TORQUE CONVERTER FOR VEHICLE INCLUDING VIBRATION REDUCTION APPARATUS USING PENDULUM

Abstract

Provided is a torque converter for a vehicle including a vibration reduction apparatus included in the torque converter for a vehicle to attenuate vibration and impact in a rotation direction of the torque converter. Particularly, provided is a torque converter for a vehicle to which a vibration reduction apparatus using a pendulum is coupled by having the pendulum disposed on a hub included between a turbine and a transmission to thereby improve damping efficiency.

Claims

1. A torque converter for a vehicle including a vibration reduction apparatus using a pendulum, the torque converter comprising: a front cover; an impeller coupled to the front cover to be rotated together with the front cover; a turbine disposed at a position facing the impeller; a reactor positioned between the impeller and the turbine and changing a flow of oil discharged from the turbine to the impeller side; a lock up clutch including a piston connecting the front cover and a first torsional damper to each other; an intermediate member connecting the first torsional damper and a second torsional damper to each other; and a hub connected to the second torsional damper to transfer driving power to a transmission, wherein the vibration reduction apparatus absorbing vibration and impact is coupled to one side of the hub.

2. The torque converter of claim 1, wherein the turbine is coupled to one side of the intermediate member.

3. The torque converter of claim 1, wherein the turbine is coupled to one side of the hub.

4. The torque converter of claim 1, wherein the turbine is coupled to one side of the lock up clutch.

5. The torque converter of claim 1, wherein the vibration reduction apparatus includes: a support plate; a plurality of pendulums disposed at one side or both sides of the support plate; and a plurality of coupling pins coupling the pendulums to the support plate while varying positions of the pendulums depending on centrifugal force.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along a shaft direction of a general torque converter.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a torque converter including a vibration reduction apparatus according to the related art.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a torsional damper according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention (a twin damper type).

[0026] FIG. 4 is a power transfer view of the torsional damper according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention (a twin damper type).

[0027] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a torsional damper according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention (a series damper type).

[0028] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a torsional damper according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention (a turbine damper type).

[0029] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a vibration reduction apparatus according to the present invention.

BEST MODE

[0030] Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment (Twin Damper Type)

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a torque converter for a vehicle (1000) (hereinafter, referred to as torque converter) including a vibration reduction apparatus using a pendulum according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 shows a power transfer view of the torque converter 1000.

[0032] Although the present exemplary embodiment illustrates a configuration of a torque converter of a twin damper type, the present invention is not limited thereto, but may also be applied to a series damper according to a second exemplary embodiment or a turbine damper according to a third exemplary embodiment, and may be further applied to a torque converter in which a pendulum damper is mounted on a hub 500 side.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 3, the torque converter 1000 is configured to generally include a main member 100, an intermediate member 300, a torsional damper 400, a hub 500, and a vibration reduction apparatus 600.

[0034] The main member 100 includes a front cover 110, a lock up clutch 120, a piston 130, and an impeller 200.

[0035] In more detail, the torque converter 1000 includes the front cover 110 connected to a crank shaft of an engine to be rotated, the impeller 200 connected to the front cover 110 to be rotated together with the front cover 110, a turbine 350 disposed at a position facing the impeller 200, and a reactor 250 positioned between the impeller 200 and the turbine 350 and changing a flow of oil discharged from the turbine 350 to be transferred to the impeller 200. The reactor 250 transferring the oil to the impeller 200 has the same rotation center as the front cover 110. In addition, the torque converter 1000 provides the lock up clutch 120 as a means for directly connecting the engine and a transmission to each other. The lock up clutch 120 is disposed between the front cover 110 and the turbine 350.

[0036] The lock up clutch 120 is formed in approximately a circular plate, and includes the piston 130 which is movable in a shaft direction.

[0037] In addition, the lock up clutch 120 includes the torsional damper 400 coupled thereto. The torsional damper 400 serves to transfer driving power transferred through the lock up clutch 120 to the turbine 350 and to absorb torsional force acting in a rotation direction of a shaft and to attenuate vibration.

[0038] The torsional damper 400 may include a first torsional damper 410 included between the lock up clutch 120 and the intermediate member 300, and a second torsional damper 420 included between the intermediate member 300 and the hub 500.

[0039] The intermediate member 300 is connected to the turbine 350.

[0040] In this case, the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is coupled to the hub 500 disposed at a rear end of the second torsional damper 420, thereby making it possible to absorb vibration and impact in a rotation direction. That is, in the case in which the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is coupled to the hub 500 as compared to the case in which the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is coupled to the intermediate member 300, since the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is operated in a state in which the first torsional damper 410 and the second torsional damper 420 absorb the vibration and the impact in the rotation direction to a certain degree, the vibration reduction apparatus 600 may sufficiently attenuate the vibration and the impact in the rotation direction particularly in a low speed revolutions per minute (RPM) region.

[0041] In addition, the first torsional damper 410 and the second torsional damper 420 each have a main element and a sub-element, and the main element of the first torsional damper 410 may be the main member 100, and the sub-element thereof may be the intermediate member 300. In addition, the main element of the second torsional damper 420 may be the intermediate member 300, and the sub-element thereof may be the hub 500.

[0042] In this case, the main element of the second torsional damper 420 and the sub-element of the first torsional damper 410 may be connected to each other to be non-rotatable with respect to each other. That is, the first torsional damper 410 and the second torsional damper 420 are not objects which are rotated with respect to each other through a damper or another power transfer member between the main element of the second torsional damper 420 and the sub-element of the first torsional damper 410, and may be operated as a single member.

