EP0043545A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Transmission with torque converter and lock up clutch with lubrication and pressurization system
Assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
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Filing: 1981-06-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-06-30
Abstract
Abstract An automatic transmission includes: a gear transmission mechanism which can provide several speed stages according to selective supply of hydraulic pressures from a control system; a hydraulic fluid pump; a torque converter incorporating a lock up clutch which is selectively engaged or disengaged according to selective supply of pressure; a line fluid pressure control valve which receives a supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid from the pump and which provides a supply thereof, regulated to a line pressure level, to the control system; and a torque converter fluid pressure control valve which receives a supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid from the pump, and which provides a supply thereof to the torque converter as a source of torque converter pressure for filling it with hydraulic fluid and for selectively either engaging or disengaging the lock up clutch, this supply of torque converter pressure being regulated to a proper level by the torque converter fluid pressure control valve, when the supply of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid pump is plentiful, diverting therefrom an overflow flow of hydraulic fluid, which, when available, is supplied to the lubricating system of the gear transmission mechanism, to which the torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure is also always supplied via a throttle element.
Inventors
- 👤 Seitoku Kubo
- 👤 Koujiro Kuramochi
- 👤 Tatsuo Kyushima
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 03:18
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H57/00; F16H57/04; F16H61/00; F16H61/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
518 words
An automatic transmission for an automotive vehicle, comprising: (a) a gear transmission mechanism which comprises a lubricating system and which can provide a plurality of speed stages according to selective supply of actuating hydraulic fluid pressure thereto; (b) a hydraulic fluid pump which provides a supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid; (c) a torque converter, the interior of which is filled with hydraulic fluid, and which incorporates a lock up clutch which may be selectively engaged or disengaged according to selective supply of hydraulic fluid pressure thereto; (d) a hydraulic fluid pressure control system which controls said gear transmission mechanism so as, according to operational parameters of said vehicle, to set said gear transmission mechanism to one or another of said plurality of speed stages; (e) a line hydraulic fluid pressure control valve which receives a supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic fluid pump and which provides a supply thereof, regulated to a line hydraulic fluid pressure level, to said hydraulic fluid pressure control system as a source of line pressure; (f) a torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure control valve which: (fl) receives a supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic fluid pump; and (f2) provides a supply thereof to said torque converter as a source of torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure for filling the interior of said torque converter with hydraulic fluid and for selectively either engaging or disengaging said lock up clutch, said supply of torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure being regulated to a torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure level by said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure control valve performing the action of, when said supply thereto of hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic fluid pump is plentiful, diverting therefrom a release flow of hydraulic fluid; and (g) a throttle element; (h) said release flow of hydraulic fluid, when available, being supplied to said lubricating system of said gear transmission mechanism, and also said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure being supplied to said lubricating system of said gear transmission mechanism via said throttle element; (i) whereby, when said hydraulic fluid pump is producing a considerably plentiful amount of flow of hydraulic fluid, and said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure control valve is thus releasing a fairly large release flow of hydraulic fluid as diverted from said plentiful supply of hydraulic fluid from said pump, said lubricating system of said gear transmission mechanism is thus receiving an ample flow of lubricating hydraulic fluid, this ample flow being made up both of said release flow of hydraulic fluid, and also of said flow of hydraulic fluid from said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure as provided through said throttle element; but, when said hydraulic fluid pump is producing rather a small flow of hydraulic fluid, and said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure control valve is not releasing any substantial release flow of hydraulic fluid as diverted from said supply of hydraulic fluid from said pump, said lubricating system of said gear transmission mechanism is still receiving a certain definite small amount of lubricating hydraulic fluid, from said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure as provided via said throttle element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
518 words
