Patent Abstract:
A clocked retaining assembly for use in an automotive powertrain is provided. The clocked retaining assembly includes an inner component and an outer component. The inner component has an outer side having a plurality of inner spline teeth separated by a plurality of inner grooves formed in the outer side. The outer component has an inner side having a plurality of outer spline teeth separated by a plurality of outer grooves formed in the inner side. The outer component forms a continuous inner circumferential slot through the outer spline teeth around the inner circumference of the inner side. The inner spline teeth are disposed in the inner circumferential slot. A pin extension is disposed in an inner groove an outer groove. The pin extension prevents the inner component from rotating with respect to the outer component. A method for retaining the inner and outer components is also provided.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/583,936 filed on Jan. 6, 2012. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to automotive transmission parts, and more particularly to automotive transmission parts having splines to maintain angular positions between mating parts. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art. 
         [0004]    Transmissions contain several parts that are mated together via splines, or teeth and grooves, which maintain the angular position between the parts. The splines allow the splined transmission parts to slide axially along the splines, but not rotationally, because the teeth and grooves mate to each other to prevent the parts from turning relative to each other. 
         [0005]    For example, typically, at least some of a transmission&#39;s clutch plates have outer teeth that mate with opposed grooves in a transmission case component, such as a transmission case, central support, clutch housing, or other case component. As such, toothed clutch plates may be slid into the case component along the teeth and grooves of the case component. The mated splined prevent the clutch plates from rotating relative to the case component, but the mated splines typically do not prevent axial movement of the clutch plates along or parallel to the central axis of the case component. An additional component is typically used to prevent axial movement of the clutch plates relative to the transmission case component. At one end, that additional component is typically a snap ring. The apply piston typically constrains movement of the clutch plates at another end. Other components of a transmission may also have a tooth and groove spline interconnecting arrangement. 
         [0006]    Typically, clutch assemblies include a backing plate that also has outer splines that mate with inner splines of the transmission case component, and the snap ring prevents the backing plate from sliding past the desired axial location. The backing plate provides clutch pack support to enable proper deflection and uniform friction load distribution. The backing plate typically has a face that contacts a friction plate to provide surface finish, straightness, and taper onto which the friction plate is applied. Automotive transmissions often have multiple clutch assemblies, each with corresponding backing plates and snap rings. While the current arrangement works for its intended purpose, automotive manufacturers strive toward reducing the size and weight of components and the number of components that are needed. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In one variation, which may be combined with or separate from the other variations described herein, a clocked retaining assembly includes a round transmission component having outer teeth that is maintained or held axially by opposed teeth of a surrounding component. The round transmission component may be prevented from rotational movement relative to the surrounding component by a pin ring. 
         [0008]    In another variation, which may be combined with or separate from the other variations described herein, a clocked retaining assembly includes a transmission case component surrounding a backing plate. The backing plate&#39;s position is maintained axially within the transmission case component by axial faces of spline teeth located next to a slot formed in the spline teeth of the surrounding transmission case component. A pin ring may prevent rotational movement of the backing plate with respect to the transmission case component. 
         [0009]    In yet another variation, which may be combined with or separate from the other variations described herein, a clocked retaining assembly for use in an automotive powertrain is provided. The clocked retaining assembly includes an inner component having an outer side. The outer side has a plurality of inner spline teeth separated by a plurality of inner grooves formed in the outer side. The clocked retaining assembly also has an outer component having an inner side. The inner side has a plurality of outer spline teeth separated by a plurality of outer grooves formed in the inner side. The outer spline teeth are configured to mate with the inner grooves, and the inner spline teeth are configured to mate with the outer grooves. The outer component forms a continuous inner circumferential slot through the outer spline teeth around the inner circumference of the inner side. The inner spline teeth are disposed in the inner circumferential slot. The inner spline teeth are disposed adjacent to and axially aligned with the outer spline teeth, the inner and outer grooves are axially aligned. The clocked retaining assembly also includes a pin component having a main body portion and a pin extension extending from the main body portion. The pin extension is disposed in a first inner groove of the plurality of inner grooves, and the pin extension is further disposed in a first outer groove of the plurality of outer grooves. The pin extension prevents the inner component from rotating with respect to the outer component. 
