Hydrokinetic torque converter with lockup clutch

A hydrokinetic lockup torque converter, such as for a motor vehicle, said torque converter comprising:

• a power input shaft defining an axis of rotation and an axial direction parallel to said axis of rotation;
• a power output shaft;
• a converter housing, said converter housing having means for being driven by said power input shaft;
• a turbine wheel being disposed within said converter housing;
• said turbine wheel having means for being disposed on and for driving said power output shaft;
• a pump wheel being disposed adjacent said turbine wheel and having means for being fastened to said converter housing;
• lockup clutch means for coupling said turbine wheel to said converter housing;
• said lockup clutch means having an engaged position wherein said turbine wheel is coupled to said converter housing;
• said lockup clutch means having a disengaged position wherein said turbine wheel and said converter housing are uncoupled from one another;
• said lockup clutch means comprising:
• a piston being disposed between said converter housing and said turbine wheel, said piston and said converter housing defining a first chamber therebetween;
• a second chamber having said pump wheel and said turbine wheel disposed therein;
• at least one friction lining being disposed between a portion of said converter housing and a portion of said piston;
• said at least one friction lining having means for contacting said converter housing and said piston in said engaged position of said lockup clutch means;
• passage means for supplying and discharging converter fluid from said torque converter, said passage means being disposed adjacent said power output shaft;
• flow guide means for connecting said first chamber to said passage means;
• said flow guide means comprising at least one flow guide channel, said at least one flow guide channel having a length and a cross-sectional dimension;
• said length of said at least one flow guide channel being substantially greater than said cross-sectional dimension of said at least one flow guide channel;
• means for permitting flow of converter fluid from said second chamber into said first chamber in said engaged position of said lockup clutch means;
• said means for permitting flow being disposed in the vicinity of said at least one friction lining;
• and
• said first chamber extending substantially between said means for permitting flow and said flow guide means.

A method of operating a hydrokinetic lockup torque converter, such as for a motor vehicle, the torque converter comprising:

• a power input shaft defining an axis of rotation and an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation;
• a power output shaft;
• a converter housing, the converter housing having means for being driven by the power input shaft;
• a turbine wheel being disposed within the converter housing;
• the turbine wheel having means for being disposed on and for driving the power output shaft;
• a pump wheel being disposed adjacent the turbine wheel and having means for being fastened to the converter housing;
• lockup clutch means for coupling the turbine wheel to the converter housing;
• the lockup clutch means having an engaged position wherein the turbine wheel is coupled to the converter housing;
• the lockup clutch means having a disengaged position wherein the turbine wheel and the converter housing are uncoupled from one another;
• the lockup clutch means comprising:
• a piston being disposed between the converter housing and the turbine wheel;
• the piston and the converter housing defining a first chamber therebetween;
• a second chamber having the pump wheel and the turbine wheel disposed therein;
• at least one friction lining being disposed between a portion of the converter housing and a portion of the piston;
• the at least one friction lining having means for contacting the converter housing and the piston in said engaged position of the lockup clutch means;
• passage means for supplying and discharging converter fluid to and from the torque converter, the passage means being disposed adjacent the power output shaft;
• flow guide means for connecting the first chamber to the passage means;
• the flow guide means comprising means for substantially restricting tangential movement of the converter fluid during its passage from the first chamber to the passage means and for reducing tangential movement of the converter fluid in the passage means the tangential movement being movement that is, substantially tangent to a circle concentric with respect to the axis of rotation;
• means for permitting flow of converter fluid from the second chamber into the first chamber in the engaged position of the lockup clutch means;
• the means for permitting flow being disposed substantially adjacent the at least one friction lining;
• and the first chamber extending substantially between the means for permitting flow and the flow guide means;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• providing a power input shaft defining an axis of rotation and an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation;
• providing a power output shaft;
• providing a converter housing, the converter housing having means for being driven by the power input shaft;
• providing a turbine wheel, the turbine wheel having means for being disposed on and for driving the power output shaft;
• providing a pump wheel, the pump wheel having means for being fastened to the converter housing;
• providing lockup clutch means for coupling the turbine wheel to the converter housing, the lockup clutch means having an engaged position wherein the turbine wheel is coupled to the converter housing, and a disengaged position wherein the turbine wheel and the converter housing are uncoupled from one another;
• said step of providing the lockup clutch means further comprises:
• providing a piston, the piston and the converter housing defining a first chamber therebetween;
• providing a second chamber;
• providing at least one friction lining, the at least one friction lining having means for contacting the converter housing and the piston in the engaged position of the lockup clutch means;
• providing passage means for transporting converter fluid to and from the torque converter;
• providing flow guide means for connecting the first chamber to the passage means;
• said step of providing the flow guide means further comprises providing means for substantially restricting movement of the converter fluid during its passage from the first chamber to the passage means and for reducing tangential movement of the converter fluid in the passage means, the tangential movement being movement that is tangent to a circle concentric with respect to the axis of rotation;
• providing means for permitting flow of converter fluid from the second chamber into the first chamber in the engaged position of the lockup clutch means;
• said method further comprising the steps of:
• driving the converter housing with the power input shaft with the means for being driven of the converter housing;
• transporting converter fluid to the torque converter and transporting converter fluid from the torque converter with the passage means;
• driving the power output shaft with the means for being disposed on and for driving of the turbine wheel;
• engaging and disengaging the turbine wheel and the converter housing with the lockup clutch means;
• contacting the piston and the converter housing in the engaged position of the lockup clutch means with the means for contacting of the at least one friction lining;
• and
• permitting converter fluid to flow from the second chamber into the first chamber in the engaged position of the lockup clutch means;
• and
• substantially restricting, with the means for substantially restricting, tangential movement of the converter fluid during its passage from the first chamber to the passage means and reducing tangential movement of the converter fluid in the passage means.