JP5668464B2 - Magnetorheological fluid torque converter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a magnetorheological fluid type torque converter that uses a magnetorheological fluid as a working medium and transmits power via the magnetorheological fluid, and particularly relates to a proposal for improving a technique for enclosing the magnetorheological fluid in the torque converter.

The working medium of the torque converter is usually shared with the working medium such as an automatic transmission combined with the torque converter, as typified when used in an automatic transmission.
However, when a magnetorheological fluid torque converter using a magnetorheological fluid as a working medium is combined with an automatic transmission or the like, magnetic particles such as iron powder mixed in the magnetorheological fluid to increase the specific gravity are This will damage the transmission mechanism.

Therefore, it is necessary to separate the working medium between the torque converter and an automatic transmission combined therewith. Conventionally, for example, a magnetorheological fluid torque converter as described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed.
In this proposed magnetorheological fluid type torque converter, a sealing means is provided at the center of the torque converter, the magnetorheological fluid is sealed in the torque converter, and the working medium is separated between the torque converter and the automatic transmission. Is.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 07-2663

  However, in the conventional magnetorheological fluid type torque converter, since the sealing means for enclosing the magnetorheological fluid is provided in the central portion of the torque converter, the mechanism portion in the central portion of the torque converter becomes a magnetic particle in the magnetorheological fluid. In addition to being exposed to damage, the amount of the magnetorheological fluid having a large specific gravity is increased, which is disadvantageous in terms of weight and cost.

The present invention relates to a magnetorheological fluid when the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid are subjected to centrifugal force during the transmission operation of the torque converter and gather in the shell chamber containing the input element rotor blade and the output element rotor blade of the torque converter. Specific gravity, that is, the content of magnetic particles in the shell chamber is naturally determined from the required performance of the torque converter, and if the magnetorheological fluid is sealed in the torque converter so as to satisfy this requirement, the required performance of the torque converter can be obtained. From the viewpoint that it is not necessary to enclose the magnetorheological fluid to the center of the torque converter,
Based on this idea, the position of the sealing means for enclosing the magnetorheological fluid is appropriately determined to solve the above problems, and the sealing means is damaged by being exposed to the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid. It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetorheological fluid torque converter which does not cause any occurrence.

For this purpose, the magnetorheological fluid torque converter according to the present invention is constructed as follows.
First, to explain the prerequisite magnetorheological fluid torque converter,
The input element and the output element are arranged so that the rotor blades on the outer periphery of each of the input element and the output element are coaxially opposed to each other, the reaction element is provided between the input element and the output element, The input element is coupled to the input shaft through a converter cover that is supported by a one-way clutch so as not to rotate in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the output element, and is surrounded by the input element so as to surround the output element. and centrifugal force is applied to the magnetic fluid by the rotation of the input element through a converter cover, the output element rotating blade with the magnetic viscous fluid under guidance by the input element rotating blades collide to the output element rotating blades The reaction force element imparts a reaction force to the magnetorheological fluid that has collided with the fluid to transmit power.

The present invention relates to such a magnetorheological fluid torque converter,
The magnetorheological fluid is sealed in the outer periphery of the torque converter by a sealing means.
The sealing means is located radially inward of the shell chamber of the torque converter in which the input element rotor blade and the output element rotor blade are present, and more radially outward than the one-way clutch in the inner periphery of the reaction force element. When the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid are gathered outward in the radial direction by receiving the centrifugal force, there are magnetic particles between the collected magnetic particles and the sealing means. It is characterized by a configuration in which a buffer chamber that does not appear.

According to the magnetorheological torque converter of the present invention, the sealing means is radially inward of the shell chamber of the torque converter as described above , and more radially than the one-way clutch on the inner periphery of the reaction force element. because it disposed in radial positions at the outer side, without extending to the one-way clutch of the reaction element magnetorheological fluid is a rotating mechanism unit which definitive torque converter center,
The rotating mechanism (one-way clutch) at the center of the torque converter is not damaged by being exposed to the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid, and the amount of the magnetorheological fluid having a large specific gravity increases, resulting in weight and cost. There is no disadvantage.

Further , according to the radial position of the sealing means , when the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid are subjected to centrifugal force and gathered radially outward during the transmission operation of the torque converter, the collected magnetic particles and the sealing means between, it will be a buffer chamber in which the magnetic particles do not exist capable of appearance,
It is possible to prevent the sealing means from being damaged by being exposed to the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid by the appearance of the buffer chamber, and the situation where the sealing means is damaged by the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid. It does not occur.

