Gearbox oil seepage prevention ventilation structure, gearbox and vehicle

By setting a venting channel inside the gearbox housing, with the outlet higher than the inlet, the lubricating oil mist is liquefied and flows back, solving the problem of lubricating oil mist leakage, simplifying the gearbox structure, and reducing installation complexity.

CN121854584APending Publication Date: 2026-04-14TOP GEAR POWERTRAIN TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
TOP GEAR POWERTRAIN TECH CO LTD
Filing Date
2026-01-26
Publication Date
2026-04-14

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing transmission venting structure is prone to lubricating oil mist leakage during exhaust, and the external venting pipe increases the size of the transmission, which is not conducive to installation.

Method used

A ventilation channel is set inside the gearbox housing, with the outlet height higher than the inlet. After the lubricating oil mist liquefies, it automatically flows back to the working space. No external pipes are required inside the ventilation channel.

Benefits of technology

It effectively reduces the risk of lubricating oil leakage, avoids the need for additional external structure of the housing, and simplifies installation space requirements.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention discloses a ventilation structure for preventing oil leakage of a gearbox, the gearbox and a vehicle. The ventilation structure comprises a shell, and a working space is defined by the shell; the shell is internally provided with a ventilation channel, a first position of the shell is provided with an air inlet, and the air inlet is communicated with the ventilation channel and the working space; the second position of the shell is provided with an air outlet, and the air outlet is communicated with the ventilation channel and the space outside the shell; wherein the air outlet is higher than the air inlet. The shell is internally provided with the ventilation channel communicated with the air outlet and the air inlet, the air outlet is higher than the air inlet, lubricating oil mist entering the ventilation channel along with air can automatically move towards the air inlet after being liquefied, and the lubricating oil mist can flow back into the working space through the air inlet; therefore, the risk of lubricating oil leakage in the exhaust process can be reduced.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of transmissions, and more particularly to a ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in transmissions, transmissions, and vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] A gearbox, also known as a transmission, is one of the core components of a car's powertrain. It changes the speed and torque from the engine, coordinating engine speed with the actual speed of the wheels. Its main structure includes the housing and the transmission components. The housing is the foundation of the gearbox, housing and supporting all parts and storing lubricating oil; it is usually made of gray cast iron and must have sufficient rigidity. The transmission components consist of gears, shafts, and bearings. Gears are typically made of low-carbon alloy steel, while shafts are mostly made of carbon steel. The shafts and gears are often connected by splines, and the shafts are usually supported by rolling bearings. The gearbox utilizes gear mechanics and lever principles, changing the gear ratio by altering the gear combination. When downshifting, the driven gear switches to a larger gear, decreasing the output speed but increasing the torque; when upshifting, the driven gear switches to a smaller gear, increasing the output speed but decreasing the torque.

[0003] When a gearbox is operating, the gears rotate rapidly within it, quickly agitating the lubricating oil. This causes the internal temperature of the housing to rise rapidly and generates a large amount of lubricating oil mist, leading to a rapid increase in internal pressure. This is especially true for gearboxes used in new energy loaders, where the input speed is higher and the temperature rises even more quickly. Therefore, a venting structure is usually installed on the gearbox housing to balance the air pressure inside and outside the gearbox. When the gearbox exhausts air through the venting structure, it carries away the lubricating oil mist, which can cause oil leakage at the venting structure.

[0004] In existing transmissions, to address the issue of oil leakage at the venting structure, a vent pipe, such as a spiral vent pipe, is typically installed on the outside of the housing, connecting to the venting structure. This increases the ventilation channel between the housing and the atmosphere, extending the distance that lubricating oil mist needs to travel to the outside and delaying its leakage. However, after a period of use, oil mist can accumulate inside the spiral pipe and still leak out. Furthermore, installing a vent pipe on the outside of the transmission increases its size, making installation more difficult. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention aims to provide a ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in a transmission, a transmission, and a vehicle. The housing has a ventilated channel connecting the air outlet and the air inlet, with the air outlet being higher than the air inlet. As the lubricating oil atomizes and liquefies within the ventilated channel, it can automatically move towards the air inlet and flow back into the working space through the air inlet, thereby helping to reduce the risk of lubricating oil leakage during exhaust.

