192 clutches and power-stop control – Vortex-flow drive and clutch – Including drive-lockup clutch
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-28
2001-04-17
Lorence, Richard M. (Department: 3681)
192 clutches and power-stop control
Vortex-flow drive and clutch
Including drive-lockup clutch
C192S10700R, C029S889500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216836
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a housing component for a hydrodynamic clutch device, especially for a hydrodynamic torque converter, having a friction surface region for a converter lock-up clutch of the clutch device being provided on a first side of the housing component positionable or positioned facing the interior of the clutch device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prior art hydrodynamic torque converter is known from German reference DE 44 23 640 A1, whose housing is assembled from two components. Furthermore, this hydrodynamic torque converter comprises a converter lock-up clutch with a clutch piston which is axially movable in the interior of the converter. Both the clutch piston and the housing lid have friction surfaces positioned to face each other. A clutch plate coupled to a turbine wheel for rotation and possessing respective counter-friction surfaces is arranged between the friction surfaces of the housing lid and the clutch piston and can be clamped therebetween. In such hydrodynamic torque converters, the friction surfaces on the clutch piston and on the housing lid are customarily produced in one machining operation to achieve the necessary surface quality—in other words an optimum surface roughness—in the region of these friction surfaces. The production of these friction surfaces via a machining operation using machining processing is disadvantageous in that it is costly to carry out and in that it results in eventual problems with wear of the clutch plate lining and also problems with the evenness of the friction surfaces that can be achieved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a housing component and a frictional surface structural group for a converter lock-up clutch of a hydrodynamic clutch device which has a simple processing operation and produces optimal quality of frictional surfaces.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the object is achieved by a housing component for a hydrodynamic clutch device, especially for a hydrodynamic torque converter, with a friction surface region for a converter lock-up clutch of the clutch device being provided on a first side of the housing component positionable or positioned facing the interior of the clutch device.
The inventive housing component is formed, at least in the region of the friction surface region, by reshaping of a metal component such that a surface structuring is formed on a second side of the housing component lying opposite to the first side, in a region corresponding to the friction surface region.
According to a first essential aspect of the present invention, the entire housing component bearing the friction surface is formed by the reshaping of a metal component. Therefore, only a simple non-machining processing operation is required. In addition, however, the surface structuring is introduced during this reshaping operation. The surface structuring produces the effect that, during implementation of the reshaping operation of the metal component to form the friction surface region, plastic flow of the material of the metal component arises in the region in which the surface structuring is introduced so that during implementation of the reshaping operation the metal component is given precisely the shape which is to be produced for a defined embodiment of the friction surface. In other words, the reshaping operation is generally an embossing operation.
The surface structuring may, for example, comprise at least one groove-like recessed area extending substantially in the circumferential direction.
If a hydrodynamic clutch device comprises such a housing component, care must be taken to ensure that, when the hydrodynamic clutch device is connected to a drive shaft such, for example, as using what is known as a flexiplate as the connecting member, no deformation of the housing component arises as a result of subsequent processing operations. That is, a welding operation to weld on any anchoring blocks or the like would be very disadvantageous because the heating introduced by a welding operation would distort the housing component which has been precisely shaped. According to another aspect of the present invention, it is proposed that a large number of connecting sections integrally formed thereon for coupling the housing component to a disk-like connecting member are provided on the housing component. For example, it is possible that the connecting sections on the housing component comprise connection projections formed by reshaping of the metal component and capable of being deformed for securely coupling the housing component to the connecting member.
The connection projections are integral parts of the housing component according to the invention which are merely deformed in the manner of a rivet—for example, crushed together—to couple the housing component to the connecting member. Accordingly, the problem does not arise such as in a welding operation, where disproportionate amounts of heat may be introduced which could result in the distortion of the housing component.
Furthermore, the housing component has, in a region provided for connection thereof to a further housing component, a centering section formed by reshaping which generally lies on a radial outer side of the housing component. Here again, the advantage exists that no machining is required for achieving high accuracy of centering in this centering section.
According to a further embodiment, the object of the invention is achieved by a frictional surface structural assembly for a converter lock-up clutch of a hydrodynamic clutch device—more specifically, a hydrodynamic torque converter—comprising a friction surface member which can be brought into contact with a counter-friction surface via a friction surface region provided on a first side of the friction surface member.
In this embodiment, the friction surface member is also formed, at least in the region of the friction surface region, by reshaping a metal component. Furthermore, on a second side of the friction surface member lying opposite to the first side, in a region corresponding to the friction surface region, a surface structuring is formed by the reshaping of the metal component to precisely form the friction surface region.
In the friction surface structural assembly for the converter lock-up clutch, the same advantages are achieved with this form of processing for the accuracy of the friction surfaces thus formed. In addition, the introduction of the surface structuring realized during the implementation of the reshaping operation and induced by plastic deformation of the metal component in this region, increases the rigidity of various components in this region as a result of macroscopic surface structuring itself. In addition, the plastic deformation of the metal component in this region results in the introduction of what are referred to as dislocations in the metal lattice—displacement of various atomic levels relative to one another in the atomic structure of the metal—which become anchored within the metal as a result of the plastic deformation and thus contribute to very high rigidity.
Here again, the surface structuring may, for example, comprise at least one groove-like recessed area extending essentially in the circumferential direction.
To ensure that the friction surface structural assembly is as simple as possible to produce—in other words that essentially no additional and especially no machining processing operations are required—the friction surface member includes a bearing section which is also formed by the reshaping for supporting the friction surface member on a bearing section of a hydrodynamic clutch device.
Furthermore, the friction surface structural assembly may comprise an entraining member which is coupled or can be coupled for mutual rotation to either the friction surface member, a housing component, or a component of a hydrodynamic clutch device connected to the housing component.
In this embodiment, it is again a
Illig Roland
Schneider Ruthard
Schoder Bernd
Cohen & Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane
Lorence Richard M.
Mannesmann Sachs AG
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