         [0010]    In still another variation, which may be combined with or separate from the other variations described herein, a clutch assembly for use in an automotive powertrain is provided. The clutch assembly includes a backing plate, an outer component, and a pin component. The backing plate has an outer side, and the outer side has a plurality of backing plate spline teeth separated by a plurality of backing plate grooves formed in the outer side. The outer component has an inner side, and the inner side has a plurality of outer spline teeth separated by a plurality of outer grooves formed in the inner side. The outer spline teeth are configured to mate with the backing plate grooves, and the backing plate spline teeth are configured to mate with the outer grooves. The outer component forms a continuous inner circumferential slot through the outer spline teeth around the inner circumference of the inner side. The backing plate spline teeth are disposed in the inner circumferential slot. The backing plate spline teeth are disposed adjacent to and aligned with the outer spline teeth, and the inner and outer grooves are axially aligned. The pin component has a main body portion and a pin extension extending from the main body portion. The pin extension is disposed in a first backing plate groove of the plurality of backing plate grooves, and the pin extension is further disposed in a first outer groove of the plurality of outer grooves. The pin extension prevents the backing plate from rotating with respect to the outer component. 
         [0011]    In still another variation, which may be combined with or separate from the other variations described herein, a method for retaining an inner splined component to an outer splined component is provided. The method includes a step of sliding the inner splined component along the outer splined component until the inner splined component reaches an inner circumferential slot formed in the outer splined component. The method further includes locating the inner splined component within the inner circumferential slot, and rotating the inner splined component within the inner circumferential and aligning inner spline teeth of the inner splined component with inner spline teeth of the outer splined component. The method also includes inserting at least one locking pin into at least one inner groove formed by edges of the inner spline teeth and inserting the at least one locking pin into at least one outer groove formed by edges of the outer spline teeth. 
         [0012]    Further features and areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1A  is an exploded perspective view of a clocked retaining assembly in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 1B  is an exploded plan view of the clocked retaining assembly of  FIG. 1A , according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2A  is a plan view of a portion of the clocked retaining assembly of  FIGS. 1A-1B , partially assembled in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2B  is a plan view of the portion of the clocked retaining assembly of  FIG. 2A , wherein the inner component in turned within a slot of the outer component, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2C  is a plan view of the clocked retaining assembly of  FIGS. 1A-1B , assembled in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view of the clocked retaining assembly of  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  2 C, according to the principles of the present disclosure; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating a method for retaining an inner splined component to an outer splined component, in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. 
         [0022]    The present disclosure provides a clocked retaining assembly, including inner and outer transmission components that each have splines to mate the two components together. The inner component has splines disposed around its outer edge that are configured to mate with complimentary splines disposed on an inner edge of the outer component. The outer component has an inner circumferential slot formed through the spline teeth of the outer component. The spline teeth of the outer component are not present within the inner circumferential slot. Accordingly, the spline teeth of the outer component do not prevent the inner component from rotating with respect to the outer component when the inner component is located with the circumferential slot. Therefore, when the inner component is located within the circumferential slot, the inner component may then be rotated to align the male spline teeth of the inner component with the male spline teeth of the outer component. When the male spline teeth of the inner component are aligned with an overlapping the male spline teeth of the outer component, the male spline teeth of the outer component prevent the inner component from axially moving with respect to the outer component. A locking pin or extensions of a pin plate may be inserted into the female grooves of each of the components to prevent rotational movement of the components with respect to each other. 
         [0023]    With reference to  FIGS. 1A-1B , an exemplary clocked retaining assembly is illustrated in an exploded view and generally designated at  10 . The clocked retaining assembly  10  includes a pair of transmission components, which in this example are a central support connected to a transmission case (herein referred to as a transmission case component  12 ) and a backing plate  14 . 
         [0024]    In this example, the backing plate  14  has a generally annular shape having an outer surface  18  and an opposed inner surface  19 . A plurality of male spline teeth  16  is disposed around the circumference of the outer surface  18  of the backing plate  14 . Each male spline tooth  16  has edges  20  that define female grooves  22  between the male spline teeth  16 . 
         [0025]    The transmission case component  12  is disposed concentrically around the backing plate  14 , in this embodiment. The transmission case component  12  has a splined inner surface  24  that is configured to mate with the outer surface  18  of the backing plate  14 . Accordingly, the inner surface  24  of the transmission case component  12  has a plurality of male spline teeth  26  disposed around its inner circumference. The male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component have edges  28  that define female grooves  30  between each of the of the male spline teeth  26 . As such, the male spline teeth  16  of the backing plate  14  can be slid into the female grooves  30  of the transmission case component  12 , and at the same time, the male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12  are slid into the female grooves  22  of the backing plate  14 . 
