Torque converter and hydrokinetic torque coupling device having turbine-piston lockup clutch with flow restrictor, and related methods

A torque converter rotatable about a rotational axis and having a torus chamber, comprising:

• an impeller coaxially aligned with the rotational axis and comprising an impeller shell and a plurality of impeller blades;
• a turbine-piston coaxially aligned with and hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller to rotate about the rotational axis, the turbine-piston comprising a turbine-piston shell and a plurality of turbine blades, the turbine-piston being axially displaceable relative to the impeller shell to position the torque converter into and out of lockup mode in which the turbine-piston is mechanically locked to and non-rotatable relative to the impeller;
• and
• a restrictor positioned radially outwardly of the impeller blades and the turbine blades at an opening of a fluid passageway connecting the torus chamber to an environment outside the torque converter, the restrictor configured to restrict the fluid passageway;
• the restrictor comprising an annular restrictor plate with at least one passage;
• the annular restrictor plate comprising a substantially flat ring having opposite edges, wherein in the lockup mode the opposite edges are received in an impeller shell recess of the impeller shell and a recess of the turbine-piston shell, respectively.

A torque converter rotatable about a rotational axis and having a torus chamber, comprising:

• an impeller coaxially aligned with the rotational axis and comprising an impeller shell and a plurality of impeller blades;
• a turbine-piston coaxially aligned with and hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller to rotate about the rotational axis, the turbine-piston comprising a turbine-piston shell and a plurality of turbine blades, the turbine-piston being axially displaceable relative to the impeller shell to position the torque converter into and out of a lockup mode in which the turbine-piston is mechanically locked to and non-rotatable relative to the impeller;
• and
• a restrictor positioned radially outward of the impeller blades and the turbine blades at an opening of a fluid passageway connecting the torus chamber to an environment outside the torque converter, the restrictor constructed and arranged to restrict the fluid passageway;
• the restrictor comprising an annular restrictor plate with at least one passage;
• the impeller shell having a first surface;
• the turbine-piston shell comprising a turbine-piston flange having a second surface facing the first surface and axially displaceable toward and away from the first surface to respectively position the torque converter into and out of the lockup mode;
• the annular restrictor plate being bonded or welded to the turbine-piston flange.

A torque converter rotatable about a rotational axis and having a torus chamber, comprising:

• an impeller coaxially aligned with the rotational axis and comprising an impeller shell and a plurality of impeller blades;
• a turbine-piston coaxially aligned with and hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller to rotate about the rotational axis, the turbine-piston comprising a turbine-piston shell and a plurality of turbine blades, the turbine-piston being axially displaceable relative to the impeller shell to position the torque converter into and out of a lockup mode in which the turbine-piston is mechanically locked to and non-rotatable relative to the impeller;
• and
• a restrictor positioned radially outward of the impeller blades and the turbine blades at an opening of a fluid passageway connecting the torus chamber to an environment outside the torque converter, the restrictor constructed and arranged to restrict the fluid passageway;
• the restrictor comprising an annular restrictor plate having a radially inner, axially extending leg without any passage or passages therethrough, the leg having an edge movable axially toward and away from a first edge of an impeller shell recess, the leg further having a radially outer surface facing and spaced from a second edge of the impeller shell recess to restrict the fluid passageway.

A torque converter rotatable about a rotational axis and having a torus chamber, comprising:

• an impeller coaxially aligned with the rotational axis and comprising an impeller shell and a plurality of impeller blades;
• a turbine-piston coaxially aligned with and hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller to rotate about the rotational axis, the turbine-piston comprising a turbine-piston shell and a plurality of turbine blades, the turbine-piston being axially displaceable relative to the impeller shell to position the torque converter into and out of a lockup mode in which the turbine-piston is mechanically locked to and non-rotatable relative to the impeller;
• and
• a restrictor positioned radially outwardly of the impeller blades and the turbine blades at an opening of a fluid passageway connecting the torus chamber to an environment outside the torque converter, the restrictor configured to restrict the fluid passageway;
• the restrictor comprising an annular restrictor plate with at least one passage;
• the impeller shell having a first surface;
• the turbine-piston shell comprising a turbine-piston flange having a second surface facing the first surface and axially displaceable toward and away from the first surface to respectively position the torque converter into and out of the lockup mode;
• the annular restrictor plate having a radially outer hook-shaped leg engaging the turbine-piston flange.

