Patent ID: 7152399

Claim:
A torque converter assembly including an impeller, a turbine, and a stator, comprising: at least one of the impeller and the turbine having a passage for directing fluid wherein each said passage has an inlet having an inlet cross-sectional area, an outlet having an outlet cross-sectional area, and a middle portion having a middle portion cross-sectional area, wherein said middle portion cross-sectional area is smaller than each of said inlet cross-sectional area and said outlet cross-sectional area; the stator including a core, a shell, and a plurality of stator blades; and each said stator blade having a midsection defined by a mid-cross-sectional area, a first end defined by a first end cross-sectional area attached to said core, and a second end defined by a second end cross-sectional area attached to said shell, wherein said mid-cross-sectional area is larger than each of said first end cross-sectional area and said second end cross-sectional area.