         [0026]    A circumferential ring-shaped slot  32  is machined or otherwise formed through the male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12 . The circumferential slot  32  extends around the inner circumference of the transmission case component  12  through the male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12 . The circumferential slot  32  is wide enough to fit the backing plate  14  within the circumferential slot  32  so that the backing plate  14  can be rotated within the circumferential slot  32 . The circumferential slot  32  is flush with the valleys of the female grooves  30 , in this embodiment, forming a circular groove around the inner surface  24  of the transmission case component  12 . The male spline teeth  26  are absent from the circumferential slot  32 , in this embodiment. 
         [0027]    As explained above, the splines  16 ,  22  of the backing plate  14  mate with the splines  26 ,  30  of the transmission case component  12 . As such, the backing plate  14  may be slid along the splines  26 ,  30  of the transmission case component  12  in an axial direction along the central axis X of the transmission case component  12 . The splines  16 ,  22 ,  26 ,  30 , prevent the backing plate  14  from being rotated with respect to the transmission case component  12  around the central axis X when the splines  16 ,  22  of the backing plate  14  are mated with the splines  26 ,  30  of the transmission case component  12 . If the backing plate  14  is slid into the circumferential slot  32  of the transmission case component  12 , however, the male splines  26  no longer prevent the backing plate  14  from being rotated with respect to the transmission case component  12  around the central axis X. This is because the transmission case component  12  has no male spline teeth  26  present in the circumferential slot  32 . 
         [0028]    An annular pin plate  34  is inserted into the transmission case component  12  to prevent the backing plate  14  from rotating with respect to the transmission case component  12  around the central axis X when the backing plate  14  is located within the circumferential slot  32 . The pin plate  34  has a plurality of extensions  36  that may be inserted into the female grooves  30  of the transmission case component  12  and the female grooves  22  of the backing plate  14 . As such, the extensions  36  of the pin plate  34  lock the backing plate  14  from rotating with respect to the transmission case component  12 . 
         [0029]    The extensions  36  may be posts, pins, or legs as illustrated in  FIG. 1A . The extensions  36  could have any other suitable configuration that is operable to fit in the female grooves  22 ,  30  to prevent rotation between the backing plate  14  and the transmission case component  12 . The pin plate  34  is shown having a ring shape, but other shapes may also be used, such as a circular non-hollow shape or a hub with spokes reaching out to the extensions  36 , by way of example. The pin plate  34  can be a clutch reaction plate or apply ring, in some embodiments. The pin plate  34  may have any suitable number of extensions  36 , such as 1-40, or one, two, nine, or twenty-three extensions, by way of example. 
         [0030]    Each of the transmission case component  12 , the backing plate  14 , and the pin plate can be formed of steel or any other suitable material. 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2A-2B , the clocked retaining assembly is illustrated partially assembled, and in  FIG. 2C , it is illustrated fully assembled. In  FIG. 2A , the splines  16 ,  22  of the backing plate  14  are shown mated with the splines  26 ,  30  of the transmission case component  12 . The backing plate  14  is slide along the splines  26 ,  30  of the transmission case component to begin the assembly of the two components. Accordingly, the male spline teeth  16  of the backing plate  14  are inserted into the female grooves  30  of the transmission case component  12 , and the male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12  are inserted within the female grooves  22  of the backing plate  14 . In this phase of the assembly, the backing plate  14  can slide along the center axis X (into and out of the page, in the illustrated view) of the transmission case component  12 , but the backing plate  14  and the transmission case component  12  cannot rotate with respect to each other, because the mated configuration of the splines  16 ,  22 ,  26 ,  30  prevents them from rotating with respect to each other. The backing plate  14  is slid along the splines  26 ,  30  of the transmission case component  12  and into the circumferential slot  32  (not visible in  FIG. 2A ). 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 2B , once the backing plate  14  is located axially within the circumferential slot  32  of the transmission case component  12 , the male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12  no longer prevent the backing plate  14  from rotating with respect to the transmission case component  12 . Rotation between the backing plate  14  and the transmission case component  12  is possible when the backing plate  14  is located within the circumferential slot  32  because the male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12  are absent from the circumferential slot  32 . Therefore, the backing plate  14  can be rotated with respect to the transmission case component  12  when it is located within the circumferential slot  32 . 
