Hydrodynamic torque converters with integrated engine disconnect devices of motor vehicle powertrains

A motor vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle body with a plurality of road wheels attached to the vehicle body;
• an internal combustion engine mounted to the vehicle body and including an engine output shaft;
• a multi-speed power transmission mounted to the vehicle body and including transmission input and output shafts, the transmission output shaft being drivingly connected to one or more of the road wheels to thereby propel the motor vehicle;
• 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 drivingly connected to the engine output shaft and defining therein an internal fluid chamber;
• a TC output member attached to the TC housing and drivingly connected to the transmission input shaft;
• a turbine with turbine blades mounted to a turbine shell, the turbine shell being attached to the TC output member and rotatable within the internal fluid chamber;
• an impeller with impeller blades mounted to an impeller shell, the impeller shell being juxtaposed with the turbine shell and rotatable within the internal fluid chamber;
• and
• an engine disconnect device disposed within the internal fluid chamber between the impeller shell and the TC housing, the engine disconnect device including a selectable one-way clutch (SOWC) with coaxial races and multiple torque transmitting elements coupling the coaxial races, the SOWC being selectively actuable to transition between a torque-carrying state and a non-torque carrying state, the engine disconnect device being configured to:
• drivingly couple the impeller to the TC housing and the engine output shaft to thereby transfer torque from the engine to the transmission;
• and
• drivingly decouple the impeller from the TC housing and the engine output shaft to thereby disable torque transfer between the engine and the transmission.

A method of assembling a torque converter assembly for operatively connecting an engine with a transmission, the engine having an engine output member, and the transmission having a transmission input member, the method comprising:

• providing a torque converter (TC) housing defining an internal fluid chamber and configured to drivingly connect to the engine output member;
• inserting a TC output member into the internal fluid chamber of the TC housing, the TC output member being configured to drivingly connect to the transmission input member;
• mounting a turbine in the TC housing such that the turbine is rotatable within the fluid chamber, the turbine including turbine blades mounted to a turbine shell;
• positioning an impeller adjacent the turbine such that the impeller is rotatable within the fluid chamber, the impeller including impeller blades mounted to an impeller shell;
• and
• positioning an engine disconnect device within the internal fluid chamber between the impeller shell and the TC housing, the engine disconnect device including a selectable one-way clutch (SOWC) with coaxial races and multiple torque transmitting elements coupling the coaxial races, the SOWC being selectively actuable to transition between a torque-carrying state and a non-torque carrying state, the engine disconnect device being configured to:
• drivingly couple the impeller to the TC housing and the engine output member to thereby enable torque transfer between the engine and the transmission;
• and
• drivingly decouple the impeller from the TC housing and the engine output member to thereby disable torque transfer between the engine and the transmission.