ends of the outer spring and the inner spring, and the inner spring support directly contacts the axial ends of the outer spring and the inner spring.

A torque converter includes a cover assembly, an impeller assembly, a turbine assembly and a damper assembly. The impeller assembly includes an impeller shell drivingly connected with the cover assembly. The turbine assembly includes a shell with a clutch portion for selective driving engagement with the impeller shell. The damper assembly includes at least one cover plate, a flange for driving engagement with a transmission input shaft, and a first resilient element drivingly engaged with the at least one cover plate and the flange. The torque converter has a second resilient element for urging the turbine assembly away from the cover assembly.