Integrated clutch systems for torque converters of vehicle powertrains

A motor vehicle, comprising:

• an internal combustion engine with an engine output shaft;
• a multi-speed power transmission having transmission input and output shafts;
• a final drive system connecting the transmission output shaft to a plurality of drive wheels;
• and a torque converter assembly operatively connecting the internal combustion engine with the power transmission, the torque converter assembly comprising:
• a torque converter (TC) housing with a pump shell fixedly attached to a front cover to internally define therebetween a fluid chamber;
• an impeller with impeller blades rotatable inside the fluid chamber, the impeller blades projecting from the pump shell and operatively connected to the engine output shaft via the front cover;
• a turbine with turbine blades rotatable inside the fluid chamber, the turbine including a turbine shell operatively connected to the transmission input shaft via a TC output shaft;
• a torque converter clutch (TCC) disposed inside the TC housing, the TCC including a clutch plate coupled to the TC output shaft, the TCC being selectively actuable to lock the pump shell to the TC output shaft;
• a torsional damper assembly disposed inside the TC housing and coupled to the TCC, the damper assembly being configured to dampen vibrations transmitted by the TCC;
• and a passive-type one-way clutch (OWC) disposed inside the TC housing between the pump shell and front cover and coupled to the damper assembly and the TC output shaft, the OWC including concentric inner and outer races with a plurality of rollers, sprags, pawls, and/or struts rotatably coupling the inner race to the outer race, the inner race being integrally formed with a damper tang of the damper assembly for common rotation therewith, and the outer race being rigidly secured to the turbine for common rotation therewith, wherein the OWC is configured to automatically drivingly connect the turbine shell to the TC output shaft and the torsional damper assembly when positive torque is being transferred from the turbine to the TC output shaft, and configured to automatically drivingly disconnect the turbine shell from the TC output shaft and the torsional damper assembly when the torque reverses direction.

A method of constructing a hydrokinetic torque converter assembly configured to operatively connect an engine with a power transmission of a motor vehicle, the engine having an engine output shaft, and the transmission having a transmission input shaft, the method comprising:

• attaching an impeller with impeller blades to a torque converter (TC) housing with an internal fluid chamber such that the impeller blades are rotatable within the fluid chamber, the impeller being configured to operatively connect to the engine output shaft;
• attaching a turbine with turbine blades to the TC housing such that the turbine blades are rotatable within the fluid chamber, the turbine being configured to operatively connect to the transmission input shaft via a TC output shaft;
• attaching a torque converter clutch (TCC) to the TC output shaft within the TC housing, the TCC being selectively actuable to lock the impeller to the TC output shaft;
• attaching a damper assembly to the TCC within the TC housing, the damper assembly being configured to dampen vibrations transmitted by the TCC;
• and attaching a disconnect device to the damper assembly and the TC output shaft within the TC housing, the disconnect device including a one-way clutch (OWC) with concentric inner and outer races and a plurality of rollers, sprags, pawls, and/or struts rotatably coupling the inner race to the outer race, the inner race being integrally formed with a damper tang of the damper assembly for common rotation therewith, and the outer race being rigidly secured to the turbine for common rotation therewith, the disconnect device being configured to drivingly connect the turbine to the TC output shaft and the damper assembly when torque is being transferred from the turbine to the TC output shaft in a first direction, and configured to drivingly disconnect the turbine from the TC output shaft and the damper assembly when the torque reverses to a second direction.