US006447246B1
(io) Patent No.: US 6,447,246 Bl (45) Date of Patent: Sep. 10,2002
(54) TORQUE CONVERTER
(75) Inventors: Hiroya Abe; Masatoshi Sakato;
Tetsurou Maruyama, all ol Saitama
(JP)
(73) Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki
Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/707,838
(22) Filed: Nov. 8, 2000
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data
Nov. 10, 1999 (JP) 11-319137
(51) Int. C I. F03B 3/00
(52) U.S. C I 415 187
(58) Field of Search 415/187, 191;
416/197 C; 60/330, 361, 364, 366
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,186,557 A * 2/1980 Arai et al 60/361
4,783,960 A * 11/1988 Kubo et al 60/361 X
4,866,935 A * 9/1989 Hayabuchi et al 60/631
5,241,820 A * 9/1993 Fukunaga 60/361 X
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
JP 57-37791 8/1982
JP 04-254043 9/1992
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—-John E. Ryznic
(57) ABSTRACT
A torque converter in which a flatness (2L/H) and a torus inside and outside radius ratio (r/R) satisfy the following equations: (1) 0.55<(2L/H)<0.75 and (2) 35<(r/R)<0.40. Then, assuming that an axially central position of the flow path along a rotational shaft of the torque converter is an origin, an axial direction is an X direction and a radial direction is a Y direction, the configuration of the flow path of the turbine member is set such that the position of a point of contact between a straight line inclined 45 degrees relative to the X direction and a curve constituting an external circumference surface of the flow path in the turbine member is located within an area surrounded by two straight lines expressed as (3) Y=(R/L)xX+(6/4)xR and (4) Y=(R/L)xX+(7/4)xR.
2 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
