Claims
- 1. A viscous coupling for use as a bypass element in a torque converter assembly (T) including a torque converter housing (H) and an output shaft (S); said viscous coupling being of the type including an annular housing assembly adapted to be positioned within the torque converter housing, and having axially spaced, radially-extending first and second annular side wall members defining an annular viscous chamber therebetween adapted to contain viscous fluid; said annular housing assembly defining a radially-extending annular clutching surface adapted for clutching co-action with a confronting surface of the torque converter housing (H); an annular clutch assembly disposed within said viscous chamber and including an annular, radially-extending clutch portion adapted for viscous clutching co-action with one of said first and second side wall members, and an axially-extending clutch hub portion adapted to be drivingly associated with the output shaft (S) of the torque converter assembly; characterized by:
- (a) said annular clutch portion of said clutch assembly including first and second annular, radially-extending clutch plates disposed adjacent, and adapted for viscous clutching co-action with an adjacent surface of said first and second annular side wall members, respectively;
- (b) said first and second clutch plates being drivingly associated with said axially-extending clutch hub portion, whereby rotation of said clutch plates results in rotation of said clutch hub portion;
- (c) said annular housing assembly further comprising an annular radially-extending housing plate disposed axially between said first and second clutch plates, and adapted for viscous clutching co-action with at least one of said first and second clutch plates; and
- (d) said housing plate including a first plurality of portions in operable engagement with said first annular side wall member, and a second plurality of portions in operable engagement with said second annular side wall member, said first and second pluralities of portions being disposed within said annular viscous chamber.
- 2. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 1, characterized by said first and second annular side wall members and said housing plate comprising metal stampings.
- 3. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 1, characterized by said first and second plurality of portions being disposed radially outward of said first and second clutch plates.
- 4. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 1, characterized by said housing plate comprising a metal stamping and said first and second plurality of portions comprising tab portions extending generally axially toward said first and second annular side wall members, respectively.
- 5. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 4, characterized by the axial dimensions of said first and second pluralities of tab portions being selected such that said housing plate is prevented from substantial axial movement relative to said first and second annular side wall members.
- 6. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 1, characterized by one of said first and second annular side wall members including means operable, in cooperation with its respective plurality of portions to prevent substantial rotation of said housing plate.
- 7. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 4, characterized by said first annular side wall member defining a plurality of generally radially-extending recesses, and one of said first plurality of tab portions being disposed in each of said radially-extending recesses, to prevent substantial rotation of said housing plate.
- 8. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 1, characterized by said housing plate being adapted for viscous clutching co-action with both of said first and second clutch plates.
- 9. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 1, characterized by said annular clutch assembly including a radially-extending hub portion drivingly associated with said axially-extending clutch hub portion, said first and second clutch plates being drivingly associated with said radially-extending hub portion.
- 10. A viscous coupling for transmitting torque between an outer housing (H) and an input-output shaft (S); said viscous coupling being of the type including an annular housing assembly including means adapted for operable engagement with the outer housing (H), said annular housing assembly having axially-spaced, radially-extending first and second annular side wall members defining an annular viscous chamber therebetween adapted to contain viscous fluid; an annular clutch assembly disposed within said viscous chamber and including an annular, radially-extending clutch portion adapted for viscous clutching co-action with one of said first and second side wall members, and an axially-extending clutch hub portion adapted to be drivingly associated with the input-output shaft (S), characterized by:
- (a) said annular clutch portion of said clutch assembly including a plurality N+1 of annular, radially-extending clutch plates, each of said clutch plates disposed adjacent, and adapted for viscous clutching co-action with at least one adjacent surface of said annular housing assembly;
- (b) each of said plurality of clutch plates being drivingly associated with said axially-extending clutch hub portion, whereby rotation of said clutch plates results in rotation of said clutch hub portion;
- (c) said annular housing assembly further comprising N annular radially-extending housing plates, each of said housing plates being disposed axially between a pair of adjacent ones of said plurality N+1 of clutch plates, and adapted for viscous clutching co-action therewith; and
- (d) a first housing plate including a first plurality of portions in operable engagement with said first annular side wall member; and an Nth housing plate including a second plurality of portions in operable engagement with said second annular side wall member, said first and second pluralities of portions being disposed within said annular viscous chamber.
- 11. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 10, characterized by said first and second annular side wall members and said N housing plates comprising metal stampings.
- 12. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 10, characterized by said first and second pluralities of portions being disposed radially outward of said plurality N+1 of clutch plates.
- 13. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 10, characterized by said N housing plates comprising metal stampings, and said first and second pluralities of portions comprising tab portions extending generally axially toward said first and second annular side wall members, respectively.
