Patent Publication Number: US-2018051785-A1

Title: Torque transmission device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the U.S. National Phase of PCT Appln. No. PCT/DE2016/200108 filed Feb. 25, 2016, which claims priority to German Application No. DE 10 2015 205 397.0 filed Mar. 25, 2015, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a torque transmission device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     DE102013202661 discloses a torque transmission device arranged in a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, which torque transmission device is arranged actively between a drive side and an output side and comprises a torque converter which has a housing in which a pump, a turbine and a lock-up clutch for transmission of a torque are arranged between the drive side and the output side, wherein the lock-up clutch has an axially displaceable actuating element formed as a turbine for actuating the lock-up clutch. 
     SUMMARY 
     The object of the disclosure lies in improving the reliability of a torque transmission device, reducing production costs, reducing installation space requirements, reducing torsional vibrations in particular when using a torsional vibration damper and/or a vibration absorber device and/or improving performance, in particular of the lock-up clutch. 
     According to the disclosure, this object is achieved by a torque transmission device with the features as claimed in the claims. 
     There is correspondingly proposed a torque transmission device active between a drive side and an output side and comprising a torque converter which has a housing in which a pump, a turbine and a lock-up clutch for transmission of a torque are arranged between the drive side and the output side, wherein the lock-up clutch has a clutch input coupled to the housing, a clutch output which is rotatable with respect thereto and an actuating element for actuating the lock-up clutch, wherein the turbine is axially displaceable together with the actuating element, wherein the turbine is rotatable with respect to the clutch output. As a result, in particular torsional vibrations can be reduced to a greater extent. 
     One preferred embodiment of the disclosure is characterized in that the actuating element is fastened directly on the turbine. 
     Another embodiment of the disclosure is characterized in that the actuating element and the turbine are formed in one piece. 
     A further embodiment of the disclosure is characterized in that the actuating element for actuating the lock-up clutch acts in the direction of the housing. 
     One advantageous embodiment of the disclosure is characterized in that the turbine is rotatable to a limited extent with respect to the clutch output. 
     One preferred embodiment of the disclosure is characterized in that the torque transmission device comprising a torsional vibration damper has energy storage elements and/or a vibration absorber device, in particular a centrifugal pendulum-type device. 
     The torsional vibration damper comprises at least one damper input part and one damper output part which is rotatable to a limited extent with respect thereto by the action of energy storage elements. A further second damper stage connected in parallel or in series thereto, also having a second damper input part and a second damper output part which is rotatable to a limited extent with respect thereto by the action of second energy storage elements, can also be provided. In the case of connection in series, the second damper input part acts as a damper intermediate part. The turbine can be fitted on a damper component which is rotatable via the action of the energy storage elements, such as damper input part or damper intermediate part or damper output part. 
     Independently of this, it also lies in the framework of the disclosure to fit the turbine on a different damper component of the torsional vibration damper, such as, for example, the damper intermediate part. 
     Stop means for limiting a maximum rotatability between turbine and clutch output can generally be provided in the region of the connecting point between turbine and clutch output and/or disk element. 
     A further embodiment of the disclosure is characterized in that the turbine is rotatable with respect to the clutch output counter to the action of the energy storage elements. 
     One preferred embodiment of the disclosure is characterized in that the turbine is rotatable with respect to the clutch output via the action of a bearing, in particular a plain bearing and/or an anti-friction bearing. 
     The friction which occurs between turbine and clutch output and/or disk element as a result of the axial force present for the actuation of the lock-up clutch as a result of the turbine and the relative rotatability of both components can be used in a targeted manner to bring about energy dissipation and/or hysteresis in the action of the torsional vibration damper. When using a plain bearing between turbine and clutch output and/or disk element, in particular the disk element and/or the turbine are/is formed as a washer disk. 
     One preferred embodiment of the disclosure is characterized in that the turbine can exert an axial force on the lock-up clutch, in particular on the clutch output and/or a disk element, via the actuating element for actuation of the lock-up clutch. 
     Another embodiment of the disclosure is characterized in that the clutch output and/or the housing receive(s) at least one friction lining. 
     A sealing element can generally be actively arranged between the clutch output and/or the disk element. In particular, the sealing element can be formed by a sealing ring and/or a spring element, especially a plate spring. The sealing element is arranged in particular in the region of the upper half of the radial extent of the turbine, particularly preferably at the radial height of the friction lining and/or radially outside the friction lining. 
     The torque converter can generally also be connected to a torsional vibration damping device and/or vibration absorber device arranged outside the housing. 
     Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the disclosure will become apparent from the description and the illustrations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure is described in detail below with reference to the illustrations. 
       In detail: 
         FIG. 1 : shows a half-section of a cross-section through a torque transmission device in one embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2 a   : shows a cut-out of the cross-section shown in  FIG. 1  through the torque transmission device. 