It is a vertical side view which shows the half part of the magnetorheological fluid type torque converter which becomes one Example of this invention couple | bonded with the input shaft of an automatic transmission.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated examples.
<Configuration of Example>
FIG. 1 shows a magnetorheological fluid type torque converter 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention coupled to an input shaft 2 of an automatic transmission.
The magnetorheological fluid torque converter 1 is mainly composed of a pump impeller 3 as an input element, a turbine runner 4 as an output element, and a stator 5 as a reaction force element.

The pump impeller 3 has a pump impeller rotor blade (input element rotor blade) 3a on the outer periphery, and the turbine runner 4 has a turbine runner rotor blade (output element rotor blade) 4a on the outer periphery.
The pump impeller 3 and the turbine runner 4 are arranged so that the rotor blades 3a and 4a face each other coaxially.

The pump impeller 3 is coupled to a torque converter input shaft (usually an engine crankshaft) (not shown) via a converter cover 6 attached to the outer periphery of the pump impeller 3 so as to surround the turbine runner 4.
The turbine runner 4 is coupled to a transmission input shaft 2 as a torque converter output shaft via a turbine hub 7 attached to an inner peripheral portion.

The stator 5 has stator blades 5a on the outer periphery, and is arranged coaxially with respect to the pump impeller 3 and the turbine runner 4 so that the stator blades 5a are located between the pump impeller rotor blades 3a and the turbine runner rotor blades 4a.
The stator 5 is supported on a hollow fixed shaft 9 extending from the automatic transmission via a one-way clutch 8 fitted to the inner periphery.

The one-way clutch 8 is a normal one composed of an outer race 8a, an inner race 8b, and a large number of sprags 8c interposed between the races 8a and 8b.
The outer peripheral surface of the outer race 8a is fitted to the inner peripheral portion of the stator 5, and the inner peripheral surface of the inner race 8b is coupled to the hollow fixed shaft 9 for practical use.

  The one-way clutch 8 prevents the turbine runner 5 from rotating in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the torque converter (engine rotation direction) by the locking action of the sprag 8c between the races 8a and 8b, and the turbine runner 5 It is arranged in a direction that allows rotation in the same direction as the rotation direction of the converter (engine rotation direction).

  As the working medium of the torque converter 1, a magnetorheological fluid mixed with an amount of magnetic particles (iron powder or the like) corresponding to the required performance of the torque converter 1 is used. It is enclosed in the outer peripheral part of the inside and separated from the working medium of the automatic transmission.

  Here, the amount of magnetic particles according to the required performance of the torque converter 1 means that during the transmission operation of the torque converter 1 described later, the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid receive centrifugal force, and the pump impeller rotation of the torque converter 1 The specific gravity of the magnetorheological fluid when gathered in the shell chamber 12 containing the blade 3a and the turbine runner rotor blade 4a, that is, the content of magnetic particles (shown with dots) in the shell chamber 12 is It means the amount just necessary to achieve the required performance.

  Therefore, if the magnetorheological fluid mixed with an amount of magnetic particles satisfying this requirement is enclosed in the outer peripheral portion including the shell chamber 12 of the torque converter 1, the required performance of the torque converter 1 can be obtained, and the torque converter It is not necessary to enclose the magnetorheological fluid to the center of 1.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the sealing means 11 for enclosing the magnetorheological fluid in the outer periphery of the torque converter 1 is located radially inward of the shell chamber 12, and is a one-way clutch 8 (specifically, the sprag 8c ) At a radial position within the range indicated by arrow α, which is radially outward than
The outer periphery of the torque converter, which is radially outward from the sealing means 11, is filled with a magnetorheological fluid mixed with an amount of magnetic particles that satisfies the above requirements.

In the present embodiment, the sealing means 11 is a first seal member 11a interposed between the pump impeller 3 and the stator 5, a second seal member 11b interposed between the stator 5 and the turbine runner 4, the turbine runner 4 and A third seal member 11c interposed between the converter covers 6 and these seal members 11a, 11b, 11c are arranged at substantially the same radial position.
Note that the radial positions of the seal members 11a, 11b, and 11c are not necessarily the same, and may be any radial positions as long as they are within the range of the arrow α.

