GB2466426A

GB2466426A - Transmission with lubrication device comprising a T-form plastic part

Info

Publication number: GB2466426A
Application number: GB0822212A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nicolas David Renard; Pierre Stengel; Klaus-Juergen Stutzer; Edward J Billings
Original assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Current assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Priority date: 2008-12-05
Filing date: 2008-12-05
Publication date: 2010-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 2028-12-05
Also published as: GB0822212D0; GB2466426B

Abstract

A lubrication device for the lubrication of hypoid gears and bearings in automatic transmissions comprises an assembly of two plastic parts 4, 5, each plastic part 4, 5 is overmolded on a steel pipe 6. The first plastic 4 part having essentially a T-form and being designed to be connected with one of its ends 7 to an oil input 8, a second end 9 being directed to a conical bearing lube alimentation hole 3 and a third end 10 being designed to be connected to the second plastic part 5 with a spray opening 11 at its end. There is no plastic overmolding at the ends of the first and second parts 4, 5 and the second part 5 is press-fitted and clipped with a clip 12 on the first part 5. A sealing, e.g. an O-ring, is provided on the first part 4 in order to avoid leakage between the oil input 8 and the first part 4. The device sprays oil on a precise location of the hypoid gears meshing and simultaneously provides flow oil on the conical bearing lube alimentation hole.

Description

I

DESCRIPTION

Lubrication device The invention concerns a lubrication device for the lubrication of gears mesh and bearings in automatic transmissions.

In automatic transmissions as well as in many other mechanical devices, lubrication is essential for reducing friction, providing a long lifetime of the mechanical elements and for reducing energy consumption.

A further function of the lubrication system is the cooling of heavily sollicitated elements. In case of vehicle acceleration, the lubricant is sprayed directly at the point of the hypoid gear mesh contact in order to effectively cool the arising transmission teeth friction warmth.

In some mechanical devices, one or several mechanical organes might need more lubrication than the other ones. In automatic transmissions, it may be necessary to provide simultaneously a spray flow on a precise location of the hypoid gears meshing and an oil flow to the conical bearing lube alimentation hole.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a device for spraying oil on a precise location of the hypoid gears meshing and simultaneously flow oil on the conical bearing lube alimentation hole of an automatic transmission.

This objective is attained according to the present invention in that an assembly of two plastic parts is provided, each plastic part being overmolded on a steel pipe, the first plastic part having essentially a T-form and being designed to be connected with one of its ends to the oil input, the second end being directed to the bearing lube alirnentation hole and the third end being designed to be connected to the second plastic part of tubular form with a spray opening at its end.

Due to this device, it is possible to divide, to calibrate and to orientate the oil lubrication in order to assure simultaneously a oil spray on the hypoid gears meshing and an oil flow on the bearings. The device according to the invention furthermore allows a better oil management and makes it possible to reduce the total amount of oil in the transmission thereby reducing total weight of the transmission. Excessive drag due to oil and foaming are also avoided.

Of course, the diameters of the steel pipes can be adapted by design in order to distribute the oil according to the proper needs of each element. The fact that each plastic part is overmolded on a steel pipe makes it possible to orientate the lube flow exactly on the point to be lubricated, for instance vertically on the center of the gear mesh.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the steel pipe is not overmolded on the free ends of the first and of the second part with the oil outlets.

As the steel pipe is more flexible than the plastic, this design allows to precisely orientate the openings of the steel pipes to the points to be lubricated.

Preferably, the second plastic part is press-fit and clipped on the first plastic part.

Due to this configuration, the two parts can be easily assembled and disassembled and at the same time a very solid connection between the two parts is assured.

An other embodiment of the invention consists in the fact that a sealing is provided on the first plastic part.

This sealing avoids leakage between the oil circuit and the assembly according to the present invention.

In the following, the invention is explained in detail with reference to the drawings in which FIGURE 1 shows a general view of the environment of the assembly according to the present invention, FIGURE 2 shows a detailed view of the assembly of the present invention.

As represented in FIGURE 1, the hypoid gears 1 and the bearings 2 of an automatic transmission are two areas which need particular lubrication: oil has to be sprayed precisely on the meshing of the hypoid gears 1 and a oil flow has to be provided on the bearings 2 via the conical bearing lube alimentation hole 3. Not only the way of application of the oil different, but also the volume to be applied to the two mechanical elements may seriously vary.

In order to fulfil these requirements, the assembly according to the present invention shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 consists of two plastic parts 4, 5, each plastic part being overmolded on a steel pipe 6.

The first plastic part 4 has essentially a T-form and is designed to be connected with one of its ends 7 to the oil input 8. Its second end 9 is directed to the conical bearing lube alimentation hole 3 and the third end 10 is designed to be connected to the second plastic part 5. A sealing (not shown), preferably an 0-ring, is provided on the first plastic part 4 in order to avoid leakage between the oil input B and the first plastic part 4.

This second plastic part is of tubular form with a spray opening 11 at its free end.

The second plastic part 5 is press-fit and clipped with a plastic clip 12 on its other end on the first plastic part 4.

It can be seen from the FIGURES 1 and 2 that both on the first and on the second plastic part 4, 5, the steel pipe is not overruolded on the free ends of the first and of the second part with the oil outlet which allows to precisely orientate the openings of the steel pipes to the points to be lubricated.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A lubrication device for the lubrication of gears (1) mesh and bearings (2) in automatic transmissions, characterized in that in that an assembly of two plastic parts (4, 5) is provided, each plastic part (4, 5) being overmolded on a steel pipe (6), the first plastic part (4) having essentially a T-form and being designed to be connected with one of its ends (7) to the oil input (8), the second end (9) being directed to the bearing lube alimentation hole (3) and the third end (10) being designed to be connected to the second plastic part (5) of tubular form with a spray opening (11) at its end.
2. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the steel pipe (6) is not overmolded on the free ends (9) of the first (4) and of the second part (5) with the oil outlets.
3. The device of claim 1, characterized in that the second plastic part (5) is press-fit and clipped on the first plastic part (4)
4. The device of claim 1, characterized in that a sealing is provided on the first plastic part (4)