JP2008240892A - Stator unit for torque converter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress the occurrence of skew and prevent plastic deformation and damage of a garter spring. <P>SOLUTION: The stator unit for a torque converter includes a one-way clutch 10 equipped with an outer ring 5 for supporting a stator 22, an impeller 22, and a turbine 23 of a torque converter by thrust bearings 7, 8 and is fixed to an inner diameter part of the stator 22, an inner ring 4 that can be fixed to an outer periphery of a stator shaft 3, a plurality of sprags 11, and a garter spring 12 provided on one end side in the axial direction of the sprags 11, wherein the one-way clutch 10 is inserted in the inner diameter part of the stator 22 by side plates 1, 2. A recessed part 15 is formed in the side plate 1 on one end side in the axial direction, and the garter spring 12 is stored inside the recessed part 15. By the recessed part 15, skew of the sprags 11 is suppressed by narrowing a minimum gap w1 between a sprag 11 and the side plate 1 without narrowing a width w2 for storing the garter spring 12, and plastic deformation and damage of the garter spring 12 is prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a stator unit incorporated in a torque converter of an automobile.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the torque converter includes an impeller 21 connected to an output shaft of an engine and a turbine 23 connected to an input shaft of a transmission, which are opposed to each other and fixed to a stator shaft 3 fixed to a casing. A stator 22 is attached via the directional clutch 10.

  When the stator 22 returns the fluid recirculated between the impeller blade 21b and the turbine blade 23b each formed in a bowl shape to the impeller 21 side from the turbine 23 side at the position on the inner diameter side, the flow direction of the fluid And the forward torque is applied to the impeller 21 to amplify the transmission torque.

  The one-way clutch 10 is disposed along an annular space between the outer ring 5 coupled to the stator hub 22d of the stator 22, the inner ring 4 coupled to the stator shaft 3, and both the inner and outer wheels 4 and 5. The sprag 11 is composed of a plurality of sprags 11 and an annular retainer 6 that holds the sprags 11. The one-way clutch 10 allows the stator 22 to rotate only in one direction with respect to the stator shaft 3.

  The outer ring 5 is pre-heat treated, and the outer ring 5 and the retainer 6 are respectively supported at one end in the axial direction by the end wall 22e of the stator hub 22d, and the other end in the axial direction of the outer ring 5 and the retainer 6 is The pressure plate 24 is pressed from the outside. The outer ring 5 and the retainer 6 are sandwiched between the end wall 22e and the pressing plate 24 and supported by the stator hub 22d.

  Further, thrust bearings 7 and 8 are assembled between the stator 22 and the impeller 21 and between the stator 22 and the turbine 23, respectively, to support an axial load applied to the stator 22.

  In the torque converter stator unit shown in FIG. 6, an outer ring 5, an inner ring 4 and a sprag 11 are fixed to the inner diameter portion of the stator hub 22d by annular side plates 1 and 2 disposed on both sides in the axial direction of the sprag 11. Is.

In the torque converter stator unit, the thrust bearings 7 and 8 are provided along the axially outer surfaces 1b and 2b of the side plates 1 and 2, respectively.
The thrust bearings 7 and 8 are composed of a raceway ring 7a and 8a, rollable rollers 7b and 8b provided radially to the raceway ring 7a and 8a, and the raceway rings 7a and 8a and 7b. , 8b and stakings 7d, 8d, etc., and the axially outer surfaces 1b, 2b of the side plates 1, 2 are raceway surfaces on which the rollers 7b, 8b roll, respectively. It has become.

In addition, as what provided the side plate for fixing a one-way clutch to the internal diameter part of a stator hub, there exist a thing of patent document 1 and patent document 2, for example.
JP 2001-323985 A JP 2004-132526 A

  In these torque converter stator units, as shown in FIG. 6, when a garter spring 12 for urging each sprag 11 is provided on the right side (one axial end side) of the sprag 11, the left side (the other axial end side). ) Of the side plate 2 of the side plate 2 and the sprag 11 are in contact with each other, and the sprags 11 are in a skewed state (the sprag is in the one-way clutch) by the tension between the side plates 1 and 2 based on the contact force. In a state of being inclined in the circumferential direction with respect to the axial direction of.

