JP2008121709A - Fluid transmission device and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

In a conventional fluid transmission device, a hob or the like is used for the outer peripheral end of a turbine hub in order to spline-fit the outer peripheral end of a turbine hub and the inner peripheral end of a driven plate of a damper device. Processing has to be performed, and there is a drawback that the manufacturing cost is increased.
An input-side rotating element A to which an input member is connected, a turbine shell 22 that holds a turbine blade 21, and a turbine hub 15 that has an outer peripheral end connected to an inner peripheral end of the turbine shell 22, An output side rotating element B to which an output member is coupled to the turbine hub 15, and a lockup piston which is coupled to the output side rotating element B via a spline joint and can be integrally connected to the input side rotating element A. The torque converter 10 according to the present invention including the lockup clutch device C including 17 has a male spline portion 22a in which the turbine shell 22 of the output side rotating element B defines one of the spline joints.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a fluid transmission device incorporating a lock-up clutch device and a method for manufacturing the fluid transmission device.

  While a fluid transmission device such as a torque converter incorporated between the engine and the transmission can reduce the torque fluctuation of the engine and transmit it to the transmission side, a loss due to intervening fluid occurs, It has the disadvantage of causing a reduction in fuel consumption. For this reason, it is common practice to incorporate a lock-up clutch device that can integrally connect an input-side rotating element and an output-side rotating element in a fluid transmission device in a high-speed region of an engine with little torque fluctuation. .

  When the input-side rotating element and the output-side rotating element are brought into a direct connection state by this lock-up clutch device, the vibration accompanying the torque fluctuation of the input member is transmitted to the output-side rotating element, and there is a concern that riding comfort may deteriorate in a vehicle or the like. is there. For this reason, the damper device is usually incorporated in the lockup clutch device so that the torque fluctuation generated in the input side rotating element is not transmitted to the output side rotating element. This damper device allows relative rotation between the lock-up piston integrated with the input-side rotating element and the turbine hub of the output-side rotating element connected to an output member such as a transmission. The spring member is elastically deformable along the direction.

  An example of a fluid transmission device having such a lock-up clutch device and a damper device is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the fluid transmission device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the outer peripheral end portion of the turbine hub and the inner peripheral end portion of the driven plate of the damper device are spline-fitted. Therefore, the power from the lockup piston of the lockup clutch device in the connected state is transmitted to the turbine hub via the drive plate, the spring member, and the driven plate of the damper device.

JP-A-8-233066

  In a conventional fluid transmission device having a lockup clutch device incorporating a damper device, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the outer peripheral end portion of the turbine hub and the inner peripheral end portion of the driven plate of the damper device are splined. Must be mated. For this reason, it is necessary to perform gear cutting using a hob or the like on the outer peripheral end of the turbine hub, or to perform drawing processing using a broach or the like on the inner peripheral end of the driven plate. Has bulky drawbacks.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid transmission device and a manufacturing method thereof that can eliminate the need to form a spline by cutting at the outer peripheral end of a turbine hub and reduce the manufacturing cost thereof.

  A first aspect of the present invention includes an input-side rotating element to which an input member is connected, a turbine shell for holding a turbine blade, and a turbine hub having an outer peripheral end connected to an inner peripheral end of the turbine shell, A lock including an output-side rotating element to which an output member is coupled to the turbine hub, and a lock-up piston coupled to the output-side rotating element via a spline joint and integrally connected to the input-side rotating element. A fluid transmission device including an up-clutch device, wherein the turbine shell of the output-side rotating element has a male spline portion that defines one of the spline joints.

  In the present invention, when the lockup clutch device is not connected, the rotational driving force of the input member is transmitted from the input side rotational element to the output side rotational element and the output member via the fluid. In this case, the lock-up clutch device rotates together with the turbine shell through the spline joint. On the other hand, when the lock-up clutch device shifts to the connected state, the lock-up piston is integrated with the input-side rotating element, so that the rotational driving force of the input member is output from the lock-up piston through the spline joint. It is transmitted to the side rotation element and the output member.

