Hydrokinetic coupling apparatus in particular for motor vehicle

Details Hydrokinetic coupling apparatus in particular for motor vehicle Hydrokinetic coupling apparatus in particular for motor vehicle

2001-12-10

2004-05-18

Rodriquez, Saul (Department: 3681)

192 clutches and power-stop control

Vortex-flow drive and clutch

Including drive-lockup clutch

C192S10700R

Reexamination Certificate

active

06736247

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid coupling apparatus, especially for a motor vehicle,
2. Description of the Related Art
Although the prior art includes multiple coupling systems, none of these systems are considered directly applicable to the current invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The said document describes and shows a fluid coupling apparatus, especially for a motor vehicle, of the type comprising:
a casing having a generally radially oriented wall adapted to be coupled in rotation to a driving shaft;
a turbine wheel coupled in rotation to a hub which is adapted to be coupled in rotation to a driven shaft;
a lock-up clutch, operatively interposed between the turbine wheel and the radial wall, and comprising, disposed axially between the turbine wheel and the radial wall, and going from front to rear in this order:
a generally radially oriented piston which is movable axially and coupled in rotation to the casing;
a generally radially orientated annular friction disc, coupled in rotation to the assembly of the turbine wheel and hub, and carrying on a first face a first counteracting face which is in cooperation with a first friction face fixed to the piston for defining a first annular friction zone, the friction disc carrying on its second face, opposed to the first face, a second counteracting face which is in cooperation with a second friction face fixed to the radial wall for defining a second annular friction zone.
The friction disc is accordingly connected releasably to the radial wall of the casing.
In the said document, the friction disc is provided at its outer periphery with lugs which extend radially inwards of the piston for meshing with an input member of a torsion damper, which has an output member provided with a radial plate member coupled to the hub. Circumferentially acting resilient means act between the input and output members, which are configured to receive the resilient members, the latter being arranged radially outside the piston and working surfaces.
Such a torsion damper installation, above all when it is of large diameter, makes it necessary, in order not to increase radial and axial size, to reduce the external diameter of the friction liners. However, such a reduction in outside diameter of the liners has the consequence that it limits the torque transmitted, and this is a major drawback.
The present invention accordingly aims to increase the torque transmission capacity while preserving the same size, and without detriment to the performance of the fluid coupling apparatus.
To this end, the invention provides a fluid coupling apparatus, especially for a motor vehicle, of the type defined above, characterised in that the first and second friction zones (Z
1
, Z
2
) are offset radially from each other.
Thanks to the invention, for a given size, the torque capacity is thus increased because the second face and counteracting face are generally offset with respect to the first face and counteracting face, which enables the mean radius, conventionally defined as the arithmetic mean of the inner and outer radii of the friction liners with respect to the axis of symmetry and rotation X-X, to be increased.
Due to the invention, torque capacity is increased, as is the pressure force applied, and this is achieved without any increase in the feed pressure, and therefore without any increase in consumption.
In addition, the invention lends itself well to standardisation, because the inventory of components remains generally unchanged, which enables the production costs of such an apparatus to be reduced accordingly. In addition, torsion dampers of large diameter, such as preformed curved springs of large circumferential length, may be used in combination with the invention. The size of the resilient members and the volume in which the latter are fitted are not modified by the arrangements according to the invention.
As in the prior art, it is possible to make a sub-assembly which can be handled and transported and which consists of the friction disc and the resilient members, which reduces final assembly time.
In accordance with further features in different embodiments of the invention:
each friction zone (Z
1
, Z
2
) is delimited radially, firstly by an outer diameter (D
1
ext, D
2
ext), and secondly, by an inner diameter (D
1
int, D
2
int), and the outer diameter (D
1
ext, D
2
ext) of one of the two friction zones (Z
1
, Z
2
) is greater than the outer diameter (D
2
ext, D
1
ext) of the other one of the two friction zones (Z
2
, Z
1
), and the inner diameter (D
2
int, D
1
int) of the said other friction zone (Z
2
, Z
1
) is smaller than the inner diameter (D
1
int, D
2
int) of the said one friction zone (Z
1
, Z
2
);
the outer diameter (D
1
ext, D
2
ext) of the said one friction zone (Z
1
, Z
2
) is smaller than the inner diameter (D
2
int, D
1
int) of the said other friction zone (Z
2
, Z
1
);
the friction disc is coupled in rotation to the assembly of the turbine wheel and hub through interposed damping means comprising two coupling members, one of which is coupled in rotation to the friction disc while the other is coupled in rotation to the assembly of the turbine wheel (
104
) and hub, the said coupling members being in cooperation with each other through interposed circumferentially acting resilient members;
a first coupling member is fixed with respect to the assembly of the turbine wheel and hub, and the second coupling member is fixed to the friction disc;
the second coupling member is attached, for example by welding, on the friction disc;
the second coupling member is attached on the opposite side to the second counteracting face;
the second coupling member is disposed generally in facing relationship with the second counteracting face;
the second coupling member is integral with the friction disc;
a first coupling member is fixed to the friction disc, and the second coupling member is fixed to the assembly of the turbine wheel and hub;
the first coupling member is attached on the friction disc;
the first coupling member is integral with the friction disc;
the first coupling member comprises a member for guiding the circumferentially acting resilient members and has zones for engagement with the said resilient members;
the member for guiding the resilient members comprises a substantially annular portion configured with an axial groove in which the circumferentially acting resilient members are lodged;
the axial groove is open towards the radial wall;
the axial groove is open away from the radial wall;
the second coupling member includes elements for abutment of the circumferentially acting resilient members;
the abutment elements are each received between the circumferential ends of two consecutive circumferentially acting resilient members;
the abutment elements of the second coupling member penetrate into the axial groove of the annular portion whereby each of them is received between the two circumferential ends of two consecutive circumferentially acting resilient members;
the abutment elements project from a crown which may be divided into annular sectors;
the abutment elements are generally at right angles to the friction disc;
the abutment elements are integral with a member fixed to the assembly of the turbine wheel and hub or to the friction disc;
the apparatus includes elements for entrapment of the resilient members, formed integrally with the member, the abutment elements being formed integrally with the member and interposed between the entrapment elements for the resilient members;
the friction disc is coupled in rotation to the assembly of the turbine wheel and hub through interposed rigid means;
the first and second counteracting faces are each part of at least one friction liner attached directly or indirectly, either on the friction disc or on the piston and the radial wall, or on at least one of the faces of the friction disc and on the piston or the radial wall of the casing;
the abutment elements are formed by bending so as to project from the outer periph

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