JPH11148547A - Lockup clutch for torque converter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lockup clutch for torque converter structured simply, excellent in the heat resistance, and having small dimensions in the axial direction. SOLUTION: The first sliding surface 16a perpendicular to a rotary shaft is formed on the inner surface side of a cover plate 16 installed in coupling with a pump 11, and the second sliding surface 21b confronting the first sliding surface 16a is formed on a piston plate 21 installed movably in the axial direction with possibility of rotating in a single piece with a turbine 13. Between the two sliding surfaces 16a and 21b, a slide plate 22 whose one side face 22a confronts the first sliding surface 16a and other side face 22b confronts the second sliding surface 21b is installed in the floating condition (i.e., capable of relative rotation with both the cover plate 16 and piston plate 21), and thus an intended lockup clutch for torque converter is achieved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lock-up clutch which is provided in a torque converter, mechanically connects a pump section and a turbine section, and bypasses a torque converter mechanism and directly connects an input / output shaft of the torque converter. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional lockup clutch for a torque converter, a sliding surface is provided on an inner surface of a cover member connected to a pump portion, and a sliding surface of a piston member connected to the turbine portion so as to be integrally rotatable. Is configured to control the hydraulic pressure acting on the piston member and press it against the sliding surface of the cover member to mechanically connect the pump section and the turbine section by the frictional force between the sliding surfaces. Is generally well known. Such a lock-up clutch includes: 1) a single-plate lock-up clutch in which a friction facing material is provided on one of the two sliding surfaces so that the two sliding surfaces are brought into direct contact with each other; There is a multi-plate lock-up clutch in which a plurality of friction plates are arranged between the clutches (for example, US Pat. No. 5,566,802).

[0003]

The single-plate lock-up clutch has the advantage that its structure is simple and its axial dimension can be reduced. However, since it has only one friction surface, the heat resistance of the friction facing material is low. There is a problem that the problem is easily caused. In particular, recently, control for slipping the lock-up clutch to absorb engine rotational vibration has been introduced, and the demand for heat resistance of the lock-up clutch has become strict. It is becoming more difficult to deal with.

On the other hand, since the multi-plate lock-up clutch has a large number of friction surfaces, the amount of heat generated per unit area of the friction surface is small, and the problem of heat resistance as described above is small.
However, it is necessary to alternately support the friction plates connected to the pump section and the friction plates connected to the turbine section, and the structure is complicated and the cost of the entire apparatus is increased. There is a problem that the dimension in the direction tends to be large.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem.
An object of the present invention is to provide a lock-up clutch for a torque converter, which has a simple structure, can keep the axial dimension small, and can improve heat resistance.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a first sliding surface is formed on a cover member provided to be connected to a pump portion, and the cover member is connected so as to be integrally rotatable with the turbine portion. A second sliding surface facing the first sliding surface is formed on the piston member to be formed, and between the two sliding surfaces, one side faces the first sliding surface and the other side faces the second sliding surface. The sliding plate is arranged in a floating state in opposition to the moving surface (that is, in a state in which the sliding plate is rotatable relative to both the cover member and the piston member), thereby forming a lockup clutch for a torque converter.

When the lock-up clutch is constructed as described above, the piston member is pressed toward the cover member so that the first member is pressed.
When the lock-up action is performed by sandwiching the sliding plate between the first sliding surface and the second sliding surface, the sliding plate slides between the first sliding surface and one side surface of the sliding plate and the second sliding surface. Since slippage occurs between the other side of the plate, heat generated by the slippage is distributed to both sides. Therefore, the heat generation area is doubled as compared with the conventional single-plate lock-up clutch, and the heat generation per unit area is halved, so that the heat resistance is improved. Further, since only one disk-shaped sliding plate is provided between the piston member and the cover member, the axial dimension can be reduced. Further, since the sliding plate is disposed in a floating state, it is only necessary to provide a centering support portion for guiding the rotation thereof, and the configuration is substantially the same as the configuration of the single plate type lock-up clutch, which is very simple. is there.

It is preferable that a centering support for rotatably supporting the sliding plate is formed on at least one of the cover member and the piston member. This is because the cover member and the piston member are members that are located adjacent to the sliding plate, so that providing the centering support portion here simplifies the configuration. This centering support may be performed on the inner circumference or the outer circumference of the sliding plate.