  In addition, the “spline joint” described in the claims and in this specification includes teeth and tooth grooves alternately formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft at equal intervals, and alternately on the inner peripheral surface of the hole. One or more irregularities that engage with each other are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft and the inner peripheral surface of the hole, as well as those that mesh the formed tooth gaps and teeth and transmit rotational power. By this, it is intended to include all of the configurations that enable transmission of rotational power.

  In the fluid transmission device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the male spline portion may be formed by pressing the turbine shell. In this case, a male spline part can be formed in the outer peripheral side rather than the connection part of a turbine shell and a turbine hub.

  The lockup clutch device includes a first rotating element that forms a female spline part that fits into a male spline part of the turbine shell, a second rotating element that is coupled to the lockup piston, and the first and second The damper device may further include an elastically deformable element that is disposed across the rotating elements and that allows these relative rotations and elastically deforms in accordance with the relative rotations.

  The male spline portion of the turbine shell may have a radial through-hole that opens to the tooth tip surface.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fluid transmission device manufacturing method according to the first aspect of the present invention, comprising a step of press-molding a male spline portion of a turbine shell.

  In the present invention, when the turbine shell is press-molded, the male spline portion is simultaneously press-molded.

  In the method for manufacturing a fluid transmission device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the turbine shell may further include a step of press-forming a connecting portion with the turbine hub, and the connecting step after the step of press-forming the male spline portion. It is desirable to perform the step of press forming the part.

  According to the fluid transmission device of the first aspect of the present invention, the turbine shell of the output side rotating element has the male spline portion that defines one of the spline joints with respect to the lockup clutch device. It is no longer necessary to form a part.

  When the male spline part is formed by pressing the turbine shell, the male spline part can also be formed during the pressing process of the turbine shell, and the processing cost can be reduced.

  A first rotating element that forms a female spline part that fits into the male spline part of the turbine shell, a second rotating element that is coupled to the lock-up piston, and straddling the first and second rotating elements. When the lock-up clutch device further includes a damper device that is disposed and allows a relative rotation of the damper device and an elastically deformable element that elastically deforms with the relative rotation. Torque fluctuations from the member can be absorbed by the damper device, and a smoother rotational driving force can be transmitted to the output member side.

  In the case where the male spline portion of the turbine shell has a radial through-hole that opens to its tip surface, the fluid intervening in the fluid transmission device is transferred to the outer peripheral surface of the male spline portion of the turbine shell and the first rotating element of the damper device. It can supply to the clearance gap between the inner peripheral surfaces of the female spline part. As a result, along with the operation of the lock-up clutch device, wear of these fitting portions can be suppressed when the first rotating element moves relative to the turbine shell along the direction parallel to the rotation axis of the fluid transmission device. .

  According to the method for manufacturing a fluid transmission device of the present invention, since the male spline part of the turbine shell is provided with a step of pressing, the male spline part can be simultaneously pressed during the molding process of the turbine shell to be pressed. Thus, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs by omitting time-consuming and labor-consuming cutting.

  When pressing the connecting portion with the turbine hub on the turbine shell after pressing the male spline portion, the male spline portion can be processed easily and with high accuracy.

  An embodiment in which a fluid transmission device according to the present invention is applied to a vehicle torque converter will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and any change or modification included in the concept of the present invention described in the claims is possible, and any other technology belonging to the spirit of the present invention is possible. It should be understood that the present invention can naturally be applied.

  FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional structure (upper half) of the torque converter in the present embodiment. That is, the torque converter 10 according to the present embodiment is integrally connected to the input side rotating element A including the pump impeller 11 and the front cover 12, the turbine runner 13, and the inner peripheral end of the turbine runner 13 via the rivets 14. And an output-side rotating element B including the turbine hub 15 and a lock-up clutch device C including a lock-up piston 17 having a friction plate 16 pressed against the front cover 12 joined to an outer peripheral end portion. The lockup clutch device C further includes a damper device D that is disposed across the lockup piston 17 and the turbine runner 13. In the present embodiment, in a disconnected state where the lockup clutch device C is not operated, power is transmitted from the pump impeller 11 of the input side rotating element A to the turbine runner 13 of the output side rotating element B via fluid. On the other hand, in the connected state in which the lock-up clutch device C is operated, the turbine hub 15 of the output-side rotating element B is passed from the front cover 12 of the input-side rotating element A via the lock-up clutch device C without passing fluid. Power is transmitted to the.

