Connection of a gearbox cooling to the colling circuit of an engine

• US 20040235602A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Ronge, Ludger
• Granted Patent: US 7,162,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 475/161
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/08 using fluid or powdered medium
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 10/00 Control or regulation for continuous braking making use of fluid or powdered medium, e.g. for use when descending a long slope
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 5/00 Vehicle modifications to facilitate cooling of brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0412 Cooling or heating; Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0475 Engine and gearing, i.e. joint lubrication or cooling or heating thereof electric machines and gearing F16H57/0476
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0494 with variable gear ratio or for reversing rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2189 Cooling

Abstract

A vehicle transmission (2) includes a transmission housing (4), a clutch bell housing (6), and lines (20, 22, 36, 38) for a liquid cooling medium and is connected at a junction point to a vehicle engine (26). In the area of the junction point two, first coupling flanges (16, 18) are provided on the clutch bell housing (6), and two second coupling flanges (30, 32) are provided on the vehicle engine (6), which flanges can be joined for the purpose of transferring the cooling medium between the vehicle engine (26) and the vehicle transmission (2).

Claims

1-11. -11. (CANCELED)

12. A vehicle transmission (2) including a transmission housing (4), a clutch bell housing (6) and tubes (20, 22, 36, 38) for a liquid cooling medium, is connected at a junction point to a vehicle engine (26), wherein at least two first coupling flanges (16, 18) are provided on the clutch bell housing (6) in the area of the junction point, each of the at least two first coupling flanges (16, 18) is connected to at least one of the tubes (20, 22 or 36, 38), by at least two second coupling flanges (30, 32) being provided on the vehicle engine (6) in the area of the junction point, whereby the second coupling flanges can be joined to the first coupling flanges (16, 18) for transferring the cooling medium between the vehicle engine (26) and the vehicle transmission (2).

13. The vehicle transmission (2) according to claim 12, wherein the first coupling flanges (16, 18) and the second coupling flanges (30, 32) are arranged inside the clutch bell housing (6).

14. The vehicle transmission (2) according to claim 12, wherein the first coupling flanges (16, 18) and the second coupling flanges (30, 32) are arranged on an outer perimeter (14) of the clutch bell housing (6).

15. The vehicle transmission (2) according to claim 12, wherein the cooling medium flows from the first coupling flanges (16, 18) on the clutch bell housing (6) directly into one of a double-walled transmission housing or into the tubes (36, 38) in the housing (4) of the transmission (2).

16. The vehicle transmission (2) according to claim 12, wherein the cooling medium flows from the first coupling flanges (16, 18) on the clutch bell housing (6) through the tubes (20, 22) that are arranged externally on the transmission housing.

17. The vehicle transmission (2) according to claim 12, wherein a heat exchanger is provided on or in the transmission housing (4), which draws off generated heat, and is connected via the tubes (20, 22, 36, 38) and coupling flanges (16, 18, 30, 32) to a cooling system for the vehicle, to which the heat exchanger delivers the generated heat.

18. The vehicle transmission (2) according to claim 12, wherein the cooling medium is the cooling medium for a retarder (10).

19. The vehicle transmission (2) according to claim 12, wherein the cooling medium is a working fluid for a retarder.

20. The vehicle transmission (2) according to claim 19, wherein the cooling medium for the vehicle is also the working fluid for the retarder (10), when the retarder (10) has water as its working fluid.