An automatic transmission for an automotive vehicle, comprising: (a) a gear transmission mechanism which comprises a lubricating system and which can provide a plurality of speed stages according to selective supply of actuating hydraulic fluid pressure thereto; (b) a hydraulic fluid pump which provides a supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid; (c) a torque converter, the interior of which is filled with hydraulic fluid, and which incorporates a lock up clutch which may be selectively engaged or disengaged according to selective supply of hydraulic fluid pressure thereto; (d) a hydraulic fluid pressure control system which controls said gear transmission mechanism so as, according to operational parameters of said vehicle, to set said gear transmission mechanism to one or another of said plurality of speed stages; (e) a line hydraulic fluid pressure control valve which receives a supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic fluid pump and which provides a supply thereof, regulated to a line hydraulic fluid pressure level, to said hydraulic fluid pressure control system as a source of line pressure; (f) a torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure control valve which: (fl) receives a supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic fluid pump; and (f2) provides a supply thereof to said torque converter as a source of torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure for filling the interior of said torque converter with hydraulic fluid and for selectively either engaging or disengaging said lock up clutch, said supply of torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure being regulated to a torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure level by said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure control valve performing the action of, when said supply thereto of hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic fluid pump is plentiful, diverting therefrom a release flow of hydraulic fluid; and (g) a throttle element; (h) said release flow of hydraulic fluid, when available, being supplied to said lubricating system of said gear transmission mechanism, and also said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure being supplied to said lubricating system of said gear transmission mechanism via said throttle element; (i) whereby, when said hydraulic fluid pump is producing a considerably plentiful amount of flow of hydraulic fluid, and said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure control valve is thus releasing a fairly large release flow of hydraulic fluid as diverted from said plentiful supply of hydraulic fluid from said pump, said lubricating system of said gear transmission mechanism is thus receiving an ample flow of lubricating hydraulic fluid, this ample flow being made up both of said release flow of hydraulic fluid, and also of said flow of hydraulic fluid from said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure as provided through said throttle element; but, when said hydraulic fluid pump is producing rather a small flow of hydraulic fluid, and said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure control valve is not releasing any substantial release flow of hydraulic fluid as diverted from said supply of hydraulic fluid from said pump, said lubricating system of said gear transmission mechanism is still receiving a certain definite small amount of lubricating hydraulic fluid, from said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure as provided via said throttle element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
A transmission according to claim 1, said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure control valve being constructed with a release port for discharging said release flow of hydraulic fluid; and further comprising a first hydraulic fluid conduit which communicates said release port of said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure control valve to said lubricating system of said gear transmission mechanism; whereby said release flow of hydraulic fluid may be communicated to said lubricating system of said gear transmission mechanism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
94 words
A transmission according to claim 2, further comprising a second hydraulic fluid conduit, an upstream end of which is provided with said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure, at an intermediate portion of which said throttle element is provided, and a downstream end of which is communicated to an intermediate portion of said first hydraulic fluid conduit; whereby said flow of lubricating hydraulic fluid for said lubricating system of said gear transmission mechanism provided from said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure through said throttle element may be joined into said release flow of hydraulic fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A transmission according to claim 1, further comprising a hydraulic fluid cooler, wherein said hydraulic fluid cooler is provided with a flow of hydraulic fluid which is being discharged from said torque converter; whereby this hydraulic fluid, which has been warmed by churning within said torque converter as said torque converter performs its torque conversion function, is cooled.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
141 words
A transmission according to claim 1, further comprising a hydraulic fluid cooler, wherein said hydraulic fluid cooler is provided with a flow of hydraulic fluid which is being discharged from said torque converter, when and only when said lock up clutch is disengaged; whereby, if said lock up clutch is disengaged, the hydraulic fluid which is being discharged from said torque converter, which has been warmed by churning within said torque converter as said torque converter performs its torque conversion function with said lock up clutch disengaged, is cooled by said hydraulic fluid cooler; and, if said lock up clutch is engaged, since no particular churning of hydraulic fluid is occurring within said torque converter, no cooling function is performed, nor need be performed, by said hydraulic fluid cooler for the hydraulic fluid which is being discharged from said torque converter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
105 words
A transmission according to claim 5, further comprising first and second passages for supplying hydraulic fluid into and for taking hydraulic fluid out of said torque converter, said lock up clutch being respectively selectively engaged or disengaged, according as to whether hydraulic fluid is supplied into said torque converter through said first passage and is taken out from said torque converter through said second passage, or is supplied into said torque converter through said second passage and is taken out from said torque converter through said first passage; said first passage, when said torque converter is disengaged, discharging hydraulic fluid through said hydraulic fluid cooler.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
A transmission according to claim 6, further comprising a lock up clutch control valve, which according to its switched position either supplies said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure into said first passage and discharges hydraulic fluid from said second passage, or supplies said torque converter hydraulic fluid pressure into said second passage and discharges hydraulic fluid from said first passage through said hydraulic fluid cooler.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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