Mazda Motor Corporation

Exedy Corporation

Hidetoshi Maeta

Norio Iwashita

Tokimori Saka

Takashi Ishiyama

Takeshi Kawamoto

Provided is a torque converter () which comprises: a casing () coupled to an output shaft of an engine; a torus (T) defined by a pump (), a turbine () and a stator () each disposed within the casing (); a multi-plate lockup clutch () adapted to directly couple the turbine () and the casing (); and a lockup damper () adapted to absorb shock during engagement of the lockup clutch (). The lockup clutch () and the lockup damper () are arranged within a space between the torus (T) and a surface of the casing () on the side of the engine, in an axially overlapping relation. The lockup clutch () is disposed on a radially inner side with respect to a widest region (T) of the torus (T), and the lockup damper () is disposed on a radially outer side with respect to the widest region (T). This makes it possible to engage the lockup clutch () with excellent response while suppressing shock, and shorten an overall length of an automatic transmission.

Torque converter

A torque converter includes, in a case coupled to an output shaft of an engine, a torus formed from a pump, a turbine and a stator having a one-way clutch on the inside thereof, and a lock-up clutch. In addition, in this torque converter, a fluid from a pump is introduced from a space between a stator shaft (F) and a turbine shaft (F), and discharged from a space between a pump sleeve () and the stator shaft (F) through a space where the lock-up clutch is disposed and the torus. Moreover, this torque converter further includes a seal member () which is disposed at a side that is closer to the engine than a spline engagement part (P) of an inner race () and the stator shaft (F), and seals a space between an inner peripheral face of the inner race () and an outer peripheral face of the stator shaft (F).

Disclosed is a torque converter () which comprises: a casing () coupled to an output shaft of an engine; a torus (T) defined by a pump (), a turbine () and a stator () each disposed within the casing (); a lockup clutch () adapted to directly couple the turbine () and the casing (); and a lockup damper () adapted to absorb shock during engagement of the lockup clutch (). The turbine () has an outer peripheral portion () bulging toward the engine to define a part of the torus (T), an inner peripheral portion () located on the side of the engine with respect to a one-way clutch () supporting the stator (), and an intermediate portion () formed to be concaved toward a side opposite to the engine, in a radial position between the outer peripheral portion () and the inner peripheral portion (). A part () of the lockup damper () is disposed on the side of the engine with respect to the intermediate portion () and in a position axially overlapping with the torus (T). This makes it possible to allow a torque converter to be axially downsized.

Growing community of inventors

Hiroshima, Japan

Hidetoshi Maeta