Patent ID: 7048502

Claim:
A fluid coupling comprising: a pump comprising an annular pump shell, an annular pump core ring, a pump hub having said pump shell and pump core ring mounted thereon, and a plurality of impellers radially mounted in said pump shell; a turbine facing said pump with a gap therebetween, said turbine comprising an annular turbine shell, an annular turbine core ring, a turbine hub rotatable relative to said pump hub, and a plurality of runners radially mounted in said turbine shell, said turbine shell and turbine core ring being slidably mounted on said turbine hub, permitting said turbine shell, said turbine core ring, and said runners to slide in and axial direction on said turbine hub; and a centrifugal pushing device for pushing said turbine shell, said turbine core ring, and said runners axially on said turbine hub toward said pump by centrifugal force produced during rotation of said turbine, the gap between said pump and said turbine being a maximum when said turbine is not rotating and decreasing from that maximum due to the pushing as said turbine rotates, until reaching a minimum.