[0006] Since the ventilation channel is located inside the shell, there is no need to add pipes to the outside of the shell, which will not increase the external structure of the shell and can reduce the impact on the surrounding structure.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention aims to provide a ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in a transmission, comprising:

[0008] A housing that surrounds and forms a workspace;

[0009] The housing has a ventilation channel, and a first position of the housing has an air inlet that connects the ventilation channel and the working space; a second position of the housing has an air outlet that connects the ventilation channel and the space outside the housing; wherein the height of the air outlet is higher than the height of the air inlet.

[0010] In some embodiments, the ventilation channel includes an upper channel, a lower channel, and a middle channel. The middle channel is located on one side of a connecting line that connects the air inlet and the air outlet. The upper channel extends from the air outlet toward the middle channel and connects the air outlet and the middle channel. The lower channel extends from the air inlet toward the middle channel and connects the air inlet and the middle channel.

[0011] In some embodiments, the housing includes a first housing and a second housing, which are adapted to be joined together to form the workspace, and the intermediate channel is located at the joint between the first housing and the second housing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first splicing end of the first housing has a first splicing surface, the second splicing end of the second housing has a second splicing surface, the first splicing surface has a communicating groove connecting the upper channel and the lower channel, and when the first splicing surface and the second splicing surface are spliced ​​together, the communicating groove forms the intermediate channel.

[0013] In some embodiments, the length extension direction of the upper channel and / or the lower channel has a preset angle with the length extension direction of the middle channel, the preset angle being greater than or equal to ninety degrees.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first position of the housing has a through hole penetrating both the inner and outer sides of the housing, the opening of the through hole near the working space forms the air inlet, the opening of the through hole away from the working space forms a sealing port, and the ventilated structure further includes a sealing block installed at the sealing port.

[0015] In some embodiments, the ventilated structure further includes a ventilated cap installed at the air outlet, wherein the gas in the ventilated channel is adapted to pass through the ventilated cap and then be discharged outward.

[0016] In some embodiments, the breathable cap includes a breathable cap base, a filler, and a fixing shell. The breathable cap base has an exhaust channel, one end of the breathable cap base has a first opening communicating with the exhaust channel, and a second opening communicating with the exhaust channel is located at a predetermined position on the side wall of the breathable cap base. The filler is disposed on one side of the breathable cap base, and the position of the filler corresponds to the position of the second opening. The fixing shell is disposed on the outside of the filler for fixing the filler to the breathable cap base.

[0017] According to another aspect of this application, a transmission is further provided, including the transmission oil leakage prevention and venting structure described in any of the foregoing claims.

[0018] According to another aspect of this application, a vehicle is further provided, including the aforementioned transmission. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The preferred embodiments will now be described in a clear and easy-to-understand manner, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, to further explain the above-mentioned characteristics, technical features, advantages, and implementation methods of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the breathable structure for preventing oil leakage in a gearbox according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in a gearbox according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the vent cap of the vent structure for preventing oil leakage in a gearbox, which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Icon labels:

[0024] 100. Breathable structure; 10. Shell; 11. Working space; 12. Breathable channel; 121. Upper channel; 122. Lower channel; 123. Middle channel; 13. Air inlet; 131. First protrusion; 14. Air outlet; 141. Second protrusion; 15. First shell; 151. First splicing end; 1511. First splicing surface; 1510. Connecting groove; 16. Second shell; 161. Second splicing end; 1611. Second splicing surface; 17, through hole; 171, sealing opening; 18, sealing block; 20, vent cap; 21, vent cap base; 210, exhaust channel; 2101, first opening; 2102, second opening; 22, filler; 23, fixing shell; 231, first fixing shell; 2311, first mounting arm; 2312, first extension arm; 232, second fixing shell; 2321, second mounting arm; 2322, second extension arm. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the specific implementation methods of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings and other implementation methods can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0026] To keep the drawings concise, each figure only schematically shows the parts relevant to the invention, and these do not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, to facilitate understanding, in some figures, only one of components with the same structure or function is schematically depicted, or only one is labeled. In this document, "one" not only means "only one," but can also mean "more than one."

[0027] It should also be further understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application specification and the appended claims means any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0028] In this document, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0030] refer to Figures 1 to 3 This application provides a venting structure 100 for preventing oil leakage in a transmission. When the transmission is working, the gas in the working space can be discharged to the outside through the venting structure 100. The venting structure 100 allows the gas to be discharged to the outside while reducing the risk of lubricating oil mist leakage.

[0031] Specifically, the ventilated structure 100 includes a housing 10, which surrounds to form a working space 11. The working space 11 is suitable for placing a transmission structure, which includes, but is not limited to, gears, bearings, and other structures. The working space 11 is also provided with lubricating oil, which is used to reduce the wear of the transmission structure.