During the transmission operation described later of the torque converter 1, the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid are subjected to centrifugal force and move outward in the radial direction, so the content of the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid is as indicated by the arrow β, Increasing radially outward.
Therefore, according to the arrangement of the sealing means 11 described above, when the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid are collected in the shell chamber 12 due to centrifugal force during the transmission operation of the torque converter 1 described later, the shell chamber 12 Between the sealing means 11 and the annular buffer chamber 13 in which no magnetic particles are present can appear.

<Operation of Example>
When the pump impeller 3 is driven by the engine through the converter cover 6, the magnetorheological fluid receives centrifugal force and collides with the turbine runner rotor blade 4a while being guided by the pump impeller rotor blade 3a. Power can be transmitted to the input shaft 2).

  Thereafter, the magnetorheological fluid returns to the pump impeller 3 under the guidance of the stator blades 5a. At this time, the stator 5 is prevented from rotating in the direction opposite to the engine rotation by the one-way clutch 8, so By applying force, the output torque to the turbine runner 4 (transmission input shaft 2) can be increased.

<Effect of Example>
During the transmission operation of the torque converter 1, the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid are subjected to centrifugal force and move outward in the radial direction, so the content of the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid is as indicated by the arrow β, Increasing radially outward.
Therefore, according to the arrangement of the sealing means 11 (seal members 11a, 11b, 11c), the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid receive centrifugal force in the shell chamber 12 during the transmission operation of the torque converter 1. When gathered, an annular buffer chamber 13 without magnetic particles appears between the shell chamber 12 and the sealing means 11.

  Therefore, the magnetorheological fluid does not reach the center of the torque converter 1 and the one-way clutch 8 in the center of the torque converter is not damaged by being exposed to the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid. The amount of viscous fluid is not increased, which is not disadvantageous in terms of weight and cost.

Further, when the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid are subjected to centrifugal force during the transmission operation of the torque converter 1 and gather in the radially outer shell chamber 12, it is possible to make the buffer chamber 13 without the magnetic particles present. Since the sealing means 11 is arranged at such a radial position,
There is no case where the sealing means 11 is exposed to the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid and damaged.

1 Magnetorheological fluid torque converter
2 Transmission input shaft (torque converter output shaft)
3 Pump impeller (input element)
3a Pump impeller rotor blade (input element rotor blade)
4 Turbine runner (output element)
4a Turbine runner rotor blade (output element rotor blade)
5 Stator (Reaction force element)
5a Stator blade
6 Converter cover
7 Turbine hub
8 One-way clutch
8a outer race
8b inner race
8c sprag
9 Hollow fixed shaft
11 Sealing means
11a First seal member
11b Second seal member
11c 3rd seal member
12 Shell room
13 Buffer room

Claims (2)

The input element and the output element are arranged so that the rotor blades on the outer periphery of each of the input element and the output element are coaxially opposed to each other, the reaction element is provided between the input element and the output element, and the reaction element is connected to the input element and The input element is coupled to the input shaft via a converter cover that is supported by a one-way clutch so as not to rotate in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the output element, and is bound to the input element so as to surround the output element. and centrifugal force is applied to the magnetic fluid by the rotation of the input element through a converter cover, the output element rotating blades with impinging magnetic viscous fluid to said output element rotating blades under guidance by the input element rotating blades In the magnetorheological fluid type torque converter that transmits power by applying a reaction force to the magnetorheological fluid that collides with the magnetorheological fluid ,
The magnetorheological fluid is sealed in the outer periphery of the torque converter by a sealing means,
The sealing means is located radially inward of the shell chamber of the torque converter in which the input element rotor blade and the output element rotor blade are present, and more radially outward than the one-way clutch in the inner periphery of the reaction force element. When the magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid are gathered outward in the radial direction by receiving the centrifugal force, there are magnetic particles between the collected magnetic particles and the sealing means. A magnetorheological fluid torque converter characterized by having a buffer chamber that does not appear. In magneto-rheological fluid torque converter according to 請 Motomeko 1,
The sealing means includes a first seal member interposed between the input element and the reaction force element, a second seal member interposed between the reaction force element and the output element, and interposed between the output element and the converter cover. A magnetorheological fluid torque converter, comprising: a third sealing member that has been made to move.

Images