Hydrodynamic torque converter

Abstract

The invention relates to a hydrodynamic torque converter having a pump shell including blades, a turbine shell including blades, a torus-shaped flow cycle. The blades are configured to be attached at the respective shells through inner walls and the inner walls of the turbine shell and of the pump shell form an inner torus with outer surfaces facing the flow cycle and an end of an extension of the inner wall of at least one shell and an end of an extension of an adjacent shell are disposed in a plane and extend over one another and define a gap between one another. A transition from the extensions is configured to be hydrodynamically smooth.

1 . A hydrodynamic torque converter, comprising:
 a pump shell, including a first plurality of blades attached to a first inner wall for the pump shell;   a turbine shell, including a second plurality of blades attached to a second inner wall for the turbine shell; and,   an inner torus partially formed by the first and second inner walls, wherein
 the first and second inner walls include first and second surfaces, respectively, facing away from the inner torus; 
 the first and second inner walls include first and second ends, respectively; 
 one of the first or second inner walls extends beyond the first or second pluralities of blades, respectively; 
 a gap is formed between the first and second ends; 
 the first and second surfaces are in alignment, at the gap; and, 
 the first and second ends are in alignment with a line orthogonal to an axis of rotation for the torque converter. 
   
     
     
         2 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein the first inner wall extends beyond the first plurality of blades. 
     
     
         3 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein the second inner wall extends beyond the second plurality of blades. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein the first inner wall extends beyond the first plurality of blades and the second inner wall extends beyond the second plurality of blades. 
     
     
         5 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein the gap is formed at a radially outer portion of the inner torus. 
     
     
         6 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein the gap is formed at a radially inner portion of the inner torus. 
     
     
         7 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein the gap is formed at both a radially outer portion of the inner torus and at a radially inner portion of the inner torus. 
     
     
         8 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein a flow cross-section width of the gap varies according to a location of the flow cross-section within the gap. 
     
     
         9 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the first inner wall varies according to a position of the portion with respect to the gap. 
     
     
         10 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the second inner wall varies according to a position of the portion with respect to the gap. 
     
     
         11 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein a respective radial extension is formed at the first end. 
     
     
         12 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 1 , wherein a respective radial extension is formed at the second end. 
     
     
         13 . A hydrodynamic torque converter, comprising:
 a pump shell, including a first plurality of blades attached to a first inner wall for the pump shell;   a turbine shell, including a second plurality of blades attached to a second inner wall for the turbine shell; and,   an inner torus partially formed by the first and second inner walls, wherein
 the first and second inner walls include first and second surfaces, respectively, facing away from the inner torus; 
 the first and second inner walls include first and second ends, respectively; 
 one of the first or second inner walls extends beyond the first or second pluralities of blades, respectively; 
 a gap is formed between the first and second ends; 
 the first and second surfaces are in alignment, at the gap; and, 
 a line orthogonal to an axis of rotation for the torque converter overlaps the first and second inner walls. 
   
     
     
         14 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 13 , wherein the first inner wall extends beyond the first plurality of blades. 
     
     
         15 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 13 , wherein the second inner wall extends beyond the second plurality of blades. 
     
     
         16 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 13 , wherein the first inner wall extends beyond the first plurality of blades and the second inner wall extends beyond the second plurality of blades. 
     
     
         17 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 13 , wherein the gap is formed at a radially outer portion of the inner torus. 
     
     
         18 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 13 , wherein the gap is formed at a radially inner portion of the inner torus. 
     
     
         19 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 13 , wherein the gap is formed at both a radially outer portion of the inner torus and at a radially inner portion of the inner torus. 
     
     
         20 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 13 , wherein a flow cross-section width of the gap varies according to a location of the flow cross-section within the gap. 
     
     
         21 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 13 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the first inner wall varies according to a position of the portion with respect to the gap. 
     
     
         22 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 13 , wherein a thickness of a portion of the second inner wall varies according to a position of the portion with respect to the gap. 
     
     
         23 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 13 , wherein a respective radial extension is formed at the first end. 
     
     
         24 . The hydrodynamic torque converter of  claim 13 , wherein a respective radial extension is formed at the second end.