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:
Apr. 21, 2015
Filed:
Feb. 27, 2013
Schaeffler Technologies Ag & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach, DE;
Jeremy Vanni, Sterling, OH (US);
Brian C. Zaugg, Millersburg, OH (US);
Rolf A. Mueller, Wooster, OH (US);
Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Herzogenaurach, DE;
Abstract
A torque converter, including: a cover; a pump shell fixed to the cover; and a vibration damper with a plurality of springs, and a cover plate partially surrounding the springs. The torque converter includes a torque convert clutch with: a piston plate; and a drive plate with a first portion and a plurality of second portions including distal ends circumferentially aligned with the springs and circumferentially disposed between pairs of adjacent springs, and a plurality of centering protrusions extending radially outward beyond the distal ends or inward of the distal ends. The second portions are arranged to engage the springs to transmit the torque. When the torque converter is not rotating, the centering protrusions are free of contact with the cover plate. When the torque converter rotates at a rate greater than a threshold speed, the centering protrusions contact the cover plate to limit radial displacement of the drive plate.