Hydrokinetic torque coupling device with centered lock-up clutch friction disc, and method for assembling the same

A hydrokinetic torque coupling device comprising:

• a turbine wheel;
• a driven plate non-rotatably and operatively connected to said turbine wheel, said driven plate including circumferentially oriented centering slots;
• circumferentially oriented torque transmitting elastic elements;
• a friction disc including peripheral driving tabs extending axially to protrude into said centering slots of said driven plate and engage said elastic elements;
• an intermediate member defining a substantially annular groove directed radially inwardly;
• and
• a turbine hub non-rotatably secured to said turbine wheel and said driven plate;
• said intermediate member partially houses and radially supports said elastic elements;
• said driving tabs protruding into said centering slots of said driven plate to center said friction disc with respect to said driven plate;
• said elastic drive elements drivingly connecting said intermediate member to said driven plate;
• said elastic drive elements and said intermediate member drivingly connecting said friction disc to said driven plate;
• each of said driven plate and said intermediate member including abutment elements such that said elastic drive elements are disposed and are compressible between said driving tabs of said friction disc and said abutment elements of said intermediate member, and between said abutment elements of said intermediate member and said abutment elements of said driven plate.

A method for assembling a hydrokinetic torque coupling device, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a driven plate including circumferentially oriented centering slots, a plurality of elastic elements and a friction disc including peripheral axially extending driving tabs;
• mounting said friction disc and said elastic elements to said driven plate so that said driving tabs of said friction disc and said driven plate engage said elastic elements;
• and
• centering said friction disc with respect to said driven plate by protruding said driving tabs into said centering slots of said driven plate.

A method for assembling a hydrokinetic torque coupling device, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a driven plate including circumferentially oriented centering slots, a plurality of elastic elements, a friction disc including peripheral axially extending driving tabs and an intermediate member defining a substantially annular groove directed radially inwardly, said intermediate member partially housing said elastic elements so as to radially support said elastic elements, each of said driven plate and said intermediate member including abutment elements such that said elastic drive elements are disposed and are compressible between said driving tabs of said friction disc and said abutment elements of said intermediate member, and between said abutment elements of said intermediate member and said abutment elements of said driven plate;
• mounting said friction disc and said elastic elements to said driven plate so that said driving tabs of said friction disc and said driven plate engage said elastic elements;
• centering said friction disc with respect to said driven plate by protruding said driving tabs into said centering slots of said driven plate;
• mounting said intermediate member to said driven plate so that said intermediate member is drivingly connected to said driven plate through said elastic elements so that said friction disc is drivingly connected to said driven plate through said elastic elements and said intermediate member;
• providing a turbine wheel and a turbine hub;
• non-rotatably attaching said driven plate to said turbine wheel;
• and
• non-rotatably securing said turbine hub to said turbine wheel and said driven plate.