Hydrokinetic torque coupling device having damper-piston lockup clutch, and related method

1. A hydrokinetic torque coupling device for coupling together a driving shaft and a driven shaft, the torque coupling device comprising:

a casing shell rotatable about a rotational axis and having a first engagement surface;

a torque converter rotatable about the rotational axis and comprising an impeller and a turbine, the turbine being hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller and comprising a turbine shell;

an output hub;

a damper-piston assembly comprising torsional vibration damping members and a piston retainer plate having a second engagement surface facing the first engagement surface, the torsional vibration damping members being circumferentially spaced from one another and having opposite first and second ends, the piston retainer plate comprising a shell portion retaining the torsional vibration damping members, first angular driving tabs engaging radially inner halves of the first ends of the torsional vibration damping members, and second angular driving tabs engaging radially outer halves of the first ends of the torsional vibration damping members; and

a transmission component through which the torsional vibration damping members are interconnected to the output hub, the transmission component engaging the second ends of the torsional vibration damping members,

wherein the damper-piston assembly is axially displaceable relative to the casing shell between a lockup mode in which the first and second engagement surfaces are frictionally engaged with one another so that the piston retainer plate and the casing shell are non-rotatable relative to one another, and a hydrodynamic transmission mode in which the first and second engagement surfaces are spaced from and rotatable relative to one another.

2. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second angular driving tabs each comprise elbows having opposite ends merging with the shell portion of the piston retainer plate.

3. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 1 , wherein the first engagement surface or the second engagement surface comprises a frictional lining.

4. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 1 , further comprising a stator situated between the impeller and the turbine.

5. A hydrokinetic torque coupling device for coupling together a driving shaft and a driven shaft, the torque coupling device comprising:

a casing shell rotatable about a rotational axis and having a first engagement surface;

a torque converter rotatable about the rotational axis and comprising an impeller and a turbine, the turbine being hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller and comprising a turbine shell;

an output hub that is non-rotatable relative to the turbine shell;

a damper-piston assembly comprising torsional vibration damping members and a piston retainer plate having a second engagement surface facing the first engagement surface, the torsional vibration damping members being circumferentially spaced from one another and having opposite first and second ends, the piston retainer plate comprising a shell portion retaining the torsional vibration damping members, first angular driving tabs engaging radially inner halves of the first ends of the torsional vibration damping members, and second angular driving tabs engaging radially outer halves of the first ends of the torsional vibration damping members; and

a transmission component through which the torsional vibration damping members are interconnected to the output hub, the transmission component having a first end portion engaging the second ends of the torsional vibration damping members and a second end portion connected to and non-rotatable relative to the turbine shell,

wherein the damper-piston assembly is axially displaceable relative to the casing shell between a lockup mode in which the first and second engagement surfaces are frictionally engaged with one another so that the piston retainer plate and the casing shell are non-rotatable relative to one another, and a hydrodynamic transmission mode in which the first and second engagement surfaces are spaced from and rotatable relative to one another.

6. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 5 , wherein the first and second angular driving tabs each comprise elbows having opposite ends merging with the shell portion of the piston retainer plate.

7. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 5 , wherein the first engagement surface or the second engagement surface comprises a frictional lining.

8. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 5 , further comprising a stator situated between the impeller and the turbine.

9. The hydrokinetic torque, coupling device of claim 5 , wherein the piston retainer plate is mounted and axially slidable on the output hub.

10. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 5 , wherein the transmission component is directly connected to and non-rotatable relative to the turbine shell.

11. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 10 , further comprising an annular weld directly connecting the transmission component to the turbine shell.

12. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 5 , wherein the piston retainer plate has an arcuate portion extending generally radially outward, the arcuate portion having a major convex surface facing away from the turbine shell and a major concave surface facing towards the turbine shell.

13. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 5 , wherein the piston retainer plate has a stepped portion comprising a radially inner first end, a radially outer second end, and a plurality of steps that are progressively positioned in closer proximity axially to the turbine shell in a direction from the first end to the second end.

14. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 5 , wherein to piston retainer plate comprises a serpentine portion having a generally sinusoidal shape extending radially outward between a radially inner first end and a radially outer second end of the piston retainer plate.

15. A hydrokinetic torque coupling device for coupling together a driving shaft and a driven shaft, the torque coupling device comprising:

a casing shell rotatable about a rotational axis and having a first engagement surface;

a torque converter rotatable about the rotational axis and comprising an impeller and a turbine, the turbine being hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller and comprising a turbine shell;

an output hub;

a damper-piston assembly comprising

a first set of first torsional vibration members circumferentially spaced from one another, the first torsional vibration members each having opposite first and second ends;

a second set of second torsional vibration members circumferentially spaced from one another, the second torsional vibration members each having opposite third and fourth ends;

a piston retainer plate having a second engagement surface facing the first engagement surface, the piston retainer plate comprising a shell portion retaining the first torsional vibration damping members, first angular driving tabs engaging radially inner halves of engaging the first ends of the first torsional vibration damping members, and second angular driving tabs engaging radially outer halves of the first ends of the first torsional vibration damping members;

a transmission component through which the first torsional vibration damping members are interconnected to the output hub, the transmission component having a first end portion engaging the second ends of the first torsional vibration damping members and a second end portion engaging the third ends of the second torsional vibration damping members; and

an output member interconnecting the fourth ends of the second torsional vibration members to the output hub,

wherein the damper-piston assembly is axially displaceable relative to the casing shell between a lockup mode in which the first and second engagement surfaces are frictionally engaged with one another so that the piston retainer plate and the casing shell are non-rotatable relative to one another, and a hydrodynamic transmission mode in which the first and second engagement surfaces are spaced from and rotatable relative to one another.

16. The hydrokinetic torque coupling, device of claim 15 , wherein the first and second angular driving tabs each comprise elbows having opposite ends merging with the shell portion of the piston retainer plate.

17. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 15 , wherein the first engagement surface or the second engagement surface comprises a frictional lining.

18. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 15 , further comprising a stator situated between the impeller and the turbine.

19. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 15 , further comprising a centrifugal pendulum oscillator coupled to the transmission component.

20. The hydrokinetic torque coupling device of claim 15 , further comprising a spring mass system coupled to the transmission component.