Schaeffler Technologies Ag & Co .Kg

Timothy Hess

Matthew S Smith

Markus Steinberger

John Ramsey

Drew Hilty

Nigel Gurney

Jeremy Jewell

Sean Metz

Jed Acker

A torque converter is provided. The torque converter includes a front cover and an impeller shell including an axially extending section fixed to the front cover. The impeller shell includes a connector on the axially extending section. The connector is configured for connecting to an engine drive plate assembly. A method for forming a torque converter is also provided. The method includes providing connector on an axially extending section of an impeller shell, the connector being configured for connecting to an engine drive plate assembly; and fixing the axially extending section to a front cover.

Torque converter including extended impeller shell for connecting to engine drive plate

A torque converter is provided. The torque converter includes a turbine including a turbine shell and a plurality of turbine blades fixed to the turbine shell by tabs of the turbine blades. The turbine shell includes a rounded blade supporting portion supporting the turbine blades. The torque converter also includes an inertia ring and a connector fixing the inertia ring to the turbine shell. Some of the turbine blade tabs fix the connector to the turbine shell. A method of constructing a torque converter is also provided.

Torque converter including inertia ring connected to a turbine by a extruded rivet weldless connection

A torque converter, including: a cover arranged to receive torque; an impeller including an impeller shell non-rotatably connected to the cover and at least one impeller blade connected to the impeller shell; a turbine including a turbine shell and at least one turbine blade connected to the turbine shell; an output hub connected to the turbine shell and arranged to non-rotatably connect to an input shaft for a transmission; and a turbine clutch including a piston non-rotatably connected to the turbine shell, and for a lock-up mode, axially displaceable to non-rotatably connect the piston and the impeller shell.

Torque converter with turbine clutch including a separate piston

A torque converter is provided. The torque converter includes a stator, a turbine, a bushing provided at an inner circumferential surface of the turbine and a thrust bearing provided axially between the turbine and the stator. The bushing contacts an inner circumferential surface of the thrust bearing for piloting the turbine bearing. A method of forming a torque converter is also provided. The method includes providing a bushing at an inner circumferential surface of a turbine; and providing a thrust bearing axially between the turbine and a stator such that the bushing contacts an inner circumferential surface of the thrust bearing to pilot the turbine bearing.

Torque converter bushing for aligning bearing between turbine and stator

A centrifugal pendulum absorber for a torque converter is provided. The centrifugal pendulum absorber includes a center plate; a roller received in a roller slot formed in the center plate; and a first mass on a rear axial side of the center plate and a second mass on a front axial side of the center plate. The first and second masses are slidable with respect to the center plate along the slot roller. The first mass includes a first radially extending section and a first axial protrusion extending axially past a rear-side axial surface of the first radially extending section. The second mass includes a second radially extending section and a second axial protrusion extending axially past a front-side axial surface of the second radially extending section. A torque converter and a method of forming a centrifugal pendulum absorber are also provided.

Centrifugal pendulum absorber for a torque converter

A torque converter turbine is provided. The torque converter turbine includes a plurality of blades, an annular bowl shaped blade supporting portion supporting the blades and a mass fixed to the blade supporting portion. A method of forming a torque converter turbine is also provided. The method includes providing a blade supporting portion of a turbine shell with mass and connecting a plurality of blades to the blade supporting portion.

Torque converter turbine including added mass

A method of forming a stator for a torque converter is provided. The method includes casting a stator casting to include a body and blades on an outer circumferential surface of the body. The body includes excess material at an axial surface thereof. The method also includes machining the excess material to balance the stator casting. A torque converter is also provided. The torque converter includes a turbine, an impeller and a stator axially between the turbine and the impeller. The stator includes a stator casting including a body and blades on an outer circumferential surface of the body. The body includes a material segment at an axial surface thereof.

Method of forming torque converter stator

A torque converter, including: a cover arranged to receive torque; an impeller including an impeller shell non-rotatably connected to the cover and at least one impeller blade connected to the impeller shell; a turbine including a turbine shell, at least one turbine blade connected to the turbine shell, and a heat treated portion; and a torsional vibration damper including: a cover plate arranged to receive torque from the cover or the turbine; and a spring. The spring is engaged with the cover plate and is arranged to contact the heat treated portion when the spring is compressed.

Turbine shell spring retainer

A torque converter, including: an axis of rotation; a cover arranged to receive torque from an engine; an impeller shell fixedly secured to the cover; at least one impeller blade fixedly secured to the impeller shell; a turbine including a turbine shell and at least one turbine blade fixedly secured to the turbine shell; and an output arranged to non-rotatably connect to an input shaft for a transmission. The cover includes a plurality of indentations and a respective fastener located in each indentation and fixedly secured to the cover.

Growing community of inventors

Westlake, OH, United States of America

Timothy Hess