However, in this structure, since a relatively wide gap w1 is formed between the sprag 11 and the side plate 1 on the side where the garter spring 12 is disposed, the sprag 11 is interposed by the space A in the gap w1 portion. However, there is a problem that the device tends to be in a skew state.
Further, when the skew occurs, an axial force (an axial compressive force received from the sprag 11 and the side plate 1) is directly applied to the garter spring 12.
When such an axial force is applied to the garter spring 12, if the axial force is significant, the garter spring 12 may be plastically deformed and possibly damaged. For this reason, it is desirable to suppress the occurrence of skew.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to suppress the occurrence of skew and prevent plastic deformation and breakage of the garter spring due to the skew.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a stator disposed between an impeller of a torque converter and a turbine, a one-way clutch disposed between the stator and the stator shaft, and the stator and impeller. And a thrust bearing respectively disposed between the turbine and the turbine, wherein the one-way clutch includes an outer ring fixed to an inner diameter portion of the stator, an inner ring that can be fixed to an outer periphery of the stator shaft, and an inner ring of the outer ring. A plurality of sprags arranged along the circumferential direction between the peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring are inserted into the inner diameter portion of the stator by side plates arranged on both sides in the axial direction of the sprag, Torque converter stator with a garter spring that urges the inner ring and the outer ring in a direction to engage the inner ring and the outer ring on one end side in the axial direction of the sprag. In Tsu DOO, said axial end side a recess in the axially inner side of the side plate of employing the configuration to accommodate the garter spring within its recess.

According to this configuration, when the garter spring enters the concave portion of the side plate, the space between the sprag and the side plate other than the portion storing the garter spring is reduced without reducing the width (axial width) of the space storing the garter spring. The minimum gap can be reduced.
For this reason, the skew of the sprag can be suppressed, and the plastic deformation and breakage of the garter spring can be prevented.

  Further, since the garter spring enters the concave portion of the side plate, the axial dimension of the stator unit can be reduced without reducing the diameter of the garter spring (the diameter of the coil constituting the garter spring).

  In the above configuration, the concave portion may be provided only in a portion that stores the garter spring, but the concave portion may face the inner diameter side edge of the side plate. If the recess reaches the edge on the inner diameter side of the side plate, the garter spring can be easily housed in the recess when the one-way clutch is fixed to the inner diameter portion of the stator by the side plate.

In addition, an inclined surface that gradually inclines outward in the axial direction toward the outer diameter side is formed on the end surface on the one axial end side of the sprag, and the garter spring is locked to the inclined surface, and the outer surface of the recess is A configuration in which the end portion on the radial side is closer to the outer diameter side than the locking position of the garter spring to the sprag can be adopted.
With this configuration, the garter spring can be prevented from biting into the concave portion of the side plate.

  In each of the above configurations, the thrust bearing may include a roller in contact with an axially outer side surface of each side plate, and the roller may be provided on the outer diameter side of the recess.

  According to this configuration, the axial force acting on the side plate through the thrust bearing is less likely to act on the portion of the side plate provided with the recess. For this reason, there is no shortage of strength due to the concave portions provided in the side plates against the axial force inside the torque converter.

  According to the present invention, the garter spring enters the concave portion provided in the side plate, thereby suppressing the sprag skew, preventing the garter spring from being plastically deformed and broken, and reducing the axial dimension of the stator unit. can do.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
This embodiment is a stator unit used by being incorporated between an impeller 21 of a torque converter 20 and a turbine 23. The main configuration of the torque converter 20 is the same as that of the conventional configuration shown in FIG. 5 except for the portions related to the one-way clutch 10 and the side plates 1 and 2. The impeller 21, the turbine 23, and the like are not shown.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the stator unit has a stator 22 having a stator hub 22d at its inner diameter, a one-way clutch 10 disposed between the stator 22 and the stator shaft 3, and the stator hub 22d. And thrust bearings 7 and 8 disposed between the stator hub 22d and the turbine 23, respectively.

  The one-way clutch 10 is disposed along an outer ring 5 that is rotatably fixed together with the stator hub 22d, an inner ring 4 that is fixed to the stator shaft 3 by spline coupling, and an annular space between the outer ring 5 and the inner ring 4. A plurality of sprags 11 and a garter spring 12 that urges the sprags 11 in a direction to engage the outer ring 5 and the inner ring 4 are formed.

