Transmission system

A transmission system for either a manual shift transmission, an automatic transmission or an automated transmission in which the electrical connections and the pneumatic connections including any ventilation port, for the internal components of the transmission are combined with one another so as to exit the transmission housing via a single unified connection formed in the housing wall of the transmission.

This application claims priority from German patent application serial no. 10 2006 031 444.1 which was filed Jul. 7, 7006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns transmission systems, in particular manual shift transmissions, automatic transmissions or automated transmissions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In transmission systems it is common to provide the transmission with electrical connections, hydraulic connections and/or pneumatic connections for a variety of components, such as auxiliary output drives, clutches, transmission brakes, retarders, shift elements, control elements, etc.

In addition, it is know in the prior art to provide individual components of a transmission system with separate independent venting ports or devices.

A prior art method and a device, for ventilating a transmission to equalize the air pressures that are interior and exterior with respect to the transmission housing, is known from EP 0 939 250 B1, the U.S. equivalent of which is U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,444 to Craft et al. for an APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR VENTING A TRANSMISSION. The known transmission venting device comprises a vertically extending portion having a first end, a second end and an intermediate section extending between the first and second ends. The vertically extending portion includes an axially central passageway, that extends from the first end toward into the intermediate portion, and one or more radially extending passageways, that allow fluid communication from the central passageway to an exterior of the vertically extending portion.

The first end of the vertically extending portion has a threaded section such that the ventilation device can be screwed into the transmission. In this manner, the venting device enables ventilation from between the interior and exterior of the transmission housing. The dimensions of the axially central passage prevent a film of lubricant from forming across the central passage. The second end of the vertically extending portion has at least one flat surface enabling torque to be applied to the vertically extending portion to assist in connecting the ventilating device with the transmission housing.

The ventilation device further includes a container portion which is designed to enclose the exterior opening of the radially extending passageway within its interior. The container portion is fixed on the vertically extending portion pipe and includes at least one opening allowing airflow from the radially extending passageway to the exterior of the ventilation device. The container portion houses a filter within its interior to capture any fluid, mist and/or liquid vapour while allowing air to pass therethrough. This enables the interior of the transmission to ventilate to the outside while preventing the passage of transmission fluids therefrom.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,086 relates to a clutch assembly for a motor vehicle in which a complex actuating unit is provided with a common inlet(s).

Furthermore, multi-speed transmissions having transmission control elements are known in which a ventilating duct is provided in the housing (see WO 2007/031119 A1). These ducts extend from a transmission recess, formed in the transmission housing to accommodate the transmission control element, to as far as the drive output sensor. The transmission recess also serve as a space for the collection of exhaust air from a pneumatic system of the transmission.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to simplify the transmission system by combining the electrical, the hydraulic and/or the pneumatic connections, which enter/exit the transmission, into a single common connector that links the variety of transmission system components that are external of the transmission housing, e.g., one or more pumps, electrical power supplies, air compressor or other pneumatic source(s) to the portions of those components internal of the transmission housing which require such electrical, hydraulic and/or pneumatic input. The common connector may also include a ventilation device that enables a free transfer of air and gases from between the interior and the exterior of the transmission housing. While the ventilation device, at the same time, prevents fluid, dust, dirt or other contaminants and debris from passing between the interior and exterior of the transmission housing.

The inventive common connector simplifies the design of the transmission system by limiting the number of electrical, hydraulic and/or pneumatic opening provided in the transmission housing which must be adequately sealed. The fewer number of passages in the transmission housing also reduces the risk of leakage of matter, i.e., oil and contaminants leaking from the interior to the exterior of the transmission housing while still permitting proper ventilation of the transmission. Such reduction of the number of passages and ventilation apertures also reduces the costs associated with manufacturing and assembling the transmission and the associated control system.

The present invention relates to a transmission assembly comprising: a transmission housing; a plurality of transmission elements being located within the transmission housing and at least some of the plurality of transmission elements require at least one of an electrical connection, a hydraulic connection and a pneumatic connection to facilitate operation thereof; a side wall of the transmission housing having a common connector provided therein, and each one of the plurality of transmission elements, which require at least one of an electrical connection, a hydraulic connection and a pneumatic connection, to facilitate operation thereof, being coupled to the common connector to facilitate operation and control of the transmission via at least one control component located outside the transmission housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIG. 1, therein is shown a diagrammatic illustration of a conventional transmission assembly10of the prior art that is associated with a motor10M and includes a transmission housing12and one or more associated or related transmission components or elements, such as a transmission shift element(s)14A, a transmission control elements14B, transmission cooling paths14C, an auxiliary output drive14D, a retarder14E, and so on. As indicated, a conventional transmission assembly10of the prior art includes a plurality of separate connectors16A-16E including a gas vent16F, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,444, extending through corresponding openings in transmission housing12to provide separate electrical, hydraulic and/or pneumatic connections for the various transmission components or elements14.

