Hydrokinetic coupling

Claim 2

A hydrokinetic torque transfer device comprising: A. a first member defining an annular, radially inwardly opening trough; B. a second member defining an annular, radially outwardly opening trough disposed concentrically within and in confronting relation to said inwardly opening trough to define therewith a toroidal fluid working chamber; C. means mounting said members for relative rotation about the common axis of said troughs; D. a first set of fluid directing blades positioned at circumferentially spaced locations around said inwardly opening trough and presenting a stepped edge within said chamber; and E. a second set of fluid directing blades positioned at circumferentially spaced locations around said outwardly opening trough and presenting a stepped edge spaced from and complementary to the stepped edge on said first set of blades to define therebetween an annular stepped gap.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, wherein a first portion of said stepped gap is defined by mutually facing portions of said stepped edges which are substantially parallel to said axis and a second portion of said stepped gap is defined by mutually facing portions of said stepped edges which are transverse to said axis.

Claim 4

a stepped edge spaced from and complementary to the stepped edges on said first set of blades to define therebetween an annular stepped gap, said stepped gap including two gap portions parallel to said axis and offset by a third gap portion transverse to said parallel portions; G. a core guide ring disposed in said transverse gap portion and fixed to said stepped edge portion of one of said blade sets defining a side of said transverse gap portion; and H. a cylindrical control sleeve movable into and out of one of said parallel gap portions for controlling toroidal fluid circulation between said first and second blade sets.

Claim 5

a stepped edge spaced from and complementary to the stepped edges on said first set of blades to define therebetween an annular stepped gap, said stepped gap including two gap portions parallel to said axis and offset by a third gap portion transverse to said parallel portions; G. a core guide ring disposed in said transverse gap portion and fixed to said stepped edge portion of one of said blade sets defining a side of said transverse gap portion; and H. a cylindrical control sleeve movable into and out of one of said parallel gap portions for controlling toroidal fluid circulation between said first and second blade sets.

Claim 6

a stepped edge facing said outwardly opening trough; F. a second set of fluid directing blades circumferentially spaced in said outwardly opening trough and each blade having

Claim 7

a stepped edge facing said outwardly opening trough; F. a second set of fluid directing blades circumferentially spaced in said outwardly opening trough and each blade having

Claim 8

The device of claim 2, wherein said stepped gap has a third portion defined by mutually facing portions of said stepped edges which are substantially parallel to said axis and offset from said parallel edge portions defining said first gap portion by said second gap portion.

Claim 9

The device of claim 1, wherein one portion of said stepped gap is defined by mutually facing portions of said stepped edges which are substantially parallel to said axis, another portion of said stepped gap is defined by mutually facing portions of said stepped edges which are substantially parallel to said axis and offset from said parallel edges defining said one gap portion by a core guide ring disposed in the approximate volumetric center of said toroidal fluid working circuit and fixed to one of said blade sets.

Claim 10

The device of claim 2, and further including a core guide ring disposed in said second gap portion and fixed to said transverse edge portions of said first or second blade sets.

Claim 11

The device of claim 5, wherein said first member is operatively connected to a prime mover and said second member is connected to a load and driven in response to rotation of said first member.

Claim 12

The device of claim 5, including a cylindrical sleeve concentric to said axis and axially movable into and out of said first gap portion for controlling toroidal fluid circulation of fluid between said first and second blade sets.

Claim 13

The device of claim 7, wherein said core guide ring is disposed to cooperate with an end of said sleeve to form a seal to shut off fluid circulation between said first and second blade sets.

Claim 14

The device of claim 8, incluDing means for biasing said sleeve into sealing cooperation with said core guide ring.

Claim 15

The device of claim 9, wherein said device further includes a control shaft coaxial with and mounted for sliding movement along said axis and wherein said sleeve is connected to said shaft to facilitate withdrawal of said sleeve from said gap.

Claim 16

The device of claim 1 wherein: A. said circumferentially spaced blades in said first and second blade sets are disposed in said troughs in a substantially radial manner with respect to said axis; B. said stepped edge of each of said blades in said first and second blade sets includes a first and a second edge portion parallel to said axis and a third edge portion transverse to and joining said parallel edge portions; and C. each of said blades in said first and second blade sets further including a first and a second radially extending blade portion, each of said first and second radially extending blade portions beginning at said first and second parallel edge portions respectively and each forming a 45* angle with a radius drawn from said axis to said respective parallel edge portion.

Claim 17

The device of claim 11 wherein each of said blades in said first and second blade sets each include a curved blade portion joining said first and second radially extending blade portions.

Claim 18

A hydrokinetic torque transfer device comprising: A. a first member defining an annular, radially inwardly opening trough concentric to an axis; B. a second member defining an annular, radially outwardly opening trough disposed concentrically within and in confronting relation to said inwardly opening trough to define therewith a toroidal fluid working chamber; C. means mounting said members for relative rotation about said axis; D. first and second sets of fluid directing blades circumferentially disposed respectively in said inwardly and outwardly opening troughs in a manner defining an annular stepped gap between mutually facing edges of said first and second blade sets, said stepped gap having a first gap portion parallel to said axis and a second gap portion transverse to said axis; E. a core guide ring disposed in said transverse gap portion, and fixed to one of said blade sets; and F. a cylindrical control sleeve slidable into and out of said first parallel gap portion and having an end cooperable with said guide ring to form a seal for blocking fluid circulation between said first and second blade sets.

