초록 ▼

In a fluid coupling wherein a turbine shell is welded to a turbine hub, it is necessary to take care of the strength of the welded portion because the turbine shell is displaced toward the pump blade as the torque thereof is transmitted. A fluid coupling (10) according to the present invention is pr

In a fluid coupling wherein a turbine shell is welded to a turbine hub, it is necessary to take care of the strength of the welded portion because the turbine shell is displaced toward the pump blade as the torque thereof is transmitted. A fluid coupling (10) according to the present invention is provided with an input-side rotary constituent (A) including a pump blade (18), to which is attached an input member, and an output-side rotary constituent (B) including a turbine shell (22), to which is attached a turbine blade (21) opposed to the pump blade (18), and a turbine hub, to which is coupled an output member (1), the turbine hub (15) being welded to an inner peripheral portion of the turbine shell (22), wherein the turbine shell (22) and the turbine hub (15) have contact surfaces (23, 24), respectively, extending along a rotational axis (10a) of the fluid coupling (10), and a joint portion (14) is formed by the welding on the contact surfaces (23, 24) closer to the pump blade (18).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A fluid coupling comprising: an input-side rotary element coupled with an input member, said input-side rotary element including a pump blade; andan output-side rotary element including a turbine shell having a turbine blade opposed to said pump blade, and a turbine hub coupled with an output mem

