Slezak, Paul J.;

Hydrodynamic power transmission unit

A hydrodynamic power transmission unit is constructed with cylindrical bearings positioned in the annular space between the outer hollow driver shaft and the concentrically disposed inner driven shaft and flow channels are provided to not only supply lubricating oil to the cylindrical bearings independently of the drive fluid supplied to the impeller and turbine discs but also to remove the spent lubricating oil in a way that it does not mix with the drive fluid. The resultant transmission unit, which can be used as a clutch for driving the cooling fan of an internal combustion engine, is more reliable and less expensive than prior art transmission units, and less noisy.

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We claim:

1. A hydrodynamic power transmission unit which comprises a housing; a hollow drive shaft which is mounted in the housing for rotation; a driven shaft which extends into the housing and is mounted on mounting bearings so as to be rotatable with respect thereto, said driven shaft extending through and being concentric with said drive shaft so as to provide an annular space therebetween; a number of cylindrical bearings positioned in said annular space between said drive shaft and said driven shaft; an impeller disc which is connected to said drive shaft to extend radially outwardly therefrom, said impeller disc including a base portion and a head portion, said head portion of said impeller disc having a cup-shaped cross section and blades therein; and a turbine disc which is connected to said driven shaft to extend radially outwardly therefrom, said turbine disc including a base portion and a head portion, said head portion of said turbine disc having a cup-shaped cross section and blades therein; the head portion of said impeller disc facing the head portion of said turbine disc so that, with a drive fluid therebetween, rotation of the impeller disc by said drive shaft will cause rotation of said turbine disc and thus said driven shaft; the base portion of said turbine disc defining an annular recess which faces the base portion of said impeller disc, the base portion of said impeller disc including an annular rib which extends into the annular recess in the base portion of said turbine disc, and the facing sides of the base portions of said turbine and impeller discs being shaped to provide at least one flow passage which extends from said annular space to said annular recess at a point radially inwardly of said annular rib, each flow passage functioning to remove pressurized lubricating oil, which has lubricated said cylindrical bearings and said mounting bearings, from said annular space without mixing with said drive fluid.

2. The hydrodynamic power transmission unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said driven shaft includes a central bore along which pressurized lubricating oil can flow, as well as radial passages for delivering the pressurized lubricating oil from said central bore to said annular space between said drive and driven shafts.

3. The hydrodynamic power transmission unit as defined in claim 1 wherein the facing sides of the base portions of said turbine disc and said impeller disc are shaped to provide a single annular flow passage which extends between said annular space and said annular recess.

4. The hydrodynamic power transmission unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said turbine disc is located within said housing, a drainage chamber being formed between said turbine disc and said housing, and wherein the base portion of said turbine disc includes circumferentially elongated ports which communicate between said annular recess and said drainage chamber to remove pressurized lubricating oil from said annular recess.

5. The hydrodynamic power transmission unit as defined in claim 4 wherein said circumferentially elongated ports increase in cross section as they extend from said annular recess to said drainage chamber.

6. The hydrodynamic power transmission unit as defined in claim 1 wherein each flow passage includes a first radial portion and a second angled portion.

7. The hydrodynamic power transmission unit as defined in claim 1 including a cover which extends from the periphery of the head portion of the turbine disc over and around the impeller disc to form an annular chamber for drive fluid, and wherein an injector nozzle removably extends through an opening in said cover to supply metered quantities of drive fluid to said annular chamber.

8. The hydrodynamic power transmission unit as defined in claim 1 wherein each said flow passage provides a cross section which increases as it extends from said annular space to said annular recess.

9. A hydrodynamic power transmission unit which comprises a housing; a hollow drive shaft which is mounted in the housing for rotation; a driven shaft which extends into the housing and is mounted on mounting bearings so as to be rotatable with respect thereto, said driven shaft extending through and being concentric with said drive shaft so as to provide an annular space therebetween; a number of cylindrical bearings positioned in said annular space between said drive shaft and said driven shaft; an impeller disc which is connected to said drive shaft to extend radially outwardly therefrom, said impeller disc including a base portion and a head portion, said head portion of said impeller disc having a cup-shaped cross section and blades therein; and a turbine disc which is connected to said driven shaft to extend radially outwardly therefrom, said turbine disc including a base portion and a head portion, said head portion of said turbine disc having a cup-shaped cross section and blades therein; the head portion of said impeller disc facing the head portion of said turbine disc so that, with a drive fluid therebetween, rotation of the impeller disc by said drive shaft will cause rotation of said turbine disc and thus said driven shaft; the base portion of said turbine disc defining an annular recess which faces the base portion of said impeller disc, the facing sides of the base portions of said turbine and impeller discs being shaped to provide at least one flow passage which extends from said annular space to said annular recess, each said flow passage including a first radial portion and a second angled portion and each flow passage functioning to remove pressurized lubricating oil, which has lubricated said cylindrical bearings and said mounting bearings, from said annular space without mixing with said drive fluid, the head portions of said impeller and turbine discs defining an imaginary plane therethrough, the annular recess of the base portion of said impeller disc being on the impeller disc side of the imaginary plane, the radial portion of each flow passage communicating with the annular space between said drive and drive shafts on the impeller disc side of the imaginary plane and their angled portion communicating with the annular recess on the turbine disc side of the imaginary plane.