HYDRODYNAMIC TORQUE CONVERTER WITH A TORSIONAL DAMPER WALL

Abstract

A hydrodynamic torque converter (1) with a bridging clutch (6) and with a torsion damper (8), and with a piston (7) and with an intermediate space (9) between the piston (7) and the torsion damper (8). The piston (7) serves to actuate the bridging clutch (6). The torsion damper has a torsion damper wall (85) via which hydraulic fluid, flowing into the intermediate space (9), is guided toward the bridging clutch (6).

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A hydrodynamic torque converter (1), with a bridging clutch (6) and with a torsion damper (8), and with a piston (7) and with an intermediate space (9) between the piston (7) and the torsion damper (8), the piston (7) serving to actuate the bridging clutch (6), and a torsion damper wall (85), by which hydraulic fluid flowing into the intermediate space (9), being guided toward the bridging clutch (6).

13. The hydrodynamic torque converter (1) according to claim 12, wherein the torsion damper wall (85) seals the intermediate space (9), completely or incompletely, in a direction of the torsion damper (8).

14. The hydrodynamic torque converter (1) according to claim 12, wherein the torsion damper (8) has an inlet side (84) and an outlet side (83) which is rotational-irregularity-damped relative thereto, and the torsion damper wall (85), on the inlet side, is suspended on the torsion damper (8).

15. The hydrodynamic torque converter (1) according to claim 14, wherein the torsion damper (8), on the inlet side (84), has a supporting element (84) for the bridging clutch (6), and the torsion damper wall (85) is attached to the supporting element (84).

16. The hydrodynamic torque converter (1) according to claim 14, wherein the torsion damper (8), on the inlet side (84), has a supporting element (84) for the bridging clutch (6), and the torsion damper wall (85) is part of the supporting element (84).

17. The hydrodynamic torque converter (1) according to claim 12, wherein the torsion damper (8) has an inlet side (84) and an outlet side (83) which is rotational-irregularity-damped relative thereto, and the torsion damper wall (85) is suspended, on the outlet side, on the torsion damper (8).

18. The hydrodynamic torque converter (1) according to claim 12, wherein the torsion damper wall (85) is attached by rivets (86, 88), and the rivets (86, 88) also connect two further structural elements (87; 84, 89) of the torsion damper (8) to one another in a rotationally fixed manner.

19. The hydrodynamic torque converter (1) according to claim 12, wherein the intermediate space (9) has a radially inner inlet opening (10) for the hydraulic fluid, and the torsion damper wall (85) extends radially, between the inlet opening (10) and the bridging clutch (6), in order to guide the inflowing hydraulic fluid to the bridging clutch (6).

20. The hydrodynamic torque converter (1) according to claim 19, wherein the torsion damper (8) has first bow springs (81), which are arranged on a first circumference or a first circumferential area of the torsion damper (8), openings are arranged in the torsion damper (8), in the area of the first bow springs (81), through which hydraulic fluid can flow through the torsion damper (8), and the torsion damper wall (85) at least partially covers the openings.

21. The hydrodynamic torque converter (1) according to claim 20, wherein the torsion damper (8) has second bow springs (82), which are arranged on a second circumference or a second circumferential area of the torsion damper (8), the second circumference or the second circumferential area is radially outside relative to the first circumference or the first circumferential area, and the bridging clutch (6) is radially between the first and the second circumferences or the first and the second circumferential areas and is coupled to the torsion damper (8).

22. The hydrodynamic torque converter (1) according to claim 21, wherein openings are arranged in the torsion damper (8), in an area of the second bow springs (82), through which hydraulic fluid can flow through the torsion damper (8), and the torsion damper wall (85) is designed such that the torsion damper wall (85) does not cover these openings.