Claim 19

A hydrokinetic torque transfer device comprising: A. a first member defining an annular, radially inwardly opening trough concentric to an axis; B. a second member defining an annular, radially outwardly opening trough disposed concentrically within and in confronting relation to said inwardly opening trough to define therewith a toroidal fluid working chamber; C. means mounting said members for relative rotation about said axis; D. first and second sets of fluid directing blades circumferentially disposed respectively in said inwardly and outwardly opening troughs in a manner defining an annular stepped gap between mutually facing edges of said first and second blade sets, said stepped gap having a first gap portion parallel to said axis and a second gap portion transverse to said axis; E. a core guide ring disposed in said transverse gap portion, and fixed to one of said blade sets; and F. a cylindrical control sleeve slidable into and out of said first parallel gap portion and having an end cooperable with said guide ring to form a seal for blocking fluid circulation between said first and second blade sets.

Claim 20

The device of claim 13 wherein said stepped gap includes a second gap portion parallel to said first gap portion and joined to said first gap portion by said transverse gap portion.

Claim 21

A hydrokinetic torque transfer device comprising: A. a first member defining an annular, radially inwardly opening trough; B. a second member defining an annular, radially outwardly opening trough disposed concentrically within and in confronting relation to said inwardly opening trough to define therewith a toroidal fluid working chamber; C. means mounting said members for relative rotation about the axis common to said troughs; D. a first set of fluid directing blades positioned at circumferentially spaced locations around said inwardly opening trough, each of said blades in said first blade set presenting a stepped edge within said chamber; E. a second set of fluid directing blades positioned at circumferentially spaced locations around said outwardly opening trough, each of said blades in said second blade set presenting a stepped edge within said chamber, said stepped edges of said first and second sets of blades being spaced from and complementary to one another to define therebetween an annular stepped gap having two gap portions parallel to said axis and interconnected by a third gap portion transverse to said axis; F. a core guide ring located in said transverse gap portion and fixed to one of said blade sets; and G. a cYlindrical sleeve concentric to said axis and axially movable into and out of one of said parallel gap portions, said sleeve adaptive to cooperate with said core guide ring to form a seal for blocking fluid circulation between said first and second blade sets.

Claim 22

A hydrokinetic torque transfer device comprising: A. a first member defining an annular, radially inwardly opening trough; B. a second member defining an annular, radially outwardly opening trough disposed concentrically within and in confronting relation to said inwardly opening trough to define therewith a toroidal fluid working chamber; C. means mounting said members for relative rotation about the axis common to said troughs; D. a first set of fluid directing blades positioned at circumferentially spaced locations around said inwardly opening trough, each of said blades in said first blade set presenting a stepped edge within said chamber; E. a second set of fluid directing blades positioned at circumferentially spaced locations around said outwardly opening trough, each of said blades in said second blade set presenting a stepped edge within said chamber, said stepped edges of said first and second sets of blades being spaced from and complementary to one another to define therebetween an annular stepped gap having two gap portions parallel to said axis and interconnected by a third gap portion transverse to said axis; F. a core guide ring located in said transverse gap portion and fixed to one of said blade sets; and G. a cYlindrical sleeve concentric to said axis and axially movable into and out of one of said parallel gap portions, said sleeve adaptive to cooperate with said core guide ring to form a seal for blocking fluid circulation between said first and second blade sets.

Claim 23

The device of claim 15 wherein said first member is mounted for rotation and driven by a prime mover.

Claim 24

The device of claim 16 wherein fluid is located in said working chamber; and said second member is mounted for rotation and connected to drive a load in response to a fluid flow caused by rotation of said first member.

Claim 25

A hydrokinetic torque transfer device comprising: A. a first member defining an annular, radially inwardly opening trough concentric to an axis, said trough having one side surface extending radially inwardly further than the other side surface; B. a second member defining an annular, radially outwardly opening trough disposed concentrically within and in confronting relation to said inwardly opening trough, said outwardly opening trough having one side surface extending radially outwardly further than the other side surface, said further outwardly extending surface extending outwardly an amount substantially equal to and on the side opposite said further inwardly extending surface of said inwardly opening trough, said inwardly and outwardly opening troughs together defining a toroidal fluid working chamber; C. fluid in said working chamber; D. means mounting said members for relative rotation about said axis to circulate said fluid in said working chamber; E. a first set of fluid directing blades circumferentially spaced in said inwardly opening trough and each blade having

Claim 26

A hydrokinetic torque transfer device comprising: A. a first member defining an annular, radially inwardly opening trough concentric to an axis, said trough having one side surface extending radially inwardly further than the other side surface; B. a second member defining an annular, radially outwardly opening trough disposed concentrically within and in confronting relation to said inwardly opening trough, said outwardly opening trough having one side surface extending radially outwardly further than the other side surface, said further outwardly extending surface extending outwardly an amount substantially equal to and on the side opposite said further inwardly extending surface of said inwardly opening trough, said inwardly and outwardly opening troughs together defining a toroidal fluid working chamber; C. fluid in said working chamber; D. means mounting said members for relative rotation about said axis to circulate said fluid in said working chamber; E. a first set of fluid directing blades circumferentially spaced in said inwardly opening trough and each blade having