Variable pitch stator and two hydraulic passage control

A vehicle driveline component comprising:

• a torque converter including:
• a housing supported for rotation about an axis;
• an impeller coupled to the housing for common rotation therewith about the axis;
• a turbine shaft disposed about the axis;
• a turbine hub disposed about a first end portion of the turbine shaft and coupled thereto for common rotation about the axis;
• a turbine coupled to the turbine hub for common rotation about the axis:
• a stator including a plurality of stator blades movable between a plurality of pitch positions;
• an actuator including an actuator piston slidable within an actuator chamber and dividing the actuator chamber into a loosening chamber and a tightening chamber, the actuator piston being drivingly coupled to the stator blades to move the stator blades between the plurality of pitch positions;
• and
• a clutch configured to selectively couple the turbine to the impeller, the clutch including a clutch spring, a clutch piston, and a friction material coupled to the clutch piston, the clutch piston at least partially defining an apply chamber and a release chamber, the apply chamber being coupled for fluid communication with a hydrodynamic chamber of the torque converter, the hydrodynamic chamber being coupled for fluid communication with the tightening chamber, wherein the release chamber is coupled for fluid communication with the loosening chamber, wherein the clutch piston is movable between an engaged position in which the friction material inhibits relative rotation between the housing and the turbine and a disengaged position in which the turbine rotates relative to the housing, wherein the clutch spring is supported by the turbine hub and biases the clutch piston toward the disengaged position,
• wherein the turbine hub defines a plurality of first bores that provide fluid communication between the release chamber and the loosening chamber.

A vehicle driveline component comprising:

• a torque converter including:
• a housing supported for rotation about an axis;
• an impeller coupled to the housing for common rotation therewith about the axis;
• a turbine shaft disposed about the axis;
• a turbine hub disposed about a first end portion of the turbine shaft and coupled thereto for common rotation about the axis;
• a turbine coupled to the turbine hub for common rotation about the axis:
• a stator including a plurality of stator blades movable between a plurality of pitch positions;
• an actuator including an actuator piston slidable within an actuator chamber and dividing the actuator chamber into a loosening chamber and a tightening chamber, the actuator piston being drivingly coupled to the stator blades to move the stator blades between the plurality of pitch positions;
• a clutch configured to selectively couple the turbine to the impeller, the clutch including a clutch spring, a clutch piston, and a friction material coupled to the clutch piston, the clutch piston at least partially defining an apply chamber and a release chamber, the apply chamber being coupled for fluid communication with a hydrodynamic chamber of the torque converter, the hydrodynamic chamber being coupled for fluid communication with the tightening chamber, wherein the release chamber is coupled for fluid communication with the loosening chamber, wherein the clutch piston is movable between an engaged position in which the friction material inhibits relative rotation between the housing and the turbine and a disengaged position in which the turbine rotates relative to the housing, wherein the clutch spring is supported by the turbine hub and biases the clutch piston toward the disengaged position;
• a stator shaft disposed about the turbine shaft;
• and
• a pump shaft disposed about the stator shaft and coupled to the impeller for common rotation about the axis, the pump shaft and the stator shaft cooperating to define an annular passageway that couples the hydrodynamic chamber and the tightening chamber to a solenoid valve for fluid communication therewith.

A vehicle driveline component comprising:

• a torque converter including:
• a housing supported for rotation about an axis;
• an impeller coupled to the housing for common rotation therewith about the axis;
• a turbine shaft disposed about the axis;
• a turbine hub disposed about a first end portion of the turbine shaft and coupled thereto for common rotation about the axis;
• a turbine coupled to the turbine hub for common rotation about the axis:
• a stator including a plurality of stator blades movable between a plurality of pitch positions;
• an actuator including an actuator piston slidable within an actuator chamber and dividing the actuator chamber into a loosening chamber and a tightening chamber, the actuator piston being drivingly coupled to the stator blades to move the stator blades between the plurality of pitch positions;
• and
• a clutch configured to selectively couple the turbine to the impeller, the clutch including a clutch spring, a clutch piston, and a friction material coupled to the clutch piston, the clutch piston at least partially defining an apply chamber and a release chamber, the apply chamber being coupled for fluid communication with a hydrodynamic chamber of the torque converter, the hydrodynamic chamber being coupled for fluid communication with the tightening chamber, wherein the release chamber is coupled for fluid communication with the loosening chamber, wherein the clutch piston is movable between an engaged position in which the friction material inhibits relative rotation between the housing and the turbine and a disengaged position in which the turbine rotates relative to the housing, wherein the clutch spring is supported by the turbine hub and biases the clutch piston toward the disengaged position,
• wherein the actuator includes an actuator spring configured to bias the stator blades to a predetermined pitch position of the plurality of pitch positions,
• wherein the predetermined pitch position is a full loose position and a spring rate of the actuator spring is configured to permit the actuator piston to be in a full tight position when a pressure in the apply chamber is greater than a full tight pressure, wherein a spring rate of the clutch spring is configured to permit the clutch piston to move from the disengaged position to the engaged position when a pressure in the apply chamber reaches an apply pressure and, wherein the apply pressure is greater than the full tight pressure.

A vehicle driveline component comprising:

• a torque converter including:
• a housing supported for rotation about an axis;
• an impeller coupled to the housing for common rotation therewith about the axis;
• a turbine shaft disposed about the axis;
• a turbine hub disposed about a first end portion of the turbine shaft and coupled thereto for common rotation about the axis, the turbine hub defines a plurality of first bores that extend through the turbine hub longitudinally at an angle relative to the axis;
• a turbine coupled to the turbine hub for common rotation about the axis, the turbine hub defining a groove;
• a stator including a plurality of stator blades movable between a plurality of pitch positions;
• an actuator including an actuator piston slidable within an actuator chamber and dividing the actuator chamber into a loosening chamber and a tightening chamber, the actuator piston being drivingly coupled to the stator blades to move the stator blades between the plurality of pitch positions;
• and
• a clutch configured to selectively couple the turbine to the impeller, the clutch including a Belleville spring, a snap ring, a clutch piston, and a friction material coupled to the clutch piston, the clutch piston at least partially defining an apply chamber and a release chamber, the apply chamber being coupled for fluid communication with a hydrodynamic chamber of the torque converter, the hydrodynamic chamber being coupled for fluid communication with the tightening chamber, wherein the first bores couple the release chamber to the loosening chamber for fluid communication therebetween, wherein the clutch piston is movable between an engaged position in which the friction material inhibits relative rotation between the housing and the turbine and a disengaged position in which the turbine rotates relative to the housing, wherein the Belleville spring is disposed about the turbine hub and the snap ring is received in the groove of the turbine hub and inhibits axial movement of the Belleville spring in an axial direction that is away from the clutch piston, the Belleville spring biasing the clutch piston toward the disengaged position.