         [0033]    In  FIG. 2B , the backing plate  14  is rotated within the circumferential slot  32  so that the male spline teeth  16  of the backing plate  14  are aligned with and overlap the male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12 . Simultaneously, the female grooves  22  of the backing plate  14  overlap with the female grooves  30  of the transmission case component  12 , creating open spaces along a length of the transmission case component  12  parallel to the central axis X in the space of the female grooves  22 ,  30 . Since the male spline teeth  26  of the clutch housing are located over the male spline teeth  16  of the backing plate, the backing plate  14  cannot slide axially along the central axis X of the transmission case component  12  when the backing plate  14  is rotated as shown in  FIG. 2B . Therefore, the male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12  prevent the backing plate  14  from axially moving with respect to the transmission case component  12 . In other words, the male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12  lock the backing plate  14  from moving axially with respect to the transmission case component  12 , and no snap ring is needed to axially hold the backing plate to prevent it from sliding along the central axis X. Therefore, a snap ring can be omitted. 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIG. 2C , the pin plate  34  is then installed within the transmission case component  12 . The extensions  36  are slid into the female grooves  30 ,  22  of the transmission case component  12  and the backing plate  14  to prevent the backing plate  14  from rotating with respect to the transmission case component  12 . Edges  38  on each of the extensions  36  abut against the edges  20 ,  28  of the male splines  16 ,  26  of the backing plate  14  and the transmission case component  12 , thereby preventing rotational movement between the transmission case component  12  and the backing plate  14 . In other words, the extensions  36  are inserted into the openings between the backing plate  14  and the transmission case component  12  when the backing plate is turned so that the male spline teeth  16  of the backing plate  14  overlap with the male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12 . 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the clocked retaining assembly  10  is illustrated in an assembled side cross-sectional view. The backing plate  14  and the pin plate  34  are installed within the transmission case component  12 . The extensions  36  of the pin plate  34  prevent the backing plate  14  from rotating relative to the transmission case component  12 . The male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12  prevent the backing plate from axially moving along the central axis X. Together, the inner surface  24  of the transmission case component  24 , including the male spline teeth  26  of the transmission case component  12 , and the extensions  36  prevent the backing plate  14  from moving in any direction; in other words, they constrain the backing plate  14  in all directions. 
         [0036]    A first set of interleaved clutch plates  40 ,  42  are disposed adjacent to a first side  44  of the backing plate  14 . A second set of interleaved clutch plates  46 ,  48  are disposed adjacent to a second side  50  of the backing plate  14 . Accordingly, the backing plate  14  serves as a surface against which two different clutch packs may be applied. In other words, the first set of interleaved clutch plates  42 ,  44  are applied against the first side  44  of the backing plate  14 , and the second set of interleaved clutch plates  46 ,  48  are applied against the second side  50  of the backing plate  14 . Therefore, a single backing plate  14  is used by both sets of clutch plates. No snap ring is used in this embodiment. 
         [0037]    The figures herein illustrate one variation of the present invention. In other embodiments, other transmission components have the clocked retaining assembly described herein. For example, a clutch hub may be fixed to the transmission case component  12  in a similar manner. In particular, another set of male spline teeth of the transmission case component  12  having a circumferential slot formed therethrough, in which the clutch hub may be “clocked” or partially turned to align and overlap male spline teeth of the clutch hub with male spline teeth of the transmission case component  12  to prevent the clutch hub from axially moving with respect to the transmission case component  12 . Another pin plate  34  or other pins may be used to rotationally lock the clutch hub and transmission case component  12  together, for example, as described above with respect to the transmission case component  12  and the backing plate  14 . 
         [0038]    In still other embodiments, the two transmission components utilizing the clocked retaining features and method described herein could include a piston housing and a transmission case, a center support and a transmission case, or any other two components that are splined together and to which it is desired to prevent axial movement therebetween. 
         [0039]    In another form, with reference to  FIG. 4 , the present disclosure includes a method  100  for retaining a splined transmission component to another splined transmission component. The method includes a step  102  of sliding complimentary inner and outer splined components along each other until the inner component reaches a circumferential slot formed in the outer component. The method  100  includes a step  104  of locating the inner component within the circumferential slot. The method  100  also includes a step  106  of turning or rotating the inner component within the inner circumferential slot and aligning the inner component spline teeth with the outer component spline teeth. The spline teeth should be aligned such that spline teeth of the inner component overlap spline teeth of the outer component in an axial direction along a central axis. The method  100  may include a step  108  of inserting a locking pin into female grooves formed by edges of the inner and outer teeth to prevent the inner and outer components from moving in a rotational direction with respect to each other. 
         [0040]    Other steps and structures described in other paragraphs could also be incorporated into the method disclosed herein. For example, the method  100  may include providing multiple locking pins and disposing sets of clutch plates adjacent to the inner component. 
         [0041]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5