  The pump impeller 11 described above has a blade 18 and an annular pump shell 19 having the blade 18 attached to the inside. In addition to the pump impeller 11, the input side rotating element A has a disk shape in which a pump shell 19 is joined at an outer peripheral edge portion, and a drive plate connected to a crankshaft of an engine (not shown) as an input member is screwed. The front cover 12 and an extension sleeve 20 whose outer peripheral edge is joined to the inner peripheral edge of the pump shell 19 are further included.

  The turbine runner 13 of the output side rotating element B is opposed to the pump impeller 11 and includes a blade 21 and a turbine shell 22 that holds the blade 21. The previous rivet 14 integrally connects the inner peripheral end of the turbine shell 22 and the outer peripheral side of the turbine hub 15. The output-side rotating element B has a transmission (not shown) as an output member, for example, an automatic transmission (AT) using a plurality of planetary gear devices, a pair of pulleys capable of changing the groove width, and an endless coil wound around them. An input shaft of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) using a belt is connected. In the present embodiment, a female spline 15a is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the turbine hub 15, and a male spline formed on the outer peripheral surface of the transmission input shaft is fitted therein.

  A cylindrical hub portion 17a that protrudes toward the turbine hub 15 side (left side in FIG. 1) is formed at the radially inner end of the lockup piston 17, and torque is applied to the step portion 15b formed on the turbine hub 15. The converter 10 is slidably fitted along a direction parallel to the rotation axis 10 a of the converter 10. An oil seal 23 is mounted between the step portion 15b of the turbine hub 15 and the inner peripheral surface of the hub portion 17a of the lockup piston 17 to seal a gap therebetween.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the hub portion 17a of the lockup piston 17 is slidably fitted to the step portion 15b of the turbine hub 15, but this is attached to the shaft end portion of the transmission input shaft. You may make it slidably fit.

  The lock-up clutch device C having the lock-up piston 17 can integrally connect the lock-up piston 17 to the input side rotation element A. More specifically, the lockup piston 17 is opposed to the front cover 12, that is, the rotation of the torque converter 10 due to the differential pressure of the hydraulic oil that is interposed in the torque converter 10 and applied to both end faces of the lockup piston 17. It can be displaced along a direction parallel to the axis 10a.

  In this case, in a region where the vehicle speed is relatively low, the lock-up piston 17 is displaced toward the turbine hub 15 so that the front cover 12 and the friction plate 16 of the lock-up piston 17 are not in contact, that is, the lock-up clutch device C is not engaged. Control the connection status. As a result, the power from the input side rotating element A is transmitted to the output side rotating element B in a state where the torque is enhanced via the hydraulic oil. Normally, such a non-connected state of the lockup clutch device C is performed in a torque converter operating region where rotation of a stator 24 described later does not occur. Further, in a region where the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the differential pressure of the hydraulic oil loaded on both surfaces of the lockup piston 17 is operated using a hydraulic control device (not shown). As a result, the lockup piston 17 is displaced toward the front cover 12 to bring the friction plate 16 of the lockup piston 17 and the front cover 12 into close contact. As a result, the input side rotating element A and the output side rotating element B are integrally coupled via the lockup clutch device C, and the driving force of the input side rotating element A is transmitted via the lockup clutch device C and the damper device D. Is transmitted to the output side rotation element B. Normally, such a lockup clutch device C is connected in a fluid coupling region in which the rotational speeds of the input-side rotating element A and the output-side rotating element B are approximately equal and the stator 24 starts idling.

  The damper device D of the lockup device C in the present embodiment disposed between the output side rotating element B and the lockup piston 17 is integrated with the lockup piston 17 of the lockup clutch device C via the rivet 25. A pair of drive plates 26 and 27 that form an annular connection, and a female spline 28 that is spline-fitted to a male spline portion 22a formed on the turbine shell 22 are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the hub portion 29a. A driven plate 29 and a plurality of coil spring units 30 disposed across the drive plates 26 and 27 and the driven plate 29 are provided. The coil spring unit 30 according to the present embodiment includes a thick wire diameter outer coil spring 30a having a large spring force and a thin wire diameter inner coil spring 30b having a small spring force.