It is preferable that a contact area between one side surface of the sliding plate and the first sliding surface is equal to a contact area between the other side surface of the sliding plate and the second sliding surface. As a result, the frictional forces acting on the sliding plates are equalized, so that the sliding amounts of the two sliding portions are equalized, and the heat generation can be shared.

[0010] On the peripheral surface of the centering support portion or a sliding plate rotatably supported by the centering support portion,
It is preferable to form a communication groove for connecting the first sliding surface side and the second sliding surface side. This makes it possible to discharge wear powder and the like generated in the sliding portion through the communication groove, thereby improving the durability of the sliding portion.

It is preferable that the first and second sliding surfaces are formed on the outer periphery of the torque converter as far as possible. This makes it possible to cope with a larger torque by increasing the radius of the sliding surface, and to easily increase the sliding surface area to improve heat resistance and wear resistance.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a torque converter 10 having a lock-up clutch according to the present invention. The input side of the torque converter 10 is connected to an engine output shaft (not shown) by a bolt 2 via a drive plate 1, and the output side is spline-coupled to the transmission input shaft 5. The torque converter 10 includes a pump 11, a stator 12, and a turbine 13. Pump 11 is a cover plate (cover member)
The drive plate 1 is integrally connected to the drive plate 1 via a motor 16 and is always connected to the engine output shaft. Stator 1
2 is fixedly supported by a stator shaft 15 via a one-way clutch 14. The turbine 13 is spline-coupled to the transmission input shaft 5 at a turbine boss 13a, and the transmission input shaft 5 rotates integrally with the turbine 13.

The cover plate 16 is disposed so as to cover the turbine 13 from the front side and the outer peripheral side, and is welded to the pump 11 at the end. Thereby, a space is formed in the cover plate 16 between the cover plate 16 and the turbine 13, and the lock-up clutch 20 is disposed in this space. A starter gear 17 is coupled to the outer periphery of the cover plate 16, and the drive plate 1 is joined to the outer front surface.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the periphery of the lock-up clutch 20 in the torque converter 10. The lock-up clutch 20 will be described with reference to FIG. The turbine 13 covered by the cover plate 16
A piston plate (piston member) 21 that divides the space into two right and left parts is disposed movably in the axial direction. Here piston plate 2
1 (a space facing the inner surface of the cover plate 16) is referred to as a first space 18, and the piston plate 2
The space on the right side of 1 (space on the turbine 13 side) is referred to as a second space 19.

The second space 19 is connected to a torque converter main body (a portion including the pump 11, the stator 12, and the turbine 13), and the hydraulic pressure in the second space 19 is substantially constant determined by a valve that controls the internal pressure of the torque converter. Of hydraulic pressure. On the other hand, the lockup control oil pressure supplied through the oil passage 6 formed in the transmission input shaft 5 is supplied into the first space 18 from the transmission input shaft 5 side. Therefore, by performing the supply control of the lock-up control hydraulic pressure, the axial pressing force received on the piston plate 21 by the hydraulic pressure in the first and second spaces 18 and 19 can be variably controlled. It is possible to control to apply a left pressing force or push it back to the right.

On the other hand, the inner surface of the cover plate 16 (first
A ring-shaped groove recessed in the axial direction is formed on the outermost diameter side of the side surface facing the space 18). The surface 16a is formed. A ring disk-shaped sliding plate (sliding plate) 22 is provided in the ring-shaped groove, and a left side surface 22a of the sliding plate 22 is slid in contact with the first sliding surface 16a. A ring-shaped relief groove 16c is formed on the inner peripheral side of the first sliding surface 16a, and the first sliding surface 16a and the sliding plate 22 are in non-contact at this portion. In addition,
The sliding plate 22 is slidably guided on the inner peripheral surface 16b of the ring-shaped groove, and the sliding plate 22 is relatively rotatable in the ring-shaped groove. That is, the inner peripheral surface 16b of the ring-shaped groove
Is a centering support. The sliding plate 22 is made of a composite material (C / C composite) containing carbon fiber as a main component.

An outer peripheral portion 21a of the piston plate 21 bulges to the left, and a left side surface of the outer peripheral portion 21a forms a second sliding surface 21b. It is in sliding contact with the surface 22b. A damper mechanism 23 connected to the piston plate 21 by a rivet 24 is disposed on the right side of the outer peripheral portion 21 a of the piston plate 21, and the damper mechanism 23 is also connected to the turbine 13. That is, the piston plate 21 is connected to the turbine 13 via the damper mechanism 23 and rotates integrally with the turbine 13.

