Lock-up torque converter for automatic transmissions

A lock-up torque converter for automatic transmission which transmits torque generated by an internal combustion engine from the output shaft thereof to the transmission input shaft, and which includes a converter cover, a turbine hub receiving said input shaft to provide a driving connection, a clutch piston slidably mounted on said turbine hub, said turbine hub having a flange, and a turbine runner having an outer shell drivingly connected to said hub, comprising:

• a torsional damper for damping torsional vibration, said damper operably connected between said clutch piston and said turbine hub to provide a driving connection only when said clutch piston engages said converter cover;
• said damper being disposed in a space defined between the outer shell of said turbine runner and an inner peripheral wall of said clutch piston;
• said damper including a pair of plates fixed on the inner peripheral wall of said clutch piston and disposed on the opposite sides of the flange of said turbine hub;
• said plates and flange having a plurality of openings being arranged concentrically to the axis of said input shaft;
• said damper including a plurality of torsion springs respectively provided in each of said openings, said springs being operable in parallel with each other;
• means for damping torsional vibration, said damping means operably connected between said output shaft and said converter cover to provide a driving connection during operation of the engine;
• said damping means including a hub fixed coaxially on an end of said output shaft and having a hub flange, and an annular drive plate fixed on an outer periphery of said converter cover and spaced therefrom, said drive plate and said converter cover being arranged concentrically with said input shaft;
• said hub flange and drive plate having a plurality of openings being arranged concentric to the axis of aid output shaft;
• and
• said damping means including a plurality of torsion springs respectively provided in each of said openings, said springs of said damping means being operable in parallel with each other.

A lock-up torque converter for automatic transmissions which transmits torque generated by an internal combustion engine from the output shaft thereof to the transmission input shaft, and which includes a converter cover, a turbine hub receiving said input shaft to provide driving connection, a clutch piston slidably mounted on said turbine hub, said turbine hub having a flange, and a turbine runner having an outer shell drivingly connected to said hub, comprising:

• a torsional damper for damping torsional vibration, said damper operably connected between said clutch piston and said turbine hub to provide a driving connection only when said clutch piston engages said converter cover;
• said damper disposed in a space defined between the outer shell of said turbine runner and an inner peripheral wall of said clutch piston;
• said damper including a pair of plates fixed on the inner peripheral wall of said clutch piston, said plates disposed on the opposite sides of the flange of said turbine hub and spaced from each other;
• said plates and flange having a plurality of openings being arranged concentric to the axis of said input shaft;
• said damper including a plurality of torsion springs respectively provided in each of said openings, said springs being operable in parallel with each other;
• means for damping torsional vibration, said damping means operably connected between said output shaft and said converter cover to provide a driving connection during operation of the engine;
• said damping means including a hub fixed coaxially on an end of said output shaft and having a hub flange, and an annular drive plate fixed on an outer periphery of said converter cover and spaced therefrom, said drive plate and said converter being arranged concentrically with said input shaft, said drive plate being formed of a pair of plates;
• said hub flange and drive plate having a plurality of openings arranged concentrically to the axis of said output shaft;
• said damping means including a plurality of torsion springs respectively provided in each of said openings, said torsion springs of said damping means being operable in parallel with each other;
• and
• said damping means including a pair of friction plates fixed on opposite sides of the hub flange of said hub and mating with inner walls of the pair of plates forming said drive plate.