OIL FILTRATION ARRANGEMENT WITH DEFORMABLE WALL HOLDING AN INLET PORT AND USE IN A TRANSMISSION OIL CASING
A deformable wall element with a movable intake port and counterweight system addresses air ingestion issues in vehicle transmission systems by ensuring continuous oil supply and filtration without valves, adapting to varying oil levels and maintaining compactness.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- PURFLUX FILTRATION
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-03
Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: OIL FILTRATION ARRANGEMENT WITH DEFORMABLE WALL HOLDING AN INLET PORT AND USE IN A TRANSMISSION OIL CASING technical field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of lubricant circuits for motor vehicles, particularly for the supply and filtration of purified oil intended for a transmission system such as a gearbox and / or an electric motor assembly. The invention relates more particularly to an oil inlet and filtration arrangement, especially for oil intended for a transmission. It is also proposed to use the arrangement by taking advantage of the mobility of the inlet port in a deformable wall element to follow a tilt-sensitive weight. Technological background
[0002] In such circuits, the oil is generally received and stored in a sump which, for the protection of the lubrication circuit(s) of the transmission gears and other mechanical components, is equipped with a lubricant filter. In the field of vehicle lubricant filtration, a pump is generally associated with the filtration device; the pump draws in the oil or lubricant to be filtered by creating a vacuum on the suction side.
[0003] In the oil collection area prior to filtration, the oil level may vary, which can cause suction problems. This occurs if the oil level is insufficient (locally), allowing air to be accidentally drawn in along with the oil / lubricant. For example, in a sloped area, or when the vehicle accelerates or ascends a hill in such a way that the oil distribution in the sump reservoir shifts to a side far from the suction inlet, the pump may draw in air instead of fluid. If this occurs for a short time, an unpleasant noise may be heard. If the situation persists, the transmission may fail or be damaged.
[0004] US patent 3038353 provides an example of a transmission housing design with a bottom wall inclined towards a low point where access is located to a conduit forming an intake inlet connected to an oil return column. The housing is filled through drain openings. In case due to the angle of inclination which causes the oil to tilt away from the lowest point, a valve closes off the access to prevent air from being drawn in. However, this arrangement requires a certain amount of space in the crankcase and the use of a valve in a bottom area (which also adds a certain amount of space).
[0005] It has also been proposed to store the oil in the internal volume of a crankcase by simultaneously: - an oil return line that descends to a low point located at the rear of the crankcase; and - a suction module provided in the housing away from the bottom, with an integrated filtration stage. US document 2009 / 0107769 describes this type of structure for a lubrication oil circuit. If tilting or jolting causes oil to move near an edge of the housing, the lubricant / oil level may be insufficient.
[0006] There is therefore a need for better control of oil supply in unstable situations or with a vehicle traveling on a steep incline, with solutions that limit disturbances and imbalances in the oil supply to the crankcase. More generally, there is still room for improvement in this area. Summary
[0007] This disclosure improves the situation.
[0008] For this purpose, a collection and filtration arrangement (of oil / lubricant) is proposed for purifying oil, in particular oil intended for a transmission, in which the arrangement, which can extend vertically between an upper end and a base suitable for forming a bottom, comprises: - a filtering medium; - the base / lower base, intended to be immersed (at least partially) in the oil of a transmission casing, the base including a wall carrying an inlet port, forming an inlet of the arrangement, to allow a flow of oil to be filtered into an internal compartment allowing circulation of the oil to be filtered from the inlet port to a face of the filtering medium; - an outlet for a purified oil flow having passed through the filter medium; and - a housing component carrying the upper end and which can be axially moved away from the base; with a central axis passing through the intake port, through the base and the housing component; with the particularity that the wall, which defines an external face adapted to constitute a lower face of the arrangement oriented axially opposite to the housing component, comprises: - a weight, which is made integral with the intake port (for example, fixedly integral); and - a deformable wall element, less dense than the weight and which is at least partially flexible and mobile so as to make the weight movable at least under the effect of gravity and allow relative movement between said weight and a rigid periphery of the arrangement, so that the inlet port is mobile with the weight along at least two transverse directions and can thus shift, relative to a predetermined reference position of the inlet port, on a given side in a stretched state of a portion of the wall element located opposite the given side.
[0009] The intake port can function as a movable opening that follows the mass of oil while resting (due to its weight) near or on the bottom of the crankcase. When tilted, this opening descends with the oil. When accelerated by inertia, this opening moves in the same direction as the oil. Such a collection system allows for the air-free flow of oil to supply lubrication to the areas requiring it, adapting to the location of the oil mass within the crankcase. The base in contact with / immersed in the oil may be without a valve or stopcock: the oil intake remains passive and typically without any part blocking an intake passage.
[0010] The weight is not limited in its shape, nor in the number of parts or components acting through a mass effect (dense liquid may even be integrated into a portion of the weight) to shift the inlet port to the side where it is inclined. With this type of mass added in a typically central area of the deformable wall element, it is understood that the wall element has a center of gravity with a variable position, depending on the degree of inclination (base tilt). Any significant inclination of the base can then result in a corresponding displacement of the inlet port, which may include an opening formed through or adjacent to the weight.
[0011] The intake port, with one or more passage openings, may correspond to a central area of the deformable wall element and be located at a distance, for example more than 40 or 60 mm, from a peripheral frame of the base. During lateral acceleration or tilting of the vehicle equipped with the aforementioned arrangement, the oil stored in the crankcase can only move to one side where the intake port will be positioned, which is typically driven by the weight of the counterweight. The deformable wall element can stretch opposite this area, which is favorable for oil intake without air entry, due to a pulling effect of the counterweight as it moves down, for example along the bottom wall with which it may be in sliding contact.