The operation of the lock-up clutch 20 having the above configuration will be described. This operation control is performed by lock-up control oil pressure supplied into the first space 18 via the oil passage 6 of the transmission input shaft 5. As a result, when the oil pressure in the first space 18 becomes higher than the oil pressure in the second space 19, the piston plate 21 is pushed rightward, and the lock-up clutch 2
0 is in the released state, and the engine output is transmitted to the transmission input shaft 5 through the torque converter mechanism.

On the other hand, the hydraulic pressure in the first space 18 is reduced,
When the pressure becomes lower than the oil pressure in the second space 19, the piston plate 21 is pushed to the left, and the outer peripheral portion 21 a presses the sliding plate 22 against the cover plate 16. Thereby, the first sliding surface 16a and the left side surface 22 of the sliding plate 22 are formed.
a and the second sliding surface 21b and the sliding plate 22
Of the lock-up clutch 2 due to friction with the right side surface 22b of the
0 is engaged. As a result, the engine output bypasses the torque converter mechanism and is transmitted directly from the cover plate 16 to the transmission input shaft 5 via the piston plate 21 and the turbine 13. The lock-up clutch 2
The engagement force of 0 can be arbitrarily adjusted by adjusting the lock-up clutch control oil pressure.

As described above, the lock-up clutch 2
0, the sliding occurs between the first sliding surface 16a and the left side surface 22a of the sliding plate 22 and between the second sliding surface 21b and the right side surface 22b of the sliding plate 22. Therefore, compared to the conventional single-plate lock-up clutch, the heat generation per unit area on the sliding surface is small,
The heat resistance of the lock-up clutch 20 is high. In this case, it is desirable that the sliding amount is as equal as possible on the left and right sides of the sliding plate 22a in order to improve the heat resistance. Therefore, a ring-shaped relief groove 16c is provided on the first sliding surface 16a.
The contact area between the first sliding surface 16a and the left side surface 22a of the sliding plate 22 is made equal to the contact area between the second sliding surface 21b and the right side surface 22b of the sliding plate 22.

Further, since the slide plate 22 has a structure in which the inner peripheral surface 16b of the ring-shaped groove of the cover plate 16 is merely mounted thereon as a centering support portion, the configuration of the lock-up clutch is simple. Further, only a disk-shaped sliding plate 22 having a smaller thickness than the conventional single-plate lock-up clutch is added, and its axial dimension is almost equal to that of the conventional single-plate lock-up clutch.

In the above-mentioned lock-up clutch, the sliding plate 22 is rotatably supported on the inner peripheral portion. However, the sliding plate 22 may be supported on the outer peripheral portion. Further, it is preferable to provide one or a plurality of notched grooves 16d as shown by broken lines in FIG. Since the left side of the slide plate 22 communicates with the first space 18 by the notch groove 16d, the wear powder generated by friction between the left side surface 22a of the slide plate 22 and the first slide surface 16a is cut out. 1st through 16d
It can be discharged to the space 18 side.

Instead of forming the notch 16d, a plurality of notches 22c may be provided on the inner periphery of the sliding plate 22 as shown in FIG. A hole may be provided. When the sliding plate is supported at the outer peripheral portion, these notches, notches, and through holes are provided on the outer peripheral side.

Next, a second example of the lock-up clutch according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The torque converter of FIG. 3 differs from the example of FIGS. 1 and 2 only in the configuration of the lock-up clutch. Therefore, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

In the lock-up clutch 30, this space is divided into first and second spaces 18 and 19 in the space covered by the cover plate 46, and the piston plate 31 is disposed so as to be movable in the axial direction. Has been established. A ring-shaped groove depressed in the axial direction is formed on the innermost surface of the cover plate 46 at the outermost diameter side, and the bottom surface of the groove forms a first sliding surface 46a.

On the other hand, the outer peripheral portion 31 of the piston plate 31
A bulges leftward and has a protruding portion 31c protruding in a ring shape rightward on the inner peripheral side thereof. A sliding plate 32 is provided guided by the protruding portion 31c. That is, the protruding portion 31c serves as a centering support portion. The left side surface of the outer peripheral portion 31a forms the second sliding surface 31b. As a result, the left side surface 32a of the sliding plate 32 is formed.
Is in sliding contact with the first sliding surface 46a, and the right side surface 32b is in sliding contact with the second sliding surface 31b.

