Patent ID: 8596164

Claim:
A flexplate for coupling a motor vehicle engine to a transmission that is unrelated to the engine, the flexplate comprising: a single integral body portion having a generally circular shape, and the body portion having a first side and a second side; one or more borings on the body portion, including a first boring on the first side of the body portion having a diameter corresponding to a diameter of a hub on a crankshaft on the engine and a second boring on the second side of the body portion having a diameter corresponding to a torque converter of the unrelated transmission; wherein the first and second borings are coaxially aligned with one another; a first set of apertures spaced radially outward from and circumferentially around the one or more borings and each aperture is aligned with respect to an aperture on a flange of the crankshaft for mounting the flexplate to the engine; a plurality of gear teeth disposed along an outer periphery of the body portion; the body portion having a web section disposed annularly around the one or more borings and between the one or more borings and the gear teeth; and, a second set of apertures on the web section spaced radially outward from one or more borings and each aperture is aligned with respect to an aperture on a mounting member of the torque converter for mounting the torque converter to the flexplate; and, wherein the torque converter is mounted directly to the flexplate and the flexplate is mounted to the engine without the use of an adapter disposed between the flexplate and torque converter, or between the flexplate and engine.