  A pair of drive plates 26 and 27 serving as the first rotating element of the present invention and a driven plate 29 serving as the second rotating element of the present invention disposed between the pair of drive plates 26 and 27 are for accommodating the coil spring unit 30. Window portions 26a, 27a, and 29b are respectively formed. The widths of the window portions 26a, 27a, 29b along the circumferential direction substantially correspond to the free length of the outer coil spring 30a, and both end surfaces of the outer coil spring 30a are connected to the drive plates 26, 27 and the driven plate 29. It is in the state which contact | abutted to the side end surface of each window part 26a, 27a, 29b which faces along a rotation direction. In the present embodiment, consideration is given to obtain a non-linear spring characteristic by setting the free length of the inner coil spring 30b shorter than the free length of the outer coil spring 30a.

  The lockup piston 17 is parallel to the rotational axis 10a of the torque converter 10 along with the drive plates 26 and 27, the driven plate 29, and the coil spring unit 30 with respect to the turbine hub 15 and the transmission input shaft (left and right direction in FIG. 1). It can be displaced along. Further, power transmission between the drive plates 26 and 27 and the driven plate 29 is performed via the coil spring unit 30. In other words, torque fluctuations generated on the drive plates 26 and 27 side cause relative rotation between the drive plates 26 and 27 and the driven plate 29. At this time, the coil spring unit 30 is compressed and absorbs sudden torque fluctuations. It is like that. In the present embodiment, the outer coil spring 30a is first compressed to enable relative rotation between the drive plates 26 and 27 and the driven plate 29, and the inner coil spring 30b is also compressed when a large torque fluctuation occurs. Non-linear characteristics.

  The drive plate 26 far from the lock-up piston 17 has spring receiving portions 26b for preventing the coil spring unit 30 from coming off from the window portion 26a on the radially inner and outer peripheral sides of the window portion 26a, respectively. Is formed. In the present embodiment, the recess 17b is formed in the lock-up piston 17 so as to surround the coil spring unit 30, so that the recess 17b has the same function as that of the spring receiving portion 26b described above. Accordingly, the coil spring unit 30 is sandwiched between the recess 17b of the lockup piston 17 and the spring receiving portion 26b of the drive plate 26 in a direction parallel to the rotational axis 10a of the torque converter 10.

  A fitting portion between the turbine shell 22 and the driven plate 29 in the present embodiment is extracted and enlarged and shown in FIG. 2, and a cross-sectional structure taken along the line III-III is shown in FIG. That is, on the inner peripheral side of the turbine shell 22 obtained by pressing the sheet metal, a male spline portion 22a extending in a direction parallel to the rotation axis 10a of the torque converter 10 is locked up from the male spline portion 22a. A reinforcing portion 22b that protrudes toward the piston 17 and continues to the connecting portion with the turbine hub 15 by the previous rivet 14 is formed. The entire turbine shell 22 presses the sheet metal so that the outer peripheral surface of the turbine hub 15 is tightly fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the male spline portion 22a and the reinforcing portion 22b is not in contact with the turbine hub 15. It is formed by doing. Thus, by forming the male spline portion 22a on the turbine shell 22 by press working, the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with forming the male spline on the turbine hub 15 by cutting or the like. In this embodiment, the male spline portion 22a includes a gap portion 31 formed between the outer peripheral surface of the turbine hub 15 and the inner peripheral surface of the male spline portion 22a, and the tooth bottom surface of the female spline 28 of the driven plate 29. An open oil hole 32 is formed. Thereby, hydraulic fluid is supplied to the sliding contact part of the male spline part 22a of the turbine shell 22 and the female spline part 29 of the driven plate 29, and the female spline part 29 can slide smoothly with respect to the male spline part 22a. Consideration is taken. In the present embodiment, since the male spline portion 22a is formed by press working, the gap portion 31 can be formed between the outer peripheral surface of the turbine hub 15 and the inner peripheral surface of the male spline portion 22a. The part 31 can be used as a passage for lubrication.