[0012] The stretching can optionally represent an extension of approximately one-third of a dimension of the base (which can be square, rectangular, polygonal with or without rounded corners, oval, or circular). This extension by stretching can be made possible by the presence of bellows, creating a developed length (in the fully stretched state of the wall element) that can be at least 40%, 50%, or more than the radial extension in a default, unstretched state.
[0013] The housing can incorporate such an arrangement in various ways, in preferred embodiments, such as, for example, by placing the filter media away from the bottom of the housing. It is permissible to construct a filter having a filtration chamber accessible via the inlet port that communicates with a pumping path for the oil stored in the internal volume. The arrangement can delimit, by means of the movable partition, an upstream side / zone of the filtration chamber where the oil filtration media is housed, while the outlet—preferably opposite the bottom of the housing—can typically be an outlet communicating with the lubrication circuit of one or more components external to the housing.
[0014] In an oil sump (for example for transmission oil), such an assembly of a movable wall with a rigid frame or periphery of the arrangement uses valves or parts, which are bulky and may reduce the oil storage capacity. The movable wall may have a bellows structure, preferably connected to a four-sided frame with circular or annular fold lines.
[0015] Options include at least one of the following provisions: - the developed surface area of the wall element is greater, for example with an excess of at least 30 or 40%, than the flat surface area (surface area that can be projected into a plane P of the frame). - the wall element is delimited by a connecting border with the frame. - a lower free edge of the frame is flat, and preferably adapted to extend to a distance from the bottom of the crankcase which is less than a height of a rigid structure comprising the intake port and the counterweight, this structure being distant from the frame and provided centrally in the deformable wall element. - a sealing element, for example elastically deformable or compressible, is provided at a connection interface between an annular edge of the movable wall and a rigid periphery of a perforated component forming the inlet port. - the movable wall includes a sheet or plate having at least five or six concentric folds. - The counterweight is composed of one or more elements, denser than lg / cm3, which are provided in a structural disc or ring allowing the delimitation of at least one opening of the intake port (more broadly, the counterweight acts as a traction component, which can have a density greater than that of water (above 1 or even 1.1 g / cm3). - The counterweight can form a low point in the moving wall under the operating conditions of the arrangement, with its lower base immersed in the crankcase oil. - The counterweight corresponds to / constitutes a passively movable mass.
[0016] In an oil pan equipped with the arrangement parallel to the bottom wall, when the pan is inclined, the effects of gravity cause the movable wall to tilt and the counterweight automatically becomes / acts as a traction component which: - follows the slope downwards (downwards, on the same side where more oil accumulates in the pan; and - stretches the deformable wall element in the opposite direction (to the side where a mass of air located above the oil level typically moves upwards) to a displacement of the oil mass. - the base and the housing component delimit between them an internal volume in which are housed filtration means which include the filter media, being interposed between the inlet port and the outlet (which is preferably an outlet provided at the top end). - the outlet can be located higher than the wall element. - the intake port has an opening through which a central axis passes, which is vertical or has a vertical component during use. - the housing component is axially offset / spaced from the base which has a base perimeter.
[0017] The arrangement may include a housing forming a bottom face, along which the weight can slide or move, for example, remaining substantially parallel to this bottom face. The arrangement may optionally include a pumping channel that allows the oil stored in the internal volume of the housing to pass through the inlet port to reach the filter medium. The assembly, including the transmission oil pan, can be positioned in the lower part of a chassis for an electric drive mechanism, this chassis being attached to a vehicle. It is understood that the pan receives and stores the oil dripping from the moving parts of the oil-lubricated operating / drive mechanism. The arrangement or an upper wall of the crankcase may carry at least one outlet for the return of pressurized oil to such regions.
[0018] In some options, one or more of the following provisions are provided: - the media is adapted to purify all the oil that exits the crankcase. - the filter element is a cartridge provided with a base flange or a rigid frame. - The layout is less tall than it is wide, possibly with a footprint in the upstream area that is compatible with integration into a low-ceilinged space. - The upstream area has a peripheral sub-area which: is planned along a frame of the layout; and extends over a height, measured from a lower edge of a frame supporting the movable wall, which does not exceed 30 mm. - a housing component, which covers the base, allows a filtration chamber to be delimited with a downstream zone delimited between a face of the filter media and an external outlet of the outlet provided on this component.
[0019] The deformable wall element may include a waterproof layer made of a foldable material which is preferably elastically deformable (reversibly deformable). In some embodiments, the deformable wall element is designed and arranged to: - extending around the intake port, over a complete circumference of the intake port, with a variable radial extension upwards and downwards, respectively, in a plurality of angular sectors distributed around the intake port; and - to move from a first configuration, with the predetermined reference position of the intake port which is a central position in the base, to other configurations, optionally obtained each by a local tightening of bellows and / or folds of the wall element to reduce a respective radial extension of one of said angular sectors which corresponds to the given side of offset. With a pleated structure (bellows and / or folds), it is possible to achieve displacement of the inlet port. More specifically, it allows displacement, in different directions each transverse to the central axis, of the counterweight and the inlet port within the wall / outer boundaries of this wall.
[0020] Since the inlet port occupies a central position in the wall in a default state or conformation, for example with a concentric arrangement of pleats, the responsiveness to reach a corner area can be fast / the same regardless of the direction of movement. In practice, air is not allowed to enter the filtration chamber, which includes an upstream area that may be adjacent (typically underlying) to the filter media and possibly delimited by the moving wall, without the use of valve mechanisms.