In the lock-up clutch 30 having the above-described structure, the first space 1 is also provided via the oil passage 6 of the transmission input shaft 5.
The engagement of the lock-up clutch 30 can be controlled by controlling the supply of the lock-up control hydraulic pressure into the lock 8.

In this manner, the lock-up clutch 30
Is engaged, sliding occurs on both sides of the sliding plate 32, so that the amount of heat generated per unit area on the sliding surface is small, and the heat resistance of the lock-up clutch 30 is high. In this case, the first and second sliding surfaces 4 are used in order to make the sliding amount as equal as possible on the left and right sides of the sliding plate 32.
Ring-shaped relief grooves 46 are provided on the inner peripheral sides of 6a and 31b, respectively.
b, 31d are provided to equalize the contact area on the left and right sides of the sliding plate 32.

In the lock-up clutch, the sliding plate 32 may be supported at the outer periphery. Further, a notch is provided in the protruding portion 31c, and wear powder generated by friction between the right side surface 32b of the sliding plate 32 and the second sliding surface 31b is discharged to the first space 18 side through the notch. It is preferable to do so. Also,
As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of notches 32 c may be provided on the inner periphery of the sliding plate 32, through holes may be provided, and these may be provided on the outer periphery.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A first sliding surface is formed on the cover member, and a second sliding surface is formed on the piston member which is integrally rotated with the turbine portion. A disk-shaped sliding plate is disposed between the two sliding surfaces in a floating state. When the lock-up clutch is engaged, the engagement between the first sliding surface and one side surface of the sliding plate and between the second sliding surface and the sliding plate when the lock-up clutch is engaged. Since slippage occurs between the other side surface, heat generated by the slippage is distributed to both sides, and heat resistance can be improved as compared with a conventional single-plate lockup clutch. Further, since only one disk-shaped sliding plate is provided between the piston member and the cover member, the axial dimension can be reduced. Further, since the sliding plate is disposed in a floating state, it is only necessary to provide a centering support portion for guiding the rotation thereof, and the configuration is substantially the same as the configuration of the single plate type lock-up clutch, which is very simple. is there.

It is preferable that the centering supporting portion for rotatably supporting the sliding plate is formed on at least one of the cover member and the piston member. This is because the cover member and the piston member are members that are located adjacent to the sliding plate, so that providing the centering support portion here simplifies the configuration. This centering support may be performed on the inner circumference or the outer circumference of the sliding plate.

It is preferable that the contact area between one side surface of the sliding plate and the first sliding surface is equal to the contact area between the other side surface of the sliding plate and the second sliding surface. As a result, the frictional forces acting on the sliding plates are equalized, so that the sliding amounts of the two sliding portions are equalized, and the heat generation can be shared.

It is preferable to form a communication groove for connecting the first sliding surface side and the second sliding surface side. This makes it possible to discharge wear powder and the like generated in the sliding portion through the communication groove, thereby improving the durability of the sliding portion.

It is preferable that the first and second sliding surfaces are formed on the outer periphery of the torque converter as much as possible. This makes it possible to cope with a larger torque by increasing the radius of the sliding surface, and to easily increase the sliding surface area to improve heat resistance and wear resistance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a torque converter having a lock-up clutch according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing a periphery of a lock-up clutch in the torque converter.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing a different example of the lock-up clutch according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a modified example of a sliding plate used for the lock-up clutch.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Drive plate 5 Transmission input shaft 10 Torque converter 11 Pump 12 Stator 13 Turbine 16 Cover plate 20,30 Lockup clutch 21,31 Piston plate 22,32 Sliding plate

Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Kenjiro Iwasawa 1-4-1 Chuo, Wako-shi, Saitama Pref.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A torque converter lock-up clutch capable of connecting a pump section and a turbine section of a torque converter, the cover member being connected to the pump section and having a first sliding surface formed thereon; A piston member having a second sliding surface facing the moving surface and connected to the turbine unit so as to be integrally rotatable; one side facing the first sliding surface and the other side facing the second sliding surface; A lock-up clutch for a torque converter, comprising: a slide plate disposed between the cover member and the piston member so as to face a slide surface. 2. The contact area between one side surface of the sliding plate and the first sliding surface is equal to the other side surface of the sliding plate and the second side surface.
2. A contact area equal to a contact area with a sliding surface.
The lock-up clutch according to 1. 3. The lock-up clutch according to claim 1, wherein a communication groove for communicating the first sliding surface side and the second sliding surface side is formed.