23. A hydrodynamic torque converter (1) comprising: a bridging clutch (6), a piston (7) for actuating the bridging clutch (6), a torsion damper (8), an intermediate space (9) between located between the piston (7) and the torsion damper (8), and a torsion damper wall (85), by which hydraulic fluid flowing into the intermediate space (9), being guided toward the bridging clutch (6).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] Below, the invention is explained in greater detail with reference to figures showing further preferred embodiments of the invention. The figures show, in each case in schematic form:

[0046] FIG. 1: a hydrodynamic torque converter,

[0047] FIG. 2: a first embodiment of a hydrodynamic torque converter,

[0048] FIG. 3 a second embodiment of a hydrodynamic torque converter,

[0049] FIG. 4: a third embodiment of a hydrodynamic torque converter,

[0050] FIG. 5: a fourth embodiment of a hydrodynamic torque converter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0051] In the figures, the same or at least functionally equivalent components are denoted by the same indexes. For the sake of simplicity, in each case only the upper half of the torque converter 1 is shown. The lower half can be made mirror-symmetrically thereto.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows the upper half of a longitudinal section through a hydrodynamic torque converter 1. The converter 1 is for example arranged on the input side of a motor vehicle transmission (none of which is shown). In a manner known as such, the converter 1 comprises a housing 2, a pump wheel 3 and a turbine wheel 4, as well as an optional guide wheel 5. The pump wheel 3 forms the rear area of the housing 2. The pump wheel 3 and the turbine wheel 4 together form a torus, inside which during operation a hydraulic fluid circulates so that a drive torque applied to the housing 2 is transmitted hydrodynamically by the pump wheel 3 to the turbine wheel 4. This principle is known as the Fottinger principle and therefore needs no further explanation.

[0053] In the front area of the housing 2 a bridging clutch 6 is provided. This is in the form of a frictional disk clutch. The bridging clutch 6 can be actuated by a hydraulic piston 7 that can be moved in the axial direction. The piston 7 is also accommodated in the front area of the housing 2. By means of the clutch 6, while bypassing the hydrodynamic power branch of the converter 1, drive input torque applied on the input side can be transmitted to the output of the converter 1. Depending on the contact pressure applied to the disks of the clutch 6, a smaller or larger proportion of the transmitted drive input torque is transmitted by the clutch 6 to the output of the converter 1.

[0054] Furthermore, in the front area of the converter 1 inside the housing 2 a torsion damper 8 is arranged. The purpose of the damper 8 is to damp or eliminate rotational irregularities of the drive input torque applied to the input side. The damper 8 consists essentially of damper plates 87, a damper disk 89, bow springs 81, 82 and a radially inner torsion damper hub 83. Of the bow springs 81, 82 in each case several are arranged on particular circumferences/circumferential areas of the damper 8. The hub 83 serves at the same time as the output of the damper 8 and the converter 1. It is attached rotationally fixed to a transmission input shaft. The essential structure of such a damper 8 is as such already known and therefore needs no further explanation.

[0055] The clutch 6 is connected to the input side of the damper 8, so that a drive input torque transmitted by it is delivered to the damper 8. For this, inner disks of the clutch 6 are arranged rotationally fixed on an inner disk carrier 84, which is part of the input side of the damper 8. The turbine wheel 3, in contrast, is attached directly to the output side of the damper 8, in particular with the hub 83. Thus, the drive input torque delivered by the hydrodynamic power branch of the converter 1 is not damped by the damper 8.

[0056] Between the piston 7 and the damper 8 there is an intermediate space 9. Radially on the outside the intermediate space 9 is delimited by the clutch 6. Radially inside the intermediate space 9 there is an inlet opening 10 for hydraulic fluid, which is specifically fed into the converter 1 through the transmission input shaft. This serves both to transmit torque in the hydrodynamic part of the converter 1 and also to cool and lubricate the components of the converter 1. Heat generated during slipping operation of the clutch 6 is therefore dissipated by the hydraulic fluid brought into the intermediate space 9. For this, it is necessary for the hydraulic fluid to flow onto and through the clutch 6.

[0057] Conventional torsion dampers 8 have a plurality of axial openings through which the hydraulic fluid can pass almost without loss from one axial side of the damper 8 to the other axial side. Here, there is a risk that a considerable amount of the hydraulic fluid in the intermediate space 9 will not get to the clutch 6, but will pass through the damper 8 as a bypass flow and will make its way to an outlet opening 11 of the converter 1 through openings in the turbine wheel 4. In FIG. 1 such a flow path is indicated schematically by arrows. From this it can be seen that a bypass flow is formed in particular through the openings of the radially inner bow springs 82. Thus, there is a risk that only a small amount of hydraulic fluid will get to the clutch 6. There is a danger of overheating of the clutch 6.

