US Patent 7757485 Hydrodynamic coupling

The invention relates to a hydrodynamic coupling having a primary blade wheel and a secondary blade wheel. The primary wheel and the secondary wheel together form a working chamber that can be filled with a working medium and are mounted in such a way that they can rotate in relation to each other. A bearing is inserted, at least indirectly, between the primary impeller and the secondary impeller, said bearing absorbing the radial forces and/or axial forces acting between the blade wheels. The inventive hydrodynamic coupling is characterized in that the bearing is constructed as a sliding bearing, a film of bearing fluid subjected to hydrostatic pressure being formed between the bearing components moving in relation to each other during the operation of the hydrodynamic coupling, and the pressure of the bearing fluid is dependent on the pressure of the working medium built up in the working chamber.