Stator support structure for torque converter

A torque converter adapted to be used to transmit torque from a power input shaft to an output shaft, said torque converter comprising:

• a front cover adapted to be coupled to the power input;
• an impeller connected to said front cover to form a-hydraulic chamber together with said front cover, said impeller having an impeller hub;
• a turbine disposed opposite said impeller and disposed inside said hydraulic chamber, said turbine having a turbine hub being adapted to be coupled to the output shaft, said front cover and said turbine forming a space therebetween;
• and
• a stator disposed between said impeller and said turbine, said stator having a stator support structure arranged to coupling said stator to a stationary shaft and supporting said stator on said impeller hub and said turbine hub, said stator support structure comprising
• a first support member having a first annular flange and a first thrust receiving portion, said first annular flange being configured to nonrotatably receive a stationary shaft and extend radially outward from the stationary shaft, said first thrust receiving portion being configured to receive a thrust load;
• a second support member having a second annular flange and a second thrust receiving portion, said second annular flange extending radially inward from an inner peripheral portion of a stator, said second annular flange being positioned to be axially opposed to said first annular flange such that said second thrust receiving portion contacts said first thrust receiving portion to receive the thrust load;
• and
• a one-way clutch body disposed between said first and second annular flanges, and being subjected to an axial load in a locked state to inhibit rotation of said stator only in one direction.

A stator support structure of a torque converter comprising:

• a first support member having a first annular flange being configured to nonrotatably receive a stationary shaft and extend radially outward from the stationary shaft;
• a second support member having a second annular flange and a thrust receiving portion, said second annular flange extending radially inward from an inner peripheral portion of a stator, said second annular flange being positioned to be axially opposed to said first annular flange and arranged to receive a thrust load;
• and
• a one-way clutch body disposed between said first and second annular flanges, and being subjected to an axial load in a locked state to inhibit rotation of said stator only in one direction;
• and
• a retainer being arranged in contact with said thrust receiving portion of said second support member to receive the thrust load, said stator, said second support member and said retainer being made of resin, said retainer having a first axially facing side surface and said second annular flange of said second support member having a second axially facing side surface, said first and second axially facing side surfaces being arranged such that one of said first and second axially facing side surfaces directly contacts an inner side surface of a turbine hub and the other of said first and second axially facing side surfaces directly contacts an inner side surface of an impeller hub.

A torque converter adapted to be used to transmit torque from a power input shaft to an output shaft, said torque converter comprising:

• a front cover adapted to be coupled to the power input;
• an impeller connected to said front cover to form a hydraulic chamber together with said front cover, said impeller having an impeller hub;
• a turbine disposed opposite said impeller and disposed inside said hydraulic chamber, said turbine having a turbine hub being adapted to be coupled to the output shaft, said front cover and said turbine forming a space therebetween;
• and
• a stator disposed between said impeller and said turbine, said stator having a stator support structure arranged to coupling said stator to a stationary shaft and supporting said stator on said impeller hub and said turbine hub, said stator support structure comprising
• a first support member having a first annular flange being configured to nonrotatably receive a stationary shaft and extend radially outward from the stationary shaft;
• a second support member having a second annular flange and a thrust receiving portion, said second annular flange extending radially inward from an inner peripheral portion of a stator, said second annular flange being positioned to be axially opposed to said first annular flange and arranged-to receive a thrust load;
• and
• a one-way clutch body disposed between said first and second annular flanges, and being subjected to an axial load in a locked state to inhibit rotation of said stator only in one direction;
• and
• a retainer being arranged in contact with said thrust receiving portion of said second support member to receive the thrust load, said stator, said second support member and said retainer being made of resin, said retainer having a first axially facing side surface and said second annular flange of said second support member having a second axially facing side surface, said first and second axially facing side surfaces being arranged such that one of said first and second axially facing side surfaces directly contacts an inner side surface of said turbine hub and the other of said first and second axially facing side surfaces directly contacts an inner side surface of said impeller hub.