[0043] Further, the vibration reduction apparatus 600 may be disposed on the sub-element of the second torsional damper 420, that is, the hub 500.

Second Embodiment (Series Damper Type)

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a torque converter for a vehicle (1000) including a vibration reduction apparatus using a pendulum according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 5, the torque converter 1000 is configured to generally include a main member 100, an intermediate member 300, a torsional damper 400, a hub 500, and a vibration reduction apparatus 600.

[0046] The main member 100 includes a front cover 110, a lock up clutch 120, a piston 130, and an impeller 200.

[0047] Since the torque converter 1000 according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention has a basic configuration similar to that of the torque converter according to the first exemplary embodiment described above, a detailed description of a detail configuration thereof will be omitted, and only a configuration having a difference will be described below in detail.

[0048] The torsional damper 400 may include a first torsional damper 410 included between the lock up clutch 120 and the intermediate member 300, and a second torsional damper 420 included between the intermediate member 300 and the hub 500.

[0049] The hub 500 is connected to a turbine 550.

[0050] In this case, the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is disposed on the hub 500 disposed at a rear end of the second torsional damper 420, thereby reducing vibration and impact generated from the torsional damper 400.

[0051] The vibration reduction apparatus 600 is coupled to the hub 500, thereby reducing the vibration and the impact in the rotation direction. That is, in the case in which the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is coupled to the hub 500 as compared to the case in which the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is coupled to the intermediate member 300, since the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is operated in a state in which the first torsional damper 410 and the second torsional damper 420 absorb the vibration and the impact in the rotation direction to a certain degree, the vibration reduction apparatus 600 may sufficiently attenuate the vibration and the impact in the rotation direction particularly in a low speed revolutions per minute (RPM) region.

[0052] In addition, the first torsional damper 410 and the second torsional damper 420 each have a main element and a sub-element, and the main element of the first torsional damper 410 may be the main member 100, and the sub-element thereof may be the intermediate member 300. In addition, the main element of the second torsional damper 420 may be the intermediate member 300, and the sub-element thereof may be the hub 500 and the turbine 550.

[0053] Further, the vibration reduction apparatus 600 may be disposed on the sub-element of the second torsional damper 420, that is, the hub 500.

Third Embodiment (Turbine Damper Type)

[0054] FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a torque converter for a vehicle (1000) including a vibration reduction apparatus using a pendulum according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 6, the torque converter 1000 is configured to generally include a main member 100, an intermediate member 300, a torsional damper 400, a hub 500, and a vibration reduction apparatus 600.

[0056] The main member 100 includes a front cover 110, a lock up clutch 120, a piston 130, and an impeller 200.

[0057] Since the torque converter 1000 according to the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention has a basic configuration similar to that of the torque converter according to the first exemplary embodiment described above, a detailed description of a detail configuration thereof will be omitted, and only a configuration having a difference will be described below in detail.

[0058] The torsional damper 400 may include a first torsional damper 410 included between the lock up clutch 120 and the intermediate member 300, and a second torsional damper 420 included between the intermediate member 300 and the hub 500.

[0059] The lock up clutch 120 may be connected to a turbine 150.

[0060] In this case, the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is disposed on the hub 500 disposed at a rear end of the second torsional damper 420, thereby reducing vibration and impact generated from the torsional damper 400.

[0061] The vibration reduction apparatus 600 is coupled to the hub 500, thereby reducing the vibration and the impact in the rotation direction. That is, in the case in which the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is coupled to the hub 500 as compared to the case in which the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is coupled to the intermediate member 300, since the vibration reduction apparatus 600 is operated in a state in which the first torsional damper 410 and the second torsional damper 420 absorb the vibration and the impact in the rotation direction to a certain degree, the vibration reduction apparatus 600 may sufficiently attenuate the vibration and the impact in the rotation direction particularly in a low speed revolutions per minute (RPM) region.

[0062] In addition, the first torsional damper 410 and the second torsional damper 420 each have a main element and a sub-element, and the main element of the first torsional damper 410 may be the main member 100 including the turbine 150, and the sub-element thereof may be the intermediate member 300. In addition, the main element of the second torsional damper 420 may be the intermediate member 300, and the sub-element thereof may be the hub 500.

[0063] Further, the vibration reduction apparatus 600 may be disposed on the sub-element of the second torsional damper 420, that is, the hub 500.

[0064] FIG. 7 shows an exploded perspective view of the vibration reduction apparatus 600. The vibration reduction apparatus 600 is configured to include a support plate 610, a plurality of pendulums 620 and 630, and a plurality of coupling pins 650.

[0065] The support plate 610 may be coupled to the rear end of the second torsional damper 420 by a rivet. The pendulums 620 and 630 are coupled to the support plate 610 so as to be freely-rotatable as much as a predetermined distance along a circumferential direction of the support plate 610.

[0066] The vibration reduction apparatus 600 described above may absorb the vibration and the impact in the rotation direction of the torsional damper 400 using the pendulums 620 and 630 which are moved in a radial direction by centrifugal force.

[0067] A technical spirit of the present invention should not be construed to being limited to the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments. The present invention may be applied to various fields and may be variously modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention claimed in the claims. Therefore, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that these alterations and modifications fall in the scope of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MAIN ELEMENTS

[0068] 1000: torque converter [0069] 100: main member [0070] 110: front cover [0071] 120: lock up clutch [0072] 130: piston [0073] 150, 350, 550: turbine [0074] 200: impeller [0075] 250: reactor [0076] 300: intermediate member [0077] 400: torsional damper [0078] 410: first torsional damper [0079] 420: second torsional damper [0080] 500: hub [0081] 600: vibration reduction apparatus