         FIG. 2 b   : shows a cut-out of a cross-section through a torque transmission device in a further embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3 : shows a cut-out of a cross-section through a torque transmission device in a further embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4 : shows a top view of a part of a torque transmission device in a further embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5 : shows a cut-out of a cross-section through a torque transmission device in a further embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a half-section of a cross-section through a torque transmission device  10  in one embodiment of the disclosure. This comprises a torque converter  12  which is actively introduced between a drive side and an output side and which has a housing  14 , in which a pump  16 , a turbine  18  and a lock-up clutch  20  for transmission of a torque are arranged between the drive side and output side. Turbine  18  comprises a turbine wheel lining  22  and turbine vanes  24  which are fastened thereon. 
     Lock-up clutch  20  has an axially displaceable actuating element  26  for actuating lock-up clutch  20  which is formed in particular in one piece with turbine  18 . To this end, turbine  18  is also axially displaceable and is moved by a pressure difference between torus chamber  28  and outer chamber  30  in order for an axial force to act on lock-up clutch  20 . 
     The force acts in particular between turbine  18  and clutch output  32  which is formed especially here as disk element  40 . Clutch output  32  is rotatable with respect to turbine  18 . A sealing element  34  which is placed in a seal carrier  36  can be provided as a seal between turbine  18  and clutch output  32 . Seal carrier  36  can be formed in particular in one piece with actuating element  26 . Seal element  34  is formed in particular as a sealing ring. 
     Housing  14  forms in particular clutch input  38  of lock-up clutch  20  and disk element  40  forms in particular clutch output  32  of lock-up clutch  20 . 
     Clutch output  32  is generally arranged on a damper input part  44  of a torsional vibration damper  42  or formed in one piece therewith. 
     Damper input part  44  acts in this case via energy storage elements  46  on a damper output part  48  which is rotatable to a limited extent with respect to damper input part  44  and which is formed here in particular as damper intermediate part  50  which in turn forms a second damper input part  52  of a downstream damper stage  54  and which acts via further second energy storage elements  56  on a second damper output part  58  which is rotatable to a limited extent with respect to second damper input part  52 . 
     Second damper output part  58  is connected to a drive hub  60  in particular in a rotationally conjoint manner. In particular, turbine  18  is also connected to drive hub  60  or second damper output part  58  in a rotationally conjoint, but axially displaceable, manner. As a result, the vibration mass on the output side of torsional vibration damper  42  can be increased by the mass of turbines  18 . 
     A cut-out of a cross-section through a torque transmission device  10  in one embodiment of the disclosure is represented in  FIG. 2 a   . Disk element  40  is formed in one piece with turbine  18 , in particular turbine lining  22  and is pushed via axially displaceable turbine  18  for closing of lock-up clutch  20  by an axial force in the direction of housing, to which end a friction lining  62 , in particular on disk element  40 , enables a transmission of torque between housing as clutch input and disk element  40  as clutch output  32  in the case of closed or partially closed lock-up clutch  20 . 
     Turbine  18  is rotatable to a limited extent with respect to disk element  40  as clutch output  32 . A plain bearing  64  is provided in particular here. To this end, in particular friction-reducing materials and/or components can be used to reduce the friction in the case of relative rotation between clutch output  32  and turbine  18 . The friction can also be used in a targeted manner to bring about hysteresis in the case of the torsional vibration damper. 
       FIG. 2 b    shows a cut-out of a cross-section through a torque transmission device  10  in a further embodiment of the disclosure. In this case, actuating element  26  is connected fixedly, in particular welded, to turbine  18 , especially to turbine wheel lining  22 . 
     A cut-out of a cross-section through a torque transmission device  10  in a further embodiment of the disclosure is represented in  FIG. 3 . Turbine  18  is rotatable with respect to clutch output  32 , here disk element  40 , via the action of a bearing  66 , in particular of an anti-friction bearing. The anti-friction bearing comprises in particular, as is apparent in  FIG. 4 , a total of four roller elements  68 , here in the form of balls which enable a transmission of an axial force between turbine  18  and disk element  40  but simultaneously also a limited rotatability between turbine  18  and disk element  40 . 
     Roller elements  68  can roll in paths  70  extending to a limited extent on the circumferential side. The limited extension on the circumferential side can also have the effect of a stop, i.e. limitation of a maximum rotatability between turbine  18  and disk element  40 . As a result, particularly when using a torsional vibration damper, a stop can be brought about between damper components coupled by energy storage elements, such as damper input part and damper output part. 
       FIG. 5  shows a cut-out of a cross-section through a torque transmission device  10  in a further embodiment of the disclosure. In this case, a sealing element  34 , formed here in particular as plate spring  72 , is provided for sealing between turbine  18  and clutch output  32 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
     
         
         
           
               10  Torque transmission device 
               12  Torque transmitter 
               14  Housing 
               16  Pump 
               18  Turbine 
               20  Lock-up clutch 
               22  Turbine wheel lining 
               24  Turbine vanes 
               26  Actuating element 
               28  Torus chamber 
               30  Outer chamber 
               32  Clutch output 
               34  Sealing element 
               36  Seal carrier 
               38  Clutch input 
               40  Disk element 
               42  Torsional vibration damper 
               44  Damper input part 
               46  Energy storage element 
               48  Damper output part 
               50  Damper intermediate part 
               52  Damper input part 
               54  Damper stage 
               56  Energy storage element 
               58  Damper output part 
               60  Drive hub 
               62  Friction lining 
               64  Plain bearing 
               66  Bearing 
               68  Roller element 
               70  Paths 
               72  Plate spring