1. A fluid coupling comprising: an input-side rotary element coupled with an input member, said input-side rotary element including a pump blade; andan output-side rotary element including a turbine shell having a turbine blade opposed to said pump blade, and a turbine hub coupled with an output member, said turbine hub being welded to an inner peripheral portion of said turbine shell;wherein said turbine shell and said turbine hub have contact surfaces, respectively, extending along a rotational axis of said fluid coupling, andwherein a joint portion is formed by welding on said contact surfaces closer to said pump blade,wherein said turbine shell has a boss at an inner peripheral portion thereof, said boss extending in the direction parallel to the rotational axis of said fluid coupling; an inner peripheral surface of said boss defining said contact surface of the turbine shell, andwherein said turbine hub has an annular groove at an outer peripheral portion thereof, said boss being inserted into said annular groove; an inner peripheral surface of said annular groove defining the contact surface of the turbine hub. 2. A fluid coupling comprising: an input-side rotary element coupled with an input member, said input-side rotary element including a pump blade; andan output-side rotary element including a turbine shell having a turbine blade opposed to said pump blade, and a turbine hub coupled with an output member, said turbine hub being welded to an inner peripheral portion of said turbine shell;wherein said turbine shell and said turbine hub have contact surfaces, respectively, extending along a rotational axis of said fluid coupling, andwherein a joint portion is formed by welding on said contact surfaces closer to said pump blade,wherein said turbine shell has a boss at an inner peripheral portion thereof, said boss extending in the direction parallel to the rotational axis of said fluid coupling; an inner peripheral surface of said boss defining said contact surface of the turbine shell, andwherein said turbine hub has a wall and a rib at the outer peripheral portion thereof, said rib extending from the wall in the direction parallel to the rotational axis of said fluid coupling, the rib extending beyond an inner peripheral surface of the wall; an outer peripheral surface of said rib defining said contact surface of the turbine hub. 3. A fluid coupling comprising: an input-side rotary element coupled with an input member, said input-side rotary element including a pump blade; andan output-side rotary element including a turbine shell having a turbine blade opposed to said pump blade, and a turbine hub coupled with an output member, said turbine hub being welded to an inner peripheral portion of said turbine shell;wherein said turbine shell and said turbine hub have contact surfaces, respectively, andwherein a joint portion is formed by welding on said contact surfaces closer to said pump blade,wherein said turbine shell has a boss at an inner peripheral portion thereof, said boss being diametrically inclined inward relative to the rotational axis of said fluid coupling; an inner peripheral surface of said boss defining said contact surface of the turbine shell, andwherein said turbine hub has a rib at an outer peripheral portion thereof, said rib being diametrically inclined outward relative to the rotational axis of said fluid coupling; an outer peripheral surface of said rib defining said contact surface of the turbine hub. 4. A fluid coupling comprising: an input-side rotary element coupled with an input member, and including a pump blade; andan output-side rotary element including a turbine shell provided with a turbine blade opposed to said pump blade and a turbine hub coupled with an output member, said turbine shell being coupled to said turbine hub via a joint portion;wherein said turbine shell is welded to said turbine hub so that said joint portion receives a compression stress when said turbine shell is displaced toward said pump blade as torque is transmitted by said fluid coupling,wherein said turbine shell has a boss at an inner peripheral portion thereof, extending in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of said fluid coupling; an inner peripheral surface of said boss forming a contact surface, andwherein said turbine hub has an annular groove at an outer peripheral portion thereof, said boss being inserted into said annular groove; an inner surface of said annular groove defining a contact surface. 5. A fluid coupling comprising: an input-side rotary element coupled with an input member, and including a pump blade; andan output-side rotary element including a turbine shell provided with a turbine blade opposed to said pump blade and a turbine hub coupled with an output member, said turbine shell being coupled to said turbine hub via a joint portion;wherein said turbine shell is welded to said turbine hub so that said joint portion receives a compression stress when said turbine shell is displaced toward said pump blade as torque is transmitted by said fluid coupling,wherein said turbine shell has a boss at an inner peripheral portion thereof, said boss extending in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of said fluid coupling; an inner peripheral surface of said boss forming a contact surface, andwherein said turbine hub has a wall and a rib at an outer peripheral portion thereof, said rib extending from the wall in the direction parallel to the rotational axis of said fluid coupling, the rib extending beyond an inner peripheral surface of the wall; an outer peripheral surface of said rib forming said contact surface. 6. A fluid coupling comprising: an input-side rotary element coupled with an input member, and including a pump blade; andan output-side rotary element including a turbine shell provided with a turbine blade opposed to said pump blade and a turbine hub coupled with an output member, said turbine shell being coupled to said turbine hub via a joint portion;wherein said turbine shell is welded to said turbine hub so that said joint portion receives a compression stress when said turbine shell is displaced toward said pump blade as torque is transmitted by said fluid coupling,wherein said turbine shell has a boss at an inner peripheral portion thereof, said boss being inclined diametrically inward relative to the rotational axis of said fluid coupling; an inner peripheral surface of said rib forming a contact surface, andwherein said turbine hub has a rib at an outer peripheral portion thereof, said rib being inclined diametrically outward relative to the rotational axis of said fluid coupling; an outer surface of said rib forming a contact surface. 7. The fluid coupling as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 and 4 to 6, wherein said turbine shell extends from said boss on a part thereof closer to said pump blade while being inclined diametrically outward. 8. The fluid coupling as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a lockup clutch including a lockup piston coupled to said output-side rotary element, said lockup clutch being capable of engaging said lockup piston to said input-side rotary element integral therewith without intervening fluid. 9. The fluid coupling as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a damper having first rotary element coupled to said turbine hub, a second rotary element coupled to said lockup piston to be rotatable relative to said first rotary element, and an elastically deformable member incorporated between said first and second rotary elements to allow the relative rotation of said first and second rotary elements so that elastic deformation occurs due to said relative rotation. 10. The fluid coupling as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 and 4 to 6, further comprising a lockup clutch including a lockup piston coupled to said output-side rotary element, said lockup clutch being capable of engaging said lockup piston to said input-side rotary element integral therewith without intervening fluid. 11. The fluid coupling as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a damper having a first rotary element coupled to said turbine hub, a second rotary element coupled to said lockup piston to be rotatable relative to said first rotary element, and an elastically deformable member incorporated between said first and second rotary elements to allow the relative rotation of said first and second rotary elements so that elastic deformation occurs due to said relative rotation. 12. A method for connecting an inner peripheral portion of a turbine shell of a fluid coupling to an outer peripheral portion of a turbine hub of said fluid coupling, said fluid coupling comprising an input-side rotary element coupled to an input member and including a pump blade, and an output-side rotary element including said turbine shell including a turbine blade opposed to said pump blade, and said turbine hub is coupled to an output member, the method comprising: a step of welding said turbine shell to said turbine hub so that a joint portion between said inner peripheral portion of said turbine shell and said outer peripheral portion of said turbine hub receives a compression stress when said turbine shell is displaced toward said pump blade as the torque is transmitted by said fluid coupling,wherein said turbine shell has a boss at an inner peripheral portion thereof, extending in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of said fluid coupling; an inner peripheral surface of said boss forming a contact surface, andwherein said turbine hub has an annular groove at an outer peripheral portion thereof, said boss being inserted into said annular groove; an inner surface of said annular groove defining a contact surface, andwherein the compression stress is received by the turbine hub from the turbine shell through the contact surfaces of the turbine hub and turbine shell, respectively.