Pipe joints or couplings – Swivel
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-18
2002-04-23
Luu, Teri Pham (Department: 3627)
Pipe joints or couplings
Swivel
C285S136100, C285S281000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06375233
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to improvements in transmissions which can be employed with advantage in the power trains of motor vehicles to transmit torque from a prime mover (such as an internal combustion engine) to the wheels. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in transmissions which comprise clutches, actuators, torque sensors, pulleys, belts or chains and/or other parts controlled by systems of pumps, valves and other fluid flow initiating and regulating devices.
It is often necessary to convey a fluid (e.g., oil or another hydraulic fluid) between parts which must move with and/or relative to each other, e.g., between a stationary component and a rotary component or between two components which can or must or should rotate at different speeds an/or in different directions. Transmissions wherein a conduit, a pipe, a hose or an analogous fluid conveying component must confine a stream of a fluid to flow between two spaced-apart components which can or should move relative to each other are well known in the art of power trains for motor vehicles.
It is also known to mount the fluid conveying component (hereinafter called conduit for short) in such a way that it can further serve as a means for compensating for manufacturing tolerances and/or for improper centering of one of the two spaced-apart components relative to the other component (and/or vice versa) and/or for pronounced or unanticipated or normal wear upon the spaced-apart components. In accordance with a presently known proposal, one end portion of a small-diameter conduit is introduced into a bore of one of two spaced-apart components, and the other end portion of such conduit is confined in a bore of the other of the two spaced-apart components. Each end portion is surrounded by a split-ring piston packing which is intended to seal the end portion of the respective bore. Each such packing is further intended to act as a constituent of a universal joint which enables the respective component to perform at least some stray movements (i.e., movements other than strictly angular movements) relative to the other component. Such stray movements might be necessary to account or to compensate for certain manufacturing tolerances and/or for wear and/or for lack of accurate centering of the end portions of the conduit in the bores of the respective components. As a rule, the ability of the end portions of the conduit and of the split-ring piston packings to act as parts of a universal joint is enhanced by enlarging those portions of the bores which receive the packings.
A drawback of such connections for the end portions of the conduit is that the universal joints permit pronounced and often excessive leakage of the conveyed fluid. This can entail a penetration of a coolant or a lubricant or a force transmitting fluid agent into certain parts of a power train which should not be lubricated and/or cooled and/or wetted. Furthermore, the escaping fluid must be replaced at frequent intervals, or the reservoirs for such fluid must be designed to confine large quantities of oil or another fluid medium.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved combination of parts which can be utilized to convey a fluid, particularly oil or another hydraulic fluid, to or from one or more consumers and which must or should be free to move relative to each other.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of reducing or eliminating leakage of a fluid which can or which must be conveyed at an elevated pressure along a path defined by parts that are movable relative to each other.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of reducing or eliminating leakage of a pressurized fluid from a path which is defined by parts that should be capable of performing axial and/or angular and/or other types of movements (such as universal movements) relative to each other.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved system of valves, pressure gauges, flow restrictors and/or other means for regulating the flow of a pressurized fluid from one or more pumps and/or other sources to one or more consumers, such as fluid-operated clutches, fluid-operated actuators (e.g., cylinder and piston units) and/or others.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved system for cooling one or more fluid-operated clutches, cylinder-and-piston units and/or other fluid-consuming or fluid-operated constituents of motor vehicles, particularly of power trains for use in motor vehicles.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved transmission, such as a continuously variable transmission (known as CVT), particularly for use in the power trains of motor vehicles.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved system for regulating the flow of a hydraulic fluid between a pump, one or more consumers, and a sump in the power train of a motor vehicle.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a fluid flow regulating system which ensures a highly accurate, predictable and at least substantially leakage-free flow of a pressurized fluid from one or more pumps, accumulators and/or other sources to one or more consumers and from the consumer(s) back to the source(s) of pressurized fluid or to reservoirs for confinement of the fluid which is to be pumped to one or more consumers.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a transmission which is constructed and assembled in such a way that the flow of a pressurized or spent hydraulic fluid can be regulated with a maximum degree of accuracy under circumstances which are most likely to develop, again and again, in actual use of the transmission.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved transmission which employs a plurality of starting clutches, such as at least two disc clutches.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of repeatedly circulating a body of oil or another hydraulic fluid through one or more pumps, reservoirs, sumps, conduits and consumers in a transmission, such as a continuously variable transmission with adjustable pulleys and an endless chain or belt trained over such pulleys.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved combination of valves, flow restrictors, fluid flow and fluid pressure monitoring gauges and like constituents for use in conjection with the starting clutch or clutches and/or fluid-operated actuator means of transmissions for use in the power trains of motor vehicles.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car or a van or a truck, wherein the power train embodies a transmission of the above outlined character.
A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved valves and combinations of two or more valves for use in transmissions of the type wherein one or more friction clutches (such as disc clutches), one or more cylinder-and-piston units and/or other fluid-operated parts must receive and must be relieved of predetermined quantities of pressurized hydraulic fluids.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of several features of the instant invention resides in the provision of a fluid conveying structure which can be utilized in the transmission of the power train in a motor vehicle and comprises a first component having a first socket (such as the end portion of a through bore), a second component having a second socket (e.g., the end portion of a through bore), a conduit having a first end portion in the first socket and a second end portion in the second socket, at least one first sealing element which is interposed between the first component and the first end portion in the first socket with freedom of rotation of the first component and the first end portion of the conduit relative to each other, and at least one second sealing element which is interposed between the second component and
Friedmann Oswald
Homm Manfred
Reuschel Michael
Walter Bernhard
Darby & Darby
LuK Getriebe-Systems GmbH
Luu Teri Pham
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