Transmission and torque converter with lock-up clutch

Claim 1

A power transmission unit for a motor vehicle comprising a driving member (1), a hydrokinetic torque converter having an impeller wheel (71), means (61, 67) drivingly connecting said driving member to said impeller wheel, an input shaft (9), an output shaft (43), a planetary gear train (13, 15) drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shaft, a runner wheel (73), means (85, 87) drivingly connecting said runner wheel to said input shaft, a guide wheel (75), a sleeve (101 surrounding said input shaft, a one-way brake device (93) located between said sleeve and said guide wheel, and lock-up clutch means (109, 147- 161) adapted to positively connect the impeller wheel to the runner wheel, said means drivingly connecting said driving member to said impeller wheel including a casing (71) having a first annular plate means (121) extending generally radially with respect to the axis of rotation of said driving member, a second annular plate means (67, between 131 and 133) extending generally radially and offset forwardly with respect to said vehicle from said first annular plate means, an annular axially extending shoulder (129) connecting said first and second annular plate means, and an annular axially extending cylinder wall portion (131) extending rearwardly with respect to said vehicle from the outer periphery of said second annular plate means, said lock-up clutch means including an annular support plate (109) secured to the rearward face of said first annular plate means (121), said annular support plate having a forwardly extending annular flange (133) forming an annular axially extending cylinder wall portion, at last one of said annular support plate and said first annular plate means having a recess (123) therein extending from the radially inner edge of the junction thereof to the radially outer edge of the juncture thereof, said cylinder wall portions (131, 133) and said second annular plate portion forming a cylinder (127), first annular clutch disc means (147) drivingly connected to said casing, and second annular clutch disc means (155) drivingly connected to said runner wheel, an annular piston (137) in said cylinder adapted to move rearwardly and couple said annular clutch disc means together when fluid flows under pressure through said recess into said cylinder, said support plate (109) further including a forwardly extending annular collar (111) surrounding the forward end of said input shaft, and bushing means (115) between said forward end of said input shaft and the inside of said collar.