[0021] The weight can be dimensioned to be compact, for example so as to have an external diameter or characteristic lateral dimension that does not exceed 25 or 30% of the largest dimension of the wall or the movable wall element taken in a starting pleated conformation (default conformation, without stretching). directional on one side). The weight can typically approach, to within 12 mm for example when the smallest lateral dimension of a wall boundary frame exceeds 100 mm, several different edges, preferably four different edges of a rectangular shape, which are boundary edges of the deformable wall element. This ensures a continuous and high-quality introduction of oil to the filtration unit or media, via said port, when a vehicle with the arrangement is traveling on an inclined slope.
[0022] In some options, the deformable wall element is a single block, for example, constituting the entire lower wall defining the outer face underneath. Conversely, the wall element can be designed as an assembly of several parts, possibly with annular joints between the parts.
[0023] According to some embodiments, the arrangement includes one or more of the following provisions: - the deformable wall element includes an airtight membrane. - the airtight membrane extends: between an annular edge connecting with a disc forming all or part of the weight, and an external annular edge, fixed and connected to a rigid frame of the base. - the deformable wall element includes a layer of elastomeric material. - the deformable wall element has a corrugated structure and / or is provided with concentric folds. - the wall element is pleated up to an external edge that is pinched or fixed at the base, rigid and / or it may be a wall element entirely made in the shape of a bellows. - the housing component forms all or part of a transmission oil pan cover and / or forms a removable cover allowing the filter media to be changed by reusing the housing component and the lower base. - the intake port consists of a rigid component including said weight. - The intake port has a flat, smooth underside, designed to make contact with a bottom face of the crankcase and slide along that bottom face. - The wall is airtight and has no through holes other than those of the intake port.
[0024] According to another aspect, a transmission oil pan is proposed, comprising the arrangement according to the invention, with the movable wall element facing a bottom of the pan and / or wherein the base and a lower wall of the pan are parallel to each other with a gap less than or equal to an axial distance measured between the inlet port and the filter media for / in the predetermined reference position. The weight, in one piece or formed as an assembly (centered by default in the wall), can be arranged to slide on the lower wall of the pan in order to to follow the movements of the oil stored in the crankcase. It is understood that the lower wall of the crankcase may be without a stop near a central area of the crankcase capable of blocking a sliding of an underside of the weight, so that the weight is movable in at least four directions, and preferably in all directions.
[0025] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a use of the arrangement according to the invention is proposed, wherein the wall with the deformable wall element is used in the transmission oil pan, which is in particular a vehicle gearbox oil pan, in order to position the inlet port in an area of the pan that is sufficiently filled with oil or that is the most oil-filled area, wherein the deformable wall element (which extends around the inlet port) can stretch locally, preferably by unfolding an accordion (bellows) or pleated structure, along a transverse direction that follows the displacement of the weight induced by the effects of gravity and / or inertia, so that the introduction of oil, towards the filter medium via the port (which is typically formed in a ring component including the weight),is ensured without air intake with the intake port located in (directly above) this area, which is sufficiently filled or the most filled with oil. With this integration of a movable wall element capable of creating degrees of freedom for the inlet port carried by the weight, the oil passage follows a displacement of the weight to follow a local maximum of the oil depth when a mass of oil is moved in response to the rolling conditions of a vehicle carrying the arrangement for lubrication by oil to be filtered by the filtering medium, particularly in a transmission mechanism that can overcome the crankcase or similar storage area where the oil is collected with the wall element capable of being immersed with the weight below the oil level in this crankcase. Brief description of the drawings
[0026] Other features, details, and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description below and the accompanying drawings, in which: [Fig. 1] shows, in cross-section, a collection and filtration arrangement with a movable wall in an area below, under operating conditions, to allow the movement of an inlet port associated with a counterweight; [Fig. 2] shows, in perspective, an example of a pleated, bellows-type structure for a movable wall extending around the inlet port, connected to a rigid frame that can be fixed relative to the bottom of a housing. Fig. 3A illustrates, by a schematic top view, an example of an arrangement with reliefs allowing oil to enter from below a weight, in a first non-limiting form of realization. Figure 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view that may correspond to the case of an arrangement according to [Fig.3A] to allow translation of the weight in inclined situations, with contact reliefs that raise the weight relative to the bottom level of the housing formed between the reliefs. [Fig.4A] shows, using a schematic vertical section, an arrangement allowing oil to pass into an inlet port equipped with a weight, according to a second non-limiting embodiment, here with the weight moved to the right with corresponding deformation of the wall element that defines all or part of the lower face of the arrangement. [Fig.4B] is a perspective view from below showing an example of an openwork structure of the weight, which may correspond to the case envisaged in [Fig.4A]. [Fig.5] is a schematic diagram of a vehicle transmission in which an intake and filtration arrangement can be integrated, provided with the wall element with movable intake port, for lubrication in a transmission oil circuit. Figure 6 shows the case of a removable filtration part to equip a housing and form an arrangement, according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 7 is a schematic bottom view of an arrangement according to the invention, capable of facing the map background, showing a centered arrangement of the inlet port in the absence of slope, with a homogeneous pleated structure in the deformable wall element. Description of method(s) of implementation
[0027] The following is a detailed description of several embodiments of the invention, accompanied by examples and references to the drawings. In the various figures, identical reference numerals indicate identical or similar elements. The structure and / or number of certain components appearing in at least one of the figures can, of course, be used in a case corresponding to another figure. The terms "below," "lower," "upper," "upward," "downward," or "falling / falling," and similar terms are to be systematically interpreted here in the usual sense of an oil pan with a bottom forming the base and filling from the top. This pan has specific connections (distinct from the access points for the oil drain) for the oil return, that is, taking the bottom wall of the pan as the reference for the base.The "high" and "low" characteristics for an oil pan incorporating an upward pumping path are, in any case, beyond doubt for a person skilled in the art.
