The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 14, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 29, 2007
Gregor Sueck, Sennfeld, DE;
Oliver SO, Schweinfurt, DE;
Thomas Krüger, Berlin, DE;
Monika Rössner, Donnersdorf, DE;
Thomas Walter, Kolitzheim, DE;
Gregor Sueck, Sennfeld, DE;
Oliver So, Schweinfurt, DE;
Thomas Krüger, Berlin, DE;
Monika Rössner, Donnersdorf, DE;
Thomas Walter, Kolitzheim, DE;
ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Friedrichshafen, DE;
Abstract
A hydrodynamic clutch device used to establish and to release a working connection between a drive and a takeoff is disclosed. The device includes a housing capable of rotating around an axis of rotation, the housing containing a torus space, which forms a torus volume (TV) with a pump wheel and a turbine wheel, and a clutch space, which forms the boundaries of the clutch volume (CV) and which encloses a mechanical transmission circuit including a bridging clutch designed with a torsional vibration clamper. During the course of the minimum resting phase of the housing, the fluid which is distributed throughout the housing during the operating state decreases from a total volume comprising at least the torus volume (TV) and the clutch volume (CV) to a resting volume (RV), which is located at least essentially underneath the axis of rotation as a result of the force of gravity. A volume reduction arrangement is provided to the housing to reduce the clutch volume (CV) versus the resting volume (RV).