[0032] The housing 10 has a ventilation channel 12. A first position of the housing 10 has an air inlet 13, which connects the ventilation channel 12 and the working space 11. A second position of the housing 10 has an air outlet 14, which connects the ventilation channel 12 and the space outside the housing 10. The height of the air outlet 14 is higher than the height of the air inlet 13. It should be noted that the comparison of the heights of the air outlet 14 and the air inlet 13 is based on the gearbox being installed in its working position. The first position is preferably a position where the transmission structure experiences relatively less oil spillage during operation in the working space, such as the position corresponding to the drive gear of the transmission structure, thereby helping to reduce the amount of lubricating oil spilled by the transmission structure during operation from entering the air inlet 13.

[0033] When the gearbox is operating, the transmission structure rapidly agitates the lubricating oil within the working space 11, causing a rapid rise in temperature. Part of the lubricating oil is heated and condenses into a lubricating oil mist. The heated gas within the working space 11 enters the venting channel 12 through the air inlet 13 and exits through the air outlet 14. Because the height of the air outlet 14 is higher than that of the air inlet 13, the lubricating oil mist liquefied upon entering the venting channel 12 automatically moves towards the air inlet 13 and flows back into the working space 11 through the air inlet 13, thus helping to reduce the risk of lubricating oil leakage during exhaust.

[0034] It should also be noted that since the ventilation channel 12 is located inside the housing 10, there is no need to add pipes to the outside of the housing 10, which will not lead to an increase in the external structure of the housing 10 and can reduce the impact on the structure around the housing 10.

[0035] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 Furthermore, the ventilation channel 12 includes an upper channel 121, a lower channel 122, and a middle channel 123. The middle channel 123 is located on one side of a connecting line, which connects the air inlet 13 and the air outlet 14. The upper channel 121 extends from the air outlet 14 toward the middle channel 123 and connects the air outlet 14 and the middle channel 123. The lower channel 122 extends from the air inlet 13 toward the middle channel 123 and connects the air inlet 13 and the middle channel 123. In other words, the intermediate channel 123 is located on one side of the air inlet 13 and the air outlet 14. The upper channel 121 and the lower channel 122 are both staggered with the intermediate channel 123. After the gas enters the air inlet 13, it will move along the bent venting channel 12 towards the air outlet 14, which can increase the length of the venting channel 12 between the air inlet 13 and the air outlet 14, and further reduce the risk of lubricating oil leakage.

[0036] Further, the length extension direction of the upper channel 121 and / or the lower channel 122 has a preset angle with the length extension direction of the intermediate channel 123, the preset angle being greater than or equal to ninety degrees. Preferably, the length extension direction of the upper channel 121 is perpendicular to the length extension direction of the intermediate channel 123, and the length extension direction of the lower channel 122 is perpendicular to the length extension direction of the intermediate channel 123. For example, but not limited to, the upper channel 121 and the lower channel 122 extend horizontally, wherein the horizontal direction is parallel to the top surface of the lubricating oil in the working space 11 when it is in a static state.

[0037] In some modified embodiments, the angle between the length extension direction of the upper channel 121 and the length extension direction of the middle channel 123 is greater than 90 degrees, and the angle between the length extension direction of the lower channel 122 and the length extension direction of the middle channel 123 is greater than 90 degrees. Preferably, the distance between the two ends of the middle channel 123 is less than the distance between the air inlet 13 and the air outlet 14, and the angles between the length extension directions of the upper channel 121, the lower channel 122, and the middle channel 123 are all greater than 90 degrees. In some modified embodiments, one of the angles between the length extension directions of the upper channel 121, the lower channel 122, and the middle channel 123 is greater than 90 degrees, and the other is less than 90 degrees, or both are less than 90 degrees.

[0038] refer toFigure 1 Furthermore, the housing 10 includes a first housing 15 and a second housing 16, which are adapted to be spliced ​​together to form the working space 11. The intermediate channel 123 is located at the splicing point of the first housing 15 and the second housing 16. When the first housing 15 and the second housing 16 are spliced ​​together, the intermediate channel 123 is formed at the splicing point, thereby enabling the channel to be formed at a predetermined position of the first housing 15 and / or the second housing 16 before they are spliced ​​together, so that the ventilation channel 12 is formed after the first housing 15 and the second housing 16 are spliced ​​together.