[0028] With reference to Figures 1 and 6, a filtration arrangement A, A' is shown for purifying a stream F of crude oil, which is oil present in a casing 30, along a bottom wall Wb of the casing 30 that can extend substantially horizontally under standard conditions. The arrangement A, A' is here part of a transmission filter and includes a filter medium 5, integrated into a filter unit or directly attached to a housing of the arrangement A, A'. Such a housing includes a lower base 1 and a housing component 10 which may include or constitute a cover C in some embodiments. More broadly, the arrangement A, A' may have a base 1 and a side wall extending around an axis or a longitudinal extension. The base 1 may include a wall 2 and a frame 1 that may form a perimeter of the arrangement around the wall 2.The wall 2, integrated into the base 1, can be immersed with the latter in the oil Hu of the crankcase 30. For this, the wall 2 extends lower than the filter media 5 which is separated from the crankcase oil, at least by the wall 2. When the base 1 is horizontal, we understand that the arrangement A, A' has a vertical extension from the base 1, for example to a top or opposite end suitable for forming a top end E.
[0029] The base 1 is designed to face the bottom wall Wb and includes an inlet port 3 that allows the oil Hu from the crankcase 30 to pass into a supply and filtration section, provided, for example, under the housing component 10 under operating conditions. As illustrated in particular in Figures 1, 3B, and 6, the inlet and filtration arrangement A, A' allows the oil Hu from the crankcase 30, typically stored in a lower tank or component of the crankcase 30, to be purified using an inlet section or port that is supported by a wall 2 of the lower base 1. The base 1 delimits, from below, an internal volume V of the arrangement A, A', this volume including a filtration chamber. As in the cases of [Fig.l], 3B or 6, the evacuation of a purified oil flow F' can be done through the upper end E, where appropriate provided with a conduit (vertical conduit following the direction of arrow Z in [Fig.l]), which then forms the outlet 6.
[0030] The filtration chamber has filtration means 15 that separate an upstream zone Z1 from a downstream zone Z2, given that an oil circulation element may be provided in the oil circuit, preferably on the side where purified oil circulates (purification carried out using a filter element EF equipped with the filtration means 15). The outlet 6 provided in the component 10 is, for example, connected to a transmission system typically mounted in a motor vehicle. The filtration means are interposed between the inlet port 3 and the outlet 6. Indeed, zone Z2 is in fluidic communication with the outlet 6, while zone Z1 communicates with an inlet that corresponds to the inlet port 3. The latter is made movable. thanks to a deformable wall element 20, which surrounds the inlet port 3 and a weight 8 with which this inlet port 3 is provided.
[0031] The deformable wall element 20 may include an impermeable layer made of a flexible material, thus preventing air from entering the internal compartment Cl located above the wall 2. Preferably, the single-layer or multi-layer material constituting the wall element 20 is elastically deformable (reversibly deformable). A pleated structure may be provided, as shown in [Fig. 2], in particular, so that the developed surface area of the wall element 20 is greater, for example by an excess of at least 30 or 40%, than the flat / projected surface area in a plane P delimited by the base delimitation frame le. This rigid frame le supports the wall element 20 on several sides. The wall element 20 delimits an internal compartment Cl of the arrangement, within which crude oil (not yet filtered by the filter medium 5) can flow from the inlet port 3.
[0032] When compartment Cl corresponds substantially to zone ZI in the filtration chamber, it is understood that the oil introduced via port 3 into compartment Cl can be distributed in several lateral directions so that filtration by the filter media 5 is carried out over the entire inlet face of the filter media 5. The inlet face of the media 5 has a larger surface area than the inlet section formed by the inlet port. In [Fig.3B], it can be seen that in a horizontal configuration (which is a balanced and centered state) of the inlet port 3, a central area of the filter media 5 can be directly above the opening O of the inlet port 3. In this default / no slope configuration, the oil level N can typically be horizontal, typically higher than a free peripheral lower edge of the base 1.
[0033] In [Fig. 1] or [Fig. 4A], a tilted configuration can be seen, which causes a difference in the distribution of the oil Hu with a level N' that is no longer parallel to the frame le of the base 1. The material of the deformable wall element 20 is structured to present a large developed surface area, using folds 21 that can be annular, forming bellows. In the initial / centered configuration, the distance d2 ([Fig. 2]) between two successive folds can be greater than 5 or 7 mm, possibly remaining constant. If we consider the maximum path d for the lateral displacement of the inlet port 3, in order to reach, for example, the corner zone Zb in the non-limiting case of [Fig. 7], we can predict that the developed length measured between the outer edge of the inlet port and the outermost edge of the wall element 20 is greater than the maximum path (distance d). In some variants, taking into account the sufficient filling of the crankcase 30 with oil Hu, it is possible to limit the maximum effective displacement stroke knowing that even a partial displacement towards the Zb zone (Zb zone towards which the Hu oil leans), under conditions of use of arrangement A, may be sufficient for the opening O to be completely immersed without risk of air intake. The bellows structure includes a flexible material, such as a membrane material. The structure may also consist of a fabric coated with elastomer.