  The sprag 11 is formed with an inner diameter side cam surface 11d and an outer diameter side cam surface 11u that are in contact with the inner ring 4 and the outer ring 5, respectively. The sprag 11 rotates around the axis and changes its posture. Engagement / disengagement is performed between the outer peripheral surface 4d of the inner ring 4 and the inner peripheral surface 5u of the outer ring 5, and torque transmission / interruption between the inner ring 4 and the outer ring 5 is performed by the engagement / disengagement.

  The inner ring 4, the sprag 11, the garter spring 12, the outer ring 5 and the like constituting the one-way clutch 10 are sandwiched from both sides in the axial direction by side plates 1 and 2 that are press-fitted and fixed to the inner diameter portion of the stator hub 22d. The two side plates 1 and 2 are integrally held so as not to be separated from the stator 22.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the both side plates 1 and 2 have axially inner side surfaces 1a and 2a, respectively, which are axially opposite end surfaces 22a and 22b of the projection 22c provided on the stator hub 22d and the outer ring 5. It is fixed to the stator 22 in a state of being in contact with both axial end surfaces 5a and 5b.
Further, the inner peripheral surface and the axial inner side surfaces 1a and 2a of the both side plates 1 and 2 are respectively relative to the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 4 and the axial both end surfaces 4a and 4b of the protrusion 4c provided on the inner ring 4. Adhering in a rotatable state.

  Each of the thrust bearings 7 and 8 has the outer side surfaces 1b and 2b of the side plates 1 and 2 that are press-fitted and fixed to the stator hub 22d as raceway surfaces, and rolling rollers 7b and 8b on the raceway surfaces in the radial direction. Are arranged in large numbers.

The rollers 7b, 8b are held in the circumferential direction and the radial direction by the cages 7c, 7c, and the rollers 7b, 8b and the cages 7c, 8c are inward claws 7e, 8e is held together with the races 7a and 8a and is held by stakings 7d and 8d that are press-fitted into the inner diameter portion of the stator hub 22d in order to prevent falling off in the axial direction.
The configuration of the thrust bearings 7 and 8 is not limited to this embodiment, and for example, a configuration of a thrust bearing without the bearing rings 7a and 8a may be employed.

  An oil groove 34 extending in the axial direction is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the side plate 1 on the right side (one axial end side) shown in FIG. Yes. Since an oil passage is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring 4 via the oil groove 34, oil can flow through the inside and outside of the side plate 1.

Moreover, the recessed part 15 is continuously formed in the axial direction inner surface 1a of the side plate 1 of the axial direction one end side over the perimeter. As shown in FIG. 3, the concave portion 15 is provided in a range from the inner diameter side edge of the side plate 1 to the middle between the inner diameter side edge and the outer diameter side edge of the side plate 1.
Moreover, the outer diameter side end of the concave portion 15 is a stepped portion 15a that protrudes inward in the axial direction (the other end side in the axial direction) toward the outer diameter side.

  Further, a recess 16 is also formed in the axially outer side surface 1b of the side plate 1 on one axial end side. In this recess 16, the race ring 7 a of the thrust bearing 7 enters.

In addition, a plurality of oil grooves 31 are formed radially on the inner side surface 2a in the axial direction of the side plate 2 on the left side (the other end side in the axial direction) in the drawing (see FIGS. 2A and 2B).
Furthermore, an oil groove 32 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the side plate 2 along the entire length of the side plate 2 in the thickness direction. An oil passage is formed between the oil groove 32 and the inner peripheral surface of the stator hub 22d.

Further, the oil passage formed by the oil groove 32 communicates with the oil passage formed by the oil groove 33 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the staking 8d or the inner peripheral surface of the stator hub 22d. The oil groove 33 may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the staking 8d, or may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the stator hub 22d.
In this embodiment, the oil groove 31 formed in the radial direction communicates with the oil groove 32 on the outer peripheral side.

  The oil passages formed by these oil grooves 34, 31, 32, 33 are supplied with oil to the one-way clutch 10, via the space between the inner and outer rings 4, 5, the stator 22, each shaft, and the turbine. It is possible to secure an oil passage between the 23.

