Hydrodynamic unit with friction clutch

Claim 2

A hydrodynamic torque transmitting unit comprising a rotatable housing adapted to be filled with a pressurized working fluid and having input rotor means operatively disposed therein, connector means operatively connecting said input rotor means to said housing, output rotor means operatively disposed in said housing and cooperating with said input rotor means to form a torus for circulating working fluid therebetween and to provide a hydraulic power path through said unit, clutch means operatively disposed within said housing between said output rotor means and the interior of said housing, said clutch means having a pressure plate operatively disposed adjacent to said housing to form a hydraulic clutch control chamber therewith, said clutch means further having friction means selectively engageable with the interior of said housing to establish a mechanical power path in parallel with said hydraulic power path, fluid passage means for supplying fluid to said clutch control chamber tO feed working fluid to said unit and effect the disengagement of said clutch means and to exhaust fluid from said control chamber to permit said clutch means to be engaged, and shroud means separate from said clutch means secured to said housing and extending radially inwardly therefrom between said output rotor means and said pressure plate to separate said pressure plate from said rotor means and thereby form a fluid chamber within said housing filled with working fluid when said unit is transmitting torque so that said clutch means can be engaged primarily by the static pressure of said working fluid.

Claim 3

A hydrodynamic torque transmitting unit comprising rotatable input and output means, a rotatable housing having front and rear covers operatively connected to each other to form a chamber for containing a pressurized working fluid for said unit, means drivingly connecting said input means to said housing, first rotor means operatively disposed within said housing and connected to said housing for rotation therewith, second rotor means operatively mounted in said housing and cooperating with said first rotor means to form a torus to provide for the fluid transmission of torque through said unit applied to said first or second rotor means, torque transmitting means operatively connected to said second rotor means, selectively engageable clutch means for selectively connecting said input means to said output means, said clutch means having a clutch plate, support means supporting said clutch plate for movement in said housing into and out of frictional engagement with one of said covers, said clutch plate cooperating directly with one of said covers to form a clutch control chamber for said clutch means, passage means for supplying working fluid to said control chamber to disengage said clutch means while supplying said unit with working fluid and for exhausting fluid from said control chamber so that static pressure in said unit causes said clutch means to engage, and shroud means covering said second rotor means operatively connected to said housing and interposed directly between said clutch plate and said second rotor means to substantially reduce the effect of variable fluid pressures including centrifugal pressure generated by said rotor means on said clutch plate thereby optimizing the selective engagement and disengagement of said clutch means.

Claim 4

A hydrodynamic torque transmitting unit comprising rotatable input and output means, a rotatable housing having front and rear covers operatively connected to each other to form a chamber for containing a pressurized working fluid for said unit, means drivingly connecting said input means to said housing, first rotor means operatively disposed within said housing and connected to said housing for rotation therewith, second rotor means operatively mounted in said housing and cooperating with said first rotor means to form a torus to provide for the fluid transmission of torque through said unit applied to said first or second rotor means, torque transmitting means operatively connected to said second rotor means, selectively engageable clutch means for selectively connecting said input means to said output means, said clutch means having a clutch plate, support means supporting said clutch plate for movement in said housing into and out of frictional engagement with one of said covers, said clutch plate cooperating directly with one of said covers to form a clutch control chamber for said clutch means, passage means for supplying working fluid to said control chamber to disengage said clutch means while supplying said unit with working fluid and for exhausting fluid from said control chamber so that static pressure in said unit causes said clutch means to engage, and shroud means covering said second rotor means operatively connected to said housing and interposed directly between said clutch plate and said second rotor means to substantially reduce the effect of variable fluid pressures including centrifugal pressure generated by said rotor means on said clutch plate thereby optimizing the selective engagement and disengagement of said clutch means.

Claim 5

In a hydrodynamic torque transmitting unit comprising rotatable input and output means, a rotatable housing operatively connected to said input means having front and rear cover plates to form a closed container for containing a working fluid therein, input rotor means operatively connected to said rear cover plate to provide a pump means for pumping fluid within said housing, output rotor means facing said input rotor means to provide turbine means for receiving fluid exiting from said pump means and for transmitting torque developed thereon to said output means and to direct the fluid back toward said pump means, selectively engageable clutch means disposed within said housing to provide a mechanical power path therethrough, said clutch means having a disk-like clutch plate disposed ajdacent to said front cover plate operatively connected to said output means and selectively movable into engagement with said front cover plate to thereby operatively connect said input means with said output means, said clutch plate cooperating with said cover plate to form a fluid chamber therein, passage means for supplying operating fluid into said chamber that provides a disengagement bias to said clutch plate for the release of said clutch means and to supply said unit with working fluid, and annular shroud means operatively connected to said housing and extending radially therein to substantially cover said output rotor means and separate said output rotor means and said clutch plate so that said clutch plate is disposed between said front cover and said shroud and so that the fluid forces generated by said output rotor means do not aDversely affect the operation of said clutch means.