[0034] The crude oil inlet can be a single inlet to reach zone ZI and the media 5. In the non-limiting example shown in Figures 1, 3A, and 6, a weight 8 is shown, consisting of a body 8a and positioned at the periphery of at least one opening O, which constitutes the inlet of the inlet port 3. The oil Hu is captured under the lower face F8 of the weight 8, as illustrated in [Fig. 3A], and / or the oil Hu surrounding the weight 8 or a side wall of the inlet port 3 can enter laterally via notches or spaces 8b formed in the body 8a. In alternative embodiments, several spaced bodies can constitute the weight 8.
[0035] The weight 8 may consist of a metallic or non-metallic mass, for example, including or being made of a dense material, making the weight 8 suitable for sinking into the oil Hu and acting by inertia, gravity, or centrifugal force, in order to pull on some of the folds 21 in the event of lateral displacement. The weight 8 will allow the formation of a center of gravity in the wall element 20, which is centered with respect to the base 1 when the wall element 20 is in its initial configuration, without stretching. It is understood that the wall 2 can have a center of gravity made mobile thanks to the pleated structure or other structure adapted for the deformation of the wall element 20.
[0036] The inlet port 3 with its opening O may exhibit rotational symmetry by incorporating the counterweight 8 in the form of a disc interposed between the opening O providing access to the internal compartment Cl and the material, for example corrugated or pleated, constituting the deformable wall element 20. The inlet port 3 may consist of a rigid component, for example metallic or filled with a material or metal typically at least as dense as aluminum. This rigid component includes the counterweight 8 and has a lower face F8 that is preferably flat and / or without protruding features. This face F8 may make contact with a bottom face F30 (top of the bottom) of the housing 30, so that the inlet port 3 can slide on this bottom face F30, which typically defines a sliding plane PG. Wall 2 can be light and in any case not heavy enough to sag due to its weight, particularly in the presence of oil under arrangement A, A'. Thus, the weight 8 can constitute the lowest point (preferably the only one) of wall 2.
[0037] More broadly, the deformable wall element 20 can be relatively light and, in particular, less dense than the weight 8, so that the weight 8 and the inlet port 3 can be immersed more deeply in the oil than the wall 2. The deformable wall element 20 is at least partially flexible and movable so as to make the weight 8 displaceable with a back-and-forth motion, at least under the effect of gravity, if the arrangement is tilted and then returns to a substantially horizontal position. The deformable wall element 20, with a pleated or corrugated structure, for example, allows relative movement between the weight 8 and a rigid periphery of the arrangement A, A'. In this way, the inlet port 3 is movable with the weight 8, typically along at least two transverse directions.These two directions can, for example, be two perpendicular directions along a plane, possibly forming a sliding plane PG of the weight 8. The inlet port 3 can thus shift, relative to a predetermined reference position of the inlet port 3, on a given side in a stretched state of a portion 20p (for example, on the left in [Fig. 1]) of the wall element 20 located opposite the given side.
[0038] A transmission oil sump 30 can be equipped with the arrangement A, A', with the inlet port 3 opposite the bottom wall Wb of the sump 30, by arranging the wall element 20 parallel to this bottom wall Wb, for example with the delimiting frame le of the wall element 20 which is fixedly parallel to the bottom wall Wb and placed less than 35 or 50 mm from a bearing face F8 of the weight 8 which is a bottom face. To avoid permanent deformations, it may be advantageous to have a surface for contact with the weight 8 at the level of a bottom face F30 of the housing 30. Examples of movable wall structures
[0039] A pleated structure can be provided in the wall material 2, which is sufficiently flexible to render the initial pleated configuration unstable. The deformable wall element 20, made of such a material, can form a major portion of the wall 2, forming at least a central zone of this wall below the arrangement A, A', incorporating / carrying the inlet port 3. The wall element 20 can be formed in one piece. This deformable wall element 20 is, for example: - mounted on the frame, forming a component with variable spacing between the frame of the base 1 and the intake port 3; - of a suitable size to extend around the intake port 3, over a complete circumference of the intake port with a variable radial extension upwards and the decrease, respectively, in a plurality of angular sectors distributed around the inlet port. The deformable wall element 20 can transition from a first configuration, with a predetermined reference position of the inlet port 3 (which is typically a central position in the base 1), to other configurations that adapt to the slope and / or displacement of the oil Hu under operating conditions with the arrangement integrated into a transmission oil pan. Each of these adaptation configurations can be achieved by locally tightening the bellows or pleats 21, 21' of the wall element 20 to reduce a respective radial extension of one of the angular sectors corresponding to the given side of the offset, thus allowing displacement in different directions.
[0040] The directions of movement of the inlet port 3 can each be transverse to the central axis Xm ([Fig. 2]) of the counterweight 8 and the inlet port 3. The deformable wall element 20 includes, for example, a layer of elastomeric material or any material with elastic springback. This allows for repeated movements and enables the counterweight 8 to react immediately (without delayed reaction) to the movements of the fluid mass contained in the housing 30.
[0041] Folds 21, 21', visible in particular in Figures 2, 4A and 7 at rest / without offset of the counterweight 8, form a pleated structure which makes it possible to define a corrugated profile, as seen along any radial section passing through the opening O of the intake port 3. The base 1 is thus both rigid, at its periphery, and flexible and deformable to form an underside with bellows distributed around the intake port 3 which is weighted by the counterweight 8. The opening O can then typically be located at a low point of the base 1, which is: - a low and centered point, in the predetermined reference position of the inlet port (which may correspond to a center of symmetry or a central position, for example as in the case of [Fig.2]); - a low and off-center point, during offsets from the predetermined position (an example of an offset being shown on [Fig.1] and an example of maximum path with the running distance d being illustrated on [Fig.7]).