  Moreover, the recessed part 16 is formed in the axial direction outer surface 2b of the side plate 2 of the axial direction other end side similarly to the side plate 1 of the axial direction one end side. In this recess 16, the race ring 8 a of the thrust bearing 8 enters.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the arrangement state of the sprags 11 of the one-way clutch 10 in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the sprag 11 is formed with a recess 13 on the end face on one end side in the axial direction from the middle in the radial direction of the end face to the cam face 11d on the inner diameter side.
The concave portion 13 has an inclined surface 13a that gradually expands outward in the axial direction as it goes toward the outer diameter side, and a portion closer to the inner diameter side is a skirt of the inclined surface 13a. The flat bottom surface extends in parallel with the side plate 1 from the portion to the inner diameter side to the inner diameter side edge.

  Further, a recess 14 is formed on the end surface of the sprag 11 on the other end side in the axial direction from the middle in the radial direction of the end surface to the outer cam surface 11u. The concave portion 14 has an inclined surface in which the portion closer to the inner diameter side gradually expands outward in the axial direction toward the inner diameter side, and the portion closer to the outer diameter side extends from the hem portion of the inclined surface. The flat bottom surface extends in parallel with the bottom surface of the concave portion 13 on the one axial end side toward the outer diameter side.

  The garter spring 12 is loaded between the concave portion 15 of the side plate 1 on one end side in the axial direction and the concave portion 13 of each sprag 11 and is locked to the inclined surface 13 a of each sprag 11. In this locked state, as shown in FIG. 1C, the outer diameter surface of the garter spring 12 and the step portion 15a are separated by a distance e. For this reason, the garter spring 12 is retained only by the sprag 11 and is not retained by the step portion 15 a of the recess 15.

  That is, by fitting the garter spring 12 in the recess 13, the garter spring 12 urges each sprag 11 in the engagement direction with the inner and outer rings 4, 5 through the inclined surface 13 a and has an outer diameter. Energize to the side. By this urging, the outer diameter side cam surface 11 u of the sprag 11 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface 5 u of the outer ring 5 so as to be pressed.

  Further, the sprag 11 is urged toward the other end side in the axial direction by the garter spring 12 so that the end portion on the other end side in the axial direction of the sprag 11 is pressed against the side plate 2 on the other end side in the axial direction. Abut. The sprags 11 and the garter springs 12 are held at the positions between the both side plates 1 and 2 by the tension to both the plates 1 and 2.

  At this time, the concave portion 15 of the side plate 1 faces the concave portion 13 of the sprag 11, and the gap w2 between the opposite concave portions 13 and 15 between the bottom surface of the concave portion 13 and the bottom surface of the concave portion 15 of the side plate 1 is It is larger than the diameter d of the coil constituting the garter spring 12.

For this reason, the garter spring 12 enters the concave portion 15 of the side plate 1 and the concave portion 13 of the sprag 11 so that the width w2 of the space in which the garter spring 12 is accommodated is not reduced, and the garter spring 12 is accommodated. In addition, the minimum gap w1 between the sprag 11 and the side plate 1 on the outer diameter side can be reduced.
Since the minimum gap w1 is narrowed, the skew of the sprag 11 can be suppressed and the plastic deformation and breakage of the garter spring 12 accompanying the skew can be prevented.

  Further, since the garter spring 12 enters the recess 15 of the side plate 1, the axial dimension of the stator unit can be reduced without reducing the diameter d of the coil constituting the garter spring 12.

  Further, the concave portion 15 is provided so that the roller 7b of the thrust bearing 7 is located on the inner diameter side of the portion in contact with the side plate 1 on the one axial end side. For this reason, the axial force acting on the side plate 1 through the thrust bearing 7 does not reach the portion of the side plate 1 provided with the recess 15. For this reason, it is possible to prevent insufficient strength due to the concave portions 15 provided in the side plate 1 against the axial force inside the torque converter.

In this embodiment, the inner diameter side cam surface 11d of the sprag 11 is formed to have the same axial width as the outer diameter side cam surface 11u, and the inner diameter side cam surface 11d is more axial than the outer diameter side cam surface 11u. Although it is configured to be offset to the other end side in the direction, it is possible to employ sprags 11 having other shapes.
For example, a sprag 11 in which the axial positions of the inner diameter side cam surface 11d and the outer diameter side cam surface 11u are matched may be used.

