Hydrodynamic clutch arrangement

US8113325B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG · DE

Inventors

• Gregor Sueck · Schweinfurt, DE
• Oliver So · Schweinfurt, DE
• Thomas Krüger · Leverkusen, DE
• Monika Rössner · Gerolzhofen, DE
• Thomas Walter · Kolitzheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 29, 2007
• Grant date: Feb 14, 2012
• Expiry date: Oct 10, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F16H2045/0284
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A hydrodynamic clutch device used to establish and to release a working connection between a drive and a takeoff is disclosed. The device includes a housing capable of rotating around an axis of rotation, the housing containing a torus space, which forms a torus volume (TV) with a pump wheel and a turbine wheel, and a clutch space, which forms the boundaries of the clutch volume (CV) and which encloses a mechanical transmission circuit including a bridging clutch designed with a torsional vibration clamper. During the course of the minimum resting phase of the housing, the fluid which is distributed throughout the housing during the operating state decreases from a total volume comprising at least the torus volume (TV) and the clutch volume (CV) to a resting volume (RV), which is located at least essentially underneath the axis of rotation as a result of the force of gravity. A volume reduction arrangement is provided to the housing to reduce the clutch volume (CV) versus the resting volume (RV).