[0042] The inlet port 3, weighted and able to bear against the face F30 which provides a reaction force, can move laterally without creating a centered bulge effect, unlike, for example, a boat sail or a hammock. The increase in the developed surface area of the deformable wall element 20, which results from the changes in direction to form the folds 21, 21', is structured here knowing that the folds 21, 21' reduce the overall flexibility of the wall element 20 and oppose its subsidence, especially far from the mass 8 (even in regions located several folds away from this mass 8).
[0043] In embodiments such as those shown in [Fig. 2], the concentric network of folds 21 guides the deformations of the deformable wall element 20. This helps maintain a slightly or not at all low-profile convex arrangement while allowing movement of the counterweight 8 through local contraction and stretching effects (closing of the bellows on one side and opening on the other). The contraction and stretching effects are then directed according to the inclination or inertial displacement of the moving masses: while the oil flows in a specific direction, the inlet port 3 attached to the counterweight 8 can move closer to the corresponding side, thus approaching the edge / side of the frame, by tightening or closing the bellows sections located along the path of movement of the counterweight 8 in this specific direction.
[0044] Figure 1 thus shows an opening of the bellows portions to the left of the counterweight 8 when the latter is offset to the right to follow the slope and the mass of oil (the deformable element 20 having its bellows portions compressed on the right). When the frame is rectangular or has a length much greater than its width, the wall element 20 may have an alternating pattern of bellows that is greater in the longitudinal direction (as in the case of Figure 2, for example), for instance with at least three or four additional folds 21' compared to the folds 21. Here, it can be seen that the folds 21 have an annular geometry, being close to the central area, while the folds 21' correspond to discontinuous folds to provide bellows portions (eccentric undulations) further away and distributed only in two opposite directions, along the length L20 of the wall element 20.Thus, we can increase the displacement stroke between the opposite ends la, 1b along this direction, relative to the displacement stroke of the inlet port in the perpendicular direction that follows the width (short dimension of the rectangle or comparable format).
[0045] Of course, the frame le can vary in its shape; the frame le can be square, rectangular, or polygonal, with all or part of its contour rounded, by way of non-limiting examples. The wall element 20 can completely follow the shape of the frame le, while having a concentric distribution of the folds 21, 21', with some discontinuous folds 21' if they are provided near the ends along the long direction. The density of the weight 8 can be greater than the density of the material composing the frame le and / or of any other material used in the base 1, at the periphery of the deformable wall element 20. Example of the application of the layout
[0046] The arrangement A, A' can be connected to a transmission system (at least to collect oil and to return the purified oil), this system having parts involved in a transfer of mechanical power, for example the electric motor of the vehicle and a converter or speed reducer.
[0047] After performing the lubrication function by flow from the appropriate control valves, the used oil flow can flow and fall by gravity, as seen from the lubricated external components: it is again stored in the housing 30.
[0048] With reference to [Fig. 5], a transmission system is schematically illustrated. Dashed lines indicate mechanical power transfer, while solid lines represent a flow of lubricating fluid. Dashed lines indicate electrical signals. The transmission input shaft 100 is connected to the vehicle's crankshaft. Engine power is transmitted to the torque converter 112, which drives the turbine shaft 114. The clutches of the gearbox 116 (an example of a transmission device within the meaning of this disclosure) are engaged to establish a power flow between the turbine shaft 114 and the output shaft 118.
[0049] Different power flow circuits with different speed ratios can be established by engaging different clutches. Optionally, a transfer case can be installed between the output shaft and a drive shaft to divert some of the power to a differential. Part of the engine's power is diverted to drive the transmission pump 40. The transmission pump 40 can draw oil or similar lubricating fluid from the crankcase 30, through the filter or filter unit that includes or forms arrangement A, and delivers the purified fluid, at increased pressure, to the valve body 26. The pressure at which this fluid enters the valve body is usually called the fluid pressure or line pressure. A controller 28 operates a network of control valves inside the valve body 26 to send the fluid to the components of the torque converter 112 and the transmission 116 at desired pressures lower than the line pressure and at desired flow rates. The fluid flows from the control valves and the transmission 116 back to the crankcase 30.
[0050] In applications for electric or hybrid (thermal and electric) powered vehicles, the filter unit 1, which includes the arrangement A, A', can equip part of a system combining different modules, for example by complementing the 3-in-1 "eAxle" (electric axle) system, which combines an electric motor, an inverter, and a gearbox, typically in a common housing. More broadly, the arrangement A, A' is sufficiently compact to be integrated (in a pre-assembled state, for example) under the components of a motorized transmission system. for example in a lower region of an integrated system which has different modules. A cooling component can also be added to the system.
[0051] The filter unit 1, with the wall element 20 within the arrangement A, A' (with its filter or filter media 5), equipping a 3-in-1 system as above or other similar multi-component system, which forms a compact enclosed assembly above the oil tank / casing 30, is permitted with optimized / reduced dimensions. The arrangement A, A' can be integrated inside the casing 30, possibly without exceeding the height of the side wall Wc of the casing.
[0052] In the case of significant inclination, it is understood that the effect of gravity applying to the weight 8 and the stretchable / deformable nature of the wall element 20 can be particularly useful / advantageous for moving the inlet port away from areas insufficiently filled with oil. Example of a filter element
[0053] The filter medium 5 may be pleated (as in [Fig. 1] for example) or unpleated. An unpleated structure may be preferred to limit the height of the arrangement, when the medium 5 extends parallel to the base 1.
