Akio Numazawa

AN EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF FLUID FLOW IN A TORQUE CONVERTER

Theoretical analysis of the fluid flow in a torque converter is not easy because it is a three-dimensional and very complicated problem. A new flow visualization method applicable to oil flow, namely a liquid-resin film method, was developed to observe the fluid flow in a torque converter. The existence of cross, swirl, reverse and separated flow in torque converters was made clear by this method, and it was clarified that the existence of these kinds of flow resulted in depressing torque converter efficiency. Additionally, the flow pattern in a torque converter was predicted theoretically by estimating the pressure distribution in it. An elliptical torque converter with high efficiency was developed by flow visualization and theoretical consideration.

The Design Concept and Techniques of Suspension and Steering for the 1974 Toyota Corona

The 1974 Toyota Corona has been drastically changed to accomodate the required devices for emission control and to comply with safety standards. The handling and stability characteristics have been improved as well as vehicle performance. Steering effort and interior noise levels have been reduced. This paper presents the details of design concepts and the techniques that were employed to produce these improvements. /GMRL/