A torque converter rotatable about a rotational axis and having a torus chamber, comprising:

• an impeller coaxially aligned with the rotational axis and comprising an impeller shell and a plurality of impeller blades, the impeller shell having a first surface;
• a turbine-piston coaxially aligned with and hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller to rotate about the rotational axis, the turbine-piston comprising a turbine-piston shell and a plurality of turbine blades, the turbine-piston being axially displaceable relative to the impeller shell to position the torque converter into and out of lockup mode in which the turbine-piston is mechanically locked to and non-rotatable relative to the impeller;
• the turbine-piston shell comprising a turbine-piston flange having a second surface facing the first surface and axially displaceable toward and away from the first surface to position the torque converter into and out of the lockup mode;
• a restrictor positioned radially outward of the impeller blades and the turbine blades at an opening of a fluid passageway connecting the torus chamber to an environment outside the torque converter, the restrictor configured to restrict the fluid passageway, the restrictor comprising an annular restrictor plate with at least one passage;
• and
• rivets securing the annular restrictor plate to the turbine-piston flange.

A hydrokinetic torque coupling device for coupling together a driving shaft and a driven shaft, the hydrokinetic torque coupling device rotatable about a rotational axis and comprising:

• a casing comprising an impeller shell and a casing shell interconnected to and non-rotatable relative to the impeller shell, the casing being rotatable about the rotational axis and having a damper chamber;
• torque converter coaxially aligned with and rotatable about the rotational axis, the torque converter having a torus chamber and comprising
• an impeller comprising the impeller shell and a plurality of impeller blades;
• a turbine-piston hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller and comprising a turbine-piston shell, a plurality of turbine blades, and a drive component, the turbine-piston being axially displaceable relative to the impeller shell to position the torque converter into and out of a lockup mode in which the turbine-piston is mechanically locked to and non-rotatable relative to the casing;
• and
• a restrictor positioned radially outward of the impeller blades and the turbine blades at an opening of a fluid passageway connecting the torus chamber and the damper chamber, the restrictor constructed and arranged to restrict the fluid passageway;
• and
• a damper assembly located in the damper chamber and comprising an input part operatively connected to the drive component of the turbine-piston and an output part operatively connectable to an output hub;
• the impeller shell having a first surface and the turbine-piston shell comprising a turbine-piston flange having a second surface facing the first surface and axially displaceable toward and away from the first surface to position the torque converter into and out of the lockup mode;
• the restrictor comprising an annular restrictor plate extending radially outwardly between the first surface of the impeller shell and the second surface of the turbine-piston flange of the turbine-piston shell and having at least one passage restricting hydraulic fluid flow between the torus chamber and the environment outside the torque converter.

A method of assembling a hydrokinetic torque coupling device for coupling a driving shaft and a driven shaft together, comprising:

• providing a torque converter rotatable about a rotational axis and having a torus chamber, the torque converter comprising
• an impeller comprising an impeller shell and a plurality of impeller blades;
• a turbine-piston hydrodynamically drivable by the impeller and comprising a turbine-piston shell, a plurality of turbine blades, and a drive component;
• and
• a restrictor positioned radially outward of the impeller blades and the turbine blades at an opening of a fluid passageway connecting the torus chamber and a damper chamber, the restrictor constructed and arranged to restrict the fluid passageway;
• the impeller shell having a first surface and the turbine-piston shell comprising a turbine-piston flange having a second surface facing the first surface and axially displaceable toward and away from the first surface to position the torque converter into and out of the lockup mode;
• the restrictor comprising an annular restrictor plate extending radially outwardly between the first surface of the impeller shell and the second surface of the turbine-piston flange of the turbine-piston shell and having at least one passage restricting hydraulic fluid flow between the torus chamber and the environment outside the torque converter;
• operatively connecting the torque converter to a damper assembly so that an input part of the damper assembly is connected to the drive component of the turbine-piston;
• and
• operatively connecting a casing shell to the impeller shell of the torque converter to form a casing that is rotatable about the rotational axis and has a damper chamber in which the damper assembly is located, the turbine-piston being axially displaceable relative to the impeller shell to position the torque converter into and out of a lockup mode in which the turbine-piston is mechanically locked to and non-rotatable relative to the casing.