[0039] Specifically, the first splicing end 151 of the first housing 15 has a first splicing surface 1511, and the second splicing end 161 of the second housing 16 has a second splicing surface 1611. The first splicing surface 1511 has a communicating groove 1510 that connects the upper channel 121 and the lower channel 122. When the first splicing surface 1511 and the second splicing surface 1611 are spliced ​​together, the communicating groove 1510 forms the intermediate channel 123.

[0040] When forming the ventilation channel 12 on the housing 10, two holes are made on the first splicing surface 1511 at positions corresponding to the air inlet 13 and the air outlet 14, respectively forming the upper channel 121 and the lower channel 122. Then, the connecting groove 1510 is formed on the first splicing surface 1511, and the two ends of the connecting groove 1510 are connected to the upper channel 121 and the lower channel 122, respectively. When the first splicing end 151 of the first housing 15 and the second splicing end 161 of the second housing 16 are spliced ​​together, the second splicing surface 1611 of the second splicing end 161 blocks the opening of the connecting groove 1510, so that the connecting groove 1510 forms the intermediate channel 123. By adopting a structure in which the first housing 15 and the second housing 16 are spliced ​​together, and by setting the intermediate channel 123 at the splicing point of the first splicing end 151 and the second splicing end 161, the processing of the upper channel 121, the lower channel 122 and the intermediate channel 123 can be greatly facilitated.

[0041] Furthermore, the first position of the housing 10 has a through hole 17 penetrating both the inner and outer sides of the housing 10. The opening of the through hole 17 near the working space 11 forms the air inlet 13, and the opening of the through hole 17 away from the working space 11 forms a sealing port 171. The ventilated structure 100 further includes a sealing block 18 installed in the sealing port 171.

[0042] When forming the air inlet 13 on the housing 10, it is only necessary to open the through hole 17 at the first position of the housing 10, and then use the sealing block 18 to seal the opening of the through hole 17 on the side away from the working space 11, so that the air inlet 13 can be formed on the side of the housing 10 close to the working space 11. The lower channel 122 communicating with the through hole 17 is opened at the position of the first splicing surface 1511 corresponding to the air inlet 13.

[0043] Similarly, when forming the air outlet 14 on the housing 10, it is only necessary to open a blind hole communicating with the outside at the second position of the housing 10, and the opening of the blind hole forms the air outlet 14. The upper channel 121 communicating with the blind hole is opened at the position of the first splicing surface 1511 corresponding to the blind hole.

[0044] refer to Figure 1 The outer surface of the housing 10 is provided with a first protrusion 131 corresponding to the position of the air inlet 13 and a second protrusion 141 corresponding to the position of the air outlet 14. The through hole 17 penetrates the first protrusion 131 and the blind hole is formed on the second protrusion 141. The top surfaces of the first protrusion 131 and the second protrusion 141 are both flat and parallel to each other, which facilitates the opening of the through hole 17 and the blind hole.

[0045] refer to Figure 1 Furthermore, the ventilated structure 100 also includes a vent cap 20 installed at the air outlet 14, and the gas in the ventilated channel 12 is adapted to pass through the vent cap 20 and then be discharged outward. Installing the vent cap 20 at the air outlet 14 can filter the lubricating oil mist in the discharged gas, further reducing the risk of lubricating oil leakage.

[0046] Specifically, the breathable cap 20 includes a breathable cap base 21, a filler 22, and a fixing shell 23. The breathable cap base 21 has an exhaust channel 210, and one end of the breathable cap base 21 has a first opening 2101 communicating with the exhaust channel 210. A second opening 2102 communicating with the exhaust channel 210 is located at a predetermined position on the side wall of the breathable cap base 21. The filler 22 is disposed on one side of the breathable cap base 21, and the position of the filler 22 corresponds to the position of the second opening 2102. The fixing shell 23 is disposed on the outside of the filler 22 for fixing the filler 22 to the breathable cap base 21. The breathable cap base 21 is installed on the air outlet 14, and the first opening 2101 communicates with the air outlet 14. The gas discharged from the outlet 14 can enter the exhaust channel 210 through the first opening 2101 and exit the exhaust channel 210 through the second opening 2102. After being filtered by the filler 22, it exits through the vents on the fixed shell 23. The filler 22 is preferably a polyester filler, which can filter lubricating oil mist in the gas and further reduce the risk of lubricating oil leakage. Preferably, there are multiple second openings 2102, which are circumferentially spaced around the exhaust channel 210.