To overcome this drawback of having a plurality of separate component openings in the transmission housing of the prior designs, the inventive transmission system of the present invention combines the variety of electrical connections, and hydraulic and/or pneumatic connections for the various transmission system components or elements into a single connection through the exterior transmission housing wall22. These components include, for example, an auxiliary output drive(s), a retarder(s), a shift element(s), a control element(s), a starting element, a transmission brake(s), a transmission clutch(es), etc. The respective connections for each of these transmission system components or elements can be combined into a single common connector26which supplies all of the necessary electrical, hydraulic and/or pneumatic connections, for all of the internal transmission elements, via this single common connector26.

In addition, the individual vents needed for adequate ventilation of the transmission and the transmission system components and/or for equalization of the internal pressures and the external pressures of each of the transmission and the transmission system components can be combined and vented through a single central vent.

FIG. 2is a diagrammatic illustration of a transmission assembly20, of the present invention, that includes a transmission housing22and a plurality of associated or related transmission elements, such as a transmission shift element(s)24A, a transmission control element(s)24B, a transmission cooling path(s)24C, an auxiliary output drive(s)24D, a retarder(s)24E, and so on. In accordance with the present invention, however, the transmission assembly20includes at least one combined connector26that provides all of the associated electrical, hydraulic and/or pneumatic connections, for the various transmission elements24A-E, via a single common connector26provided in the transmission housing wall22.

According to the present invention (seeFIGS. 3 and 4), the combined or common connector26generally includes a single vent28that facilitates transmission and/or equalization of a gas and/or air pressure within the transmission. As there is only a single opening within the transmission housing22that communicates with the supply devices, such as a hydraulic pump, an air compressor, an air pump or some other hydraulic or pneumatic source32, a power supply34, etc., which are located outside of the transmission20, only that single unified common connection26must be adequately sealed, in a conventional manner, to facilitate the supply of all of the necessary electrical, hydraulic and/or pneumatic inputs to the various internal transmission system components and elements24A-E. The central vent28can be optimally designed, for example, as a hose vent an inlet/outlet end58which is located within the cabin or other enclosed compartment of the vehicle. It will be appreciated, however, that a given transmission assembly may possibly include two or more combined or common connectors26if the design of the transmission assembly20prevents the use of only a single combined connector26, with the resulting advantageous accruing from a reduction in the number of connections and openings into the transmission assembly housing12.

With reference toFIG. 3, a second embodiment of the invention is shown. According to this embodiment, one end of the transmission20is coupled, in a conventional manner, to an engine or motor36to provide driving power to the transmission20, while the opposite end of the transmission20is coupled, in a conventional manner, to a drive shaft38for driving a pair of wheels40of the vehicle V, for example, in a conventional manner. According to this embodiment, the transmission controller44is mounted externally of the transmission housing22but directly communicates with the interior space S of the transmission, via a sealed interface I with the transmission housing22, so that any necessary electrical, hydraulic and/or pneumatic lines or connections C can be made with the interior space S of the transmission20via that sealed interface I. Alternatively, it is possible for the transmission controller44to be located completely within the transmission housing22.

According to this embodiment, both a power take off (PTO)46and a retarder48, for example, are each mounted partially externally of the transmission housing22, in a conventional manner, so as to communicate directly with the interior space S of the transmission20, via a sealed interface I with the transmission housing22, so that any necessary electrical, hydraulic and/or pneumatic line(s) or connection(s) C can be made with the interior space S of the transmission via the respective sealed interfaces I. As with the previously embodiment, the interior space S of the transmission also accommodates a plurality of conventional transmission components or elements, for example, a central connection50, one or more transmission shift element(s)52, the transmission controller44, a transmission cooling path(s) (not separately numbered), an auxiliary output drive(s)46, a retarder(s)48, a transmission clutch54, a transmission brake56, etc.

Each of the necessary transmission components or elements, e.g., the transmission controller34, the power take off36, the retarder38, the transmission shift element(s)52, the a transmission controller44, the transmission cooling path(s), any auxiliary output drive(s)46, the transmission clutch54, the transmission brake56, etc., which require one of an electrical, a hydraulic and/or a pneumatic connection(s) C are each coupled, either directly or indirectly, with the common connector26to facilitate the supply of electrical power and/or hydraulic and/or pneumatic fluid thereto.

FIG. 4is a diagrammatic enlarged illustration showing one embodiment of the single common connector26, according to the present invention, mounted to the wall of the transmission. As can be seen in this figure, the common connector26has a plurality of electrical pins62which facilitate the supply of electrical power to the various internal transmission elements contained within the transmission20, e.g., each electrical pin is connected, via internal wires within the transmission, to the desired transmission element. In addition, the common connector26includes a (pneumatic) fluid supply inlet60which is connected, either directly or via the central connection50, to the desired transmission element(s) to supply pneumatic fluid thereto and a single vent28is provided for venting the supplied pneumatic fluid from the transmission after use thereof.

According to one aspect of the invention, the outlet/inlet end58of a hose vent, coupled to the central single vent28of the common connector26, communicates with either a passenger compartment or some other enclosed compartment or cabin PC of the vehicle V so as to shelter the outlet/inlet end58of the single vent28from the exterior environment and reduce the possibility of any contaminant(s) or debris entering into the transmission via the single vent28.

The inventive transmission system is beneficial in that assembly and installation in the vehicle is simplified. Additionally, the reliability of the total transmission system is enhanced since there is only a single unified connection for the various transmission components.