DE102009045426A1 - Arrangement for adjusting pressure or cooling agent levels, particularly oil levels, in different housing units of transmission of vehicle, has compressed air feed circuit arranged outside of housing units - Google Patents

Abstract

The arrangement has a compressed air feed circuit, over which compressed air for displacing oil over a oil channel (13) in a housing unit (1) with a lower oil level is conductible in a another housing unit (2) with a higher oil level. The compressed air feed circuit is arranged outside of the housing units and is connected over a pneumatic line (4) with one of the housing units.

Description

The present invention relates to an arrangement for balancing oil levels in different housing parts of a transmission of a vehicle according to the closer defined in the preamble of claim 1. Art.

From vehicle technology, it is known that closed housing part are provided in motor vehicle transmissions for reasons of modularization. The respective oil level in the various housing parts can, for example, permanently increase in the case of a pressure circulation lubrication in the housing part arranged relatively lower in comparison with the other housing parts. Such a high oil level in the housing part can produce so-called churning losses due to rotating parts such as gears or brakes, which negatively influence the efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to balance the oil levels between the different housing parts.

For example, from the document EP 0 406 649 B1 is a device for adjusting the oil level in a transmission known. The device comprises an air pump arranged in a gear housing part which builds up an air pressure which displaces oil from one housing part into another housing part connected via an oil passage. Thus, the device uses an internal gear air pump to realize the balancing of the oil levels between the various housing parts. Accordingly, it is necessary that the air pump is disposed in or on the housing. However, this is structurally complex and also susceptible to wear.

Accordingly, the present invention, the object of providing an arrangement for balancing pressure and / or coolant levels, in particular oil levels, to propose in different housing parts of a vehicle transmission according to the aforementioned type, which structurally simple and cost-effective balancing the oil levels or Pressure medium levels allows.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments will become apparent from the dependent claims and the drawings.

Accordingly, an arrangement for balancing pressure and / or coolant levels, in particular oil levels, proposed in various housing parts of a transmission of a vehicle, which comprises at least one compressed air supply via which in z. B. a second housing part with a higher oil level compressed air for displacing oil through at least one cooling channel or the like in z. B. a first housing part can be performed with a lower oil level. According to the invention, the compressed air supply can be arranged outside the transmission or the housing parts and be connected via at least one pneumatic line or the like with at least one of the housing parts.

In this way, an undesirable increase in a pressure and / or coolant level, in particular an oil level, in a housing part and an undesirable lowering of an oil level in another housing part in the simplest way can be prevented by using an external Druckluftverdrängers oil from the one housing part in the other housing part is displaced. As a result, on the one hand, the efficiency of the entire transmission can be optimized and, on the other hand, too little cooling or lubrication of gear elements contained in the housing parts can be prevented.

In the context of a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention can be provided that the compressed air supply on-vehicle already existing compressed air system is used, so that thereby no additional air pump is required to equalize the oil levels between the various housing parts, since the vehicle compressed air system can be used which z. B. is provided as standard in motor vehicles for operating a brake.

Preferably, the vehicle-side compressed air system may include a pump which sucks in air via a filter and compresses it to a working pressure necessary for the vehicle. This compressed air can be supplied to the various vehicle-specific compressed air circuits, for example via an air dryer. For example, one of these compressed air circuits can form the compressed air supply required for balancing the oil levels between the various housing parts.

Usually, the pressure used for the vehicle air pressure networks far exceeds the air pressure required for the oil displacement, so that may be provided within the scope of a next development of the invention that the compressed air supply is connected to a pressure reducer. In this way, a predetermined adjustable air pressure in the transmission housing can be applied via the pneumatic line with the higher oil level.

To allow oil displacement from the higher oil level case, it should be hermetic to the environment be completed, so that this gear chamber is now acted upon by the throttled compressed air, thereby oil can be displaced from this housing part in the housing part with a lower oil level over an oil passage.

For example, the oiled housing part may include a vent or the like to allow the displaced air to escape. In this way, it is possible even with housing parts that are supplied with a pressure circulation lubrication or the like permanently with oil to realize a balanced or constant oil level.