[0058] FIGS. 2 to 5 now show various embodiments of hydrodynamic torque converters 1 with proposed options for sufficiently reducing the bypass flow through the damper 8. This is done by means of an additional torsion damper wall 85 provided for the purpose. Thanks to the wall 85 at least most of the hydraulic fluid entering the intermediate space 9 via the inlet opening 10 gets to the clutch 6.

[0059] In contrast, the flow of hydraulic fluid on the other side of the clutch 6 is not guided by the wall 85. For that reason the radial extension of the wall 85 is chosen to be correspondingly small. Thus, the passage of hydraulic fluid through the damper 8 in its radially outer area is not impeded by the wall 85. For example, hydraulic fluid can flow unimpeded through openings for the outer bow springs 81.

[0060] The walls 85 in FIGS. 2 to 5 are arranged on the side of the damper 8 facing toward the piston 7. However, it is in addition or alternatively possible to arranged a wall 85 that serves the same purpose on the side of the damper 9 facing away from the piston 7. It is true that such an “away-facing” wall 85 cannot guide the hydraulic fluid directly toward the clutch 6, but in this way the flow resistance for the hydraulic fluid through the damper 8 can be increased and the bypass flow can thereby be reduced to a sufficient extent. Thus, in this way too most of the hydraulic fluid in the intermediate space 9 can be led toward the clutch 6.

[0061] Below, the differences of the individual solutions from one another and from FIG. 1 will be discussed.

[0062] According to FIG. 2, the use of a first embodiment of an additional torsion damper wall 85 is proposed. The wall 85 is suspended on the torsion damper 8 on the output side. For this, the wall 85 is attached by means of rivets 86 to a damper plate 87 of the damper 8. These rivets 86 at the same time serve to connect two output-side damper plates 87 of the damper 8 to one another. Thus, the damper plates 87 and the wall 85 attached thereto are rotation-fluctuation-damped relative to the input side. The rivets 86 are arranged on a common (inner) circumference or circumferential area of the damper 8. They are provided in any case for connecting the two damper plates 87. Thus, no additional steps need to be provided in order to fasten the wall 85.

[0063] The wall 85 extends in the radial direction as far as the openings for the radially inner bow springs 82. The wall 85 covers those openings to a sufficient extent. Radially on the outside, the wall 85 is delimited by the supporting element 84. The supporting element 84 is part of the input side of the damper 8. Between the wall 85 and the supporting element 84 a gap is provided, which allows relative rotation between the wall 85 and the supporting element 84. In the gap a seal element can be arranged, in order to prevent the escape of hydraulic fluid out of the intermediate space 9 but allowing the relative movement.

[0064] The supporting element 84 is coupled radially between the bow springs 81, 82 to the rest of the damper 8 by means of further rivets 88. In detail, there the supporting element 84 is attached to the damper disk 89 of the damper 8 by means of the rivets 88. This damper disk 89 is located axially between the two damper plates 87. Thus, the supporting element 84 and the damper disk 89 are on the input side of the damper 8. The rivets 88 are arranged on a common (outer) circumference or circumferential area of the damper 8.

[0065] In FIG. 2 the wall 85 is saucer-shaped. Preferably, it is made from sheet metal by deformation. It can be provided that the wall has a contour which leads the flow of hydraulic fluid in the intermediate space 9 selectively in the direction toward the clutch 6. The wall can have stiffening ribs or beading. In addition to the openings in the area of the bow springs 82, other openings too in the damper can be fully or partially covered or even sealed by the wall 85.

[0066] In FIG. 2 the wall 85 is a separate structural element, which is provided in addition to the other structural elements of the damper 8. In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, besides the function described, namely that of impeding the bypass flow, it has no other function, for example that of supporting other structural elements of the damper 8. But in other embodiments of the proposed wall 85 (not shown), the wall 85 can additionally fulfill other functions. Thus, the wall 85 together with the supporting element 84 can be made integrally and this integral structural element can fulfill several functions.

