Charging system for a rotating clutch assembly

A clutch assembly and charging system combination for use with a vehicle automatic transmission, the combination comprising:

• a clutch assembly having a clutch that is movable between a clutch engaged position and a clutch disengaged position, a clutch piston that is engageable with the clutch for urging the clutch toward the clutch engaged position, a clutch piston chamber in fluid communication with one side of the clutch piston, and a compensator chamber in fluid communication with an opposite side of the clutch piston;
• a charging system for charging the clutch piston chamber and the compensator chamber, the charging system including a fluid circuit and a high pressure passage arrangement for supplying high pressure oil to the fluid circuit, the fluid circuit including an exhaust backfill portion in fluid communication with the compensator chamber, and a clutch feed portion in fluid communication with the clutch piston chamber, the exhaust backfill portion being adapted to receive exhaust oil from the transmission, the fluid circuit further including a clutch regulator valve disposed between the exhaust backfill portion, the clutch feed portion and the high pressure passage arrangement, and a compensator feed valve disposed between the exhaust backfill portion and the high pressure passage arrangement, the clutch regulator valve being operative to allow exhaust oil to flow from the exhaust backfill portion to the clutch feed portion when the clutch is in the clutch disengaged position, the clutch regulator valve further being operative to allow high pressure oil to flow from the high pressure passage arrangement to the clutch feed portion, while inhibiting flow from the exhaust backfill portion to the clutch feed portion, so as to cause the clutch to move to the clutch engaged position, the compensator feed valve being operative to allow high pressure oil to flow from the high pressure passage arrangement to the exhaust backfill portion when pressure in the exhaust backfill portion falls below a predetermined pressure, and the compensator feed valve further being operative to inhibit flow from the high pressure passage arrangement to the exhaust backfill portion when the pressure in the exhaust backfill portion rises above the predetermined pressure.