GEAR DEVICE AND VEHICLE HAVING SAME MOUNTED THEREON

• US 20140190428A1
• Filed: 05/10/2012
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
• Original Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Takeshi, Ishikawa, Naoya
• Granted Patent: US 9,212,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/41.55
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/005 Controlling temperature of lubricant
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0413 Controlled cooling or heating of lubricant; Temperature control therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0417 Heat exchangers adapted or integrated in the gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0447 Control of lubricant levels, e.g. lubricant level control dependent on temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0449 Sensors or indicators for controlling the fluid level
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0475 Engine and gearing, i.e. joint lubrication or cooling or heating thereof electric machines and gearing F16H57/0476

Abstract

A gear device in which lubricating oil for cooling and lubricating gears to be driven therein is adjusted to a temperature and an amount suitable for the speed of a vehicle, and a vehicle having the gear device mounted thereon. A transmission adjusts the temperature of lubricating oil by supplying the lubricating oil from a lower part of a housing of the transmission into a heat exchanger by a circulation pump and causing the lubricating oil and engine cooling water to exchange heat with each other in the heat exchanger. A level of the lubricating oil retained in an oil pan when the circulation pump is stopped is defined as a highest oil level, while the level of the lubricating oil retained in the oil pan when the amount of the lubricating oil pumped up by the circulation pump is maximum is defined as a lowest oil level. The heat exchanger is disposed at a position outside the housing and higher than the highest oil level. The transmission includes a device which controls the amount of the oil to be pumped up by the lubricating pump to adjust the height of the level of the oil which varies between the highest oil level and the lowest oil level.

Claims

1. A gear device which adjusts a temperature of lubricating oil by supplying the lubricating oil from a lower part of an enclosure of the gear device into a heat exchanger by means of a circulation pump and causing the lubricating oil and cooling water for an internal combustion engine to exchange heat with each other in the heat exchanger, comprising:

a level of the lubricating oil retained in the lower part when the circulation pump is stopped is defined as a highest oil level, while the level of the lubricating oil retained in the lower part when an amount of the lubricating oil pumped up by the circulation pump is maximum is defined as a lowest oil level,

the heat exchanger is disposed at a position outside the enclosure and higher than the highest oil level, and

the gear device includes a control device which controls the amount of the oil to be pumped up by the lubricating pump to adjust a height of the level of the oil which varies between the highest oil level and the lowest oil level.

2. The gear device according to claim 1, wherein the gear device further comprises:

a vehicle speed sensor which detects a speed of a vehicle equipped with the gear device;

an oil temperature sensor which detects the temperature of the lubricating oil; and

an oil amount level sensor which detects the height of the level of the oil, and

the control device includes a device for controlling the amount of the oil to be pumped up so as to adjust the temperature of the oil and the height of the level of the oil according to the speed of the vehicle.

3. The gear device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling water is cooling water heated by the internal combustion engine, and

the control device includes a device for controlling the amount of the oil to be pumped up so as to raise the temperature of the oil and lower the level of the oil to a vicinity of the lowest oil level at cold start of the internal combustion engine.

4. A vehicle having the gear device according to claim 1 mounted thereon.

5. The gear device according to claim 2, wherein the cooling water is cooling water heated by the internal combustion engine, and

the control device includes a device for controlling the amount of the oil to be pumped up so as to raise the temperature of the oil and lower the level of the oil to a vicinity of the lowest oil level at cold start of the internal combustion engine.

6. A vehicle having the gear device according to claim 2 mounted thereon.

7. A vehicle having the gear device according to claim 3 mounted thereon.