[0054] The arrangement A, A' with filter element EF, which forms all or part of the transmission filter, can be mounted externally or internally on the oil sump 30. Where appropriate, it can be arranged on a receiving region included in a bottom wall Wb of such an oil sump 30, as in the case of [Fig.7] for example. The filter unit of [Fig. 1] may optionally be disassembled, for example with the frame unclipping or detaching with the wall 2, to allow the (preferably selective) removal of the filter means 15. A filtering section, with a frame or mounting support for the media 5 (support separate from the housing), may be integrated into a filter element EF which includes or constitutes the filter means 15. At least one inlet / port 3 allows the crude oil Hu to be conveyed, in practice in an upward direction under operating conditions, to the filter element EF equipped with the media 5.A removable mounting of the filter element EF does not complicate the arrangement A, A', which can simply have an inlet port that can form a disc with the weight 8, having an annular geometry around an axis that follows the Z direction, perpendicular to the underside face of the arrangement A, A'. Gravity tends to move the inlet port 3 away from and keep it distant from the filter media 5 under normal operating conditions.
[0055] An elongated conduit can form / extend an outlet of the filter unit in certain options, for an upward flow of purified oil downstream of the filtration. This The conduit forming the outlet 6 is located, relative to the media 5 of the filter element EF, opposite the inlet port 3. With reference to [Fig.6], a specific cover C of a filter housing may be provided, optionally attached to the frame 1 or to a component of the base 1, or even to a bottom of the transmission oil pan 30. In embodiments, a pan component Wc which is distinct from the bottom wall Wb may surround the arrangement A, A', typically extending further from the bottom wall Wb than the filter element EF.
[0056] The use of a reusable housing 80 or part thereof may be provided for. As in [Fig. 6] or in similar options, a filter cartridge or insert EF can then be removably mounted in the reusable housing 80, for example through an opening 01 accessible to the operator, preferably with the direction of extension / elongation of the filter insert EF being horizontal in the operational position. The filter media 5 of this filter insert EF can be extended horizontally, parallel to the bottom wall Wb (i.e., perpendicular to the Z direction). In the option of [Fig.6], the housing 80 can include a piece, typically rigid, which constitutes both a side wall 10b of the base 1 and the lid C. More broadly, the parts delimiting the internal volume V can be minimized, with for example a piece constituting the lid C made of a single piece.
[0057] The oil intake and filtration arrangement A, A' for the transmission housing 30 may include a filter housing, incorporating the wall element 20 as the lower face or portion of the face of the housing. The housing, which may, for example, delimit zone Z1 on the side of wall 2 and zone Z2 on the side of a cover C, is fixedly spaced a certain distance from the bottom of the bottom wall Wb. To allow oil to flow under wall 2 even in the event of contact between wall 2 and housing 30, a spacing or network of oil circulation channels / gaps may be maintained under the housing by means of spacers or raised areas R30. Such spacers, forming supports spaced apart for contact from below with the base area where the counterweight 8 is located, are attached to the lower tray or component of the housing 30.More broadly, it is understood that Hu oil can be stored under the filter housing and under intake port 3.
[0058] In the interaction zone between the housing 30 and the intake port 3 attached to the weight 8, as in the case for example of [Fig.1], it can be foreseen: - that an immersion of the intake port 3 is guaranteed by a sliding effect of the weight 8 directly against a sliding plane PG constituted (discontinuously) by the spaced reliefs R30; - and that oil Hu is found in the spacing zones or gorges that are formed between the reliefs R30, so that the flow F passing through the opening O can be a flow directed perpendicular to the slip plane PG. With reference to figures 3A and 3B, it can be seen that the contact CC between the arrangement A and the bottom / lower wall Wb of the housing can be the only (axial) bearing area between the wall 2 of the base 1 and the housing 30.
[0059] This contact CC can move along the sliding plane PG ([Fig. 1]), optionally by providing at least one contact portion in face F8 that is larger than the spacing between the reliefs R30. In [Fig. 3A], the outer diameter D of the counterweight 8 and the corresponding lower face F8 can exceed not only the spacing between the reliefs but also the largest dimension (along the sliding plane PG) of these reliefs R30, with an opening that can also be large, for example, with an internal diameter that can be substantially equal to or greater than a characteristic dimension (the length, for example) of the reliefs. More broadly, the opening O can be sized so that it cannot be blocked by a single relief R30, thus ensuring incoming flow regardless of the relative position between the inlet port 3 and the network of reliefs R30 formed on the bottom wall Wb.
[0060] In the variant shown in Figures 4A and 4B, a sliding effect can be achieved without using a network of reliefs R30, but by providing an openwork geometry for a weight 8 that defines the opening O of the inlet port 3. The notches or spaces 8b formed in the body 8a provide lateral access for oil to enter the internal compartment Cl. The oil Hu surrounding the weight 8 or a lateral wall of the inlet port 3 can thus enter laterally through such notches or spaces 8b. In other variants, several spaced bodies can constitute the weight 8, avoiding the formation of a lateral barrier that could block access to the opening(s) O for communication with the interior of the arrangement A, A'.
[0061] In order to enable the supply of a purified and air-free oil flow (upward flow F' as in the case of [Fig.1]), efficiently over time, the arrangement A, A' can be compatible with a replacement operation of one or some of the functional components, such as the filter media 5 or the wall 2 / the deformable element 20 using removable connection means (possibly provided on a flange, for the filter element EF and / or to define a flange area allowing the mounting of the wall 2). In [Fig. 6], it can be seen that the rigid housing component 10 can vary in its geometry or structure. It can incorporate a lateral opening 01 or any suitable access for mounting a removable filter element EF carrying the filter media 5.
