Patent ID: 7621384

Claim:
A hydrodynamic torque converter comprising: a hydrodynamic circuit comprising a pump wheel, a turbine wheel, and a stator, the stator being centered around an axis of rotation and having a hub; a freewheel comprising: a first, radially outer freewheel component which carries the hub; a second, radially inner freewheel component; and a transmission element part, which connects the first freewheel component to the second freewheel component so that the first freewheel component can rotate with respect to the second freewheel component; a damping device which damps rotation of the first freewheel component with respect to the second freewheel component when the damping device is in a working connection with the second freewheel component, wherein the damping device has an elastic element generating a predetermined pressing force to establish the working connection between the damping device and the second freewheel component, wherein the pressing force generated by the elastic element acts on the second freewheel component in an essentially axial direction; and a thrust washer positioning the second freewheel component with respect to the first freewheel component, wherein the thrust washer comprises: a first axial section axially supporting the first and second freewheel components, and having a recess for receiving the elastic element, the recess being in an axial area facing and radially corresponding to the second freewheel component, the elastic element having a section projecting beyond the recess toward, and resting against, the second freewheel component; and a second axial section disposed between the first and second freewheel components and having a radially outer surface resting against the first freewheel component and a radially inner surface resting against the second freewheel component.