Torque converter impeller including protrusions for centering the stator

Abstract

A torque converter is provided. The torque converter includes a stator including a body and a plurality of blades on an outer circumferential surface of the body and an impeller including an impeller shell. The impeller shell includes at least one protrusion aligned for contacting an axially extending surface of the body of the stator to center the stator on the impeller during assembly. A method of forming a torque converter is also provided. The method includes forming an impeller shell to include at least one protrusion on a stator facing surface thereof; providing a stator including a body and a plurality of blades on an outer circumferential surface of the body; and centering the stator on the impeller shell by contacting the at least one protrusion with an axially extending surface of the body.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.