Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
In a driveline including a hydrokinetic coupling having an impeller and a turbine disposed within a hydrokinetic coupling housing mounted for rotation about an axis with the hydrokinetic housing defining an impeller input drive and the turbine being connected to a first output drive rotatable about the axis; a torsion damping mechanism having resilient means interconnecting the input drive and a second output drive rotatable about the axis, and torsion damping means disposed in parallel with the resilient means; the improvement comprising: a viscous coupling defining said damping means, said viscous coupling including a housing assembly fixed for rotation with the hydrokinetic housing and defining an annular chamber containing a viscous liquid, a clutch assembly including an annular clutch member fixed for rotation with the second output drive and disposed in said chamber for viscous clutching coaction with the housing assembly in response to flexing of the resilient means, said housing assembly including a first annular wall member defined by a wall portion of the hydrokinetic housing and a second annular wall member fixed for rotation with and spaced from said first annular wall member to define said chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
In a driveline including a hydrokinetic coupling having an impeller and a turbine disposed within a hydrokinetic coupling housing mounted for rotation about an axis with the hydrokinetic housing defining an impeller input drive and the turbine being connected to a first output drive rotatable about the axis; a torsion damping mechanism having resilient means interconnecting the input drive and a second output drive rotatable about the axis, and torsion damping means disposed in parallel with the resilient means; the improvement comprising: a viscous coupling defining said damping means, said viscous coupling including a housing assembly fixed for rotation with the hydrokinetic housing and defining an annular chamber containing a viscous liquid, a clutch assembly including an annular clutch member fixed for rotation with the second output drive and disposed in said chamber for viscous clutching coaction with the housing assembly in response to flexing of the resilient means, said housing assembly including a first annular wall member defined by a wall portion of the hydrokinetic housing and a second annular wall member fixed for rotation with and spaced from said first annular wall member to define said chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The driveline of claim 1, wherein said wall members extend radially inward toward the axis and said clutch member extends radially outward from the axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The driveline of claim 2, wherein the side of said viscous coupling defined by said first annular wall member provides the sole means for sealing said chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The driveline of claim 3, wherein said clutch assembly includes a hub member having a radially outwardly facing journal portion and wherein a radially inward portion of said second wall member includes an axially extending cylindrical flange having an inner bearing surface supported on the journal portion of the hub member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The driveline of claim 4, wherein said viscous coupling includes a single dynamic seal reacting between a radially inward portion of said second wall member and said hub member to prevent fluid leaking into and out of said chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The driveline of claim 5, wherein said hub member includes an axially extending, cylindrical flange disposed radially outward of and concentric to the cylindrical flange of the second wall member and said dynamic seal reacts between said cylindrical flanges.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The driveline of claim 1, wherein said resilient means is disposed in the hydrokinetic housing between the viscous and hydrokinetic couplings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The driveline of claim 6, wherein said resilient means comprises at least one flat torsion spring.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The driveline of claim 1, wherein said resilient means is disposed in the hydrokinetic housing between said first wall member and said clutch member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The driveline of claim 9, wherein said resilient means comprises at least one flat torsion spring.