Transmission system

• US 8,469,852 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meritor Heavy Vehicle Braking Systems UK Ltd. (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Original Assignee: Meritor Heavy Vehicle Braking Systems UK Ltd. (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Gianone, Roberto, Cesari, Chiara, Harrup, Clive, Arnold, Bradley, Bassi, Marco, Fratelli, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US13/257,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20120142476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 746/07
• US Class Current: 475/160
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0409 characterised by the problem to increase efficiency, e.g. by reducing splash losses
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0447 Control of lubricant levels, e.g. lubricant level control dependent on temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/045 Lubricant storage reservoirs, e.g. reservoirs in addition to a gear sump for collecting lubricant in the upper part of a gear case
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0457 Splash lubrication characterised by the problem reducing losses, e.g. splash losses F16H57/0409
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0483 Axle or inter-axle differentials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49464 Assembling of gear into force transmitting device

Abstract

A transmission system includes a housing having a sump. A crown wheel and pinion are positioned within the housing. The transmission system further includes a reservoir having an inlet system and an outlet system. Rotation of the crown wheel causes the oil to be transferred from the sump to the reservoir via the inlet system, and the outlet system allows oil to pass from the reservoir to the sump.

Claims

1. A transmission system including:

an axle housing having a sump and an opening;

a carrier upon which a crown wheel and pinion are mounted, the carrier having a flange sized to close the opening when the crown wheel and pinion are received in the housing; and

a reservoir having an inlet system and an outlet system, rotation of the crown wheel causing lubricant to be transferred from the sump to the reservoir via the inlet system, and wherein the outlet system allows the lubricant to pass from the reservoir to the sump, the reservoir being mounted on the carrier.

2. The transmission system as defined in claim 1 wherein the reservoir is C-shaped.

3. The transmission system as defined in any claim 1 wherein the outlet system comprises an orifice and a closure moveable to vary an amount of lubricant flowing from the reservoir to the sump.

4. The transmission system as defined in claim 3 wherein the closure is linearly slideable.

5. The transmission system as defined in claim 3 wherein the closure is rotatable to close the orifice.

6. The transmission system as defined in claim 3 wherein the outlet system comprises an orifice and a closure moveable to vary an amount of lubricant flowing from the reservoir to the sump, and wherein the outlet system includes a permanent metered orifice in which the metered orifice is in the closure.

7. The transmission system as defined in claim 1 wherein the inlet system includes a scoop.

8. The transmission system as defined in claim 7 wherein the scoop is positioned at a top of the crown wheel.

9. The transmission system as defined in claim 8 wherein the opening is generally circular and includes an upper notch sized to receive the crown wheel, the scoop being positioned within the upper notch.

10. The transmission system as defined in claim 1 wherein the crown wheel includes crown wheel teeth defining a crown wheel tooth plane and the reservoir has a generally vertical wall facing the crown wheel teeth which defines a plane of the reservoir wall, the scoop projecting into a space defined between the crown wheel tooth plane and the plane of the reservoir wall.

11. The transmission system as defined in claim 1 wherein an amount of lubricant within the axle housing is greater than a capacity of the reservoir.

12. The transmission system as defined in claim 1 wherein the reservoir comprises at least two pressings or moldings attached together to define the reservoir.

13. The transmission system as defined in claim 5 wherein the closure is rotatable about a first axis by a flexible drive, the flexible drive having an end remote from the closure rotatable about a second axis, the first axis being different from the second axis.

14. The transmission system as defined in claim 13 wherein the second axis is substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the pinion.

15. The transmission system as defined in claim 13 wherein the end is rotatable by an actuator.

16. A method of operating a transmission system wherein an axle housing has axle housing arms and includes lubricant, the method comprising the steps of:

allowing an outlet system of a reservoir to equal a lubricant level in the reservoir and a sump; and

operating the transmission system so the lubricant level in the reservoir rises above a level above an upper edge of the axle housing arm.

17. The method as defined in claim 16 wherein the lubricant is oil.

18. A method of operating a transmission system that includes lubricant, the method comprising the steps of:

allowing an outlet system of a reservoir to equalize a lubricant level in the reservoir and a sump; and

operating the transmission system to fill the reservoir.

19. A carrier subassembly including:

a crown wheel;

a pinion; and

a reservoir, the reservoir having an inlet system and an outlet system, the reservoir being mounted on a carrier.

20. A method of assembling a carrier into a housing, the method including the steps of:

providing a carrier subassembly defined by a pinion and a reservoir, the reservoir having an inlet system and an outlet system, the reservoir being mounted on the carrier;

providing a housing having a sump and an opening, the carrier having a flange sized to close the opening; and

inserting a crown wheel, pinion, and reservoir through the opening and attaching the flange to the housing to close the opening.