Torque converter lockup clutch backing plate
AssigneeAllison Transmission, Inc.
InventorsJezrah Horen, Michael Rietdorf, Thinh Nguyen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A backing plate assembly includes a front cover and a rear cover. The front cover defines an inner surface and a front plane, and the rear cover terminates at a lip. A backing plate forms a body having an outer surface that terminates at a base portion. When the outer surface is coupled to the inner surface, the backing plate is rotationally but not axially coupled to the front cover. The lip contacts the base portion to define a maximum axial distance between the backing plate and the front plane.
Claims17
A method of assembling a torque converter with a lockup clutch, comprising:
- providing a front cover, a piston, a clutch assembly, a backing plate, and a rear cover;
- positioning the piston, clutch assembly, and backing plate at least partially within an interior region defined by the front cover;
- positioning the rear cover at least partially within the front cover to contact a lip of the backing plate;
- and
- coupling the rear cover to the front cover, wherein an axial spacing of the rear cover relative to the front cover determines the spacing of the backing plate from the front cover;
- further comprising aligning backing plate splines, defined on the backing plate with front cover splines defined in the front cover, during the positioning step.
A method for setting a torque converter lockup clutch clearance during assembly of a torque converter, comprising:
- providing a front cover partially defining an interior region, a piston, a clutch assembly, a backing plate, and a rear cover;
- placing the piston and clutch assembly, in the interior region of the front cover;
- aligning backing splines with front cover splines and placing the backing plate in the interior region of the front cover;
- positioning the rear cover partially within the front cover so the rear cover contacts the backing plate;
- moving the rear cover axially away from the front cover;
- and
- coupling the rear cover to the front cover.
A method of assembling a torque converter assemby, comprising:
- placing a nose hub on a build table so an axis of rotation is perpendicular to a level surface of the build table;
- axially aligning a front cover with the nose hub and placing the front cover onto the nose hub;
- coupling the front cover to the nose hub;
- placing a piston and at least one clutch component into the front cover;
- placing a damper in the front cover in alignment with the clutch component;
- aligning a backing plate with splines in the front cover and placing the backing plate into the front cover;
- placing a first bearing onto a back portion of the nose hub;
- axially aligning a turbine assembly with the nose hub and placing the turbine assembly against the first bearing;
- placing a second bearing onto a hub of the turbine assembly;
- axially aligning a stator assembly with the nose hub and placing the stator assembly on the second bearing;
- placing a third bearing onto a hub of the stator assembly;
- axially aligning a rear cover with the nose hub and placing the rear cover onto the third bearing;
- and
- setting clearances for a clutch assembly by lifting the rear cover a desired distance away from the front cover before coupling the rear cover to the front cover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.