Torque converter and hydrokinetic torque coupling device having turbine-piston lockup clutch with flow restrictor, and related methods

摘要

A torque converter features an impeller including an impeller shell and impeller blades, a turbine-piston including a turbine-piston shell and turbine blades, and a restrictor. The turbine-piston shell is axially displaceable relative to the impeller shell to position the torque converter (or a hydrokinetic torque coupling device containing the torque converter) into and out of lockup mode. The restrictor positioned radially outward of the impeller blades and the turbine blades at an opening of a fluid passage connecting the torus chamber to an environment outside the torque converter.

主权项

1. A torque converter rotatable about a rotational axis and having a torus chamber, comprising:
an impeller coaxially aligned with the rotational axis and comprising an impeller shell and a plurality of impeller blades; a turbine-piston coaxially aligned with and hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller to rotate about the rotational axis, the turbine-piston comprising a turbine-piston shell and a plurality of turbine blades, the turbine-piston being axially displaceable relative to the impeller shell to position the torque converter into and out of a lockup mode in which the turbine-piston is mechanically locked to and non-rotatable relative to the impeller; and a restrictor positioned radially outward of the impeller blades and the turbine blades at an opening of a fluid passageway connecting the torus chamber to an environment outside the torque converter, the restrictor constructed and arranged to restrict the fluid passageway; the impeller shell having a first surface and the turbine-piston shell comprising a turbine-piston flange having a second surface facing the first surface and axially displaceable toward and away from the first surface to position the torque converter into and out of lockup mode; the restrictor comprising an annular restrictor plate extending radially outwardly between the first surface of the impeller shell and the second surface of the turbine-piston flange of the turbine-piston shell and having at least one passage restricting hydraulic fluid flow between the torus chamber and the environment outside the torque converter.