Moreover, although the said recessed part 13 provided in the end surface of the axial direction one end of the sprag 11 is good also as the state open | released to the internal-diameter side of the sprag 11 as mentioned above, the shape of the recessed part 13 is appropriate by the garter spring 12 It is free as long as it can obtain the biasing force.
For this reason, for example, the recess 13 is provided only in the middle between the inner diameter side edge and the outer diameter side edge on the end surface of the sprag 11 in the axial direction, and the recess 13 is formed on the inner diameter side of the sprag 11. You may make it not open.

  Moreover, the position of the recess 15 provided in the side plate 1 on the one end side in the axial direction is set on the inner diameter side of the portion where the roller 7b of the thrust bearing 7 is in contact with the side plate 1 on the one end side in the axial direction. However, as long as the strength of the side plate 1 can be ensured, a configuration in which the radial position of the roller 7b of the thrust bearing 7 and the radial position of the recess 15 are overlapped may be employed.

The stator unit of one Embodiment is shown, (a) is a front view, (b) is a principal part enlarged view of (a), (c) is a principal part enlarged view of (b). It is detail drawing of a side plate, (a) is a top view, (b) is bb sectional drawing of (a). It is detail drawing of a side plate, (a) is a top view, (b) is a sectional view Fig. 1 is an enlarged side view of the main part showing details of the one-way clutch in Fig. 1. Cutting front view showing a conventional torque converter The stator unit of a prior art example is shown, (a) is a front view, (b) is the principal part enlarged view of (a).

Explanation of symbols

1, 2 Side plate 4 Inner ring 4d Outer peripheral surface 4c, 22c Protrusion 5 Outer ring 5u Inner peripheral surface 7, 8 Thrust bearing 7a, 8a Bearing ring 7b, 8b Roller 7c, 8c Cage 7d, 8d Staking 10 One-way clutch 11 Sprag 11u outer diameter side cam surface 11d inner diameter side cam surface 12 garter springs 13, 14, 15, 16 recess 13a inclined surface 15a stepped portion 21 impeller 21a impeller hub 21b impeller blade 22 stator 22a stator hub 23 turbine 23a turbine hubs 31, 32, 33, 34 Oil groove

Claims (4)

A stator 22 disposed between the impeller 21 of the torque converter and the turbine 23, a one-way clutch 10 disposed between the stator 22 and the stator shaft 3, and the stator 22, the impeller 21 and the turbine 23; Thrust bearings 7 and 8 disposed between them,
The one-way clutch 10 includes an outer ring 5 fixed to the inner diameter portion of the stator 22, an inner ring 4 that can be fixed to the outer periphery of the stator shaft 3, an inner peripheral surface 5 u of the outer ring 5, and an outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 4. A plurality of sprags 11 arranged along the circumferential direction between the sprags 4d are inserted into the inner diameter portion of the stator 22 by side plates 1 and 2 arranged on both sides of the sprag 11 in the axial direction. A torque converter stator unit comprising a sprag 11 on one end side in the axial direction of the sprag 11.
A torque converter stator unit, wherein a recess 15 is formed in an axially inner side surface 1 a of the side plate 1 on one end side in the axial direction, and the garter spring 12 is housed in the recess 15.   The torque converter stator unit according to claim 1, wherein the concave portion 15 faces an inner diameter side edge of the side plate 1 on one axial end side.   An inclined surface 13a that gradually expands outward in the axial direction toward the outer diameter side is formed on the end surface on one axial end side of the sprag 11, and the garter spring 12 is locked to the inclined surface 13a, and the concave portion 3. The torque converter stator unit according to claim 1, wherein an end 15 a on the outer diameter side of 15 is positioned closer to the outer diameter side than a position where the garter spring 12 is locked to the sprag 11.   The thrust bearings 7 and 8 are provided with rollers 7b and 8b in contact with the axially outer surfaces 1b and 2b of the side plates 1 and 2, respectively, and the rollers 7b and 8b are provided on the outer diameter side of the recess 15. A stator unit for a torque converter according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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