Three-pass turbine damper
View Patent ↗A torque converter, including: turbine and pump shells; a turbine hub; a drive hub including a first orifice; and a lock-up clutch. The clutch includes: a clutch plate directly engaged with the turbine hub, fixed with respect to rotation to the turbine hub, and sealed with respect to the turbine hub; an apply plate the rotation of which is fixed to the rotation of the pump shell; and a piston plate. The converter includes a first fluid chamber at least partially formed by the piston, clutch and apply plates; and a second fluid chamber partially formed by the clutch and apply plates and the turbine and pump shells. When the lock-up clutch is closed, the first chamber is sealed except for the first orifice and one of a second orifice through the apply plate or a first fluid flow path through the lock-up clutch to the second fluid chamber.
1. A torque converter, comprising:
a turbine shell;
a pump shell;
a turbine hub;
a drive hub for connecting to an input shaft;
a first orifice through the drive hub;
a damper including a cover plate for accepting torque input to the damper;
a lock-up clutch including:
a first clutch plate directly engaged with the turbine hub fixed with respect to rotation to the turbine hub, and sealed with respect to the turbine hub;
an apply plate at least indirectly connected to the pump shell so that the rotation of the apply plate is fixed to the rotation of the pump shell;
a second clutch plate directly connected to the cover plate so that the rotation of the cover plate is fixed to the rotation of the second clutch plate; and,
a piston plate;
a first fluid chamber at least partially formed by the piston plate, the first clutch plate, and the apply plate; and,
a second fluid chamber at least partially formed by the first clutch plate, the turbine shell, the pump shell, and the apply plate, wherein when the lock-up clutch is closed, the first chamber is sealed with the exception of:
the first orifice; and,
a first fluid flow path through a second orifice through the apply plate; or, a second fluid flow path through the lock-up clutch to the second fluid chamber.
2. The torque converter of claim 1 , wherein:
the lock-up clutch includes friction material with at least one groove; and,
the first fluid flow path includes the at least one groove.
3. The torque converter of claim 1 , wherein:
the lock-up clutch includes friction material disposed between the clutch plate and the apply plate, the friction material including at least one groove; and,
the first fluid flow path includes the at least one groove.
4. The torque converter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cover for receiving torque from an engine or motor;
a sealing plate sealingly engaged with the piston plate; and,
a third fluid chamber at least partly formed by the cover, the sealing plate, and the piston, wherein the third chamber is sealed with the exception of a space between the cover and the sealing plate.
5. The torque converter of claim 1 , wherein: the cover plate has a first spline or tooth portion;
the turbine hub includes a second spline or tooth portion engaged with the first spline or tooth portion; and,
when the lock-up clutch is closed, the clutch plate urges the turbine hub in a rotational direction such that the first and second spline or tooth portions are fixed with respect to one another in the rotational direction.