[0067] The use of the wall 85 in accordance with FIG. 2 is particularly suitable for the case when the supporting element 84 has radial openings or bores in the area of the clutch disks of the clutch 6, through which the hydraulic fluid arriving at the clutch 6 can flow from the radial direction onto the clutch disks.

[0068] In other respects the explanations relating to FIG. 1 also apply to FIG. 2.

[0069] In FIG. 3 a second embodiment of a wall 85 is proposed, which is similar to the one in FIG. 2. Thus, only the differences from the first embodiment in FIG. 2 will be explained.

[0070] The wall 85 in FIG. 3 is so shaped that it guides the hydraulic fluid into the gap between the piston 7 and the supporting element 84. For that, the radially outer area of the wall 85 extends from the damper plate 87 on which the wall 85 is fixed, to the gap between the piston 7 and the supporting element 84. Thus, compared with the one in FIG. 2, the wall is rather pot-shaped and has a larger axial extension.

[0071] The use of the wall 85 according to FIG. 3 is particularly suitable for the case when the supporting element 84 has no radial openings or bores for the hydraulic fluid in the area of the clutch disks. In that case the hydraulic fluid reaching the clutch 6 flows onto the clutch disks of the clutch 6 from the axial direction.

[0072] In other respects the explanations relating to FIGS. 1 and 2 also apply to FIG. 3.

[0073] FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of a wall 85. Otherwise than those of FIGS. 2 and 3, this wall is attached, in particular welded, either radially inside to the damper plate 87 or radially outside to the supporting element 84. Here the wall 85 is a ring or of ring-shaped form. In that way material can be saved. In this case too a gap is provided between the wall 85 and the damper plate 87 or between the wall 85 and the supporting element 84, in order to allow relative movements between the supporting element 84 on the input side and the damper plate 87 on the output side.

[0074] In particular in the embodiment according to FIG. 3 there can be openings in the damper 8 which are not covered or sealed by the wall 85 and which therefore allow some bypass flow through the damper 8 in the area of the intermediate space 9. This bypass flow can be tolerated provided that most of the hydraulic fluid in the intermediate space 9 gets to the clutch 6.

[0075] In an alternative embodiment of the wall 85 in FIG. 4, the wall 85 is a widened part of the supporting element 84 that projects radially inward. The supporting element 84 and the wall 85 then form a single, integral structural element of the damper 8, with more than one function.

[0076] In other respects the explanations relating to FIGS. 1 to 3 also apply to FIG. 4.

[0077] FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of a wall 85. Otherwise than in the walls 85 of the previous figures, this is attached to the damper 8 by the radially outer rivets 88. As already explained in relation to FIG. 2, those rivets 88 at the same time serve to attach the supporting element 84 to the damper disk 87. Thus, in FIG. 5 the wall 85 is attached on the supporting element 84 and suspended on the damper 8 on the input side. Since the rivets 88 are provided in any case for connecting the supporting element 84 to the damper disk 89, no additional steps need to be carried out for attaching the wall 85.

[0078] The wall 85 projects radially inward, at least in order to cover the openings for the inner bow springs 82 sufficiently. In that way the bypass flow through the damper 8 in the area of the intermediate space 9 is sufficiently reduced.

[0079] Between the wall 85 and the damper plate 87 on that side a gap is provided, which enables relative rotation between those structural elements. In this case too a sealing element can be arranged in the gap to prevent the escape of hydraulic fluid from the intermediate space 9 through the gap, and yet still allow the relative rotations.

[0080] In other respects the explanations relating to FIGS. 1 to 4 also apply to FIG. 5.

INDEXES

[0081] 1 Torque converter [0082] 2 Housing [0083] 3 Pump wheel [0084] 4 Turbine wheel [0085] 5 Guide wheel [0086] 6 Bridging clutch [0087] 7 Piston [0088] 8 Torsion damper [0089] 81 Bow spring [0090] 82 Bow spring [0091] 83 Torsion damper hub; outlet of the torsion damper [0092] 84 Supporting element; inner disk carrier; inlet of the torsion damper [0093] 85 Torsion damper wall [0094] 86 Rivet [0095] 87 Damper plate [0096] 88 Rivet [0097] 89 Damper disk [0098] 9 Intermediate space [0099] 10 Inlet opening [0100] 12 Outlet opening