[0062] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above by way of example only, but encompasses all variants that a person skilled in the art might consider for the purposes of the protection sought. It should be noted that the fluid passing through the inlet port can be any lubricant or oil suitable for a lubricating effect after passing through a filtration stage, which is preferably integrated near the deformable wall element 20. The arrangement A, A' is used by taking advantage of the mobility of the inlet port 3, thanks to the deformable wall element 20, to follow the weight 8 forming a tilt-sensitive movable means, this means being typically co-located with or defining the inlet port 3 within the wall 2.
[0063] Of course, the surface S on the lower wall Wb (bottom) of the housing can also vary, without necessarily being strictly flat or forming a sliding plane PG over the entire extent of the wall 2. Thus, it is possible to limit the sliding plane PG to a restricted flat area, which faces the majority or all of the deformable wall element 20, without necessarily extending to the peripheral connection of a margin area of the wall 2 which joins the frame of the base 1.
[0064] Although the illustrated examples show a wall element 20 allowing the upstream zone ZI to be directly delimited in the oil / lubricant filtration chamber, it should be understood that the arrangement A, A' may have -in embodiment variants- at least one stage or intermediate part between the bellows or deformation means in the wall 2 and the media 5, for example to avoid putting the crude fluid / oil in contact with the bellows on the inner side of the arrangement A, A'.
Claims
Demands
1. Collection and filtration arrangement (A; A') for purifying oil, in particular oil intended for a transmission, in which the arrangement, which extends vertically between an upper end (E) and a base (1) suitable for forming a bottom, comprises: - a filter medium (5); - the base (1), called the lower base, intended to be immersed in the oil (Hu) of a transmission casing (30), the base (1) including a wall (2) carrying an inlet port (3) for allowing a flow of oil to be filtered (F) into an internal compartment (Cl) allowing circulation of the oil to be filtered from the inlet port (3) to a face (F5) of the filter medium (5); - a housing component (10) carrying the upper end (E), a central axis (Zl) passing through the intake port (3), through the base (1) and the housing component which is axially offset from the base (1);and - an outlet (6) for a purified oil flow (F') having passed through the filter medium (5); characterized in that the wall (2), which defines an outer face adapted to constitute a lower face (Fl) of the arrangement (A) oriented axially opposite to the housing component (10), comprises: - a weight (8) which is made integral, preferably fixedly integral, with the inlet port (3); and - a deformable wall element (20), less dense than the weight (8) and which is at least partially flexible and movable in order to make the weight (8) movable at least under the effect of gravity and to allow relative movement between said weight (8) and a rigid periphery of the arrangement (A;A'), so that the inlet port (3) is movable with the weight along at least two transverse directions, thus being able to shift, relative to a predetermined reference position of the inlet port (3), on a given side in a stretched state of a portion (20p) of the wall element (20) located opposite the given side.;
2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the base (1) and the housing component (10) define between them an internal volume (V) in which are housed filtration means (15) which include the filtering media (5), being interposed between the inlet port (3) and the outlet (6), which is preferably an outlet provided at said upper end (E).
3. An arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the deformable wall element (20) is designed and arranged to: - extend around the inlet port (3), over a complete circumference of the inlet port by having a variable radial extension upwards and downwards, respectively, in a plurality of angular sectors distributed around the inlet port (3); and - move from a first configuration, with the predetermined reference position of the inlet port which is a central position in the base (1), to other configurations each obtained by a local tightening of bellows and / or folds (21, 21') of the wall element (20) to reduce a respective radial extension of one of said angular sectors which corresponds to the given side of offset, which allows a displacement, in different directions which are each transverse to the central axis (Z), of the counterweight (8) and the inlet port (3).
4. Arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deformable wall element (20) is of a single block.
5. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deformable wall element (20) includes an airtight membrane extending: - between an annular edge connecting with a disc forming all or part of the weight (8), - and an external annular edge, fixed and connected to a rigid frame of the base (1).
6. Arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deformable wall element (20) includes a layer of elastomeric material.
7. Arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deformable wall element (20) has a corrugated structure and / or is provided with concentric folds.
8. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing component (10) forms all or part of a transmission oil sump cover (30) and / or forms a removable cover allowing the filter media (5) to be changed by reusing the housing component (15) and the lower base (1).
9. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the intake port (3) consists of a rigid component including said weight (8) and has a flat lower face (F8) without protruding features, suitable for contacting a bottom face (F30) of the housing (30) to slide on this bottom face (F30).
10. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall (2) is airtight and devoid of a through hole outside the inlet port (3).
11. Transmission oil casing (30), comprising the arrangement (A; A') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base (1) and a lower wall (Wb) of the casing (30) are parallel to each other with a gap less than or equal to an axial distance measured between the inlet port (3) and the filter media (5) for the predetermined reference position, and wherein the weight (8) is arranged to slide on the lower wall (Wb) in order to follow movements of the oil stored in the casing (30).
12. Use of the arrangement (A; A') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall (2) with said deformable wall element (20) is used in the transmission oil pan (30), which is in particular a vehicle gearbox oil pan, in order to position the inlet port (3) in an area of the pan that is sufficiently filled with oil (Hu) or that is an area that is most filled with oil (Hu), wherein the deformable wall element (20) extending around the inlet port (3) can stretch locally, preferably by unfolding an accordion-like structure, along a transverse direction that follows the displacement of the weight (8) induced by the effects of gravity and / or inertia, so that the introduction of oil, towards the filter medium (5) via the inlet port (3) which is formed in a ring component including the weight (8),is ensured without air intake with the inlet port (3) located in said area sufficiently filled or most filled with oil.