  The torque converter 10 according to this embodiment includes a stator 24 interposed between the turbine runner 13 and the pump impeller 11, a one-way clutch 33 that allows the stator 24 to rotate only in the same direction as the rotation direction of the turbine runner 13, and the like. It also has more.

  The stator 24 held on the transmission case side (not shown) via the one-way clutch 33 causes the hydraulic oil flowing into the turbine runner 13 of the output side rotary element B by the pump impeller 11 of the input side rotary element A again to the pump impeller 11 side. This causes a known torque increase.

  The one-way clutch 33 in the present embodiment is an inner ring in which a female spline 34a that is fitted to a male spline formed at the tip of a support cylinder (not shown) that constitutes a part of a transmission case (not shown) is formed on the inner peripheral surface. 34, an outer ring 35 press-fitted into a clutch holding portion 24a formed on the inner peripheral side of the stator 24, a sprag 36 held between the inner ring 34 and the outer ring 35, and the like. In addition to the one using the sprag 36, the one-way clutch 33 may employ another known structure as appropriate.

  Thrust bearings 37 are interposed between the turbine hub 15 and the extension sleeve 20 and the clutch holding portion 24a of the stator 24, respectively, so that the one-way clutch 33 and the stator 24 can be rotated relative to the extension sleeve 20 and the turbine hub 15. It has become. A similar thrust bearing 38 is also incorporated between the front cover 12 and the turbine hub 15.

  It should be noted that the present invention should be construed only from the matters described in the claims, and in the above-described embodiment, all the changes and modifications included in the concept of the present invention are other than those described. Is possible. That is, all matters in the above-described embodiment are not intended to limit the present invention, and include any configuration not directly related to the present invention. To get.

It is sectional drawing showing the internal structure of one Embodiment which applied the fluid power transmission apparatus by this invention to the torque converter for vehicles, and shows only one side (upper half in a figure) on the boundary of the rotating shaft line. It is an extraction expanded sectional view of the fitting part of the turbine shell in the embodiment shown in Drawing 1, and the driven plate of a damper device. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrow III-III in FIG. 2.

Explanation of symbols

A Input side rotation element B Output side rotation element C Lockup clutch device D Damper device 10 Torque converter 10a Rotating axis 11 Pump impeller 12 Front cover 13 Turbine runner 14 Rivet 15 Turbine hub 16 Friction plate 17 Lockup piston 19 Pump shell 22 Turbine Shell 22a Male spline part 24 Stator 26, 27 Drive plate 26a, 27a Window part 28 Female spline 29 Driven plate 29a Hub part 30 Coil spring unit 31 Cavity part 32 Oil hole 33 One-way clutch

Claims (6)

An input side rotating element to which the input member is coupled;
An output-side rotating element including a turbine shell holding a turbine blade and a turbine hub having an outer peripheral end connected to an inner peripheral end of the turbine shell, and an output member connected to the turbine hub;
A fluid transmission device comprising a lock-up clutch device including a lock-up piston coupled to the output-side rotating element via a spline joint and integrally connected to the input-side rotating element;
The turbine gear of the output side rotation element has a male spline part which defines one side of the spline joint, The fluid transmission device characterized by things.   The fluid transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the male spline portion is formed by pressing the turbine shell.   The lock-up clutch device includes a first rotating element formed with a female spline part that fits into a male spline part of the turbine shell, a second rotating element connected to the lock-up piston, and the first And a damper device having an elastically deformable element that is disposed across the second rotating element and allows the relative rotation thereof and elastically deforms in accordance with the relative rotation. The fluid transmission device according to claim 1 or 2.   The fluid transmission device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the male spline portion of the turbine shell has a radial through-hole opened in a tooth tip surface thereof. A method of manufacturing a fluid transmission device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A method of manufacturing a fluid transmission device, comprising: pressing a male spline portion of a turbine shell.   6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of pressing a connecting portion with the turbine hub on the turbine shell, wherein the step of pressing the connecting portion is performed after the step of pressing the male spline portion. A manufacturing method of the fluid transmission device described.

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