[0047] refer to Figure 3 The fixing shell 23 includes a first fixing shell 231 and a second fixing shell 232. The first fixing shell 231 is disposed on the outside of the filler 22, and the second fixing shell 232 is disposed on the outside of the first fixing shell 231. Gas leaving the filler 22 can leave through the gap between the first fixing shell 231 and the second fixing shell 232.

[0048] Specifically, both the first fixing shell 231 and the second fixing shell 232 are L-shaped structures. The first fixing shell 231 includes a first mounting arm 2311 and a first extension arm 2312. One end of the first mounting arm 2311 is connected to the ventilated cap base 21, and the other end is connected to the first extension arm 2312. The filler 22 is located between the first extension arm 2312 and the ventilated cap base 21. The second fixing shell 232 includes a second mounting arm 2321 and a second extension arm 2322. The second mounting arm 2321 is located on the side of the first extension arm 2312 away from the first mounting arm 2311. One end of the second mounting arm 2321 is connected to the ventilated cap base 21, and the other end is connected to the second extension arm 2322. The second extension arm 2322 is located outside the first extension arm 2312, allowing gas leaving the filler 22 to exit through the gap between the first extension arm 2312 and the second extension arm 2322.

[0049] According to another aspect of this application, a transmission is further provided, including the transmission oil leakage prevention and venting structure described in the above embodiments. The transmission can be a traditional transmission used in gasoline vehicles or a dedicated transmission used in new energy vehicles. The specific type of transmission should not constitute a limitation on this application.

[0050] According to another aspect of this application, a vehicle is further provided, including the gearbox described in the above embodiments. The vehicle may be a sedan or a truck, a gasoline vehicle or a new energy vehicle, and the type of vehicle shall not constitute a limitation on this application.

[0051] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present invention described above and shown in the accompanying drawings are merely examples and do not limit the invention. The advantages of the present invention have been fully and effectively realized. The functional and structural principles of the present invention have been demonstrated and explained in the embodiments; any variations or modifications can be made to the implementation of the present invention without departing from these principles.

Claims

1. A ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in a gearbox, characterized in that, include: A housing that surrounds and forms a workspace; The housing has a ventilation channel, and a first position of the housing has an air inlet that connects the ventilation channel and the working space; a second position of the housing has an air outlet that connects the ventilation channel and the space outside the housing; wherein the height of the air outlet is higher than the height of the air inlet.

2. The ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in a gearbox according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ventilation channel includes an upper channel, a lower channel, and a middle channel. The middle channel is located on one side of a connecting line, which connects the air inlet and the air outlet. The upper channel extends from the air outlet toward the middle channel and connects the air outlet and the middle channel. The lower channel extends from the air inlet toward the middle channel and connects the air inlet and the middle channel.

3. The ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in the gearbox according to claim 2, characterized in that, The housing includes a first housing and a second housing, which are adapted to be joined together to form the workspace, and the intermediate channel is located at the joint between the first housing and the second housing.

4. The ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in the gearbox according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first splicing end of the first housing has a first splicing surface, and the second splicing end of the second housing has a second splicing surface. The first splicing surface has a communicating groove that connects the upper channel and the lower channel. When the first splicing surface and the second splicing surface are spliced ​​together, the communicating groove forms the intermediate channel.

5. The ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in a gearbox according to claim 2, characterized in that, The length extension direction of the upper channel and / or the lower channel has a preset angle with the length extension direction of the middle channel, and the preset angle is greater than or equal to ninety degrees.

6. The ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in a gearbox according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first position of the housing has a through hole penetrating both the inner and outer sides of the housing. The opening of the through hole near the working space forms the air inlet, and the opening of the through hole away from the working space forms a sealing port. The ventilated structure further includes a sealing block installed at the sealing port.

7. The ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in a gearbox according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The breathable structure also includes a breathable cap installed at the air outlet, and the gas in the breathable channel is adapted to pass through the breathable cap and be discharged outward.

8. The ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage in a gearbox according to claim 7, characterized in that, The breathable cap includes a breathable cap base, a filler, and a fixing shell. The breathable cap base has an exhaust channel, and one end of the breathable cap base has a first opening communicating with the exhaust channel. A second opening communicating with the exhaust channel is located at a preset position on the side wall of the breathable cap base. The filler is disposed on one side of the breathable cap base, and the position of the filler corresponds to the position of the second opening. The fixing shell is disposed on the outside of the filler and is used to fix the filler to the breathable cap base.

9. A gearbox, characterized in that, The transmission includes a ventilated structure for preventing oil leakage, as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the gearbox as described in claim 9.