Claim 6

In a hydrodynamic torque transmitting unit comprising rotatable input and output means, a rotatable housing operatively connected to said input means having front and rear cover plates to form a closed container for containing a working fluid therein, input rotor means operatively connected to said rear cover plate to provide a pump means for pumping fluid within said housing, output rotor means facing said input rotor means to provide turbine means for receiving fluid exiting from said pump means and for transmitting torque developed thereon to said output means and to direct the fluid back toward said pump means, selectively engageable clutch means disposed within said housing to provide a mechanical power path therethrough, said clutch means having a disk-like clutch plate disposed ajdacent to said front cover plate operatively connected to said output means and selectively movable into engagement with said front cover plate to thereby operatively connect said input means with said output means, said clutch plate cooperating with said cover plate to form a fluid chamber therein, passage means for supplying operating fluid into said chamber that provides a disengagement bias to said clutch plate for the release of said clutch means and to supply said unit with working fluid, and annular shroud means operatively connected to said housing and extending radially therein to substantially cover said output rotor means and separate said output rotor means and said clutch plate so that said clutch plate is disposed between said front cover and said shroud and so that the fluid forces generated by said output rotor means do not aDversely affect the operation of said clutch means.

Claim 7

A hydrodynamic torque transmitting unit comprising rotatable input and output means, rotatable front and rear covers operatively connected to each other forming a housing to receive and contain a working fluid therein, means drivingly connecting said input means to said housing, bladed pump means operatively disposed within said housing and operatively connected to said housing for circulating fluid within said unit, turbine means rotatably mounted in said housing adjacent to said front cover and cooperating with said bladed pump means to form a torus for receiving the fluid circulated by said pump means for transmitting torque to said output means, means drivingly connecting said turbine means to said output means, selectively engageable clutch means having an annular clutch plate cooperating with said front cover of said housing to form a control chamber for said clutch means, fluid passage means for supplying an operating fluid into said control chamber for exerting a force on said clutch plate to release said clutch and for exhausting fluid from said control chamber so that static converter pressure exerts a force on said clutch plate to cause the engagement of said clutch means, and annular shroud means operatively connected to said housing and operatively disposed between said clutch plate and said rotor means to cover and isolate said clutch plate from the force of fluid generated by said turbine means when rotating to permit said clutch means to be operated within a space bounded by said front cover and said shroud means in which the centrifugal pressure on both sides of said clutch plate determined by the rotational speed of said input is substantially equalized to optimize modulation of engagement and disengagement of said clutch means by the exhaust and supply by fluid to said control chamber.

Claim 8

A hydrodynamic torque transmitting unit comprising rotatable input and output means, rotatable front and rear covers operatively connected to each other forming a housing to receive and contain a working fluid therein, means drivingly connecting said input means to said housing, bladed pump means operatively disposed within said housing and operatively connected to said housing for circulating fluid within said unit, turbine means rotatably mounted in said housing adjacent to said front cover and cooperating with said bladed pump means to form a torus for receiving the fluid circulated by said pump means for transmitting torque to said output means, means drivingly connecting said turbine means to said output means, selectively engageable clutch means having an annular clutch plate cooperating with said front cover of said housing to form a control chamber for said clutch means, fluid passage means for supplying an operating fluid into said control chamber for exerting a force on said clutch plate to release said clutch and for exhausting fluid from said control chamber so that static converter pressure exerts a force on said clutch plate to cause the engagement of said clutch means, and annular shroud means operatively connected to said housing and operatively disposed between said clutch plate and said rotor means to cover and isolate said clutch plate from the force of fluid generated by said turbine means when rotating to permit said clutch means to be operated within a space bounded by said front cover and said shroud means in which the centrifugal pressure on both sides of said clutch plate determined by the rotational speed of said input is substantially equalized to optimize modulation of engagement and disengagement of said clutch means by the exhaust and supply by fluid to said control chamber.