Power transmission mechanism having a torque sensitive pressure regulator valve

Claim 2

In a power transmission mechanism having a torque converter and multiple ratio gearing, said converter including an impeller connected to an engine and a turbine, a selectively engageable clutch having an output element connected to a torque input element of said gearing, a torsion shaft connected at one end thereof to said turbine and at the other end thereof to a torque input element of said clutch, a sleeve shaft surrounding said torsion shaft and connected at one end thereof to said turbine, a modulator valve element carried by said torque input clutch element at a location spaced radially from the axis of said torsion shaft and said sleeve shaft including a movable modulator valve element movable linearly, spring means acting on said modulator valve element for applying to the latter a force that is opposed by hydrostatic pressure forces acting thereon, a movable spring reaction member carried by said torque input clutch element, a driving connection between the other end of said sleeve shaft and said spring reaction member including a rotary drive member in positive driving engagement with said spring reaction member whereby torsional deflection of said torsion shaft relative to said sleeve shaft is effective to change the force of said spring on said spring reaction member which is displaced linearly through a distance proportional to said torsional deflection, a fluid pressure source, and internal passage means in portions of said clutch for distributing pressure from said fluid pressure source to said modulator valve element and for distributing modulated output pressure from said modulator valve element to pressure sensitive portions of said mechanism.

Claim 3

In a power transmission mechanism having a torque converter and multiple ratio gearing, said converter including an impeller connected to an engine and a turbine, a selectively engageable clutch having an output element connected to a torque input element of said gearing, a torsion shaft connected at one end thereof to said turbine and at the other end thereof to a torque input element of said clutch, a sleeve shaft surrounding said torsion shaft and connected at one end thereof to said turbine, a modulator valve element carried by said torque input clutch element at a location spaced radially from the axis of said torsion shaft and said sleeve shaft including a movable modulator valve element movable linearly, spring means acting on said modulator valve element for applying to the latter a force that is opposed by hydrostatic pressure forces acting thereon, a movable spring reaction member carried by said torque input clutch element, a driving connection between the other end of said sleeve shaft and said spring reaction member including a rotary drive member in positive driving engagement with said spring reaction member whereby torsional deflection of said torsion shaft relative to said sleeve shaft is effective to change the force of said spring on said spring reaction member which is displaced linearly through a distance proportional to said torsional deflection, a fluid pressure source, internal passage means in portions of said clutch for distributing pressure from said fluid pressure source to said modulator valve element and for distributing modulated output pressure from said modulator valve element to pressure sensitive portions of said mechanism, a pressure area on said modulator valve element in communication with said output pressure passage whereby hydrostatic pressure forces on said modulator valve element are developed in opposition to the force of said spring, and mechanical means including engageable parts carried by said torsion shaft and said sleeve shaft for limiting the magnitude of the relative displacement between said torsion shaft and said sleeve shaft.

Claim 4

In a power transmission mechanism having a torque converter and multiple ratio gearing, said converter including an impeller connected to an engine and a turbine, a selectively engageable clutch having an output element connected to a torque input element of said gearing, a torsion shaft connected at one end thereof to said turbine and at the other end thereof to a torque input element of said clutch, a sleeve shaft surrounding said torsion shaft and connected at one end thereof to said turbine, a modulator valve element carried by said torque input clutch element at a location spaced radially from the axis of said torsion shaft and said sleeve shaft including a movable modulator valve element movable linearly, spring means acting on said modulator valve element for applying to the latter a force that is opposed by hydrostatic pressure forces acting thereon, a movable spring reaction member carried by said torque input clutch element, a driving connection between the other end of said sleeve shaft and said spring reaction member including a rotary drive member in positive driving engagement with said spring reaction member whereby torsional deflection of said torsion shaft relative to said sleeve shaft is effective to change the force of said spring on said spring reaction member which is displaced linearly through a distance proportional to said torsional deflection, a fluid pressure source, internal passage means in portions of said clutch for distributing pressure from said fluid pressure source to said modulator valve element and for distributing modulated output pressure from said modulator valve element to pressure sensitive portions of said mechanism, a pressure area on said modulator valve element in communication with said output pressure passage whereby hydrostatic pressure forces on said modulator valve element are developed in opposition to the force of said spring, and mechanical means including engageable parts carried by said torsion shaft and said sleeve shaft for limiting the magnitude of the relative displacement between said torsion shaft and said sleeve shaft.

Claim 5

In a power transmission mechanism haviNg a torque converter and multiple ratio gearing, said converter including an impeller connected to an engine and a turbine, a selectively engageable clutch having an output element connected to a torque input element of said gearing, a torsion shaft connected at one end thereof to said turbine and at the other end thereof to the torque input side of said clutch, a sleeve shaft connected at one end thereof to said turbine, a modulator valve element carried by said torque input clutch member including a movable modulator valve element, spring means acting on said modulator valve element for applying to the latter a force that is opposed by hydrostatic pressure forces acting thereon, a movable spring reaction member carried by said torque input clutch member, a driving connection between the other end of said sleeve shaft and said spring reaction member whereby torsional deflection of said torsion shaft relative to said sleeve shaft is effective to change the compression forces of said spring, a fluid pressure source, internal passage means in portions of said clutch for distributing pressure from said fluid pressure source to said modulator valve element and for distributing modulated output pressure from said modulator valve element to pressure sensitive portions of said mechanism, a kickdown valve means carried by said torque input clutch member, a kickdown pressure passage and a pressure supply passage communicating with said kickdown valve means, a line pressure supply passage communicating with said pressure source, spring means acting on said kickdown valve means for applying thereto a valve operating force, a spring reaction member providing a support for said kickdown valve spring, and a mechanical connection between said sleeve shaft and said last named spring reaction member whereby said kickdown valve establishes communication between said line pressure supply passage and the kickdown pressure passage when the displacement of said torsion shaft relative to said sleeve shaft approaches its maximum value.

Claim 6

In a power transmission mechanism haviNg a torque converter and multiple ratio gearing, said converter including an impeller connected to an engine and a turbine, a selectively engageable clutch having an output element connected to a torque input element of said gearing, a torsion shaft connected at one end thereof to said turbine and at the other end thereof to the torque input side of said clutch, a sleeve shaft connected at one end thereof to said turbine, a modulator valve element carried by said torque input clutch member including a movable modulator valve element, spring means acting on said modulator valve element for applying to the latter a force that is opposed by hydrostatic pressure forces acting thereon, a movable spring reaction member carried by said torque input clutch member, a driving connection between the other end of said sleeve shaft and said spring reaction member whereby torsional deflection of said torsion shaft relative to said sleeve shaft is effective to change the compression forces of said spring, a fluid pressure source, internal passage means in portions of said clutch for distributing pressure from said fluid pressure source to said modulator valve element and for distributing modulated output pressure from said modulator valve element to pressure sensitive portions of said mechanism, a kickdown valve means carried by said torque input clutch member, a kickdown pressure passage and a pressure supply passage communicating with said kickdown valve means, a line pressure supply passage communicating with said pressure source, spring means acting on said kickdown valve means for applying thereto a valve operating force, a spring reaction member providing a support for said kickdown valve spring, and a mechanical connection between said sleeve shaft and said last named spring reaction member whereby said kickdown valve establishes communication between said line pressure supply passage and the kickdown pressure passage when the displacement of said torsion shaft relative to said sleeve shaft approaches its maximum value.