The invention will be further explained with reference to the drawing. The single FIGURE of the invention shows a schematic view of a possible embodiment of an inventive arrangement for balancing oil levels between different housing parts of a transmission of a vehicle. In the figure, a first housing part 1 and a second housing part 2 shown with a pressure circulation lubrication 3 permanently with oil for lubrication and cooling of the gear elements in the two housing parts 1 . 2 be supplied. The first housing part 1 may be arranged higher in relation to the second housing in the transmission, so that in the course of operation in the second housing 2 a higher oil level and consequently in the first housing part 1 can set a lower oil level.

To permanently with the pressure circulation lubrication 3 supplied oil flow the respective oil levels in the two housing parts 1 . 2 compensate accordingly, is a compressed air supply via a pneumatic line 4 for the z. B. second housing part 2 provided with the higher oil level. The compressed air supply of the arrangement according to the invention via the already existing on-board compressed air system 5 , The compressed air system 5 includes a pump 6 the over a filter 7 Air sucks and compressed to a necessary for the vehicle working pressure. The compressed air is passed through an air dryer 8th the vehicle-specific compressed air circuits 9 , z. B. for operating a brake supplied. At one of these compressed air circuits 9 is the pneumatic line 4 connected to a compressed air supply to the housing part 2 to realize.

Via the pneumatic line 4 is thus of the compressed air system 5 via an adjustable pressure reducer 10 in the opposite to the environment hermetically sealed housing part 2 Compressed air supplied. The housing part 2 is thus acted upon by the throttled compressed air. The breakthrough 11 for a shaft train 12 The transmission is sealed against oil leakage. According to the barometric conditions now the oil from the housing part 2 over an oil channel 13 in the first housing part 1 repressed. This allows the oil level in the second housing part 2 be lowered while the oil level in the first housing part 1 increases to realize a balance of oil levels. The displaced air can be controlled by a breather 14 from the first housing part 1 escape into the environment.

In this way, even at a by the circulation pressure lubrication 3 the transmission permanently supplied oil flow the respective oil levels in the various housing parts 1 . 2 be kept constant with the proposed arrangement according to the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

first housing part

2

second housing part

3

Pressure lubrication

4

pneumatic line

5

vehicle-side compressed air system

6

pump

7

filter

8th

air dryer

9

Pneumatic circuits

10

pressure reducer

11

breakthrough

12

shafting

13

oil passage

14

ventilator

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 0406649 B1 [0003]

Claims (8)

Arrangement for compensating pressure and / or coolant levels, in particular oil levels, in various housing parts ( 1 . 2 ) of a transmission of a vehicle with at least one compressed air supply, via which in a housing part ( 2 ) with a higher oil level compressed air for displacing oil via at least one oil channel ( 13 ) in a housing part ( 1 ) is feasible with a lower oil level, characterized in that the compressed air supply outside the housing parts ( 1 . 2 ) is arranged and via at least one pneumatic line ( 4 ) with one of the housing parts ( 2 ) connected is. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that for compressed air supply a vehicle-side existing compressed air system ( 5 ) is usable. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the vehicle-side compressed air system ( 5 ) a pump ( 2 ) via a filter ( 3 ) Draws in air and this via an air dryer ( 8th ) to at least one vehicle-specific pneumatic circuit ( 9 ), whereby a compressed air circuit ( 9 ) via the pneumatic line ( 4 ) with the compressed air to be acted upon housing part ( 2 ) connected is. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressed air supply with a pressure reducer ( 10 ) connected is. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressurized with compressed air housing part ( 2 ) is hermetically sealed from the environment. Arrangement one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the oiled housing part ( 1 ) with a deaerator ( 14 ) is equipped to escape the displaced air. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing parts ( 1 . 2 ) to the oil supply with a pressure circulation lubrication ( 3 ) are connected. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that breakthroughs ( 11 ) between the housing parts ( 1 . 2 ) of the gear unit are oil-tight.

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