Fluid coupling device and valve support used therein

A fluid coupling device including a first rotatable member, cover means associated with said first member to define a fluid chamber therebetween, a valve plate disposed to separate said fluid chamber into a fluid operating chamber and a fluid reservoir chamber, a second rotatable member disposed in said fluid operating chamber and being rotatable relative to said first member, said valve plate defining a fill orifice permitting the flow of fluid from said fluid reservoir chamber to said fluid operating chamber and a discharge orifice permitting the flow of fluid from said fluid operating chamber to said fluid reservoir chamber, valve means including a generally flat, relatively thin valve arm disposed within said fluid reservoir chamber and temperature-responsive means for controlling the movement of said valve arm, said valve arm being operable to move in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said valve plate, said valve arm being disposed to gradually restrict the flow area of said discharge orifice and gradually increase the flow area of said fill orifice when said temperature-responsive means is subjected to an increasing temperature, and to gradually increase the flow area of said discharge orifice and gradually restrict the flow area of said fill orifice when said temperature-responsive means is subjected to a decreasing temperature, the range of said movement of said valve arm defining a valve operating area, one of said cover means and said valve plate including a restraining portion generally coextensive with said valve operating area, said restraining portion being oriented substantially parallel to the plane of movement of said valve arm and closely spaced from said valve arm to prevent excessive movement of said valve arm away from said valve plate.

A fluid coupling device including an input coupling member, and output coupling member rotatable relative to said input coupling member, cover means associated with said output coupling member to define a fluid chamber therebetween, a valve plate disposed to separate said fluid chamber into a fluid operating chamber and a fluid reservoir chamber, said input coupling member being disposed in said fluid operating chamber, said valve plate defining a discharge orifice adapted to permit the flow of fluid from said operating chamber to said reservoir chamber and a fill orifice permitting the flow of said from said reservoir chamber to said operating chamber, valve means including a generally flat, relatively thin valve arm disposed within said fluid reservoir chamber and temperature-responsive means for controlling the rotary movement of said valve arm in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said valve plate, said valve arm being disposed to gradually restrict the flow area of said discharge orifice and gradually increase the flow area of said fill orifice when said temperature-responsive means is subjected to an increasing temperature, and to gradually increase the flow area of said discharge orifice and gradually restrict the flow area of said fill orifice when said temperature-responsive means is subjected to a decreasing temperature, the range of movement of said valve arm defining a valve operating area, and said cover means including a cover portion extending arcuately at least over said valve operating area and oriented substantially parallel to the plane movement of said valve arm and closely spaced therefrom during said valve arm movement to prevent excessive movement of said valve arm, adjacent said discharge orifice, in a direction away from said valve plate.