Adjustable stator for torque converter
OwnerDavid J. Goerendinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A torque converter is provided with a stator having adjustable fluid flow holes for changing the K-factor of the torque converter, as needed. The stator includes a base plate with fluid flow openings and an adjustable plate with fluid flow openings. The plates matingly engage, such that the fluid openings are adjacent one another. The degree of overlap of the openings can be varied from fully aligned to substantially misaligned by rotating the adjustable plate relative to the base plate, and thereby controlling the fluid flow through the openings. In alternative embodiments the stator holes can be automatically opened and closed in response to changes in fluid pressure in the torque converter, via reed values or spring biased balls.
Claims22
An adjustable stator for a torque converter, comprising:
- a base plate having a plurality of holes;
- an adjustment plate having a plurality of holes;
- the base plate and adjustment plate being coupled for clockwise and counter clockwise rotation relative to one another so that alignment of the base plate and adjustment plate holes are adjustable to define a stator orifice having an adjustable size.
An adjustable stator for a torque converter, comprising:
- a plate with a plurality of fluid openings;
- an automatic adjustment means to open and close the fluid openings as engine speed changes.
A method of adjusting K-factor for a torque converter, comprising:
- orienting fluid flow openings in a pair of mating plates of a stator in the torque converter so that the openings are adjacent on another;
- adjusting overlap of the openings from fully aligned for maximum fluid flow to substantially misaligned for minimum fluid flow.
A torque converter having an impeller and a turbine, and comprising:
- a stator between the impeller and the turbine;
- the stator having a plurality of orifices for fluid flow therethrough;
- the orifice size being adjustable to control fluid flow and thereby adjust a K-factor for the torque converter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.