Apparatus for transmitting force between rotary driving and driven units

Apparatus for transmitting force from a rotary driving unit to a rotary driven unit, comprising a lock-up clutch having two coaxial rotary output members defining an annular fluid-containing compartment, at least one of said output members being movable axially toward and away from the other of said output members;

• and a rotary input member disposed between said output members, said members cooperating to seal said compartment in response to movement of said at least one output member toward said other output member to thus engage said clutch.

Apparatus for transmitting force from a rotary driving unit to a rotary driven unit, comprising a hydraulic clutch including a composite pump having a first rotary section and a second rotary section;

• a lock-up clutch;
• and an elastic damper connecting one of said sections with said lock-up clutch.

Apparatus for transmitting force from a rotary driving unit to a rotary driven unit, comprising at least one rotary casing having a circumference and being connectable with the driving unit;

• and means for transmitting torque between said at least one casing and the driven unit, including a rotary hub connectable with the driven unit, at least one pump, at least one turbine and damper means including at least one elastic damper between said at least one casing and said hub, said at least one casing having a substantially axially extending confining portion and said at least one damper comprising a plurality of energy storing elements acting at least in the circumferential direction of said at least one casing, said elements being at least partially surrounded by and bearing against said confining portion under the action of centrifugal force in response to rotation of said at least one casing, said torque transmitting means further comprising a lock-up clutch having an input member and two substantially disc-shaped output members flanking said input member, at least one of said output members being movable toward and away from the other of said output members to thereby respectively engage and disengage said clutch, one of said output members forming part of said at least one turbine.

Apparatus for transmitting force from a rotary driving unit to a rotary driven unit, comprising at least one rotary casing having a circumference and being connectable with the driving unit;

• and means for transmitting torque between said at least one casing and the driven unit, including a rotary hub connectable with the driven unit, at least one pump, at least one turbine and damper means including at least one elastic damper between said at least one casing and said hub, said at least one casing having a substantially axially extending confining portion and said at least one damper comprising a plurality of energy storing elements acting at least in the circumferential direction of said at least one casing, said elements being at least partially surrounded by and bearing against said confining portion under the action of centrifugal force in response to rotation of said at least one casing, said torque transmitting means further comprising a lock-up clutch having an input member and two substantially disc-shaped output members flanking said input member, at least one of said output members being movable toward and away from the other of said output members to thereby respectively engage and disengage said clutch and further comprising means for connecting one of said output members to said at least one turbine.

Torque transmitting apparatus comprising a hydraulic clutch including at least one rotary casing having a circumference and being connectable with a driving unit, a pump driven by and installed in said at least one casing, at least one turbine installed in said at least one casing and connectable with an input component of a driven unit, at least one elastic damper installed between said at least one casing and a part of the driven unit and including energy storing elements acting in the circumferential direction of said at least one casing, and a lock-up clutch connected in series with said at least one damper and installed between said at least one damper and the driven unit, said at least one damper having a first diameter and said lock-up clutch having a second diameter smaller than said first diameter.

Torque transmitting apparatus comprising a hydraulic clutch including at least one rotary casing having a circumference and being connectable with a driving unit, a pump driven by and installed in said at least one casing, at least one turbine installed in said at least one casing and connectable with an input component of a driven unit, and at least one engageable and disengageable lock-up clutch in a power train between said at least one casing and the driven unit, said at least one lock-up clutch including an input element driven by said casing and two substantially disc-shaped members flanking said input element and movable relative to each other axially of said at least one casing to clamp said input element, said members defining at least one annular compartment which is at least substantially sealed in engaged condition of said lock-up clutch, said members being disposed axially between a wall of said at least one casing and said pump.