- 14. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 10, characterized by one of said first and second annular side wall members including means operable, in cooperation with its respective plurality of portions to prevent substantial rotation of said housing plate.
- 15. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 10, characterized by said annular clutch assembly including a radially-extending hub portion drivingly associated with said axially-extending clutch hub portion, each of said plurality of N+1 of said clutch plates being drivingly associated with said radially-extending hub portion.
- 16. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 10, characterized by said first and second side wall members, said N housing plates, and said plurality N+1 of clutch plates comprising metal stampings.
- 17. A method of assembling and filling a viscous fluid coupling including first and second annular side wall members, said first side wall member having a reservoir-defining portion and said second side wall member having a radially outer peripheral portion; an annular clutch assembly including an axially-extending clutch hub portion and first and second clutch plates drivingly associated with said clutch hub portion; said viscous fluid coupling further including an annular radially-extending housing plate disposed axially between said first and second clutch plates for viscous clutching co-action therewith in response to the presence of viscous fluid, said housing plate including a first plurality of portions and a second plurality of portions, the method comprising:
- (a) positioning said first side wall member with said reservoir-defining portion oriented downwardly;
- (b) locating said clutch hub portion in sealing engagement with said reservoir-defining portion of said first side wall member;
- (c) positioning said first clutch plate onto said first side wall member, and in driving engagement with said clutch hub portion;
- (d) positioning said housing plate above said first clutch plate with said first plurality of portions in engagement with said first side wall member;
- (e) positioning said second clutch plate onto said housing plate, and in driving engagement with said clutch hub portion;
- (f) subsequent to step (b), introducing a predetermined volume of viscous fluid into said reservoir-defining portion of said first side wall member;
- (g) positioning said second side wall member above said second clutch plate, in sealing engagement with said clutch hub portion, in engagement with said second plurality of portions, and with said outer peripheral portion of said second side wall member in engagement with said first side wall member.
- 18. A method as claimed in claim 17, characterized by said steps (d) and (e) being performed in order, with said first clutch plate, said housing plate, and said second clutch plate comprising a subassembly, and further comprising the step of positioning said subassembly in driving engagement with said clutch hub portion.
- 19. A method as claimed in claim 18, characterized by performing said steps (d) and (e), to comprise said subassembly being done before said step (c).
- 20. A viscous coupling for use as a bypass element in a torque converter assembly (T) including a torque converter housing (H) and an output shaft (S); said viscous coupling being of the type including an annular housing assembly adapted to be positioned within the torque converter housing, and having axially spaced, radially-extending first and second annular side wall members defining an annular viscous chamber therebetween adapted to contain viscous fluid; said annular housing assembly defining a radially-extending annular clutching surface adapted for clutching co-action with a confronting surface of the torque converter housing (H); an annular clutch assembly disposed within said viscous chamber and including an annular, radially-extending clutch portion adapted for viscous clutching co-action with one of said first and second side wall members, and an axially-extending clutch hub portion adapted to be drivingly associated with the output shaft (S) of the torque converter assembly; characterized by:
- (a) said annular clutch portion of said clutch assembly including first and second annular, radially-extending clutch plates disposed adjacent, and adapted for viscous clutching co-action with adjacent surfaces of said housing assembly;
- (b) said first and second clutch plates being drivingly associated with said axially-extending clutch hub portion, whereby rotation of said clutch plates results in rotation of said clutch hub portion;
- (c) said coupling further including an annular, radially-extending housing plate disposed axially between said first and second clutch plates, and adapted for viscous clutching co-action with both of said first and second clutch plates; and
- (d) at least one of said housing assembly and said housing plate including a plurality of axially-extending portions, disposed in said viscous chamber, and in operable engagement the other of said housing assembly and said housing plate, whereby said housing plate is fixed to rotate with said housing assembly.
- 21. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 20, characterized by said plurality of axially-extending portions being disposed radially outward of said first and second clutch plates.
- 22. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 20, characterized by said housing plate comprising a metal stamping, and said plurality of axially-extending portions comprising tab portions defined by said housing plate and extending toward one of said first and second annular sidewall members.
- 23. A viscous coupling as claimed in claim 20, characterized by the axial dimensions of said axially-extending portions being selected such that said housing plate is prevented from substantial axial movement relative to said housing assembly.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 853,560, filed Mar. 18, 1992 in the names of Lester R. Campbell, Edward J. Goscenski, and Edward J. Bojas, for a "REDUCED COST VISCOUS COUPLING BY-PASS ELEMENT FOR A TORQUE CONVERTER", now U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,796.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2235272 |
Feb 1991 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
853560 |
Mar 1992 |
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